VIVOTEK delivers optimal security coverage at USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California

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Decommissioned in San Diego, California, the USS Midway served from 1945 until 1992, as the longest-serving American aircraft carrier of the 20th century. The historic naval ship museum opened to the public for tours on June 10th, 2004, and receives 1,000,000 visitors annually. The USS Midway’s mission is to preserve, inspire, educate, and entertain visitors as well as serve as America’s living symbol of freedom.

Video surveillance system

Throughout USS Midway’s 47 years of service, the aircraft carrier played key roles in the Cold War, served with the Atlantic Fleet, was combat deployed in Vietnam as well as the Arabian Gulf for Desert Storm, and many other operations throughout the world. The aircraft carrier is home to flight simulators, a gift shop, café and a theatre, measures 1,001 feet long, and contains 18 decks.

The large number of tourists, volunteers, and museum staff occupying the facility, along with the many events held on-board on any given day, make safety and surveillance a top concern for the museum’s Board of Directors.

Earlier this year, Director of Safety and Security, Bill McClurg, with the full support of the CEO and the museum’s board, led a team of USS Midway department directors including information technology, finance, and operations, and launched a project designed to update and improve the museum’s existing video surveillance system.

The process culminated in the selection of VIVOTEK’s valued partner, Layer3 Security Services, a systems integration company headquartered in San Diego that serves companies, government agencies and institutions throughout Southern California.

Network cameras

The new video surveillance system features dozens of VIVOTEK network cameras including fixed domes, box cameras, and Pan Tilt Zoom models. “There were many reasons for selecting VIVOTEK for this demanding application,” said Dario Santana, President of Layer3 Security Services. “These include the breadth of VIVOTEK’s product line, the high degree of integration with ExacqVision’s VMS platform, and the products’ superior price and performance. In the end, it only made sense to select VIVOTEK for the USS Midway upgrade,” concluded Dario.

In the end, it only made sense to select VIVOTEK for the USS Midway upgrade"

VIVOTEK’s FD8365HV and FD8338-HV fixed dome network cameras were also positioned in areas in need of surveillance. Both camera models are able to withstand inclement weather and the IP66 and IK10-rated housing protects the unit against acts of vandalism, making these units a great selection for installation aboard the aircraft carrier.

A variety of camera models were chosen to monitor specific areas of the museum and surrounding areas. VIVOTEK’s FD8373-EHV fixed dome network cameras were installed throughout the premises due to the 3-megapixel wide dynamic range CMOS sensor’s excellent ability to adjust to challenging lighting conditions. The WDR Pro feature allows the camera to capture both the dark and bright areas of an image and combine the differences to generate a highly realistic representation of the original scene.

Zooming capabilities

Working closely with Layer3, Bill McClurg also chose SD8364E, speed dome network cameras for the zoom capabilities in parking lot as well as ship deck monitoring and IP8155HP, box network cameras. VIVOTEK’s SD8364E 1080p full HD resolution speed dome delivers superb image quality with its 30x optical zoom lens, perfect for monitoring wide open spaces.

SD8364E’s IP67 and NEMA 4X-rated housing protects against rain, dust, and corrosion as well as operates under extreme weather conditions making it suitable for San Diego’s climate. The IP8155HP professional box network camera offers 1.3-megapixel resolution and WDR Pro II providing extreme visibility in high contrast environments.

“Layer3 Security Services and VIVOTEK far exceeded our expectations with the installation of our new upgraded surveillance system. Layer3’s ability to translate our needs into a workable design and their recommendation of VIVOTEK’s superior yet efficient product line led to a successful deployment. Effective video surveillance on a museum, whose mission is to be, ‘America’s Living Symbol of Freedom,’ is an essential element in preserving it for generations to come,” said Bill McClurg, Safety Director.

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How artificial intelligence (AI) is changing video surveillance today

There’s a lot of excitement around artificial intelligence (AI) today – and rightly so. AI is shifting the modern landscape of security and surveillance and dramatically changing the way users interact with their security systems. But with all the talk of AI’s potential, you might be wondering: what problems does AI help solve today? The need for AI The fact is, today there are too many cameras and too much recorded video for security operators to keep pace with. On top of that, people have short attention spans. AI is a technology that doesn’t get bored and can analyse more video data than humans ever possibly could.AI is a technology that doesn’t get bored and can analyse more video data than humans ever possibly could It is designed to bring the most important events and insight to users’ attention, freeing them to do what they do best: make critical decisions. There are two areas where AI can have a significant impact on video surveillance today: search and focus of attention. Faster search Imagine using the internet today without a search engine. You would have to search through one webpage at a time, combing through all its contents, line-by-line, to hopefully find what you’re looking for. That is what most video surveillance search is like today: security operators scan hours of video from one camera at a time in the hope that they’ll find the critical event they need to investigate further. That’s where artificial intelligence comes in. The ability of AI to reduce hours of work to mere minutes is especially significant when we think about the gradual decline in human attention spans With AI, companies such as Avigilon are developing technologies that are designed to make video search as easy as searching the internet. Tools like Avigilon Appearance Search™ technology – a sophisticated deep learning AI video search engine – help operators quickly locate a specific person or vehicle of interest across all cameras within a site. When a security operator is provided with physical descriptions of a person involved in an event, this technology allows them to initiate a search by simply selecting certain descriptors, such as gender or clothing colour. During critical investigations, such as in the case of a missing or suspicious person, this technology is particularly helpful as it can use those descriptions to search for a person and, within seconds, find them across an entire site. Focused attention The ability of AI to reduce hours of work to mere minutes is especially significant when we think about the gradual decline in human attention spans. Consider all the information a person is presented with on a given day. They don’t necessarily pay attention to everything because most of that information is irrelevant. Instead, they prioritise what is and is not important, often focusing only on information or events that are surprising or unusual. Security operators scan hours of video from one camera at a time in the hope that they’ll find the critical event they need to investigate further Now, consider how much information a security operator who watches tens, if not hundreds or thousands of surveillance cameras, is presented with daily. After just twenty minutes, their attention span significantly decreases, meaning most of that video is never watched and critical information may go undetected. By taking over the task of "watching" security video, AI technology can help focus operators’ attention on events that may need further investigation. As AI technology evolves, the rich metadata captured in surveillance video will add even more relevance to what operators are seeing For instance, technology like Avigilon™ Unusual Motion (UMD) uses AI to continuously learn what typical activity in a scene looks like and then detect and flag unusual events, adding a new level of automation to surveillance. This helps save time during an investigation by allowing operators to quickly search through large amounts of recorded video faster, automatically focusing their attention on the atypical events that may need further investigation, enabling them to more effectively answer the critical questions of who, what, where and when. As AI technology evolves, the rich metadata captured in surveillance video – like clothing colour, age or gender – will add even more relevance to what operators are seeing. This means that in addition to detecting unusual activities based on motion, this technology has the potential to guide operators’ attention to other “unusual” data that will help them more accurately verify and respond to a security event. The key to advanced security When integrated throughout a security system, AI technology has the potential to dramatically change security operations There’s no denying it, the role of AI in security today is transformative. AI-powered video management software is helping to reduce the amount of time spent on surveillance, making security operators more efficient and effective at their jobs. By removing the need to constantly watch video screens and automating the “detection” function of surveillance, AI technology allows operators to focus on what they do best: verifying and acting on critical events. This not only expedites forensic investigations but enables real-time event response, as well. When integrated throughout a security system, AI technology has the potential to dramatically change security operations. Just as high-definition imaging has become a quintessential feature of today’s surveillance cameras, the tremendous value of AI technology has positioned it as a core component of security systems today, and in the future.

8 tips for visiting a large security trade show

Security trade fairs can be daunting for attendees. At big shows like IFSEC International and Security Essen, there can be hundreds of physical security manufacturers and dealers vying for your attention. Stands are sometimes spread out across multiple halls, often accompanied by a baffling floor plan. As the scope of physical security expands from video surveillance and access control to include smart building integrations, cyber security and the Internet of Things (IoT), there is an increasing amount of information to take in from education sessions and panels. Here, SourceSecurity.com presents eight hints and tips for visitors to make the most out of trade shows: 1. Outline your objectives. As the famous saying goes, “Failing to plan is planning to fail!” Before you plan anything else, ensure you know what you need to achieve at the show. By clearly noting your objectives, you will be able to divide your time at the show appropriately, and carefully choose who you speak to. If there is a particular project your organisation is working on, search out the products and solutions that address your security challenges. If you are a security professional aiming to keep up with the latest trends and technologies, then networking sessions and seminars may be more appropriate. 2. Bring a standard list of questions Prepare a list of specific questions that will tell you if a product, solution or potential partner will help you meet your objectives. By asking the same questions to each exhibitor you speak to, you will be able to take notes and compare their offerings side by side at the end of the day. This also means you won’t get bogged down in details that are irrelevant to your goals. Most trade fair websites provide the option to filter exhibitors by their product category 3. Do your homework Once you know your objectives, you can start to research who is exhibiting and decide who you want to talk to. Lists of exhibitors can be daunting, and don’t always show you which manufacturers meet your needs. Luckily, most trade fair websites provide the option to filter exhibitors by their product category. Many exhibitions also offer a downloadable floor plan, grouping exhibitors by product category or by relevant vertical market. It may be easier to download the floor plan to your phone/tablet or even print it out, if you don’t want to carry around a weighty map or show-guide. 4. Make a schedule Once you have shortlisted the companies you need to see, you can make a schedule that reflects your priorities. Even if you are not booking fixed meetings, a schedule will allow you to effectively manage your time, ensuring you make time for the exhibitors you can’t afford to miss. If the trade show spans several days, aim to have your most important conversations early on day one. By the time the last afternoon of the show comes around, many companies are already packing up their stand and preparing to head home. When scheduling fixed meetings, keep the floor plan at hand to avoid booking consecutive meetings at opposite ends of the venue. This will ensure you can walk calmly between stands and don’t arrive at an important meeting feeling flustered! Look for panels and seminars which address the specific needs of your project, or which will contribute to your professional growth 5. Make time for learning If you’re on a mission to expand your knowledge in a given area, check the event guide beforehand to note any education sessions you may want to attend. Look for panels and seminars which address the specific needs of your project, or which will contribute to your professional growth. This is one of the best opportunities you will have to learn from industry leaders in the field. 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What are the obstacles to adoption of mobile credentials for access control?

Using a smart phone as an access control credential is an idea whose time has come – or has it? The flexible uses of smart phones are transforming our lives in multiple ways, and the devices are replacing everything from our alarm clocks to our wallets to our televisions. However, the transformation from using a card to using a mobile credential for access control is far from a no-brainer for many organisations, which obstacles to a fast or easy transition. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: When will mobile credentials dominate access control, and what are the obstacles to greater adoption?

VIVOTEK delivers optimal security coverage at USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California

Video surveillance system

Network cameras

Zooming capabilities

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