Security camerasNew fog chamber offers testing options which could improve security cameras
Fog can play a key role in cloaking military invasions and retreats and the actions of intruders. This is why physical security experts seek to overcome fog, but it is difficult to field test security cameras, sensors, or other equipment in fog that is often either too thick or too ephemeral. Until now, collecting field test data in foggy environments was time-consuming and costly. Sandia Lab researchers thought it would be more efficient to develop a controlled-fog environment for sensor testing – and they have developed a fog chamber — one of the world’s largest — that meets the needs of the military, other government agencies, and industry: The chamber is in a tunnel owned by the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Fog can play a key role in cloaking military invasions and retreats and the actions of intruders. This is why physical security experts seek to overcome fog, but it is difficult to field test security cameras, sensors, or other equipment in fog that is often either too thick or too ephemeral.
Until now, collecting field test data in foggy environments was time-consuming and costly. “Fog is difficult to work with because it rarely shows up when needed, it never seems to stay around long enough once you’re ready to test and its density can vary during testing,” said Rich Contreras, a systems engineer at Sandia National Laboratories.
A Sandia Lab release reports that this is why Contreras and others started thinking about developing a controlled-fog environment for sensor testing. The sunny, high desert of New Mexico may seem an unlikely place to make fog, but Sandia has developed a fog chamber — one of the world’s largest — that meets the needs of the military, other government agencies and industry. The chamber is in a tunnel owned by the Air Force Research Laboratory.
“The ultimate goal of this whole endeavor is to defeat fog,” Contreras said. “From physical security and force protection aspects, as scientists and engineers who care about national security, we want to be able to make it so that a security force person at a site has the ability to maintain uninterrupted situational awareness.”
Researchers say the chamber will help develop and validate cameras’ and sensors’ abilities to penetrate fog, knowledge that could lead to improved surveillance at sites. The chamber also could be used to answer fundamental optics questions, which in time could lead to improved security camera lenses and medical imaging equipment, safer aircraft landings and better vision for drivers in fog.
“People need to see through fog,” said optical scientist Gabe Birch. “So much of the U.S. population is on the coastlines in places where fog exists. If you could discover an inexpensive technique to see better through it, there are a lot of people in industry who would be interested in that.”
