Bird's eye view from HookCam
25 August 2009
The HookCam from Pacific Systems Solutions (PSS) gives tower crane operators a view from the hook. It provides a view of the pick area with any adjacent obstructions and can highlight proximity problems and load security issues to the operator.
The system consists of a camera installed between the cheek plates of the hook block, a receiver and transmitter that sits on the trolley and a monitor inside the operator's cab.
Chris Catanzaro, operations manager at PSS, said that unlike systems that use security cameras mounted at a fixed position on the jib, the HookCam travels with the hook and needs no adjustment to the view.
No operator training is needed but they do need to learn how the device works because at the moment it does not offer a three-dimensional view, so operators must learn to judge the depth of images on the display screen.