Wireless access
New advances in security present resources and conditions that improve the protection of places and people. In this case, wireless access control systems allow revenue to be authorized from a distant point.
by Ana María Restrepo
New advances in security present resources and conditions that improve the protection of places and people. In this case, wireless access control systems allow revenue to be authorized from a distant point.
by Ana María Restrepo
by Arecont Vision, LLC
A Network Video Recorder has the possibility of recording images from IP cameras located anywhere in the world thanks to the fact that the data travels through the Internet.
by Ana María Restrepo
Forty years ago the Internet appeared in a very segmented way, 19 years later it was opened to everyone, but the little infrastructure, technology and knowledge slowed down its appearance in the less advanced regions.
Some time later all companies, public and private, began to have their computers connected through the intranet to share information securely for all employees of the organization; in this way, the Intranet became the means of business communication throughout the universe, so much so that in 2007 Nielsen Norman Group had a record of 6 million intranet pages.
by Ana María Restrepo
We could say that one of the factors that matter most at the time of developing a photo is its focus, as this allows the image to be distinguished and seen perfectly. In the case of digital cameras there are countless additional factors that make a photograph good, such as pixels, which determine the resolution of the image, which constitutes a good or bad size of the photo.
Since 1975 digital cameras began their journey through the world, the first was a development made by Kodak that had the size of a toaster, a quality of 0.01 megapixels and needed 23 minutes to save a black and white image on a cassette tape. This invention was simply a technical exercise, it was not foreseen that it would be produced.
Years later, in 1991 Kodac launched the DCS-100 model with a 1.3 megapixel sensor; In 1992, Apple showed the first digital camera to the general public. Three years later the first photographic equipment with a liquid crystal display on the back, Cassio QV-10, was created, and later, the following year the Kodak DC-25 was introduced that used CompactFlash memory cards.
On the security side, explicitly speaking of CCTV, the first closed circuit television installed was in 1942 and since that time cameras have been placed throughout the cities, in companies, government, commerce, banks, among other places.
As is known, CCTVs are composed of cameras, monitors and storage devices (DVR, NVR), have an analog or digital structure, are banned in IP or wireless networks, or combine some of these options to give life to hybrid CCTV.
However, this time the topic to be discussed will be megapixel (MP) cameras, their evolution, market trends and characteristics.
To talk about this topic, SECURITY SALES, interviewed four professionals experts in the field who presented us with their points of view.
What it provides
Megapixel cameras provide a resolution three times better than that of an analog camera, giving more details and greater possibilities of identification in terms of surveillance and security.
Some cameras are more suitable in some areas than others, and effectively the factor that decides whether or not to install a megapixel is the need of the end user. However, the impact that this type of camera has presented on CCTV is highly positive from multiple points of view as explained by Luis Carlos Delcampo, of Crockett International. "Obtaining an image that exceeds the resolution D1 (720x480) allows users of this type of technology to have more detail without losing quality in the image when making digital approaches, including being able to see clearly details that with resolution D1 would never be perceptible."
In the area of security, especially video surveillance, there may be situations in which it is necessary to identify the people or objects of certain scenes, a reason that makes it necessary to use a megapixel camera, because as Claudia Dunphy of Lumenera Corporation mentions, these cameras have as greater capacity digital zoom analysis post incident, and its high resolution facilitates positive identification as mentioned above.
For his part, Paul Bodell of IQinVision, considers that the impact of megapixel technology on CCTV, outside of the quality of the images, is that since mega pixel cameras use IP technology, it is no longer necessary to configure or adjust the cameras from their point of location, which translates into a saving of time and money. It also states that high-end cameras are capable of recording images on themselves, which means that bandwidth is not used for data transfer over the network.
Young age but good results
According to what was expressed by the professionals interviewed, the age of megapixel technology is not much, Delcampo explains that mega pixel cameras in the world of CCTV have not been more than five years, and that they were presented to the market by some manufacturers.
Claudia says they have been on the market for about four years, but the image sensor technology takes about 10. Kim Robbins of DVTel, says that this technology has been in the security sector for some years, however recently the costs were reduced making it more affordable.
For his part, Paul says that the network of megapixel cameras is not so new in the market and that it has existed for about eight years, what happens is that many companies have only ventured into this segment of the market a short time ago.
He also believes that the deployment of megapixel cameras has occurred because it means a lower total cost of ownership, because if you need to cover a wide area with forensic detail (see, record, recognize images such as plates and faces) 10 CCTV or standard IP resolution cameras are required to reach the same area that three megapixel cameras would cover, this shows that megapixels represent a more effective and low-cost solution for application in a large area.
Different visions
The use of megapixel cameras has increased in recent years, but many of the users have them underused since they do not use them as they should.
Megapixel cameras allow you to have an overview of an entire scene or a place. This vision makes it possible to have a resolution and coverage of a space with a single megapixel camera. They also admit to having a detailed view of places, people, or things as mentioned at the beginning.
Additionally, megapixel technology is characterized by operating under the network, even some are wireless; the amount of information provided is much greater (much more than 720x480 pixels), has better light sensitivity, below the order of 0.05 lux, supports multiple communication protocols that enable it to operate with open platforms, processes video analysis algorithms by itself, compresses the image in different formats such as mjpeg – mpeg4 and the latest technology with H.264 format, among other features.
Taking into account the wide possibilities of surveillance that are obtained when using megapixel technology, many end users choose this and not another type of system to carry out the protection of banks, offices, hotels, chain stores, companies, etc., although the needs that you want to meet must always be taken into account before choosing the solution to be implemented.
For Claudia this is the best option when it comes to the identification of subjects and objects, in addition to the case of fast-moving vehicles, IP cameras with ccD megapixel (interconnected electrical charges device) provide high resolution images captured using the global shutter, which means that all the lines of the image are exposed at the same time to produce a clear image of the movement of the vehicle.
For his part, Delcampo explains again that the type of application in which the camera will be installed must be taken into account, "because its cost and great versatility may be characteristics far from the current project." He also comments that "basically these cameras are demanded where the conditions of high level of definition in the image are the key parameter in the design as well as the need to handle video analytics, without requiring large management platforms of the CCTV system".
Paul Bodell believes that an important fact before acquiring a video surveillance solution is to evaluate the company that will give the support as well as the manufacturer and the experience of the latter in the manufacture of megapixel cameras.
Good market potential
Megapixel technology is being used in most markets and the trend is that it will replace many standard definition cameras as Kim Robbins believes. "Megapixel cameras hold great promise when it comes to environments or applications that require higher resolution previously available with 500TVL or 4CIF cameras."
Also the market trends point to the issue of IP convergence as Luis Carlos affirms, since the solutions (video, data, audio, telephony,) will operate simultaneously under the same network infrastructure. "All the new developments aim to have 100% IP equipment, meeting Ethernet connectivity standards and exploiting the great advance in quality of service issues by switch manufacturers."
An important point that Claudia highlights is that consumer expectations have changed and now they have a high interest in the quality and resolution of video surveillance. "As more people become familiar with HDTV and megapixel digital cameras as consumer products, their expectations for surveillance products will also increase." It also states that IP surveillance devices represent a small portion of the total sales of CCT, but they are the segment with the highest growth according to the information published in ipvideomarket.info, for this year that begins, the IP CCTV market will grow about 15 percent and with megapixel cameras it will reach 30 percent.
On the road to Latin America
Latin America has been potentiated in the implementation of electronic security solutions, new technologies every day arrive in Latin American countries to be used in different types of economic sectors, both public and private, additionally the region is being conceived by most manufacturers and distributors as one of the best places for the commercialization of their equipment.
According to the data provided by Kim, MP cameras are widely deployed around the world in the different CCTV facilities, in addition these are based on digital imaging standards and do not have the NTSC (National Commission of Television Systems) or PAL (alternating line in phase) compatibilities that limit the use from one country to another.
In the case of Latin America, the professionals interviewed consider that this technology is implemented throughout the region, starting from Central America to South America, although the countries that have high levels of investment in this type of cameras are Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia.
As for the economic areas where the cameras that provide great detail are being used are: universities, public transport systems, companies, banks, government entities, energy and oil sector, infrastructure, airports and intelligent traffic systems.
For each of the economic sectors, MP cameras offer the possibility of meeting the needs they have in terms of surveillance. In commerce these can be used in order to have a complete view avoiding blind spots in warehouses. If it is urban surveillance, megapixel technology provides high-resolution images where they allow to identify passers-by either in real time or in recordings, this same advantage is offered for transport and the banking sector.
Price factor
Each of the technologies brings with it a factor that is indispensable at the time of putting a security solution to work, the cost. Generally the cheap is expensive and many times it is better to invest a good sum of money in a novel system of more value but that provides greater security, as well as many more years of life and utility.
In the case of the technology of megapixel cameras, the price is a factor that influences decision-making just like a few years ago when it came to IP cameras, the good thing about this issue is that thanks to the evolutions and developments in terms of infrastructure and information technology the world has advanced more and more, and some regions such as Latin have reached high points of technology.
For Claudia Dumphy the great barrier in the adoption of megapixel cameras is not necessarily the price, because in existing network installations this becomes a great saving associated with the deployment of megapixel IP cameras. Also in new developments the cost of networking is lower, since it handles a price reduction of network cables compared to coaxial cables. In addition, it is possible to use a five-megapixel or higher resolution camera to monitor a wide area without the need to combine multiple cameras or provide special coverage of entry points, which translates into an additional reduction in the costs of other equipment and installation.
For his part, Luis Carlos affirms that the price influences by depending on the market where the cameras will be implemented, however the growth in the use of these cameras have been the advance in the development of technology at the level of networks and IP recording systems.
by Julián Arcila
2008 left, economically speaking, many lessons and indisputably the certainty that 2009 should be a period of savings and optimization of investment. The business of electronic security cannot be absent from this debate and in that sense it is possible that the year that has just begun will bring with it an avalanche of opportunities for developers of technologies such as intelligent video and video analytics, which, among other features, allow to obtain additional benefits from a video signal, such as image analysis, detection of specific movements or patterns to analysis of various trends, in the case of commercial establishments.
These technologies, among many benefits, allow user companies to obtain significant savings, both when it comes to protecting merchandise and when monitoring large spaces, as it optimizes the disposition of human resources by providing information that would not be available based solely on the human eye.
To make this article in a fairly descriptive way, which allows distributors, integrators and end users to become familiar with the technology, SECURITY SALES invited eight companies to participate: Sony, Verint, Infinova, Pelco, Bosch, Vicon, Lumenera and American Dynamics. Each one provided valuable information to understand in detail what the concept of video analytics implies, this without neglecting that of intelligent video.
To begin with, it is very important to note that this technology should not be confused with Video Motion Detection (VMD), a modality that has been on the market for more than 20 years; according to Wikipedia, the VMD uses simple rules and assumes that every pixel change in the scene is important. The limitation of the VMD - explains the portal - is that it brings with it a lot of false alarms so many users use it simply to reduce storage space.
Claudia Dunphy, from the company Lumenera, points out, in relation to this topic, that video analysis is more selective and that it distinguishes between people, vehicles and objects based on shape, behavior and size; "Alerts are issued with great precision. For example, when a person enters a certain area and stays for a specific time. The percentage of false alarms is low because the system can clearly identify a person, "says this professional.
But to begin by defining, a successful answer was provided by Verint's sales team for Latin America, a company for which intelligent video is a solution that ensures a protected environment, both for customers and for their security corps. "Safety equipment is often lightly spread over vast areas, making rapid response difficult during emergencies. Video analytics applications take the most critical behavioral and interest data from huge amounts of video information collected, allowing security teams to focus on the most determining situations."
For his part, Luis Olivares, an expert engineer in video analysis at Vicon, brings a new element: speed. He explains that with video analysis it is achieved in a fast way what with the human brain takes a series of time that is to analyze an image; in Vicon they use computer algorithms capable of processing huge amounts of digital data captured by video cameras, with an almost unlimited power of processing such data so that the system "can see" and give an answer of what it is seeing.
Finally, Warren Brown, product manager of video intelligence software at Tyco Int. makes a very important differentiation between the concepts of video analysis and intelligent video. First, he explains that in the analytical video the algorithms that analyze the video generate data or certain events; these "analytics" serve specific purposes such as analyzing the numbers on vehicle license plates or licenses or to detect the movement of, for example, a bag. Intelligent video, Walter says, is the set of related and integrated analytics in such a way that they allow the improvement of the workflow. "For example, a set of analytics such as the IntelliVid product, help the investigator in a store to identify when a theft of merchandise occurred, facilitates a quick investigation, the documentation of the case and allows to share the results almost immediately," explains the director of the firm, who provided the answers through Walter Hawrys, President of International W Inc.
An offer that grows
At present, this sector is developing to the point that the offer of solutions is growing. In line with the previous statement, Julio Lizarazo of Sony explains that the availability of solutions in this field ranges from the most basic detection of movements, to the recognition of faces or car registrations. "There are solutions that analyze the temperature which is used in solutions for night vision at long distances; another very interesting solution is the one developed in England, which uses the information from the images to analyze the statistics of football matches, as well as the strategies used by the opponent, the speeds and distances traveled by each of the players. "
He adds that another very common solution today, especially in Latin America, is that of P.O.S. (point of sales), which ensures that what is billed in a supermarket matches what the person is carrying. A camera connected to each recording machine is required.
But Carlos Leschhorn, vice president of sales for Latin America of Infinova, adds a very important fact for the region, in the sense that he affirms that in the present analytical solutions for analog systems can be offered, something that a few years ago was not possible; it also reports a notable improvement in the accuracy of the reports. He says that "nowadays we can reach levels of 75%~85% accuracy in information, which is very effective especially when we talk about facial recognition. Today, analytics can be used in various applications such as medicine, forensics and flow control applications."
Now, if it is a question of giving an idea of what can be done with these applications, Daniel Pereira, systems sales manager of Crockett, a firm that represents Pelco, points out that the latter manufacturer has applications that allow alarms to be issued in situations as variable as the presence of abandoned objects, adaptive motion detection, directional motion detection, object counting and camera sabotage.
In line with the above, Luis Yañez, support engineer at Bosch security systems in Mexico, points out that the uses for video analysis systems are very wide but that not all are tested and available to firms in this area. In this sense, he explains that the most common could be "motion detection by conditions of state, size, color, speed and appearance for use in plate reading. Of course there is facial recognition, but it is only available to a few due to the high hardware and software costs necessary to perform these functions, and they are still not accurate enough in their operation."
More and more advantages
If you ask technology developers or large firms dedicated to producing inventions related to technology, the approach that arises is that they really arise as a response to needs and that what is sought is to simplify the lives of those who use it. In this sense, it seems that video analysis is fulfilling both ideas and is solving three of the biggest concerns of security officials: false alarms, optimization of the workforce and agility in the processing and handling of information.
Julio Lizarazo agrees with the above, who affirms that the main advantage that can be obtained with video analysis is the reduction of false alarms, since through algorithms it has been possible to prevent them from being triggered by the movement of animals or natural elements such as water. Additionally, he comments that these systems monitor, leading the security official to follow up on the events found by the camera. Finally, he notes that intelligent search makes the selection of events or images more efficient and faster and for this case he cites the example that a software can search for the exact moment when a car disappears from a specific location.
Daniel Pereira brings additional data to the concept of optimization and points out that these applications are very useful when you have to handle a large number of cameras. "Video analytics allows the operator to focus on the areas where something is most likely to be happening, maximizing time and resources and increasing the likelihood of detecting incidents before their severity escalates."
For his part, Luis Yañez de Bosch brings up another aspect that although it is related to the above, also touches on the financial part of the system and is the reduction of operating costs. He says that using these systems allows you to move from a reactive system to a proactive one, improving the responsiveness of the guard in charge of monitoring certain areas under predetermined conditions.
It cannot be omitted, of course, that with the use of these systems comes leveraged an improvement in the detection capacity, because according to Warren Brown, several studies have determined that a human being loses the ability to identify suspicious situations after having spent between 20 and 60 minutes watching videos from several security cameras. "The focus of most analytics on the market is to help the researcher and have the system, not the human, monitor the video, pointing to the researcher when something suspicious happens," he says.
The required elements
Basically, a video analysis system consists of three fundamental elements: capture equipment (cameras), processing tools (software) and storage space (video recorder/PC). The question that may arise in Latin America is how the costs of these systems behave compared to conventional ones. The reality is that initially the equipment can be more expensive, but over time they justify the investment by presenting a better use of the images captured and by optimizing aspects such as the cost of maintenance, which can be done remotely.
However, it is essential to understand that all the elements have the same importance, because if the cameras are defective the software will not be able to process the image; a software with low processing capacity can miss the advantages of having state-of-the-art cameras and an unresilhed storage system because it may not have the capacity to host the required data.
Faced with the above, Carlos Lescchorn reaffirms it by saying that in many cases the primary analytical part resides in the camera that captures the image, but without good software that subtracts that information from the camera it will not help us much. On the other hand, the computer where this software is installed plays an important role in the performance of the application. It is important that the computer goes beyond the basic specifications of the manufacturer so that the performance of the application is guaranteed.
But there is another important element that cannot be left aside and this is the architectures. Claudia Dunphy recalls that in the past video analysis systems relied on a limited ability to analyze a few video channels on a DVR or central computer. He adds that the preferred way to implement such a solution today is to use a system with open platform video management software. This type of application balances the balance more towards the software side than the hardware, as it is more flexible and provides more expansion options in the future.
A very important element to finish is that the technology is already available for any place in the world that wants to implement high-quality video surveillance solutions; Although video analysis projects are not yet widespread in Latin America, the truth is that large-scale projects have already been carried out that give a sign of the region's progress in technological matters. The important thing before selling such a solution is to consult with at least three experts from recognized firms and not buy based on price. This is the worst decision.