AxxonSoft CCTV Software

The sound of sirens in the distance is commonplace, nowadays. Whether related to a medical emergency or everyday crimes, such as theft, property crimes, and so on, we’re all accustomed to hearing these sirens by now. It is worth noting that many incidents that police respond to take place at night. According to a recent report by the Sleep Judge, more than half of murders, manslaughter, sexual assaults, robberies, aggravated assaults and motor vehicle thefts happen long after the sun has set. To anyone looking to address the round-the-clock security challenge, deploying the most comprehensive surveillance solution is a must, and this means, looking at the instrumental role illumination plays in video capture. Limitations of traditional video surveillance For surveillance cameras relying on video analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver functionalities such as facial recognition, license plate reading and motion detection, nighttime crimes can pose something of a problem. Without adequate illumination, images from video cameras are grainy and unusable.If surveillance cameras can’t be used to prevent, detect and/or resolve crimes that occur in these areas, the entire security operation is obsolete Without proper lighting, potential criminals and moving objects essentially become indistinguishable, at night, thereby inhibiting even the most advanced security technologies. This limitation of traditional surveillance technology not only hinders immediate police response, but it also stops crime investigations dead in their tracks. Often, without video evidence that is clear and discernible, conviction in a court of law is next to impossible. A common response to this issue is to place security cameras near streetlights or well-lit areas. After all, according to NPR, street lights are effective in deterring crime,  as “there are people such as neighbors, pedestrians, or police, to actually see suspicious activity.” However, even if streetside and primary entrances are well lit, the areas that still need most to be surveilled are rear or side doorways shrouded by darkness, unlit back alleys, and so on. If surveillance cameras can’t be used to prevent, detect and resolve crimes that occur in these areas, the entire security operation is obsolete. Best-in-class security solutions must be able to see everything, day and night. A purpose-designed illumination solution Addressing this issue is easier than you might think. Much like a human eye needs some sort of light to “see,” so does video surveillance technology. Integrating external illuminators into a security solution can optimise camera performance exponentially, expanding a camera’s video capture and coverage abilities and ensuring the operation of video analytics, day and night. Opting for an external illuminator allows system integrators to select a device that matches the exact emission range of a camera’s field of view (FOV). The result is an evenly lit visual field, where captured images are clear and effective for security purposes. The two most common options available to integrators include infrared (IR) and white light illuminators. Each technology is built to optimise particular deployments, depending on their needs. Infrared versus white light IR illuminators emit IR light, which is invisible to the human eye and perfect for covert surveillance operations. When cameras need to be able to detect potential threats over long distances, IR illuminators are perfect for the job as they typically have longer emission ranges. IR illuminators are optimal for surveillance operations in license plate recognition, border patrol, safe cities, theme park, and medical sleep lab applications.Cameras deployed without proper illumination are rendered blind, especially at night If an end user needs to implement full-color video analytics for identification purposes, such as facial, object and license plate recognition, white light illuminators are undoubtedly an integrator’s best bet. IR illumination and traditional thermal security cameras, after all, are only able to provide black-and-white images, whereas object recognition software often identifies objects based on their color. White light illuminators installed alongside AI-powered surveillance cameras enable enhanced video image clarity, which, optimises video analytics performance. When customers want to physically deter suspicious activity, deploying white light illuminators is effective. A recent study out of Crime Labs New York found that businesses that deployed visible lights to deter crime “experienced crime rates that were significantly lower,” which “led to a 36 percent reduction in ‘index crimes’”. On top of all this, LED based white lights operate at low running costs and typically have long lifespans, saving end users thousands of dollars a year in energy costs without having to sacrifice surveillance optimisation. External versus built-in illumination Security customers looking to use lighting to deter crime and improve the performance of video surveillance may consider “all-in-one" solutions, as some cameras have LEDs (light emitting diodes) built into them. These LEDs typically encircle the lens and therefore shed light in whatever direction the camera is pointed. However convenient these may seem, built-in illumination can cause problems. First, LEDs built into cameras and next to other electronic components often cause heat to build up, which attracts insects that can trigger motion detection and obstruct a camera’s view. This heat buildup also shortens the LED lights lifespan. Built-in LEDs also tend to create “hot spots” with glare and reflection back into the camera, often because these lights only cover a 30-degree field of view (FOV), even though the average camera’s FOV is 90 degrees. This issue can severely limit a camera’s visibility, essentially rendering those remaining 60 degrees dark and unusable. All in all, when integrating lighting solutions into your security deployment, a cost-effective solution that enhances a camera’s video capture and coverage abilities, are external illuminators because they offer flexible choices of field of view and distances. Best-in-class security solution When it comes to criminal conviction in a court of law, “seeing really is believing.” Cameras deployed without proper illumination are rendered blind, especially at night, just as any security officer would be when patrolling the same unlit area. To guarantee end users the most reliable and highest performing security solution, consider integrating best-in-class illumination into your offerings.

Urban populations are expanding rapidly around the globe, with an expected growth of 1.56 billion by 2040. As the number of people living and working in cities continues to grow, the ability to keep everyone safe is an increasing challenge. However, technology companies are developing products and solutions with these futuristic cities in mind, as the reality is closer than you may think. Solutions that can help to watch over public places and share data insights with city workers and officials are increasingly enabling smart cities to improve the experience and safety of the people who reside there. Rising scope of 5G, AI, IoT and the Cloud The main foundations that underpin smart cities are 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Cloud. Each is equally important, and together, these technologies enable city officials to gather and analyse more detailed insights than ever before. For public safety in particular, having IoT and cloud systems in place will be one of the biggest factors to improving the quality of life for citizens. Smart cities have come a long way in the last few decades, but to truly make a smart city safe, real-time situational awareness and cross-agency collaboration are key areas which must be developed as a priority. Innovative surveillance cameras with integrated IoT Public places need to be safe, whether that is an open park, shopping centre, or the main roads through towns Public places need to be safe, whether that is an open park, shopping centre, or the main roads through towns. From dangerous drivers to terrorist attacks, petty crime on the streets to high profile bank robberies, innovative surveillance cameras with integrated IoT and cloud technologies can go some way to helping respond quickly to, and in some cases even prevent, the most serious incidents. Many existing safety systems in cities rely on aging and in some places legacy technology, such as video surveillance cameras. Many of these also use on-premises systems rather than utilising the benefits of the cloud. Smart programming to deliver greater insights These issues, though not creating a major problem today, do make it more challenging for governments and councils to update their security. Changing every camera in a city is a huge undertaking, but in turn, doing so would enable all cameras to be connected to the cloud, and provide more detailed information which can be analysed by smart programming to deliver greater insights. The physical technologies that are currently present in most urban areas lack the intelligent connectivity, interoperability and integration interfaces that smart cities need. Adopting digital technologies isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. Smart surveillance systems It enables teams to gather data from multiple sources throughout the city in real-time, and be alerted to incidents as soon as they occur. Increased connectivity and collaboration ensures that all teams that need to be aware of a situation are informed instantly. For example, a smart surveillance system can identify when a road accident has occurred. It can not only alert the nearest ambulance to attend the scene, but also the local police force to dispatch officers. An advanced system that can implement road diversions could also close roads around the incident immediately and divert traffic to other routes, keeping everyone moving and avoiding a build-up of vehicles. This is just one example: without digital systems, analysing patterns of vehicle movements to address congestion issues could be compromised, as would the ability to build real-time crime maps and deploy data analytics which make predictive policing and more effective crowd management possible. Cloud-based technologies Cloud-based technologies provide the interoperability, scalability and automation Cloud-based technologies provide the interoperability, scalability and automation that is needed to overcome the limitations of traditional security systems. Using these, smart cities can develop a fully open systems architecture that delivers interoperation with both local and other remote open systems. The intelligence of cloud systems can not only continue to allow for greater insights as technology develops over time, but it can do so with minimal additional infrastructure investment. Smart surveillance in the real world Mexico City has a population of almost 9 million people, but if you include the whole metropolitan area, this number rises sharply to over 21 million in total, making it one of the largest cities on the planet. Seven years ago, the city first introduced its Safe City initiative, and ever since has been developing newer and smarter ways to keep its citizens safe. In particular, its cloud-based security initiative is making a huge impact. Over the past three years, Mexico City has installed 58,000 new video surveillance cameras throughout the city, in public spaces and on transport, all of which are connected to the City’s C5 (Command, Control, Computers, Communications and Citizen Contact) facility. Smart Cities operations The solution enables officers as well as the general public to upload videos via a mobile app to share information quickly, fixed, body-worn and vehicle cameras can also be integrated to provide exceptional insight into the city’s operations. The cloud-based platform can easily be upgraded to include the latest technology innovations such as licence plate reading, behavioural analysis software, video analytics and facial recognition software, which will all continue to bring down crime rates and boost response times to incidents. The right cloud approach Making the shift to cloud-based systems enables smart cities to eliminate dependence on fibre-optic connectivity and take advantage of a variety of Internet and wireless connectivity options that can significantly reduce application and communication infrastructure costs. Smart cities need to be effective in years to come, not just in the present day, or else officials have missed one of the key aspects of a truly smart city. System designers must build technology foundations now that can be easily adapted in the future to support new infrastructure as it becomes available. Open system architecture An open system architecture will also be vital for smart cities to enhance their operations For example, this could include opting for a true cloud application that can support cloud-managed local devices and automate their management. An open system architecture will also be vital for smart cities to enhance their operations and deliver additional value-add services to citizens as greater capabilities become possible in the years to come. The advances today in cloud and IoT technologies are rapid, and city officials and authorities have more options now to develop their smart cities than ever before and crucially, to use these innovations to improve public safety. New safety features Though implementing these cloud-based systems now requires investment, as new safety features are designed, there will be lower costs and challenges associated with introducing these because the basic infrastructure will already exist. Whether that’s gunshot detection or enabling the sharing of video infrastructure and data across multiple agencies in real time, smart video surveillance on cloud-based systems can bring a wealth of the new opportunities.

Securing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the transportation industry is multi-faceted for a multitude of reasons. Pressures build for transit industry players to modernise their security systems, while also mitigating the vulnerabilities, risks, and growth-restrictions associated with proprietary as well as integrated solutions. There are the usual physical security obstacles when it comes to increasingly integrated solutions and retrofitting updated technologies into legacy systems. Starting with edge devices like cameras and intelligent sensors acquiring video, analytics and beyond, these edge devices are now found in almost all public transportation like buses, trains, subways, airplanes, cruise lines, and so much more. You can even find them in the world’s last manually operated cable car systems in San Francisco. The next layer to consider is the infrastructure and networks that support these edge devices and connect them to centralized monitoring stations or a VMS. Without this layer, all efforts at the edge or stations are in vain as you lose the connection between the two. And the final layer to consider when building a comprehensive transit solution is the software, recording devices, or viewing stations themselves that capture and report the video. The challenge of mobility However, the transportation industry in particular has a very unique challenge that many others do not – mobility. As other industries become more connected and integrated, they don’t usually have to consider going in and out or bouncing between networks as edge devices physically move. Obviously in the nature of transportation, this is key. Have you ever had a bad experience with your cellular, broadband or Wi-Fi at your home or office? You are not alone. The transportation industry in particular has a very unique challenge that many others do not – mobility Can you trust these same environments to record your surveillance video to the Cloud without losing any frames, non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year? To add to the complexity – how do you not only provide a reliable and secure solution when it’s mobile, travelling at varying speeds, and can be in/out of coverage using various wireless technologies? Waiting to upload video from a transport vehicle when it comes into port, the station, or any centralised location is a reactive approach that simply will not do any longer. Transit operations require a more proactive approach today and the ability to constantly know what is going on at any given time on their mobile vehicles, and escalate that information to headquarters, authorities, or law enforcement if needed; which can only occur with real-time monitoring. This is the ultimate question when it comes to collecting, analysing, and sharing data from mobile vehicles – how to get the video from public transportation vehicles alike to headquarters in real time! Managing video data In order to answer this question, let’s get back to basics. The management and nature of video data differs greatly from conventional (IT) data. Not only is video conducted of large frames, but there are specific and important relationships among the frames and the timing between them. This relationship can easily get lost in translation if not handled properly. This is why it’s critical to consider the proper way to transmit large frames while under unstable or variable networks. The Internet and its protocols were designed more than two decades ago and purposed for conventional data. Although the Internet itself has not changed, today’s network environments run a lot faster, expand to further ranges, and support a variety of different types of data. Because the internet is more reliable and affordable than in the past some might think it can handle anything. However, it is good for data, but not for video. This combination makes it the perfect time to convert video recording to the Cloud! Video transmission protocol One of the main issues with today’s technology is the degradation of video quality when transmitting video over the Internet. ITS are in dire need for reliable transmission of real-time video recording. To address this need a radical, yet proven, video transmission protocol has recently been introduced to the market. It uses AI technology and to adapt to different environments in order to always deliver high quality, complete video frames. This protocol, when equipped with encryption and authentication, enables video to be transmitted reliably and securely over the Internet in a cloud environment. One of the main issues with today’s technology is the degradation of video quality when transmitting video over the Internet Finally, transportation industry has a video recording Cloud solution that is designed for (massive) video that can handle networks that might be experiencing high error rate. Such a protocol will not only answer the current challenges of the transportation industry, but also make the previously risky Cloud environment safe for even the most reserved environments and entities. With revolutionary transmission protocols, the time is now to consider adopting private Cloud for your transportation operations.

Dahua Technology, a renowned video-centric smart IoT solution and service provider, will hold its online Dahua Technology Partner Day 2020 on 1st of December. The event will be a perfect occasion to get a taste of the Dahua ECO system in the EMEA region. 26 technology partners will bring solutions in the field of security and IoT. Smarter Together is the central theme of the Dahua Technology Partner Day 2020. A total of 26 distinguished Dahua partners will gather to share their knowledge and expertise on the development of security and IoT applications for a variety of vertical markets. This online event will serve as a technological and commercial hub for end-users and system integrators from different markets, ranging from Logistics, Traffic and Infrastructures to Healthcare, Retail and Residential. Attendees can Register free of charge and tune in to all the partner keynotes. Explore business opportunities In the partner hub, participants can chat with technology partners, explore business opportunities or technical challenges and get the latest product information. The event will kick off with an opening speech by Mr. Jason Zhao, Dahua VP & General Manager of Overseas Business to introduce how Dahua Technology and its technology partners become smarter together. 26 Partners will showcase their solutions in a main auditorium and six different break out rooms, including Axxonsoft, Qognify, Ivideon, TechnoAware, Vaelsys, A.I. Tech, Optex, Eagle Eye Networks who joined in the 2019 offline partner day and gained much exposure and business opportunities last year. Global security industry We are moving the Partner day to an online event in order to sustain the opportunity of getting together" Integrated solutions developed by both Dahua Technology and its partners will be displayed during the event, which will surely raise spectators’ interest as they meet different needs of system integrators and end users with greater versatility.“The 2019 Partner Day held on September 26th at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid was a success with many of our partners’ participation. However, 2020 is challenging because of COVID-19." "We are moving the Partner day to an online event in order to sustain the opportunity of getting together. During the event, leading representative companies in global security industry and IoT industry will have the chance to present their insights into the latest Security Application and also reflect on current challenges in the industry”, says Mr. Jiaqi Gao, Overseas Marketing Director at Dahua Technology. Smart integrated security solutions “The attendees will have the chance to meet security players in the market and create new and diverse business opportunities.” Committed to its mission of “Enabling a Safer Society and Smarter Living,” Dahua Technology will continue to adhere the core value of “customer-centred” and provide the market with smart integrated security solutions, systems, and services to create value for city operations, corporate management, and consumers.

AxxonSoft has launched version 4.4 of the Axxon Next intelligent VMS. This version includes new functions of neural analytics and camera management, enhanced GUI and Web Client, and many other enhancements and improvements. Supported body temperature measurement with a number of thermographic camera models. Measurement results appear as captions over video and are saved to an archive. Upon discovering an individual with abnormal body temperature, the camera creates an alarm event, and sends it to Axxon Next. The user can set up an auto response scenario to notify operators or responsible staff, start video recording, etc. Based on alarm events, the user can quickly find videos of individuals with elevated body temperature. Mask detection - Based on neural network algorithm for facial recognition, this tool detects the presence or absence of a mask on a face. Social distancing violation detection - Based on Behavior Analytics, close-standing people detection helps in social distancing enforcement. Along with non-contact body temperature measurement and mask detection, this function is included in a dedicated anti-pandemic solution. Video analytics The neural network analyses video and generates data on the postures of people in the FOV AI analytics - Neural tracker recognises and tracks moving objects of a specified type, e.g., individuals or vehicles. The user can further apply Scene Analytics to recognised objects to detect their motion, stopping or lingering in an area, crossing a line, etc. Detection based on the neural tracker can be applied to complex scenes with a large amount of non-relevant detail, whereas classic motion detection would be drowned out by numerous false alarms. In a specified time interval, the neural tracker counts objects of a specified type within a pre-defined area, and generates an alarm event upon reaching/exceeding a specified limit. Posture detection The neural network analyses video and generates data on the postures of people in the FOV. This data is processed by analytical algorithms which are capable of detecting specified postures, such as crouching, man-down, shooting, or raised arms. Posture detection helps recognise potentially dangerous scenarios, such as: an individual crouched down next to an ATM could be a burglar an individual(s) in a shooting position and other(s) with raised arms - could be an armed robbery Handrail holding detection helps in labour safety enforcement at production facilities, construction sites, working at height, etc. Posture detection–based counter tracks the total number of individuals within a specified area, and notifies staff upon reaching/exceeding the pre-defined limit. Update required analytics Network hardware acceleration - Added support for neural network acceleration in NVIDIA and Intel GPUs, including Mustang-V100-MX8 (HDDL), Neural Compute Stick 2 and Intel HD Graphics Water level detection - This tool reads water level values from measurement scale video. Its output is represented in the Camera window with a colour-coded level indicator and, as an option, a numerical value. The user can use water level detection to monitor levels of any liquid in any basin or container. Facial recognition - Facial recognition now operates in real-time. Use the AxxonNet cloud service to create lists of Facial Templates and synchronise them across all Servers connected to the user’s AxxonNet account. Upon detecting a face, a list-specific response scenario is launched. The user can use this option to create lists of VIP and/or unwanted visitors, and automatically notify retail and security staff on their entry. DetectorPack - Axxon Next detection tools are now grouped by type (core, AI, facial, LPR) and compiled into a separate DetectorPack module, subject to independent continuous development and delivery. This makes it possible to download and update required analytics between point releases of VMS. Axxon Next 4.4 includes DetectorPack 3.4.0. Web client The new Web Client functions include: Simultaneous search on multiple camera channels for specified faces, vehicle numbers, detection events, or time interval Criteria- (MomentQuest) and time-based (TimeSlice) search Building a motion heat map Alarms panel displays all active alarms across the Axxon domain H.265 playback is supported (in the Edge browser with hardware acceleration set to on) The user can select one of the two H.264 display modes: all frames, or I-frames only Select the default layout to be displayed after the Web Client launch The user can now group cameras, create camera lists and sort cameras within a list by their names or IDs Camera management Recording on motion from embedded VMD - When the user adds a camera to their system, they can now quickly set up motion-based recording from on-board Video Motion Detection. For each added camera, the system automatically creates a VMD tool and a rule for automated recording to the specified file. When VMD triggering ends, video recording stops. Adding links to other cameras - Users can now include links to other cameras in a camera window. Clicking a link brings the user to the linked camera. This function facilitates object tracking between different camera FOVs. User Interface Videowall management - A video wall is a set of display monitors physically and logically connected to act as a single screen. A video wall may include any monitor connected to any Client within the Axxon domain. In Axxon Next 4.4, the users can set up a video wall via a WYSIWYG GUI: monitor images on screen now match their physical layout. User rights now include an option to manage other Clients' monitors, not only local ones. On each monitor, users can set up layouts and quickly add cameras by dragging their icons from the Objects panel (Devices tree) or interactive Map. Hot keys for video walls control were added as well. Geo Map management - The user can specify coordinates of a camera: latitude, longitude, and bearing. When they add a camera to a geo map, its icon appears in a location that corresponds to its coordinates. On the map, the user can now search geo objects by their names. These functions will be useful for large-scale and distributed systems, including Safe City projects. Temporary layout in archive mode - The user can now create a temporary layout that includes cameras selected for Archive (video footage) viewing. This is a convenient tool for simultaneous viewing of multiple camera feeds for event analysis. When another layout is selected, the temporary layout is automatically deleted. Fast access to detection triggering events - The users can now quickly access detection triggering events on any layout with the newly introduced events panel to the right of the camera window. The panel contains the list of most recent detection events from tools created for this particular camera.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about an unprecedented crisis for businesses and individuals. It has also created a new normal, notwithstanding the disruption to our lives, ultimately changing life as we knew it. However, our resilience as humans will ensure that we survive and become better, stronger, and more determined than ever before. As I mentioned, both businesses and individuals have struggled significantly to balance the need for safety versus survival. But at AxxonSoft, we remain committed to keeping our people safe, while ensuring that our support and commitment to our clients are not compromised. Ensuring business continuity At AxxonSoft, our vision has always been to ensure business continuity through enhanced safety and video surveillance offerings. Adhering to the COVID-19 regulations, we are prescribing to social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. As such, we are utilising this time to ensure that our service offering is optimised to afford our clients the ability to repurpose and extend their remote working viabilities. As an essential service provider, we have ensured that we are providing the right tools to our clients to comply with regulations. Our video analytics and face recognition services have no reliance on on-site control rooms and, therefore, clients’ security solutions and personal safety are not compromised. Innovation reimagined During these precarious times, our focus remains on support and service. Our development team continues to work tirelessly to ensure that you can use our software during the lockdown and have accelerated innovation to this end. While we must maintain social distancing, we can and will still be of service to our community Therefore, we are proud to present version 4.11 of the Intellect PSIM, which offers our clients a neural network-based analytical tracker which recognises specific types of objects, such as humans and vehicles. We have also equipped this version with video wall management interface, automatic object tracking and a web reporting subsystem. Behavioural analytics generates data by detecting specific postures, like crouching, shooting or any potentially dangerous scenario. Our surveillance software operates on a three-pronged approach: calibration, detection and measurement, offering a comprehensive bird’s-eye view to clients. This upgrade also upholds mandated social distancing measures and keeps any face-to-face meetings to a minimal. The silver lining is that you can even use this technology when the pandemic is over. Now that’s what I call experiencing the next with AxxonSoft! Finding solutions to the challenges Our specialist technology and frontline technical support staff will ensure that your business is protected during and post-lockdown. We will continue to ensure that we provide solutions to the new challenges that the coronavirus brings, ensuring that our clients can emerge stronger and more responsive to any changes in the future. Our surveillance software operates on a three-pronged approach: calibration, detection and measurement While we must maintain social distancing, we can and will still be of service to our community. After all, change is not just about technology but about mastering mindsets. The COVID-19 disaster has demanded that businesses embrace tech disruptions as early as possible and apply technology in imaginative ways to define the new world of work. Until next time, stay safe!