Many in the security industry are aware that intelligent video is a mainstay of heavyweight security installations that can well afford top-end security technology. This perception has spread throughout the security industry where intelligent video is viewed as the crown-jewel of big-budget security programs, such as airports, military, and nuclear power sites.
Early intelligent video developers share some of the responsibility for this exclusive upscale security perception in part because they focused on working solutions that were rather complex and expensive to deploy instead of paying attention to points such as easy installation and usability that would make intelligent video viable for common security installations.
Today’s commercially available intelligent video systems are breaking new ground to deliver high-performance and proof-positive detection, yet in a simple to install and operate intelligent video edge device or all-in-one camera.
Commonly, industrial security administrators are finding themselves overwhelmed by new trends in crime and added responsibilities of security conformance issues. Often they are bogged down with traditional security devices and antiquated operational procedures that are part of timeworn security programs.
Changing criminal trends are putting security under pressure as they try to cope with problems, such as shooting rampages, terrorism, scrap metal theft, industrial-plant theft, and frivolous injury claims. After critical review, industrial security administrators discovered they have many security holes due to the fact that the run-of-the-mill security components used for industrial security were never designed for wide area detection or anti-terrorism efforts.
Security risks not previously believed to be at issue, including theft of hazardous chemicals, medical waste, and combustible materials, present new challenges for industrial security programs to overcome. Formidable areas that are problematic or unpleasant to patrol yet provide access to crazed intruders, such as hazardous confined spaces, high-voltage areas and hazmat facilities, now need to be secured. With tight budgets and a tendency to shy away from new solutions, industrial security remained unable to secure perilous, inhospitable, and wide-open areas.
Despite the drawbacks of traditional security measures, the fresh demands of industrial security, and the advantages of intelligent video to fill this void, security integrators fell behind in deploying these more effective solutions over the traditional devices they know and love. In the near future, security installers will begin to find greater demand for intelligent video solutions, especially for the industrial security marketplace where benefits and the return on investment on of intelligent video solutions are sizable.
The intelligent video benefits are many. Areas that are too inhospitable for guards to regularly patrol can be automatically watched over from remote. The capability of monitoring wide areas and detect not just short-range movements such as an infrared motion detector, but true intruder behavior scenarios, allows intelligent video to cover security holes. The unique ability of intelligent video detection to differentiation between persons and trivial small animal movement allows it to outperform primitive sensors and detectors that typically alarm on any spurious movements.
An intelligent video edge device - DSP-based devices with self-sustained video analytics--, provides industrial security administrators with a plug-and-play solution that is easy to use and install. It also is ideal when a remote or stand-alone deployment is needed for any application, such as remote construction sites, electrical substations, agricultural sensors, school campus perimeters, and pipeline infrastructures where it can work without a dedicated network processing computer or onsite security guard.
In addition, intelligent video offers a viable and easy to install solution as an invisible fence that can provide an early-detection advantage and a cost effective alternative rather than erecting truckloads of fencing, fence sensors, ground sensors, and wiring that can often include battles with zoning and local residents about aesthetics of the security fence.
Fact is security guards cannot be everywhere at once which translates into missed opportunities. All too frequently, guards discover incidents after the intruder has cased the premises and committed a crime, after the burglar has run away with valuables, and after the damage is done. With autonomous intelligent video monitoring, security officers are alerted within seconds rather than waiting for scheduled patrols to stumble upon an incident or a concerned passerby to report it. As everything is being watched with unblinking vigilance that accelerates detection, the burden of watching unchanging monitors is eased allowing for optimization of security personnel resources. Security guards can use hand-held monitors, such as PDAs, in conjunction with intelligent video to provide alarm video and camera control from the field during patrols thus adding mobility and reducing unwatched monitoring.
Up until recently, achieving stronger security at industrial facilities meant adding more security cameras and monitors as well as scheduling more staff to watch the additional surveillance. Intelligent video and its ability to automatically detect intruders entering a property enhances security guard capabilities as they only need to view and respond to actual alarm events rather than watching hours of motionless video. Because the system works as a stand-alone solution, even if there is no security guard to take notice of the video, deterrent actions can automatically be initiated, such as playing recorded warnings to vacate the premises.
For multiple locations, the network functionality of an intelligent video edge device allows a centralized dispatch to manage thousands of cameras from a remote location rather than stationing security personnel at each location. The centralized dispatch can take advantage of two-way communication, commanding dry contacts and controlling cameras. In addition, Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras with intelligent video can provide security personnel with hands free tracking that manually operates joystick controls.
Intelligent video provides industrial security the ability to magnify capabilities, reduce resource utilization, and broaden security coverage so that security programs can overcome modern security challenges.
- Intelligent video detection can distinguish between vehicles and people and even limit detection to a specific direction, so when an unauthorized intruder wanders on the property it will be detected, but an employee vehicle leaving the work would be ignored.
- Automatic detection of object removal can be used to limit detection to items that are of interest whether it is the taking of a loading-dock computer or a palate of copper piping from a storage yard.
- Automatic detection of unattended objects can reveal when a box of products is tossed over the fence by an employee for after work plunder or alarm when a suspicious package is placed next to liquid propane tanks.
- Automatic detection of stopped cars can notify when a vehicle parks outside at a strange hour or when a suspicious (possibly explosive-laden) car parks nearby chemical storage tanks.
- Autonomous pan tilt zoom tracking, unlike stationary cameras, can provide automatic close-ups of an identified moving target for better security-usable images or to provide real-time tracking of a camouflaged intruder whereabouts.
With intelligent video edge device interfacing and event engines, lights can be turned on, barriers raised, doors locked, and warnings announced automatically on an alarm event.
Additionally, scheduling of different detection criteria can allow industrial security to narrow detection on items of interest. For example detection can be scheduled for late night or shift change scenarios, as well as PTZ camera tours with different detection on each preset. Also in the intelligent video offerings is advanced synchronized handoff of moving intruders from stationary camera detection to autonomous PTZ cameras for robot-like tracking.
Beyond reducing labor expenses and providing a cost-saving security alternative, intelligent video offers significant returns that make deployment highly attractive: security personnel become more accountable for all alarms, instant automatic notification, recording and deterrent messages/actions (ideal for prohibited entry into controlled or hazardous areas) as well as helps meet security conformance in order to avoid non-compliance citations and negative publicity. Providing remote analysis capabilities and PTZ tracking for informed response and constant visuals on intruders, the intelligent video detection helps increases scene safety for responders.
The list of benefits of intelligent video continues, with pre-alarm recording showing the moments before an incident for identifying who left suspicious objects or parked vehicles and ancillary detection such as for smoke, fire, visible gas leaks and leaking containers, as well as recorded video for criminal prosecution or for recouping damages.
Industrial security officers will find it worth while to incorporate intelligent video edge devices as a key component in their security program. Intelligent video is no longer an exclusive security solution, but a cost-effective turnkey industrial security solution for any size site needing effective broad security coverage, enhance vigilance, and automate surveillance that helps lower operating costs.