Redlake MASD LLC of San Diego has entered into an agreement with General Motors Corp. of Detroit to provide several models of its high-speed cameras for vehicle crash testing. To comply with automobile safety standards, cars with onboard dummies are crashed into concrete barriers to analyze the survivability of the occupants, according to Keith Russell, business development manager for Redlake.
To provide more complete analysis of the collision, cameras are mounted inside and outside the vehicle. Because a typical impact takes place in less than 1 second, the cameras must record data at rates as high as 1000 fps. Redlake will provide its MotionXtra HG series of CMOS cameras in a deal valued at more than $5 million.
In another agreement, NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), based in Daytona, Fla., will use the HG series cameras to develop safer racing cars. NASCAR is installing the cameras to test how well energy-absorbing materials might protect drivers and to record simulated driver movements.