PRINCETON, NJ – November 15, 2005 – Sarnoff Corporation today unveiled the SVD2000, a revolutionary mobile system capable of sensing hazardous stray voltage from a moving vehicle. The new system consists of a sophisticated sensor array with proprietary electronics and software that can quickly and efficiently check street level objects such as manhole covers, utility boxes and lamp poles for stray voltage, even in the presence of overhead power lines.

Stray voltage, which is caused by electricity leaking from utility lines into exposed objects, has injured and killed pedestrians and pets in urban centers around the globe. By making manual screening more efficient, the system lets utilities greatly accelerate their inspection schedules.

The SVD2000 can detect an electrical charge at levels as low as five volts. It can screen objects up to 25 feet away while passing them at 15 miles per hour. System operation is controlled by a custom laptop PC inside the vehicle. The laptop displays a graphic representation of the electrical energy the system is detecting, along with real-time video images of the objects being scanned.

When the system detects a potential hazard, the laptop sounds an audible alarm. The operator can also see the energy curve peak aligned on screen with the video image of the object that set off the alarm.

The operator can then replay the event to pinpoint the object and add comments. The system also adds GPS-based geographical coordinates and street addresses.

External components of the system include a compact (14” x 15” x 8”), proprietary detector array, a GPS antenna, and two small video cameras to monitor left and right sides of the street. These are all mounted on the back of the vehicle. Specialized hardware and sophisticated software process and analyze the signals from the detector array.

More information is available by contacting:
Lou Ann Wingerter
Sarnoff Corporation
(609) 734-2863
FAX (609) 734-2040
lwingerter@sarnoff.com [1]

About Sarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation [2] produces innovations in electronic, biomedical and information technology that generate successful new products and services for clients worldwide. Founded in 1942 as RCA Laboratories, it develops breakthroughs in ICs, lasers, and imagers; drug discovery, manufacture and delivery; digital TV and video for security, surveillance, and entertainment; high-performance networking; and wireless communications. Sarnoff is a subsidiary of SRI International.