New System Will Help Electric Utilities Prevent Accidental Electrocution Of Pedestrians, Pets
PRINCETON, NJ – February 28, 2005 – Sarnoff Corporation today announced a revolutionary mobile system that can quickly and efficiently check street-level objects such as manhole covers and lamp poles for the “stray voltage” leaks that have injured and killed pedestrians and their pets in urban centers around the globe. Stray voltage is caused by electricity leaking from the electrical distribution grid into exposed objects, where it can pose a serious threat of shock to anyone who comes in contact with it.
The mobile system, the SVD1000, scans its surroundings while being towed on a trailer behind a utility vehicle at speeds of up to 20 miles/hour. The SVD1000 can detect potential shock hazards at distances of up to 25 feet, depending on operating conditions.
“The number of stray voltage problems increases as the electrical grid in an area grows more complex, and as the infrastructure ages,” said Christos Polyzois, Senior Director, Commercial Systems at Sarnoff. “Damaged connections and cables can electrify street-level structures with lethal levels of voltage.
“In addition to detecting these dangers, the SVD1000 has been able to detect objects electrified with as little as 5 volts. This high sensitivity allows the SVD1000 to help identify minor problems before they become more dangerous.”
Until now detection of these hazards required the manual inspection of each and every potentially electrified object within a city. In large cities this is a difficult task to complete even once a year. To compound the problem, an annual checkup is often insufficient, as new hazards can materialize more frequently.
The Sarnoff SVD1000 enables electric companies to complete rapid inspections of an entire city several times a year, even monthly or weekly when deploying multiple SVD1000’s. “For utilities looking to establish and continually maintain a high level of safety in their infrastructure, this is a necessary tool,” said Polyzois.
The SVD1000 system consists of a proprietary detector mounted in a non-conductive housing, plus specialized electronics and software. It monitors electromagnetic fields as it passes by street-level structures, and alerts its operator to any potential problems it detects so they may be repaired.
“The SVD1000 will help utilities assure the citizens and tourists of our great cities that they can safely walk down a street and not be electrocuted,” said Polyzois.
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About Sarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation 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.
