Category Archives: Analytics

Staff Watch CCTV.

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Not Big Brother

Watching over staff is not all about making sure they are doing their job. Under recent regulation it has become law that employer’s ensure that their staff are safe at work.

How can this be achieved?

IP cameras can provide a simple ,cost effective solution to ensure employers can meet their legal obligations and make sure their staff are safe at work ,especially when they are in a relatively isolated situation .

Examples of dangerous situations.

Shop workers.

security guards.

cashiers.

NHS staff.

receptionists.

The list goes on . All these people are exposed at times to public anger or frustration and this can put them in danger.

So how can they be protected?

Simple measures can be put in place to ensure they are able to communicate with the outside world should they feel exposed to danger. The panic button is an easy solution and very effective. IP cameras that are able to be Integrated to analytics can generate alarms and raise a response if required. The analytics can be programmed to generate alarms when they detect unusual movement such as a violent struggle or a person in area where they should not normally be.

The employer.

The bottom line is, the employer must care enough to protect his staff . With the advent of some very clever integrated CCTV systems, linked to audible devices that work on VOIP,  IP security solutions are  now available and these can now be linked to central stations in order to raise an alarm.

Conclusion.

Staffwatch, using IP CCTV will help to prevent attacks and ensure help can be raised if things do escalate. CCTV integrated to PA buttons and mobile pda solutions will definitely make sure staff are kept safer.

 

Video sphere VMS software

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Why VMS ?

There are many benefits being touted about Video sphere VMS software.The main one we can see is the ability to support so many applications and be so flexible when trying to design a hybrid CCTV system.

The framework to have a scalable IP CCTV solution.

Video sphere can support small, medium and large applications that need IP CCTV solutions but need to consider legacy analogue devices . By using codecs all analogue camera equipment can be converted to IP CCTV cameras and integrated into the VMS framework. Video streaming of high frame rates up to 256 IP or converted analogue cameras per server. Ultimately by correctly configuring the network servers VMS can support thousands of cameras across a company group.

MPEG4 and H.264.

Both the above video compression formats are supported by VMS as is multiple PTZ IP cameras and video sphere HD IP solutions. As we mentioned before codecs in the form of Edge encoders are used to introduce analogue cameras in to the overall solution and this then enables existing equipment to run analytics that make these cameras intelligent this has to be considered a valuable upgrade benefit.

Alarm switching.

An important part of all IP solutions is the ability to support alarm switching to follow analytic generated alarms. VMS does this and can also be integrated to data sources such as ATM and POS transactions.

Conclusion.

VMS is a powerful piece of software , designed to be future proofed and has many features and benefits that will suit designers of IP camera solutions and integrated CCTV. It does need a robust server to work in unison with it that can back up recorded images effectively and this does add to the cost. However VMS does offer the maximum flexibility and has many benefits over black box solutions that ultimately will become a thing of the past over time.


FLIR Thermal Imaging camera

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FLIR VSR-6

FLIR have just released their new VSR-6 thermal imaging camera.  This camera is specifically aimed at the mainstream CCTV market. FLIR  have been able to do this at a very competitive price because there is becoming more demand to integrate this type of technology into an integrated CCTV solution resulting in high volume production.

Why thermal imaging?

The benefits of thermal imaging have long been known but have historically only been able to be afforded in extremely high security scenarios such as military bases and airports. However FLIR have recognised the need for a lightweight model that can fit into a CCTV project especially one that takes in perimeter boundaries in areas where there is absolutely no lighting.

Image quality

The VSR-6 is capable of delivering crisp and clear images at 160 x 120 pixels. It uses 6.3mm wide angle lens  enabling a good field of view approx 52 degrees so enables the operator to have a good situational awareness. It is IP 66 rated and operates between -32 degrees C and + 55 degrees C so it is capable of operating almost anywhere.

Absolute darkness .

Of course the reasons for using thermal images are now becoming even more apparent with the advent of CCTV analytics. Analytics fail to work in zero light conditions and this is a nightmare for system designers but now thermal cameras are affordable they can be added into the specification. Of course other benefits over traditional  CCTV cameras is the thermal solution will work in extremely dusty conditions as well as fog and smoke.

Things to look out for in the coming weeks on this site

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Saving money on security guards

We look at a case study for a site that was spending over 70 thousand pounds a year on security guards. We discuss how this can be cut to a fraction of that cost by using  Analytics.

FLIR thermal imaging cameras.

We look into the new thermal imaging camera released by FLIR that is light and very cost efficeint  something we all thought would be impossible for a thermal imaging camera.

ANPR cameras. 

 How they work? and where they are being used today.We highlight some good and some bad points about them.

Biometrics.

We ask whether this technology is ever going to become as big within the security market place as it promised to be when it was first launched.

Adpro and IP.

Can Adpro ever get back to where they were in the CCTV transmission market place. It was not so long ago they were the only choice when transmitting CCTV images.

CCTV distributors.

We discuss whether CCTV distributors need to look at a different route to market now that IP cameras are so popular.

Emizon IP.

We talk about Emizon and what it means for IP intruder alarm monitoring.

Raytec.

This revolutionary new lighting technology has turned a few heads but will it replace all the old halogen lighting systems out there?

NSI.

Does the security industry need this regulator and how will IP camera systems impact  on this inspectorate?

CCTV Analytics

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Why will analytics be such a huge step forward for CCTV?

Analytics is an advanced form of video motion detection that uses
Software algorithms in order to generate alarms when certain
conditions and scenarios occur within the field of view of the camera.
For example if a person is seen to be loitering in area for a length
of time that has been deemed inappropriate then the software can
recognise this fact and trip an alarm to notify an operator. It can
also notify when an area is violated by a person but is adaptable
enough to realize the difference between a human and a cat for instance.
How does this help the operator?

In the case where a guard is looking at multiple views over a
prolonged period of time he will inevitably need help. Analytics is
able to provide reliable alarms to notify him of a situation that is
occurring that he needs to know about, so when we have a manned system
the benefits are obvious.
Analytic alarm systems.

However more importantly we can use the analytics to generate alarms
to trip automated alarm sounders and warning voices and also notify a
remote guard that he may need to attend site.
This removes the need for a man on site and this means cost savings can be huge, sometimes tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. This has driven the market and now some very big organizations are now involved in the development and promotion of this technology.
So effective are analytics going to be in the future that external alarm sensors and fixed beams could soon be a thing of the past.

Applications also include perimeter protection, object abandonment,
person or object tracking. Colour recogniton, people counting, speeding
vehicles.
What about old camera systems?

Analytics can easily be fitted to existing CCTV systems and the
advantage of fitting analytics to old camera systems is we can then
make ineffective old technology suddenly intelligent .The experts see
that fitting analytics retrospectively is a massive market place and an
alternative to a complete upgrade of some older systems out there.It
is important however to point out that the analytics can only be as
good as the picture they are trying to analyse so people must be
realistic with their expectations. Lighting at night is also another
crucial factor to consider, remember analytics can’t work in the dark
so duel chip cameras and IR lighting are important things to bring
into the equation.
So next time you consider upgrading , reducing costs or generally
making more of your CCTV systems ask us here for advice on how we can
help you.