GE Industrial Visual Equipment used to Investigate Jerusalem Tomb

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 1(st) 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
industries, including oil & gas, power generation, aerospace, metals and
transportation. Measurement & Control has over 40 facilities in 25 countries
and is part of GE Oil & Gas. For further information, visit www.ge-mcs.com

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.

News Source: http://www.ndt.org/news.asp?ObjectID=30283