Field unit captures 0.2° and 0.5° retroreflection measurements simultaneously

RoadVista, a Gamma Scientific company, has announced the Model 922, the industry's first handheld retroreflectometer capable of simultaneous 0.2° and 0.5° retroreflection (RA) measurement of road signs and other materials.

"Because a significant portion of the vehicles on the road in the USA are now SUVs and pickup trucks, ASTM has drafted a specification that requires measurements to be performed at an observation angle of 0.5°, in addition to the traditional 0.2°," said Eric Nelson, senior physicist and sales manager of RoadVista. "The 922 is the perfect instrument for this change-over. Utilizing the ASTM standard annular geometry, the 922 measures both observation angles simultaneously, with an entrance angle of -4°."

Simple, straightforward operation is another hallmark of the 922's patent-pending design. At the push of a button, the operator knows exactly how bright a sign will appear to most drivers; both 0.2° and 0.5° measurements display simultaneously on the 922's large LCD. To further simplify the measurement process, the unit's annular geometry eliminates the need for averaging two measurements with prismatic-type materials. A European version is available with a standard 0.33° observation angle and +5° entrance angle.

The 922 also features an internal global-positioning system (GPS), a barcode reader, internal memory that stores approximately 4500 measurements and a USB interface for downloading stored data. Remote IrDA control is also included for measuring hard-to-reach signage.

The 922's sensitive light sensor meets ASTM E1709 requirements with the CIE standard human-eye response in conjunction with the CIE illuminant "A" lamp. Moreover, RoadVista's world-class photometric filter fit is unmatched by the competition. It enables extremely accurate measurements of other colors using the single white reference standard with no correction factors.