Sony’s ultra-sensitive SNC-VB770 4K network cameras are helping maintain the safety of bridge users – and the physical integrity of the structure itself – at river crossings between the neighboring states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
A total of twenty cameras have been installed by Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC), a Bi-State commission of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This self-funded agency ensures safe, efficient and dependable journeys for road users and pedestrians.
Several of the bridges controlled by DRJTBC are in areas, where homes are nearby, and local municipalities request not to use powerful artificial illumination at night to limit light pollution. This restriction made the SNC-VB770 an obvious choice for monitoring and surveillance, with its highly sensitive 35mm full-frame Exmor™ CMOS image sensor capturing crisp 4K color images in conditions of near total darkness.
A principal application for the cameras is the reliable 24/7 identification and monitoring of hazardous floating debris. Objects like fallen trees or discarded gas tanks heading down river – especially in winter when water levels are high – pose the risk of impacting with the bridge supports, making early warning of potentially dangerous collisions essential for operational staff.
In addition to monitoring for signs of loitering and other suspicious activity around the bridge supports, the cameras also help ensure the safety and security of pedestrians using walkways to cross the bridges, especially at night and in adverse conditions of rain and snow when visibility is poor. Supplied and installed by Schneider Electric, all cameras are mounted in weather-resistant housings and integrated with DRJTBC‘s Genetec Security Center network video management system platform.
“We first previewed the Sony 4K cameras’ capabilities at ISC West” explains Eric Freeman, Director of Public Safety & Bridge Security at Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. “We subsequently put them through their paces in a live demo at two of our bridge locations. Analyzing video from the SNC-VB770 and comparing it against our existing cameras, the difference was immediately clear in terms of Sony’s extra detail and low-light performance.”
“4K is an increasingly popular solution in a wide range of video surveillance applications” says Allen Chan, Manager Application Design for Sony Video Security at Bosch.
“Many other 4K cameras currently on the market trade extra resolution for decreased sensitivity, and that’s a big issue in environments where available light is limited. The SNC-VB770 side-steps this challenge with its unprecedented sensitivity of ISO 409600 – giving an impressively clear view at night and in situations where other 4K cameras aren’t viable without installing costly additional illumination”.
