Outdoor video analytics

A healthcare facility or hospital is unlike any other organisation. It’s generally open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is expensive equipment in many areas, patient records and confidentiality that needs constant protection, in addition to parking facilities and door access control needs and medicines that need to be kept secure. Hospital and healthcare settings use video surveillance in many ways, as the security needs of these institutions reflect the life-or-death work they do and also a volatile environment where emotions can run high. Recent technology advances are well-suited for the hospital and healthcare setting, expanding the video surveillance capabilities needed to protect patients, staff and visitors. Chris Sessa, Director of Key Accounts, for Salient Systems, sees three unique trends in the way that hospitals and healthcare facilities are using video surveillance and a video management solution (VMS) to secure their facilities, patients, visitors and staff. Faster access to multiple video feeds “Many hospitals and healthcare facilities are already using a VMS to pull in different video feeds to manage patient safety and to monitor employees, but with higher-resolution, networked cameras and new VMS features, security can pull up video faster than ever before,” Sessa says. “Technology such as dynamic resolution scaling also allows security in a monitoring centre to pull of data from other sites.” A major benefit is increased awareness, which can also result in increased risk mitigation. Adoption of cloud services Results of a 2014 HIMSS Analytics Cloud Survey show the widespread adoption of cloud services among healthcare organisations across the US, with 80 percent of 150 participants reporting they currently use cloud services. The survey also shows a positive growth outlook for cloud services – almost all healthcare organisations currently video footage on-site. Beyond security measures Hospital and healthcare security continues to recognise the potential of using video surveillance for more than just security, to include operational efficiency, situational awareness, risk mitigation and even marketing and merchandising. One example of operational efficiency that’s also tied into patient safety, says Sessa, is viewing activities in large areas. For example, a VMS can pull video from a large area to not only monitor a security guard’s movements and activities, but also to view the activities on a hospital’s Pyxis™ MedStation™ automated medication dispensing system. “Security can monitor if the guard is on his phone or if he’s sleeping while also monitoring medication that’s being dispensed to patients,” Sessa explains. Another application could include tying video surveillance, via a VMS, into HVAC and electrical systems so that when it senses that one area of a building is not in use, it can shut down the systems to reduce energy and lighting costs.

Panasonic i-PRO Sensing Solutions, which was established on October 1, 2019 and formally operates as Panasonic i-PRO Sensing Solutions Corporation of America (PIPSA) in the United States of America, is changing its global brand to i-PRO. i-PRO branding The new i-PRO branding reflects a significant change in philosophy relative to the company’s go-to market strategies, product and integrated system offerings, and reseller and technology partnerships. Comprised of the professional security surveillance, public safety, and medical imaging business units in the U.S., i-PRO will continue to build upon its expansive portfolio with new technologies and advanced AI-driven software and analytics that complement its best-in-class imaging technologies and edge products, and further build on a history of innovation and leadership that spans over 60 years with Panasonic. Innovative technologies and solutions i-PRO is more than just a new company name or brand. It represents a significant shift in vision for our organisation globally" “i-PRO is more than just a new company name or brand. It represents a significant shift in vision for our organisation globally, and the innovative technologies and solutions we currently have and will be introducing moving forward to support it,” said Bill Brennan, President, Panasonic i-PRO Sensing Solutions Corporation of America (PIPSA). “We are a more versatile and agile company that can establish and implement new strategies and market specific programs and technologies faster and more efficiently to deliver solutions that set new benchmarks in performance with higher ROI and lower TCO. This is the new i-PRO.” i-PRO is comprised of the following business units: Professional Security Surveillance, offering comprehensive IP and analog video surveillance, access control, and analytics solutions for professional applications that combine best-in-class hardware, management and control software, and deep learning AI analytics. Public Safety, providing advanced video solutions for law enforcement applications including next generation body worn cameras, in-vehicle video systems, evidence capture and management software, and intelligent analytics such as facial redaction to protect personal privacy. Medical Imaging, delivering high-performance cameras designed specifically for medical imaging devices and systems, and other industrial applications. Integrated solutions “By clearly focusing on these three core markets and working hand in hand with our dedicated channel partners, i-PRO will deliver new and innovative integrated solutions that meet today’s most demanding challenges with a forward-looking perspective to address tomorrow’s needs.” “And we will work in lockstep with our headquarters in Japan to address the specific needs of our customers in the U.S., while remaining close partners with Panasonic, a key investor in i-PRO. We hope you join us on this exciting journey and engage in the new i-PRO experience. Our future is brighter than ever,” concluded Brennan.

Qognify - the trusted advisor and technology solution provider for physical security and enterprise incident management - announced the launch of Cayuga R15. The new release of Qognify’s video management system (VMS) for multi-site corporate and enterprise projects focuses on enhanced usability and connectivity, improved maintainability and intelligent analytics. Help security personnel One of the main goals while developing Cayuga R15 was to help security personnel quickly identify, locate and evaluate an event. This can present a real challenge when operating large systems with widely distributed locations and a large number of cameras. Cayuga R15 solves this problem by supporting the use of the powerful Esri ArcGIS mapping platform, enabling cameras to be positioned on a map and available globally - depending on access rights. Multiple views or areas of interest within one map source as well as the clustering of icons depending on the zoom level make it easy to keep the overview on the map at any time. View live streams The new Qognify Mobile Client is another powerful tool added in Cayuga R15 that improves the ability to respond to an event. Retail sector often need to export video in a way that does not infringe privacy rights The Mobile Client is the result of Qognify’s cross-product initiative, to combine the benefits of technological assets within its VMS portfolio. It can connect to Cayuga and Ocularis installations using a smartphone or tablet, enabling security personnel to view live streams as well as to browse and playback recorded footage remotely in a totally revamped, intuitive design. It is available for iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded from the App Store or from Google Play at no additional costs. Exporting video For organisations, such as those in the retail sector, that often need to export video in a way that does not infringe privacy rights, Cayuga R15 adds a new Export Designer. This software module enables the editing (blurring and/or masking of moving objects and static areas) of video sequences to be exported. This new functionality is complemented by an optional Export Validation Tool - provided on the Qognify website - that can be used to easily check that exported footage supplied for the purpose of evidence has not been tampered with. Mitigating false alarms IT systems to create new levels of information to optimise business processes Many other changes, big and small made it into the release. For enterprise customers there is a new time management feature that enables the use of multiple distinguished holiday calendars within one organisation. Active directory management has been further improved and now offers even deeper integration for setting user rights directly in Windows. And finally, for customers relying on video analytics as part of their security regiment, Cayuga R15 now uses deep learning-based AI to deliver optimised object classification. This helps to set up video analysis faster and mitigates false alarms caused by common occurrences such as insects and headlights. Business Video Intelligence Carsten Eckstein, Head of Product Management for Cayuga at Qognify is proud of what his team achieved for this latest version of the product: “The additions and enhancements in Cayuga R15 are in direct response to the feedback from our partners and customers. This is the first release, where Qognify’s new development philosophy, to look beyond one specific product, has been put to practice. I can’t wait for Cayuga customers to start using R15 but it is equally nice to know that also those users who rely on other Qognify products will profit from the work we have accomplished here in their Qognify system of choice.” Cayuga R15 is compatible with Qognify’s innovative Umbrella web-based platform that can be used to configure, manage and monitor all connected Cayuga systems centrally. It also integrates with its Business Video Intelligence (BVI) software, which combines video footage from Cayuga with transaction data from business-related IT systems to create new levels of information to optimise business processes. Cayuga R15 is part of Qognify’s comprehensive video management portfolio that includes VisionHub, Ocularis and NiceVision. It is available now in 15 languages and is SIRA (Security Industry Regulatory Agency) compliant, enabling it to be used in public projects in Dubai and the wider Gulf region.

Security & Safety Things GmbH (S&ST), together with its partners, is offering packages of smart security cameras and video analytic solutions designed to provide retailers with immediate solutions to practical challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. AI tech on cameras in retail stores In an effort to assist retailers operating their shops in compliance with COVID-19 regulations, these packages will include test cameras running the S&ST operating system. Integrators and end-customers can choose and deploy AI applications on these cameras to address operational challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These apps are offered by S&ST’s development partners. Uses for applications include: Occupancy management Face mask detection Social distancing monitoring Real-time occupancy and face mask detection solutions A face mask detection app, offered by Geutebrück, enables efficient monitoring of people Security & Safety Things’ developer partners include Link Analytix, which is offering Retail Flux, a real-time occupancy solution designed to limit risk of infection for both shoppers and employees. SAIMOS has developed the SAIMOS Counting app, which can be used to monitor multiple entrances and exits to track occupancy in real-time and manage visitor access through automated displays at entry points. A face mask detection app, offered by Geutebrück, enables efficient monitoring of people to ensure compliance with prescribed hygiene concepts. This solution is able to recognise if an individual is wearing a protective mask and instantly notifies unprotected persons to onsite staff or remote operators via a connected Video Management System. SAIMOS also offers a feature for face mask detection in their counting app. Talos Social Distancing app CVEDIA’s Talos Social Distancing app features a foot traffic algorithm designed to detect and analyse at-risk areas for physical distancing in corporate or public spaces. This app detects people and the distances between them, while providing additional visual analytics that allow companies to improve current COVID-19 practices.

SpotterRF, a company that specialises in designing Compact Surveillance Radar systems for highly critical sites, announces the integration of their Radar technology with the ULISSE COMPACT HD range of PTZ cameras manufactured by Videotec, creator of professional video surveillance cameras. In this integrated solution, the radar helps the camera to always look in the right direction by tracking potential threats in the vicinity. This greatly increases the value of the cameras by creating a fully automated system that enhances situational awareness and prevents incidents before they happen in large critical areas. Perimeter security Using cutting-edge radar technology, SpotterRF can pinpoint the GPS location of unwanted intrusions around the property and potential threats beyond the perimeter. In a perfectly synchronised operation and without human intervention, the radars rapidly and continuously send these exact coordinates to the connected Videotec PTZ cameras. The response is immediate and they can be programmed to zoom in for greater detail, capture sharp Full HD images of the target and send them in real time to the operator’s monitor. The system promptly sends alerts to operators of an alarm, and due to the near-zero false alarm rate of the radars, this occurs only when there is actually something of interest happening on the site. PTZ camera for surveillance The Videotec ULISSE COMPACT HD PTZ camera offers excellent visual surveillance capability coupled with high functional and mechanical performance in outdoor areas. With its wide field of vision and fast positioning, it is capable of capturing great quality Full HD images in the most adverse environments. The combined system from SpotterRF and Videotec has been proven in many real-world deployments worldwide, such as electrical substations, military zones, and other large sensible areas.

The new Wisenet PoE extender cameras from Hanwha Techwin are designed to save integrators and end users time and money, when there is a requirement to install two cameras within 80 metres of each other. For retrofit applications where an additional camera is needed, system integrators need to simply substitute an existing Wisenet camera with a PoE Extender camera, and then re-install it at the new camera location, with both devices being able to share the same cable run. PoE Extender cameras With the ability to support all PoE cameras within the entire Wisenet range, the new 2 and 5 megapixel PoE Extender indoor and outdoor dome cameras provide an equally cost effective solution for new installations as they reduce the number of network ports and switches, as well as the amount of cabling, required. Installation ease is matched by a considerably reduction in the cost of the time that system integrators would normally have to spend on site to install a new camera. System integrators also have the option to connect other PoE enabled devices to the Wisenet PoE extender cameras, such as a supplementary lighting unit, I/O controller or PIR sensor.  Built-in IR LEDs and Digital Image Stabilisation The 4 new dome cameras all have built-in IR LEDs that illuminate objects up to 50 metres from the camera The 4 new dome cameras all have built-in IR LEDs that illuminate objects up to 50 metres from the camera and feature Digital Image Stabilisation (DIS) which helps ensure the capture of sharp, stable images by reducing motion blur which is caused by wind or vibration. All are equipped with Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology, with the 2 megapixel models performing at up to 150dB and the 5 megapixel models at up to 120dB, to produce clear images from scenes containing a challenging mix of bright and dark areas, which normally results in overexposed or underexposed images. User-friendly installation Part of the Wisenet X Plus series, the PoE Extender cameras offer a number of other practical features that further minimises the time installers have to spend on site, including magnets which lock sensor modules into the dome housing. A waterproof gland, through which a network cable can be inserted with the aid of an RJ45 plastic push-through device, negates the need to re-make a cable end. Prior to installation, technicians from the convenience of their workshop should be able to configure IP network settings without the need to remove a camera module from its packaging. Advanced audio and video analytics The new cameras come supplied with a diverse range of licence-free specialist analytics such as directional detection, virtual line, enter/exit, appear/disappear and loitering detection. In addition, an audio analysis function is able to recognise critical sounds, such as explosions, screams and broken glass, and then immediately generates an alert to enable emergency services to react quickly and effectively to any incident. In a retail environment, for example, this functionality could be used to alert security personnel that a customer is behaving aggressively to a sales colleague. Retail Insight business Intelligence solution Processing power of the chipset at the heart of the new cameras enables them to support edge-based people counting The processing power of the chipset at the heart of the new cameras enables them to support edge-based people counting, heat maps and queue management applications. The new cameras offer retailers, art galleries, museums and other business establishments which are open to the public, the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of customer behaviour and improve productivity accordingly, with the option to display the captured data on the centralised dashboard of the Wisenet Retail Insight (v2.0) business intelligence solution. Additional key features of the Wisenet PoE extender cameras include the following: PoE Out: Maximum 12.95W at 80 meters using CAT5/5E cable. Hallway View which provides a highly effective way to monitor narrow vertical areas such as shopping aisles and corridors, and extended tilt range of up to 90 degrees to ensure wide area coverage when the cameras are installed in locations which have low ceiling heights. WiseStream II, a complementary compression technology which dynamically controls encoding, balancing quality and compression, according to movement in the image. When WiseStream II is combined with H.265 compression, bandwidth efficiency is improved by up to 99% compared to current H.264 technology. Shock-detection technology which, via built-in gyro sensors, detects unusual physical shocks and generates alerts to enable operators to quickly respond to any incidents. Audio playback on event. Up to five pre-recorded warning messages can be stored on-board a PoE extender camera and these can be programmed to automatically play when pre-defined events occur. The new Wisenet PoE extender cameras are as follows: Wisenet XNV-6081RE 2 megapixel outdoor dome with 2.8-12mm varifocal lens Wisenet XND-6081REV 2 megapixel indoor dome with 2.8-12mm varifocal lens Wisenet XNV-8081RE 5 megapixel outdoor dome with 3.6-9.4mm varifocal lens Wisenet XND-8081REV 5 megapixel indoor dome with 3.6-9.4mm varifocal lens Cost-effective video integration solution “At a time when many businesses will be striving to recover from the economic consequences of COVID-19 and might therefore have a reduced security budget, we are very pleased to be able to introduce a highly cost effective way to add a camera or another PoE enabled device to an existing system, or install a new two camera video surveillance solution,” said Uri Guterman, Head of Product & Marketing for Hanwha Techwin Europe. He adds, “As well as their value proposition to end-users, these new cameras will undoubtably make life much easier for system integrators by minimising the time they have to spend on site.”

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!

Imagine a home surveillance camera monitoring an elderly parent and anticipating potential concerns while respecting their privacy. Imagine another camera predicting a home burglary based on suspicious behaviors, allowing time to notify the homeowner who can in turn notify the police before the event occurs—or an entire network of cameras working together to keep an eye on neighborhood safety. Artificial Intelligence vision chips A new gen of AI vision chips are pushing advanced capabilities such as behavior analysis and higher-level security There's a new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) vision chips that are pushing advanced capabilities such as behavior analysis and higher-level security to the edge (directly on devices) for a customisable user experience—one that rivals the abilities of the consumer electronics devices we use every day. Once considered nothing more than “the eyes” of a security system, home monitoring cameras of 2020 will leverage AI-vision processors for high-performance computer vision at low power consumption and affordable cost—at the edge—for greater privacy and ease of use as well as to enable behavior analysis for predictive and preemptive monitoring. Advanced home monitoring cameras With this shift, camera makers and home monitoring service providers alike will be able to develop new edge-based use cases for home monitoring and enable consumers to customise devices to meet their individual needs. The result will be increased user engagement with home monitoring devices—mirroring that of cellphones and smart watches and creating an overlap between the home monitoring and consumer electronics markets. A quick step back reminds us that accomplishing these goals would have been cost prohibitive just a couple of years ago. Face recognition, behavior analysis, intelligent analytics, and decision-making at this level were extremely expensive to perform in the cloud. Additionally, the lag time associated with sending data to faraway servers for decoding and then processing made it impossible to achieve real-time results. Cloud-based home security devices The constraints of cloud processing certainly have not held the industry back, however. Home monitoring, a market just seven years young, has become a ubiquitous category of home security and home monitoring devices. Consumers can choose to install a single camera or doorbell that sends alerts to their phone, a family of devices and a monthly manufacturer’s plan, or a high-end professional monitoring solution. While the majority of these devices do indeed rely on the cloud for processing, camera makers have been pushing for edge-based processing since around 2016. For them, the benefit has always been clear: the opportunity to perform intelligent analytics processing in real-time on the device. But until now, the balance between computer vision performance and power consumption was lacking and camera companies weren’t able to make the leap. So instead, they have focused on improving designs and the cloud-centric model has prevailed. Hybrid security systems Even with improvements, false alerts result in unnecessary notifications and video recording Even with improvements, false alerts (like tree branches swaying in the wind or cats walking past a front door) result in unnecessary notifications and video recording— cameras remain active which, in the case of battery powered cameras, means using up valuable battery life. Hybrid models do exist. Typically, they provide rudimentary motion detection on the camera itself and then send video to the cloud for decoding and analysis to suppress false alerts. Hybrids provide higher-level results for things like people and cars, but their approach comes at a cost for both the consumer and the manufacturer. Advanced cloud analytics Advanced cloud analytics are more expensive than newly possible edge-based alternatives, and consumers have to pay for subscriptions. In addition, because of processing delays and other issues, things like rain or lighting changes (or even bugs on the camera) can still trigger unnecessary alerts. And the more alerts a user receives, the more they tend to ignore them—there are simply too many. In fact, it is estimated that users only pay attention to 5% of their notifications. This means that when a package is stolen or a car is burglarised, users often miss the real-time notification—only to find out about the incident after the fact. All of this will soon change with AI-based behavior analysis, predictive security, and real-time meaningful alerts. Predictive monitoring while safeguarding user privacy These days, consumers are putting more emphasis on privacy and have legitimate concerns about being recorded while in their homes. Soon, with AI advancements at the chip level, families will be able to select user apps that provide monitoring without the need to stream video to a company server, or they’ll have access to apps that record activity but obscure faces. Devices will have the ability to only send alerts according to specific criteria. If, for example, an elderly parent being monitored seems particularly unsteady one day or seems especially inactive, an application could alert the responsible family member and suggest that they check in. By analysing the elderly parent’s behavior, the application could also predict a potential fall and trigger an audio alert for the person and also the family. AI-based behavior analysis Ability to analyse massive amounts of data locally and identify trends is a key advantage of AI at the edge The ability to analyse massive amounts of data locally and identify trends or perform searches is a key advantage of AI at the edge, for both individuals and neighborhoods. For example, an individual might be curious as to what animal is wreaking havoc in their backyard every night. In this case, they could download a “small animal detector” app to their camera which would trigger an alert when a critter enters their yard. The animal could be scared off via an alarm and—armed with video proof—animal control would have useful data for setting a trap. Edge cameras A newly emerging category of “neighborhood watch” applications is already connecting neighbors for significantly improved monitoring and safety. As edge cameras become more commonplace, this category will become increasingly effective. The idea is that if, for example, one neighbor captures a package thief, and then the entire network of neighbors will receive a notification and a synopsis video showing the theft. Or if, say, there is a rash of car break-ins and one neighbor captures video of a red sedan casing their home around the time of a recent incident, an AI vision-based camera could be queried for helpful information: Residential monitoring and security The camera could be asked for a summary of the dates and times that it has recorded that particular red car. A case could be made if incident times match those of the vehicle’s recent appearances in the neighborhood. Even better, if that particular red car was to reappear and seems (by AI behavior analysis) to be suspicious, alerts could be sent proactively to networked residents and police could be notified immediately. Home monitoring in 2020 will bring positive change for users when it comes to monitoring and security, but it will also bring some fun. Consumers will, for example, be able to download apps that do things like monitor pet activity. They might query their device for a summary of their pet’s “unusual activity” and then use those clips to create cute, shareable videos. Who doesn’t love a video of a dog dragging a toilet paper roll around the house? AI at the Edge for home access control Home access control via biometrics is one of many new edge-based use cases that will bring convenience to home monitoring Home access control via biometrics is one of many new edge-based use cases that will bring convenience to home monitoring, and it’s an application that is expected to take off soon. With smart biometrics, cameras will be able to recognise residents and then unlock their smart front door locks automatically if desired, eliminating the need for keys. And if, for example, an unauthorised person tries to trick the system by presenting a photograph of a registered family member’s face, the camera could use “3D liveness detection” to spot the fake and deny access. With these and other advances, professional monitoring service providers will have the opportunity to bring a new generation of access control panels to market. Leveraging computer vision and deep neural networks Ultimately, what camera makers strive for is customer engagement and customer loyalty. These new use cases—thanks to AI at the edge—will make home monitoring devices more useful and more engaging to consumers. Leveraging computer vision and deep neural networks, new cameras will be able to filter out and block false alerts, predict incidents, and send real-time notifications only when there is something that the consumer is truly interested in seeing. AI and computer vision at the edge will enable a new generation of cameras that provide not only a higher level of security but that will fundamentally change the way consumers rely on and interact with their home monitoring devices.

Where are video surveillance cameras headed? At the core of next-generation Internet Protocol (IP) cameras are advanced chips with artificial intelligence (AI) at the edge, enabling cameras to gather valuable information about an incident: scanning shoppers at a department store, monitoring city streets, or checking on an elderly loved one at home. Thanks to advanced chip technology, complex analytics operations are becoming more affordable across the full spectrum of surveillance cameras —professional to consumer — fueling the democratisation of AI in the IP camera market. Complex analytics operations are becoming more affordable across the full spectrum of surveillance cameras Expanding the global IP camera market  The video surveillance equipment market grew to $18.5 billion in 2018 and is expected to increase this year, according to IHS Markit. The latest research points to video everywhere, edge computing, and AI as the top technologies that will have a major impact in both commercial and consumer markets in 2019. Computing at the edge means that the processors inside the camera are powerful enough to run AI processing locally, while still encoding and streaming video, and are able to do it all at the low-power required to fit into the limited thermal budget of an IP camera. New SoC chips will be able to perform all of the processing on camera and provide accurate AI information, with no need to send data to a server or the cloud for processing. Instead, data can be analysed right in the camera itself, offering high performance, real-time video analytics, and lower latency — all critical aspects of video surveillance. This new AI paradigm is made possible by a new generation of SoCs, a key driver behind the market growth of IP cameras. Complex analytics operations are becoming more affordable across the full spectrum of surveillance cameras to fuel the advent of AI in the IP camera market Micro-processor-enabled video analytics Next-generation video cameras will be able to create heat maps of stores to see where people spend the most time Microprocessor-enabled analytics allow users to more easily extract valuable data from video streams. How about an insider’s view into retail customer behavior? Consider video cameras at a department store, monitoring shoppers’ behavior, traffic patterns, and areas of interest. Next-generation cameras will recognise how long a shopper stays in front of a specific display, if the shopper leaves and returns, and if the shopper ultimately makes a purchase. Next-generation video cameras will be able to create heat maps of stores to see where people spend the most time, so retailers will be able to adjust product placement accordingly. Analytics will also help identify busy/quiet times of the day, so retailers can staff accordingly. By understanding customers’ behavior, retailers can determine the best way to interact with them, target specific campaigns, and tailor ads for them. Cue the coupons while the shopper is still onsite! Analytics will also help identify busy/quiet times of the day, so retailers can staff accordingly Fast processing for rapid response at city level City surveillance and smart cities are depending on advanced video surveillance and intelligence to keep an eye on people and vehicles, identify criminals, flag suspicious behavior, and identify potentially dangerous situations such as loitering, big crowds forming, or cars driving the wrong way.Quick local decisions on the video cameras are also used to help analyse traffic situations Quick local decisions on the video cameras are also used to help analyse traffic situations, adjust traffic lights, identify license plates, automatically charge cars for parking, find a missing car across a city, or create live and accurate traffic maps. Real-time HD video monitoring and recording When it comes to home monitoring, what will next-generation video surveillance cameras offer? Real-time monitoring and notification can detect if a person is in the back yard or approaching the door, if there’s a suspicious vehicle in the driveway, or if a package is being delivered (or stolen). Advanced video cameras can determine when notifications are and aren’t required, since users don’t want to be notified for false alerts such as rain, tree branches moving, bugs, etc. Next-generation video camera capabilities can also help monitor a loved one, person or pet, helping put families at ease if they are at work or on vacation. For example, helpful analytics may be used to detect if someone has fallen, hasn’t moved for a while, or does not appear for breakfast according to their typical schedule. City surveillance and smart cities are depending on advanced video surveillance and intelligence to keep an eye on people and vehicles, identify criminals, flag suspicious behavior, and identify potentially dangerous situations Next-gen IP cameras When evaluating next-generation IP cameras (cameras on the edge), look at the brains. These cameras will likely be powered by next-generation SoCs chips. Here is what this means to you:       Save on network bandwidth, cloud computing and storage costs. There is no need to constantly upload videos to a server for analysis. Analysis can be performed locally on the camera, with only relevant videos being uploaded. Faster reaction time. Decisions are made locally, with no network latency. This is critical if you need to sound an alarm on a specific event. Privacy. In the most extreme cases, no video needs to leave the camera. Only metadata needs to be sent to the cloud or server. For example, the faces of people can be recognised in the camera and acted upon, but the video never reaches the cloud. The cameras can just stream a description of the scene to the server “suspicious person with a red sweater walking in front of the train station, has been loitering for the last 10 minutes, suggest sending an agent to check it out.” This could become a requirement in some EU countries with GDPR rules. Easier search. Instead of having to look through hours of video content, the server can just store/analyse the metadata, and easily perform searches such as “find all people with a red sweater who stayed more than five minutes in front of the train station today.” Flexibility/personalisation. Each camera at the edge can be personalised to work better for the specific scene it is looking at, compared to a generic server. For example, “run a heat map algorithm on camera A (retail) as I want to know which sections of my store get the most traffic; and run a license plate recogniser on camera B (parking lot) as I want to be able to track the cars going in/out of my parking lot.” No cloud computing required. For cameras in remote locations or with limited network bandwidth, users have the ability to perform all analytics locally, without relying on uploading video to a server/cloud. Higher resolution/quality. When AI processing is performed locally, the full resolution of the sensor can be used (up to 4K or more), while typically the video streamed to a server will be lower resolution, 1080p or less. This means more pixels are available locally for the AI engine so that you will be able to detect a face from a higher distance than when the video is streamed off camera. AI at the edge Professional-level IP cameras capable of performing AI at the edge are coming soon with early offerings making their debut at this year’s ISC West. As we enter 2020, we will begin to see the availability of consumer-level cameras enabling real-time video analytics at the edge for home use. With rapid technology advancement and increased customer demand, AI is on the verge of exploding. When it comes to image quality and video analytics, IP cameras now in development will create a next-generation impact at department stores, above city streets, and keeping an eye on our loved ones.

Many venues are using access control, video surveillance systems, sensors, and additional hardware solutions as part of a broader security strategy. By utilising so many disparate systems, corporate security teams are left with information “silos” that create inefficiencies and hamper communication. This abundance of hardware has left teams with too much data or too many tools, to manage effectively. Armored Things offers a software solution. The company’s “spatial intelligence platform” currently collects more data than other security intelligence solutions, utilising a broader range of sources and fusing data together rather than integrating it. The platform currently focuses on taking in data from WiFi, access control, and video surveillance systems and applying machine learning to deliver customers features such as real-time predictive analytics to prevent incidents like bottlenecks or overcrowding. Spatial Intelligence is an approach to physical security that enables users to collect, manage, and interpret data in a single platform. Combine machine learning with data The term can best be used to describe how digital transformation has affected physical security. Spatial Intelligence in its infancy looked like video surveillance data combined with machine learning to produce video analytics. The spatial intelligence solutions of today can combine machine learning with data of any source, type, and size to deliver value across a large organisation, not just the security team, says the company. Armored Things’ Spatial Intelligence platform unifies data from information silos to support data-driven decisions around operations and security. By fusing data from multiple sources, we can produce more consistent and useful insights for our customers” A suite of analytics, reporting and visualisation tools helps customers gain a real-time understanding of people and flow in their space. By removing the guesswork of everyday decisions, the product enables customers to make data-driven decisions at a moment’s notice, according to the company. Armored Things is more than a data management tool. “By fusing data from multiple sources (rather than only cameras or only WiFi), we can produce more consistent, accurate, and useful insights for our customers,” says Kevin Davis, Chief Security Officer at Armored Things. "Being able to collect the data is the first step, but turning it into actionable intelligence is where Armored Things excels.” IP cameras and other IoT-enabled devices The range of data sources includes IP cameras and other IoT-enabled devices and even outside data sources like bus schedules and weather reports. Armored Things has built a team of public safety and technical experts with the mission to keep people safe where they live, work, and play. By leveraging emerging technology to enhance physical security, the company built the software-centric Spatial Intelligence Platform for large organisations to enhance the safety and operations of their space. Schools and education facilities are among the customers that can benefit. The leadership at Armored Things cares deeply about school safety, so the recent epidemic of campus violence has definitely been a large topic of conversation, according to the company. “By delivering our products to a greater number of customers, Armored Things hopes to continue making schools a safe place to learn and gather,” says Davis. Recently, there was a significant bottleneck lasting nearly 30 minutes at the Syracuse-Clemson football game. Unifying data into one platform Digital transformation is disrupting the way our customers think about physical security,” Using Armored Things technology and providing real-time data to security and operations personnel could have identified the bottleneck as it began to form. This would have notified relevant personnel, who could have taken steps to mitigate the problem before it turned into a security risk. Keeping the security infrastructure simple is imperative to success. Integrating a software solution into the security strategy shouldn’t complicate existing operations, says the company. “Armored Things Spatial Intelligence Platform can bring your security and operations into focus by unifying all of your data into one platform for ease of use,” says Davis. For this reason, the team chose to integrate not only with customers’ existing security infrastructure but with non-traditional data sources (e.g. WiFi, event schedules, ticketing) as well. “By combining and analysing a more diverse dataset, Armored Things can help our customers make better decisions with deeper data-driven insights,” says Davis. "Digital transformation is disrupting the way our customers think about physical security,” says Davis. “As a team, our aim is to help our customers adapt to the digital age, as they transition from hardware to software-centric security solutions. Fostering organisational change is difficult, and our team hopes to make the transition process easier for our customers.”

Video is a more common feature of security systems than ever before, driven by implementation of Internet Protocol (IP) networks. In addition, various computer analytics systems are now being implemented as a matter of course. The combination of the two trends is changing – and expanding – the operation of security operations centers (SOCs). Intelligent security operations "Intelligence is central to the next evolution of security", says Alan Stoddard, Vice President and General Manager, Situational Intelligence Solutions, Verint. An architecture is needed that can gather information from multiple devices and process it using intelligence and analytics engines. Cross-domain analytics create a higher level of security. Exposing data to best-in-class analytics provides information tailored to each security operator" “Exposing data to best-in-class analytics provides information tailored to each security operator,” says Stoddard. “There is so much data, and people need to react to it.” The result is the emergence of intelligent security operations centers (iSOCs). Consider, for example, any recent security event: “As people look to understand and get ahead of these incidents, how do they synthesise information? How do they move ahead from response to prevention?” asks Stoddard. Video-centric command-and-control Because of the expanding uses for video, Stoddard sees movement in the industry toward video systems being the focal point for integration of data sources into a command-and-control environment. “Everyone is visual, and video provides a mechanism to understand your environment,” says Stoddard. “Video-centric command-and-control marries the value of video with a map that is easy to navigate and understand. He adds,"Video is pulled in from each location, and various subsystems are integrated into a unified environment. The video management system (VMS) is a natural integration point.” To serve the combined emphasis on analytics and video management, Verint has introduced its VMS One system, a single product that combines video and integrated command-and-control for iSOC environments. The new product serves a need in the marketplace to manage diverse data streams, to analyse data for greater intelligence and to automate workflows. Integration with third party VMS VMSOne combines a VMS with a command-and-control system and is targeted to large facilities and campus-like environments with SOCs. Examples include transportation hubs, large manufacturing sites, critical infrastructure, safe cities and higher education. For even larger, enterprise-type customers with multiple locations and plenty of subsystems, Verint offers its Situational Awareness Platform, which can integrate with third party VMSs and other systems. The scalable system for very high-end customers can manage tens of thousands of devices and subsystems. VMSOne, which had a preliminary launch at ISC West and is featured at the 2019 GSX show in Chicago, is targeted to the next lower tier of customers. Customer shipments will begin in September 2019. Verint’s Situational Awareness Platform can integrate with third-party VMSs Physical and cyber security Increasingly, the security needs of end users are being converged, says Stoddard. They encompass information technology (IT), physical security and cyber security, combined with a corporate security officer (CSO) in charge of decision-making. More sensors and subsystems create the possibility of data overload for security operators, and more intelligence and analytics are tools to filter and manage that data and present it in useful form for better decision-making. Verint recently hired Jeffrey Lewis as Vice President, Marketing, to lead its marketing effort from an IT-centric perspective and talk to customers in a new way about the concepts of converged security. New technologies and a more converged environment create higher expectations and greater demands on the integrator/installer community, too. In response, Verint has launched a VIP Partner program to develop stronger and closer relationships with a select group of integrators. These “VIPs” are the “best of the best” – the most capable in the industry, knowledgeable about new technologies, and able to provide more value to end-customers. VIP Partner program Dealers are screened based on modest volume sales requirements and whether they have the right skillsets, technical capability and training. There are currently several dozen VIP partners, who “lead with” Verint solutions where they make sense in the marketplace. The VIP Partner initiative complements Verint’s other partner channels. Providing another tool to manage the flow of data in an organisation, Verint recently acquired Nowforce, a small Israeli company, that provides an enhanced computer-automated dispatch system. Verint offers the integrated dispatch and response capability as either a stand-alone product or as part of the larger Situational Awareness Platform. Situational Awareness Platform Getting ahead [of security threats] requires looking at social media and other data sources"“It allows SOCs to take information in and handle response in an integrated fashion,” says Stoddard. “It also extends the security workforce, enabling customers and employees to take part in the security environment.” Stoddard adds, “Getting ahead [of security threats] requires looking at social media and other data sources, information on site, and creating a holistic security view for greater understanding,” says Stoddard. Verint’s Situational Awareness Platform integrates with third-part systems that track social media, such as Liferaft Navigator, NC4 and Dataminr,” Nowforce creates 360 degrees of control, extends the control center into the virtual workforce, and enables everyone to be managed. Information such as visuals and maps are pushed to security personnel on smart phones, and security officers get to the scene faster.

  The cloud and deep learning are two technologies on the verge of transforming the video surveillance market. You often hear the two technologies mentioned as separate trends, but lately, I have been hearing about how interdependent they are. Economies of scale provided by the Cloud (Software as a Service, or SaaS) are making the sophisticated capabilities of deep learning affordable to a wider audience. Meanwhile, deep learning augments cloud systems with capabilities that may not be available, or affordable, in on-premise systems, thus accelerating the broader move to cloud systems. A new era of autonomous video One company that is combining the cloud and deep learning in an end-to-end system is Umbo Computer Vision, an “autonomous video security technology” company built on its founders’ expertise in deep learning and machine vision. The company’s cameras are equipped with basic video analytics, and they are tied into a cloud infrastructure that provides additional deep learning algorithms. The cameras provide computer vision pre-processing, with the bulk of detailed analysis happening in a neural network in the cloud.One customer benefits from another customer and all the knowledge is aggregated together" “Having a SaaS model gives companies like ours the resources to improve the deep learning model,” says Shawn Guan, CEO and co-founder of Umbo Computer Vision. “We can make more accurate systems that scale better and faster. SaaS enables vendors to do something great with deep learning. You don’t have to redo it for everybody. One customer benefits from another customer and all the knowledge is aggregated together.” Adapting to a changing landscape Umbo’s deep learning analytics provide higher accuracy, says Guan. For example, the system can provide accurate alerts on people climbing a wall, and it can accommodate for elements such as shadows and adverse weather conditions. The cameras can also provide occupancy information from a video view of a room; unlike people-counting applications, the camera does not need to be mounted above the door. The algorithms can detect loitering and can track a subject even if he or she disappears briefly from view (such as walking behind a building). Umbo developed the algorithms from scratch using the company’s deep roots in technology. Guan says the company was “built on data and using data.”    The company’s cameras are equipped with basic video analytics, and they are tied into a cloud infrastructure that provides additional deep learning algorithms The cloud serves as a media gateway “Cybersecurity is ensured,” says Guan. The cloud provides built-in authentication with the camera; user names and passwords are handled in the cloud, so there is no manual reset of the password at the device level. The cloud serves as a media gateway, and two-way communication between the camera and the cloud addresses how much data is streamed. Data in the camera has 256-bit encryption, and there is a secure “tunnel” through which data moves in the Internet. In the cloud, the host provider, such as Google, Microsoft or Amazon, protects the data to their own high standards. Each camera has industrial grade SD providing 30 days’ storage of full frame rate, 30fps video at 1080p, with backup in the cloud. In effect, the camera operates in-lieu of a network video recorder.The end-to-end system is designed to handle an essentially-unlimited number of cameras and can also be integrated with other products Handling unlimited cameras Customers interface with the system through the cloud’s software user experience. The end-to-end system is designed to handle an essentially-unlimited number of cameras and can also be integrated with other products. Umbo targets the enterprise market and has around two-hundred enterprise customers in the United States - their biggest market - as well as offices in London and Taipei, and customers around the world. The cost structure involves an annual payment per camera, between $280 and $600 depending on features/capabilities. Umbo is introducing a new bullet camera with a zoom lens for exterior applications, incorporating a higher-end Sony sensor for good low-light performance and wide dynamic range (WDR). The camera’s modular design enables the addition of features such as longer-range infrared – increased from 100 to 160 feet – white-light LED to provide a colour image, and greater deterrence, at night, and a long-range microphone for audio. The company also offers a fixed-lens dome camera for indoor applications.

Commenced in 2016, the large business club was built with smart infrastructure and modern amenities, in the futuristic town of Kolkata, to provide leisure-cum-business conducive atmosphere to their members and visitors. The contemporary building of business club is spread over 10 acres area and serves as a cultural, commercial, and business hub in the region. Having a beautiful landscape, it attained tremendous popularity due to its high-end specifications, green landscape, wedding lawn, tennis court, cafeteria, business centre to name a few. Missing real-time video surveillance With a consistently large volume of patrons visiting the business club for various events, security is the vital component of the successful operations at the site. The customer has been relying heavily on analogue video surveillance to secure its facilities and workforce. Due to its limited scalability, there was no way to do real-time surveillance throughout the premises. Moreover, every incident recorded by the video cameras required time-consuming manual investigation, therefore, causing delay in decision-making.   Aiming to advancing the surveillance solution, the customer wanted to make an investment to maintain a watchful eye, manage threats/incidents proactively along with integrate existing and new system into the unified interface. Videonetics Unified Video Computing Platform Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) is helping operators detect vehicles wrongly parked in ‘restricted’ or ‘no parking’ zones After a thorough evaluation of various solution offered by various companies, it was Videonetics that came out on top. Thanks to Videonetics Unified Video Computing Platform (UVCP™) that blends Intelligent Video Management Software (VMS), Intelligent Video Analytics and seamless integration of existing analogue system into one user-friendly solution, able to grow effortlessly with customers’ need over time.   Incident response management Videonetics Intelligent VMS is managing 100+ cameras including PTZ network camera, dome cameras, fixed cameras, and bullet cameras, installed throughout the interior as well as exterior of the premises. In addition, 32 legacy analogue cameras are also integrated into the unified solution, eventually providing centralised control of the cameras to the security operators. The in-built failover and redundancy features of Intelligent VMS ensure the operators to always have access to live and recorded video. This means if any incident occurs, they can always have evidence of it. Zero Blind Spot at Entrance The Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) is helping operators to detect vehicles which are wrongly parked in ‘restricted’ or ‘no parking’ zones, at the outside of premise. For the perimeter security at entry & exit gates, the PTZ camera tracking helps in detecting unusual behaviour of the person and provides alert to security operators for faster action. At the entrance, face capture has been installed to detect a person in the scene and locates his/her face, which is saved in the database, indexed and time stamped. In addition, vehicle capture is deployed to track and record license plates of vehicles along with time and date, entering the premise. Zone monitoring Operators will be notified if a person stays beyond a certain duration in a user-marked zone The business club needed a solution that could help it identify theft, intrusion and trespassing throughout its facilities. In the first phase of the project, Videonetics along with stakeholders of business club and system integrator identified sensitive areas, that requiring immediate security system. To monitor suspicious activities, zone monitoring has been enabled at the fence of tennis court, lawn, emergency gates and open field area. Operators will be notified if a person stays beyond a certain duration in a user-marked zone. To combat unauthorised entry in generator room, operators gets alert if any intrusion happens in a marked area. Similarly, unusual activities are also being monitored in this area through loitering detection. Trespassing detection Operators can handle alarms and manage events, reducing manual checks of cases and helping to expedite investigations At the peripheries of the business club, trespassing detection has been deployed to detect if any person intrudes into a premise. The system is well capable to trace trajectory of the trespasser and prevent incident before it occurs. The authorities wanted to have alert in case any mob formation happens at the field area, known as forbidden region, of the club. Crowd formation detection has been deployed that estimates density of people in a scene and generated an alert as soon as the density in any defined area crosses a certain limit. Empowering with mobile application The ease of use of Videonetics unified solution has been instrumental to the business club. The operators and senior authorities are efficiently accessing videos anytime and anywhere, thru an intuitive interface of IVMS web and mobile applications. At the time of incidents, operators can handle alarms and manage events, therefore, reducing manual checks of cases and helping to expedite investigations.   After various phases of implementation, installation, and testing, the Videonetics unified solution went into live operation. Since upgrading to Videonetics unified solution, the business club has been able to better handle incidents of thefts/intrusion and apprehend suspects. Therefore, the level of security has been lifted by allowing the early detection of incidents and monitoring the premises round-the-clock, even in the harsh environmental condition. Furthermore, the added layer of security has been significant in business club’s efforts to attract more members and sustain business relations with existing members. Detecting patterns Now the operators use the information being collected in the unified interface to better understand the environment. They are successfully detecting patterns on how visitors/members access and move through the club. Thus, using these insights to develop strategies that maximise the use of space and keeps everyone safe. The open architecture of Videonetics unified solution allows customer to integrate with third-party systems such as access control, emergency system and much more. “To go from conventional to a professional and scalable surveillance system was a huge improvement for our client. It has enhanced our client’s reputation for providing safe and secure environment to visitors, employees, and members. Commendation to Videonetics for providing their unified video computing platform that empowered security operators by improving their efficiency in monitoring the premise and handling threats swiftly. I deeply appreciate their dedication and untiring efforts for making it a reality”, said Gaurav Das, Director, Webdesk Technologies Private Limited.

When it comes to airport security, there is a critical need for technologies that detect exterior threats and protect the perimeter. By using an advanced FLIR perimeter intrusion detection system, airports receive unmatched threat recognition, target tracking, perimeter defence and response capabilities. The result is greater efficiency, exceptional safety and enhanced customer experience for passengers, employees, aircraft and facilities. Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) is the gateway to Silicon Valley, providing transportation to 15 million passengers annually. SJC is recognised within the industry as one of America’s fastest‐growing major airports over the past four-year period, based on percentage increase in passenger seat capacity. Perimeter security upgrade Located in San Jose California, SJC is a robust engine of economic stimulus, transportation and international commerce. The airport is within an 18-mile radius of 6,600 technology companies in Silicon Valley and serves travellers employed by many of the world’s Fortune 500 enterprises, including Apple, Google, Facebook and Intel. Ensuring secure operations is critical to the success and customer experience of SJC users. The airport occupies 1,050 acres of land and its perimeter spans six miles. With such a vast property and a high throughput of traffic, protecting the perimeter from external threats is essential. Driven by high-profile intrusion incidents, perimeter security has become a top priority for airports in recent years. From 2004-2016, there were 345 perimeter breaches at 31 major U.S. airports, according to a report by the Associated Press. Like many airports around the country, SJC also faced challenges and crises of illegal trespassing of unauthorised individuals, despite the airport meeting all federal security regulations. This raised concerns about passenger safety. Mineta San Jose International Airport With a heightened need for better perimeter protection, SJC launched a multi-million dollar, three-phase initiative to upgrade its entire outdoor perimeter security system. The first two phases focused on physical upgrades to the fence line, raising 10,000 linear feet of fence from seven feet to 11 feet in critical areas of the airport. FLIR Elara FC-Series ID, ioi HD Analytics, Triton PT-Series cameras with FLIR Latitude Network Video Management System FLIR Elara FC-Series ID, ioi HD Analytics and Triton PT-Series cameras with FLIR Latitude Network Video Management System provide multiple layers of protection. Phase three was designated for fence technology enhancements through state-of-the-art video surveillance and detection systems. “In response to the cluster of perimeter breaches within a relatively short time period, our evaluation showed that the airport perimeter, with its seven-foot-tall fence, was indeed technically in compliance with current federal security requirements,” said Airport Deputy Director of Operations Bob Lockhart. “However, we also recognised some opportunities to improve the effectiveness of our perimeter, both from a perception perspective, as well as an actual strengthening of some of our perimeter,” he continued. Trial with various security solutions To find the best fence line analytic detection technology, SJC consulted National Alliance for Safe Skies, Inc. (Safe Skies), which is a federally funded non-profit organisation that assists airports in the research, testing and evaluation of security technologies. SJC’s partnership with Safe Skies began in 2014 when the non-profit first discussed the airport’s perimeter security needs. Safe Skies was later tasked to review a variety of perimeter defence systems to determine what solutions would be most effective at SJC. Safe Skies tested and evaluated six different types of technology on-site including, thermal cameras, thermal cameras with video analytics, behavioural video analytic systems, pressure sensor buried cables, laser detection systems and wireless cameras. Each system was tested for two weeks, and Safe Skies presented a performance report to SJC for each one. After a detailed analysis, SJC selected an end-to-end perimeter intrusion detection system (PIDS) from FLIR Systems Inc. FLIR PIDS solution The FLIR PIDS solution is composed of 57 FLIR Elara FC-Series ID thermal analytic cameras and 50 FLIR ioi HD Analytics Bullet cameras along the fence line. The system also includes four FLIR Triton PT-Series dual sensor cameras with thermal and visible light sensors with pan-tilt tracking. For the SJC deployment, Latitude VMS integrates with the Software House’s C-CURE access control platform All of this technology fully integrates into the existing FLIR Latitude Network Video Management System, which is part of the FLIR United VMS family of products. As an ONVIF Profile S compliant platform, Latitude VMS enables seamless integration with edge devices and third-party systems. For the SJC deployment, Latitude VMS integrates with the Software House’s C-CURE access control platform. Distinguishing between an animal and human “The additional thermal and infrared camera coverage has greatly enhanced our abilities to detect unauthorised activities around the perimeter of our airfield,” Lockhart explained. Ken Castle, Vice President of business development at Ojo Technology, the systems integrator for the project, also described the advantages of the FLIR thermal technology. “Thermal cameras provide the data and visual confirmations that are lacking from so-called traditional fibre-based ‘shaker fence’ systems, which generate alarms when objects strike a fence or something creates vibration,” Castle explained. “The problem is that such alerts could be caused by dogs, wildlife, bicyclists bumping into the fence, tree branches or winds—none of which pose security threats.” Castle continued, “With thermal cameras, the embedded analytics can immediately distinguish between an animal at 50 yards and a human at 300 yards, following their direction of movement. The viewing trajectory can be narrowed to cover just the fence, or widened to include territory in front of or behind the fence. The bottom line is that thermal analytics provide definitive visual information and virtually eliminate unnecessary or inconsequential alerts.” Thermal cameras continue to be the industry standard for 24/7 perimeter monitoring and the technology is a key part of SJC’s PIDS solution. Installation of a perimeter fence technology system In September 2016, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration awarded SJC an $8.1 million grant for the design, purchase and installation of a perimeter fence technology system. Deployment of the FLIR PIDS solution began shortly thereafter. The project had an initial 150-day or a five-month turnaround with work beginning around the holidays in December 2016. As the systems integrator, Ojo Technology oversaw the phased commissioning of the project. Ojo engineers preconfigured the cameras and servers, programmed the analytics for all thermal cameras, tested the functionality of each camera under a variety of lighting conditions, and worked with the airport security command centre and its systems subcontractor to incorporate the new cameras into the existing network. Installation was completed in the fall of 2017, and, afterward, Ojo worked closely with FLIR and SJC to fine-tune the system for optimal functionality. Integrator for PIDS “With such an aggressive schedule, Ojo Technology was instrumental in seeing the PIDS solution deployment through,” said Daniel Gundlach, Vice President and General Manager of security at FLIR. “Likewise, the collaboration, technical skill and ingenuity among the FLIR, SJC and Ojo teams was remarkable and a key reason why the project is such a success.” Upon detection of an object approaching the fence line, the FC-Series ID thermal camera, initiates an analytic alarm hand-off “The success of a technical solution like the San Jose Airport PIDS project is dependent upon a strong partnership among all participants—from FLIR as the manufacturer to the integrator to the end user,” said Neil Roberts, FLIR security director for the PIDS deployment. “In this case, all parties were committed to seeing this project through to the end and addressing any technical needs that arose along the way.” Threat recognition and response The advanced FLIR PIDS solution is designed to deliver superior threat recognition and response. Upon detection of an object approaching the fence line, the FC-Series ID thermal camera, initiates an analytic alarm hand-off to the PT-Series camera for auto-tracking. The FLIR HD cameras provide a colour visual of the target for identification and verification. Through Latitude VMS, security operators manage response capabilities such as alarm functions, notifications and real-time interactive alarm maps. Video monitoring with perimeter intrusion detection “SJC has used FLIR cameras and Latitude products for many years,” said Lockhart. “We appreciate our FLIR end-to-end solution and the ability to expand our current camera system with new perimeter cameras to enhance our current video monitoring and provide additional perimeter intrusion detection.”The safety of passengers, airline employees and service workers is greatly enhanced" A defining feature of the airport’s PIDS solution was that all technology components were provided by FLIR, which created an advantage for integration and solution performance. Open platform software management system “An all-FLIR system provided a tight integration to accomplish the goal of heightening security for the airport,” Castle said. Castle continued, “In theory, an open platform software management system can accommodate a variety of camera manufacturers and models in addition to ancillary security systems such as access control, intrusion alarms, public address and intercom systems, and blue light emergency phones. However, in actuality, the integration of various third-party components can be challenging as different brands of firmware in varying camera models and manufacturers don’t always provide consistent levels of performance, such as resolution and other features. This can be avoided entirely by deploying one end-to-end solution from a single manufacturer.” “The upfront and early design services that FLIR offers through sales support engineers and through our Raven Site Planning Tool help reduce the risk of non-conformance and ensure design stays on budget. The end result is optimal system performance and peace of mind,” Roberts from FLIR explained. “At FLIR, we strive to be the airport’s trusted partner not just for today’s security needs, but also for the future.” Enhanced security and safety at the airport “The solution provides ongoing visibility of vehicle and cycling traffic along the outer fence line, as well as the movement of aircraft, cargo loaders, delivery trucks and service vehicles within the perimeter,” Castle said. He added, “Bottom line is that the safety of passengers, airline employees and service workers is greatly enhanced, and the expanded situational awareness gives the airport more options for responding to potential areas of concern.” Having successfully implemented a robust FLIR PIDS solution to protect the airport perimeter, SJC plans to execute more security improvements on the interior side of the airport. Future upgrade SJC has a robust network of security cameras throughout ticketing areas, Transportation Security Administration entry points, terminals, concourses and additional newly built airport areas. The airport is continually evaluating camera locations for upgrades to newer equipment to provide increased coverage or higher resolution camera views. Storage archivers and updated client workstations are also planned for as budgets get approved. By partnering with FLIR, SJC is able to utilise the advanced technology available on the market to provide safety and security and ensure the airport remains a thriving transportation hub that attracts new travellers.

FLIR PT Series cameras were used in a surveillance project to detect and monitor illegal fishing and poaching activities along the Spanish Galician coast. The FLIR thermal imaging cameras combined with maritime video analytics from Gradiant were ideal for spotting illegal vessels on a 24/7 basis and at a long range. The vastness of the Galician coastline and the multitude of fishing and farming activities call for a more automated surveillance approach. Fishing, shellfish harvesting, and marine aquaculture - mainly mussel farming in inshore waters are important economic activities in Galicia (northwest of Spain). Local public authorities strictly control these activities to prevent exploitation, fish stock depletion and resulting economical losses. They are fighting a constant battle against this unfair and illegal competition that affects thousands of professionals who make a living from the fishing and seafood industry. Challenges of coastal monitoring Illegal fishing and poaching has an enormous impact on the environment and food safety Illegal fishing and poaching of seafood resources also has an enormous impact on the environment and food safety; especially during periods of toxic algal bloom (red tides), when fishing conditions are hazardous for public health. The detection of unauthorised fishing and shellfish harvesting is of paramount importance for the Galician authorities. However, monitoring and protecting all of Galicia’s inshore and offshore fisheries, shellfish harvesting areas, and marine aquaculture farms is a challenging task. Galicia has 1,200 km of coastline. Its protection involves the surveillance of activity in 122 ports, including around 5,000 fishing boats, 400 beaches dedicated to shellfish harvesting, and 47 mussel aquaculture farms, with a total of more than 3,000 bateas (floating mussel farms). Long-range thermal imaging Moreover, most illegal activity takes place at night, making it extra difficult for law enforcers to detect any type of vessel. The Galician climate does not help either. With an average of 128 days per year of rain, visibility conditions are usually not ideal for surveillance operations. Manned surveillance patrols can only do so much; they are hindered by the climate and visibility conditions, making it impossible (from a practical and financial standpoint) for coast guards to cover the entire Galician coastline. In 2017, the Galician Coast Guard started a project to test video surveillance of the coastline based on thermal imaging cameras. The pilot included the use of FLIR’s PT Series multi-sensor camera, combined with maritime video analytics software from Gradiant (Pontevedra, Spain). Multi-sensor installation FLIR thermal images were enhanced by Gradiant’s intelligent video analytics software for maritime applications The multi-sensor installation was extensively tested on two different locations along the Galician coast. One set-up was used to monitor illegal vessels on coastal waters at short/medium range, while another set-up was used for long-range monitoring. The PT Series thermal cameras allowed the Galician Coast Guard to monitor the required area over a long range on a 24/7 basis, even at night and in adverse weather conditions. In addition, the FLIR thermal images were enhanced by Gradiant’s intelligent video analytics software for maritime applications. This software is specifically adapted for monitoring coastal environments and allowed the coast guard to detect, track and geo-localise people and vessels, including small wooden and plastic boats. Visible-light camera The software enabled the thermal cameras to detect objects and people despite adverse maritime conditions, such as high waves, low contrast due to low light, fog and rain, reflections on the sea surface, camera vibrations, and the presence of distractors, such as birds and vessel wakes. The FLIR PT Series is a high-performance multi-sensor pan/tilt security camera, incorporating an uncooled thermal camera with sensitivity of <35mK and a visible-light camera with 36x optical zoom. While the thermal camera is used to detect threats over a long range based on their heat signatures, the visible-light camera can be used for verification and identification. Long-range surveillance The requirements for this long-range application were extremely challenging for any thermal camera" “FLIR is the reference for long-range surveillance applications with thermal imaging,” says José Antonio Rodríguez, Head of Video Analytics at Gradiant. “The thermal performance of the camera and the fact that this technology is easy to set up makes it ideal for this type of application. In addition, FLIR supported us from the start for lens selection, calibration of the system and much more.” “The requirements for this long-range application were extremely challenging for any thermal camera,” says Nikitas Koutsourais, Product Marketing Manager at FLIR Systems. “Thanks to the FLIR PT Series’ unique thermal sensitivity of less than 35mK, we could provide the best image performance in the market.” IP video streaming Two different configurations were used in this application. The long-range surveillance station used a FLIR PT-606 camera, and was able to detect a rubber inflatable boat at 4,000m. Despite its narrow field of view, this camera allowed for wide coverage thanks to the high-precision pan/tilt unit. The camera was able to sweep a wide field of view span in a pre-programmed sequence of pan/tilt presets. The port surveillance station used a PT-625, offering a good compromise between detection range and field of view with a single pan/tilt preset. The integration of the video analytics software with the camera was easy thanks to IP video streaming and the camera’s ONVIF compliant interfaces for pan/tilt control. Long-range surveillance typically requires the use of lenses with a narrow field of view, which is a problem when you want to monitor wide areas. Coastal protection applications The FLIR thermal cameras provided the Galician coastguard with increased situational awareness However, the video analytics from Gradiant was able to take advantage of the Preset Sequencing mode of the FLIR PT Series. This allowed the coastguard to cover a wide field of view with a single camera and to perform video analysis on each pan/tilt preset. The FLIR thermal cameras provided the Galician coastguard with increased situational awareness and allowed them to respond much quicker to illegal fishing activities. The pilot project was performed in a realistic surveillance environment along the Galician coast and generated very positive results. The combination of a multi-sensor system with Gradiant’s maritime video analytics proved to be effective to deal with the intricate Galician coast lines and a lack of open view. In addition, this technology combination is a cost-effective alternative, making automated surveillance applications accessible for fish farm companies worldwide. Extremely rugged systems Finally, the PT-Series are extremely rugged systems, which makes them ideal for coastal surveillance, especially in an extremely humid environment such as the Atlantic coast of Spain. The system’s vital core is well protected against dust and water ingress, and complies with IP66 requirements.

When Broome County, in the US State of New York, took the decision to upgrade its public safety radio network, it required the highest quality video surveillance system to safeguard its US$ 23 million investment in critical infrastructure. New radio network Working with Integrated Systems, a solution combining networked Axis cameras, illuminators and radar motion detectors, with Qognify’s Ocularis video management system (VMS) was installed, to deter, detect and respond to unauthorised activity, at each of its nine new radio towers. The new radio network replaces a system that was in place since the 1970’s and improves communications for police, fire, along with other emergency services and public works departments for the municipalities across the county. 24/7 security monitoring Each of the radio tower sites required a combination of networked PTZ and fixed cameras" Such mission critical infrastructure requires reliable round-the-clock security monitoring, so Integrated Systems was approached, for its reputation in the delivery of technology solutions to government and industry, to specify and install a new video surveillance system. President of Integrated Systems, Mark Hamilton, explains, “Each of the radio tower sites required a combination of networked PTZ and fixed cameras, as well as radar motion detection to provide comprehensive coverage that would ensure any unauthorised activity would be swiftly detected, automatically recorded and alerts triggered, to initiate a timely and appropriate response.”  Axis camera and radar detection technology Axis camera and radar detection technology was chosen for interior and exterior use at each radio tower site and the award-winning Ocularis to provide the all-important integration. Hamilton adds, “Early in our engagement with Broome County we urged them to migrate from their disparate video surveillance architecture, whereby VMS, NVR and DVR systems were all being managed individually across the county.” He further said, “Our recommended solution was a single unified, IP-based system that was county-wide sanctioned. To achieve this, we specified the Ocularis VMS from Qognify.” Ocularis video management system Ocluaris is a VMS that is ideal for large-scale projects such as Broome County, with an emphasis on tactical real-time operations and live visualisation, it is supported by full system redundancy and 24/7 availability. Integrated Systems were impressed by Ocluaris’s rich feature set, intuitive user interface (including visually mapping of the entire camera estate) and impressive scalability. What’s more with Axis as a Qognify Technology Partner it instilled the confidence Broome County needed to switch to a more unified approach to video surveillance. PTZ and fixed cameras installed All surveillance camera footage is recorded and centrally archived at the County Data Centre Using Ocularis, authorised personnel at the Central Security Building and Emergency Management Services Centre have 24/7, 365-days access to live and archived footage from every camera at each of the nine sites. The PTZ cameras installed give a 360-degree view of each radio tower site, whilst fixed cameras monitor the tower yards main gates and shelter doors. Meanwhile, the radar motion detection system guards the perimeter. All surveillance camera footage is recorded and centrally archived at the County Data Centre via the county’s microwave data network. “If any suspicious activity is detected an operator can rapidly view, review and replay all relevant footage through Ocularis,” explains Hamilton. Use of video analytics and visual maps To aid the speed of response, the operator also benefits from the use of visual maps to rapidly determine what cameras are available across each site, as well as video analytics to minimise time required to trawl through footage to identify activities of interest. Broome County has been impressed with the Axis and Qognify solution, which has also been integrated with its existing county-wide video network that includes street cameras, buildings and mobile video command systems. The success of the project has been recognised with a prestigious Security Solutions Award. Hamilton concludes by saying, “Qognify’s Ocularis is now the lead VMS that Integrated Systems specifies whenever embarking on a new video surveillance project.”

viisights, the developer of innovative behavioural understanding systems for real-time video intelligence based on AI, announced that it has deployed a smart city traffic monitoring system in the city of Ashdod, leveraging the NVIDIA Metropolis intelligent video analytics framework. “This project signifies how smart cities like Ashdod increase safety, mobility and quality of life by state-of-the-art traffic monitoring driven by computer vision-based on AI,” said Asaf Birenzvieg, co-founder and CEO of viisights. “viisights traffic monitoring capabilities are based on our revolutionary video understanding technology that helps in analysing hundreds to thousands of real-time traffic video streams and alerting on complex traffic situations, including accidents, hazards and predicting and managing traffic congestion. We see this project as an example of how a city can be really smart and as a validation of the growing demand for our behavioural understanding solutions.” Intersection blocked Using NVIDIA GPUs and the DeepStream SDK within NVIDIA Metropolis, viisights’ innovative traffic monitoring system provides highly scalable and cost-effective solutions for real-time analysis of thousands of video streams. viisights video intelligence system deployed in Ashdod provides real-time advanced behavioural understanding of traffic actions and events in live video streams by monitoring intersections, crossroads, roads and streets. This enables municipalities to quickly address events of interest such as accidents, disturbances to traffic (for example, vehicles stopping in a junction or on a sidewalk), road hazards (for example, people getting in and out of vehicles in dangerous areas) and monitor traffic flows and report on various statistics. viisights technology protects public privacy by only analysing general behaviour patterns of individuals, groups, vehicles and traffic-flows. It does not identify faces or licence plates. Car collision information This cutting-edge, first-of-its-kind technology from viisights assists municipalities to secure traffic flow, prevent blockage and attend to road hazards, while also enhancing their essential role in securing the life and safety of inhabitants; first responders can arrive faster at scenes of life-threatening situations, minimise injuries, and attend to dangers in traffic and more. “We are extremely proud to be at the forefront of smart city technology by being the first city in Israel to define and use this behaviour recognition technology for the benefit of Ashdod citizens,” said Gamliel Edri, technologies & CCTV control room department manager for the city of Ashdod Municipality. “The viisights’ system strengthens our ability to ensure the safety and security of our citizens and even save lives. We look forward to broadening our successful collaboration with viisights to other parts of the city.”

There are a handful of amazing things that set San Francisco apart from other global cities. Notably, there is the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown, the Twin Peaks overlooking the city skyline, San Francisco Bay, and The Moscone Centre. Just how does a convention centre fit into the list of places to see in beautiful San Francisco? It is the largest convention and exhibition complex in San Francisco, California. It includes three main halls spread out across three blocks and 87 acres in the prime South of Market neighborhood. The convention centre originally opened in 1981 and has gone through several renovations. It is currently upgrading its security system to reflect a modern, state-of-the-art security solution. Securing SMG/Moscone Centre Security at the SMG/Moscone Centre is handled similar to the security at a Tier 1 airport. However, clients who use the facility are required to provide their own inside security. When the doors of the convention Centre are open to the public, it plays host to people who want to come in and look around. Our new security system will provide analytics, and the ability to look at the images in real time" “We are responsible for facility security inside and on the perimeter outside. This is considered a soft target, so we do everything possible to harden the security,” said Damion Ellis, Director of Security at the SMG/Moscone Centre. Damion adds, “The time is right for us to take out the old security system, including the old analog camera system. Our new security system will provide analytics, and the ability to look at the images in real time.” IP cameras installed for wide surveillance Like any major metropolitan area, the San Francisco metropolitan region has its own issues that have to be dealt with that aren’t pleasant. This includes keeping track of the homeless population and what they are doing. Damion Ellis further said, “We are able to place the new IP cameras in places where the homeless population congregates on the outside, in dark corners of the facility.” CompleteView VMS video platform The Moscone Centre complex consists of three main halls. Moscone South is located to the south of Howard Street and is three-storey tall. It opened in 2017, replacing the original Moscone Centre building that opened in 1981. A Keith Haring sculpture stands outside the hall at the corner of 5th and Howard streets. Moscone North is located to the north of Howard Street, and Moscone West is a three-level exhibition hall located across 4th Street from Moscone North. Integration with ProWatch access control platform “One of the most compelling reasons Moscone deployed CompleteView video platform was the integration with Honeywell’s ProWatch access control platform, as well as newly designed multi-sensor cameras,” said Salient’s Regional Sales Manager in the Bay Area, Cindy Doyle. Cindy adds, “The ease of use and intuitive software allowed the guard staff to use maps in the system to identify where triggered events took place for guard dispatch.” Monitoring door alarms Prowatch access control platform is currently being used to monitor door alarms throughout the property Prowatch access control platform is currently being used to monitor door alarms throughout the property and triggering video call-up and/or alarm video event when there is a forced or held open door. In order to keep track of outside foot traffic and provide interior and exterior security, an analytics option was foremost on everyone’s mind, and integrator Microbiz Security Co., dove in with an initial site survey to determine the best course of action. Microbiz has partnered with the SMG/Moscone Centre for several years. Video analytics solution “Our goal was to take a look at what it would take to secure the facility, but to do it properly,” said Todd Chritton, President of Microbiz Security. “The integrator had some suggestions in terms of offering better security coverage in some areas,” said Marco Escobar, Vice President of Operations at Microbiz Security, adding “What they knew was three buildings needed to update from its current 2002 technology, and upgrade to 2018 technology. It also was beneficial to the integrator having worked on site for several years and also having worked with Ellis during his tenure with the Hilton Hotel chain.” Multi-sensor and multi-megapixel IP cameras  Marco Escober further stated, “We’ve been a long-time vendor at the convention centre, and we offer a pride of installation as well as using the best of the best security solutions. We began by updating current cameras to Arecont Vision multi-sensor and multi-megapixel IP cameras and Salient Systems’ CompleteView VMS, Dellintegrated server with RAID6 configuration and CompleteView Enterprise software." He adds, "The VMS is a fully open architecture, enabling convention center security staff to seamlessly leverage existing technology investments and minimise disruption.”

Where does the time go? Before you know it, here we are at mid-year reflecting on an eventful first half of 2018 in the physical security market. It’s also a good time for our Expert Panel Roundtable to pause and look ahead at what we might expect in the second half of the year. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What technology development will have the greatest impact in the second half of 2018?

How much does a security system cost? We all know that total costs associated with systems are substantially higher than the “price tag.” There are many elements, tangible and intangible, that contribute to the costs of owning and operating a system. Taking a broad view and finding ways to measure these additional costs enables integrators and users to get the most value from a system at the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). However, measuring TCO can be easier said than done. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable to share the benefit of their collective expertise on the subject. Specifically, we asked: How should integrators and/or end users measure total cost of ownership (TCO) when quantifying the value of security systems?