MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 12, 2012 /CNW/ - GE Canada supplied and developed
specially-adapted Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) equipment for internal
inspection of a newly discovered burial tomb in Jerusalem, dating from
the 1st century A.D. The same equipment which is used in energy, pharmaceutical
and manufacturing sectors provided high definition video images of
ossuaries within the tomb to enable archaeological experts to read
inscriptions and gain insight into their provenance.
This exciting archeological event was captured in Simcha Jacobovici's new documentary, The Jesus Discovery, which has its
historic Canadian debut on Thursday, April 12 on VisionTV at 10pm
ET/7pm PT.
Religious groups and the Israel Antiquities board stipulated that no one
should enter the tomb, nor should anything be disturbed or retrieved as
part of the licensed exploration. Fortunately, GE's remote visual
inspection equipment which was used during a similar tomb exploration
in 2005, was once again made available with the support GE's engineers
and technology experts including Ontario's own Bill Tarant,
"To ensure the video was in broadcast quality, for those onsite and the
documentary, required major development work by GE's engineers,
resulting in a customized High Definition camera", said Bill Tarant, GE
Ontario Sales Manager. "Leveraging GE technology to see inside a tomb
that had not been viewed for thousands of years was an incredible
experience, giving both the local Ontario team and those in Jerusalem,
an amazing feeling of accomplishment."
The burial tomb was revealed during building work in East Talpiot, just
outside the old city of Jerusalem and licensed exploration was granted
to Principal Investigators Prof. James D. Tabor of the University of
North Carolina (UNC) and Prof. Rami Arav of the University of Nebraska,
under the academic supervision of UNC.
"With the current project, we had to drill three 8 inch holes through
two meters of rock. The tomb was 1 metre in height but any inspection
equipment needed to be able to extend over 3 metres to obtain the
required coverage", added Tarant. "We solved the problem by using a
mechanical/pneumatic arm, designed by Walter Klassen, a well-known
Toronto based prop maker for feature films. This was fitted to a GE
CA-Zoom PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera, which was used to obtain the images
inside the tomb."
Although the first images received were very good, the investigators
asked if the definition could be improved to broadcast quality, so that
the inscriptions on the ossuaries could be read, not only on site but
also by viewers of the film which was being made. To support the
CA-Zoom cameras, GE also introduced its XLG3 video probe to provide
images of extremely difficult access areas within the tomb. With its
very high light output and its unique 360° All-Way® articulation,
combined with advanced digital signal processing, the XLG3 can be
remotely manipulated into the most difficult of locations to provide
sharp, high quality images.
About Measurement & Control
Measurement & Control is a leading innovator in advanced, sensor-based
measurement, non-destructive testing and inspection and condition
monitoring. Providing healthcare for our customers' most critical
assets, we deliver accuracy, productivity and safety to a wide range of
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About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best
technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in
energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building,
powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE
works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
GE has operated in Canada since 1892. The company has 7,000 employees
and major manufacturing, sales and service locations across the
country. For more information visit www.ge.com/ca. Follow GE Canada on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/GE_Canada and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/GECanada.
