Vaisala Selects MOBOTIX Technology for Solar-powered Monitoring

  • Sep 22, 2011

MOBOTIX AG, a manufacturer of digital high-resolution, network-based video security systems has released details of its use in a new solar-powered monitoring solution created by Vaisala, a global provider of environmental and industrial measurement.

With the growth and reliability of mobile data networks based on 3G and 4G technology, Vaisala had requests from clients for the weather stations with dual cameras and infrared lamps in remote locations where power was either not available or to expensive to bring to site. To meet this requirement a solar- and wind-powered solution with mobile communication capability was developed. The new system allows rapid deployment in challenging locations without the need to run expensive fixed infrastructure such as broadband or power.

"We had used MOBOTIX for a number of years and the cameras have proven extremely reliable in our existing deployments so we naturally evaluated the technology as part of the development of the new solar & wind powered solution,” said Gerry Sharp, project manager for Vaisala.

Vaisala already has more than 500 MOBOTIX cameras deployed as part of road monitoring services used primarily by the UK Highways agency and other similar organizations. Some of the sites have MOBOTIX cameras that have continuously delivered high resolution images for more than seven years

"We have had very few cameras fail over the years and many of these locations are extremely exposed to the elements," Sharp said.

For the new solar-based monitoring stations, low power was a critical requirement along with ruggedness.

"The MOBOTIX cameras have no moving parts, require no heaters or fans and use only 3 watts in operation," Sharp said. "The cameras are also extremely good in low light and can react to IR light level changes very quickly. In addition, the MxPEG file format means that we can transmit smaller files which use less power for the 3G transceiver."

So far, Vaisala has deployed four, in a variety of configurations, of the new solar- and wind-based units at some high risk yet extremely remote roadside locations across England and Scotland.

"The use of the MOBOTIX cameras has been proven in real deployments and the energy efficiency of the solution means battery exchanges are not necessary which keeps down our service delivery costs," Sharp said.

"Power consumption, reliability and ability to withstand the elements should always be on the list of considerations when deploying an outdoor solution. Our work with Vaisala is an extreme example but the benefits it has achieved are a clear example of how our advanced MOBOTIX technology provides leadership for our industry,” said Mike Lewis, business development director—UK and Ireland for MOBOTIX.

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