Secure Insights https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights Axis Blog Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:49:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Understanding the essentials of video surveillance https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/video-surveillance/ Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:49:07 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=7440 Video surveillance is the use of video cameras and other devices to monitor, analyze, and document activities in particular locations. In this piece we will talk through the fundamental principles of video surveillance by outlining: The basic composition of surveillance systems The different types of cameras that can be used How analytics technologies are enhancing … Continued

The post Understanding the essentials of video surveillance appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Video surveillance is the use of video cameras and other devices to monitor, analyze, and document activities in particular locations. In this piece we will talk through the fundamental principles of video surveillance by outlining:

  • The basic composition of surveillance systems
  • The different types of cameras that can be used
  • How analytics technologies are enhancing surveillance capabilities
  • Defining remote video surveillance and its benefits
  • A short summary of how surveillance technology has evolved

Video surveillance is most commonly used for security and safety purposes. However, video surveillance cameras can support a wide number of applications beyond security and safety. These involve people counting, traffic and parking management, improving and monitoring processes, and much more.

Because of these benefits, video surveillance has become an integral part of life. It supports urban planning and management schemes. Drives operational efficiencies in business and public services. Ensures health & safety compliance. All on top of its traditional security and safety uses.

CCTV, IP or network video: what’s the difference?

CCTV (closed-circuit television) is often used synonymously with video surveillance. However, CCTV describes only a very specific set-up. As the name suggests, it operates in a closed circuit. This means the video feed only goes to a specific monitor and recorder for security purposes.

IP or network video surveillance cameras, on the other hand, connect to a network. This allows them to integrate with other systems like access control or video analytics. Which in turn helps provide more advanced video surveillance capabilities.

Video surveillance systems: a birds-eye view

Video surveillance systems consists of many elements. At the edge are the devices themselves. Cameras are often coupled with speakers, access control, lighting, microphones or intercoms, and other types of sensors.

These devices then feed into a recorder server, typically referred to as a recorder, DVR (digital video recorder) or NVR (network video recorder). This location is where the footage is initially stored and processed. It also runs the video surveillance management software (VMS) that drives and manages the cameras and other connected devices. Depending on the scale of the system, these recorders may then link up to a final central server, off-site.

The recorder then finally connects with the workstation, the end of the system chain. The workstation runs the client version, the user interface, of the VMS software and is coupled with a monitor(s), phone, or tablet. This is where the action happens. Here, users can:

  • Review, search for, and analyze footage.
  • Choose which footage to archive.
  • Program device behaviors and functions, such as camera pan and tilt.
  • Or even run advanced analytics like forensic searches.

Types of video surveillance cameras

There are many different types of video surveillance cameras. Each has its own advantages and specialist applications. Here are some common types:

  • Box cameras are the most standard form factor of surveillance cameras. They are easy to spot and have a fixed angle of view. They want to be seen, and to let you know you are too. Because of that they act as deterrent and are ideal for various surveillance situations.
  • Bullet cameras are named after their cylindrical shape. Their versatility and deterrent effect make them a popular in most security applications.
  • Dome cameras are protected against redirection, defocusing and impact. Their shape also disguises which way the cameras are pointing. Because of these features, they are suitable for discreet surveillance.
  • Modular cameras are highly discreet cameras with detachable components such as sensors, cables, and main units.
  • Panoramic cameras afford wide-area coverage with just one camera.
  • Pan, tilt, and zoom, or PTZ cameras can be controlled by an operator or move between pre-set positions. They can respond to detected events and track objects in great detail.
  • Explosion-protected cameras are built for potentially combustible environments. This makes them ideal for keeping an eye on hazardous areas.
  • Thermal cameras provide accurate heat-based detection. This lets them see in complete darkness, challenging light conditions, light fog, and smoke.

Enhancing video surveillance with analytics

Analytics and AI can enhance video surveillance systems in many ways. At a basic level, analytics enables functions like motion detection or boundary crossing. This is already useful for intrusion protection, people counting, traffic violations, or even parking availability for instance.

Adding deep learning to cameras enables them to determine the types of objects they can see and their characteristics, such as humans and vehicles and the color of clothing or paint. This enables more advanced forensic search functions when reviewing footage. For instance, you could directly search: “Find the man with the blue coat, at the parking garage, in front of a red truck.”

Advanced analytics can train systems to recognize unusual or suspicious activities, for instance someone who is running from a scene, the sound of glass breaking in an office late at night or a vehicle driving in the wrong direction on the highway.

These examples only scratch the surface of how analytics can enhance video surveillance. All these, however, is possible from the creation of data and metadata by the device’s embedded analytics capabilities.

Understanding remote video surveillance

Remote video surveillance describes the ability to monitor and manage video surveillance systems from other locations. It takes advantage of IP camera technology, allowing access to even very remote sites.

The advantage of remote video surveillance is that it allows system access from (almost) any location. This is particularly useful for multi-site management. Businesses such as coffee store chains or gas stations, will often have a centralized Security Operation Center.

Industrial industries also benefit greatly from this remote access. Construction sites, offshore or remote drilling, mining, and energy farms, are often in the middle of no-where. Without remote access they would be incredibly high-value blind spots. As well as thief deterrence, remote video surveillance systems can:

  • Provide personnel authorization and site access.
  • Monitor for health, safety, and environment (HSE) flags.
  • Even monitor for leaks or other hazardous occurrences.

Healthcare is also taking advantage of remote video surveillance in how it cares for patients. Technologies like remote patient monitoring allow patients to be observed from afar.

It also provides immediate digital access to healthcare practitioners. Smart cameras with audio capabilities are often coupled with telemetry devices which monitor a patient’s vital signs. This allows healthcare practitioners to observe patients in real-time. It also enables fast response for critical care, alerting local medical staff to an issue in real time.

How video surveillance technology has evolved

Video surveillance technology has evolved significantly over the years. CCTV was first commercially available in 1949. Initially an analogue technology, CCTV recorded footage via a videocassette recorder (VCR).

Years later, the introduction of digital recording brought about a major shift. These new digital video recorder systems (DVRs) replaced VCRs. They enabled higher image quality, longer recording durations, easier storage, and longer-lasting footage.

The next leap forward was to internet protocol, or IP cameras. Axis Communications invented them in 1996.

The cameras connect and transmit footage via computer networks. Video data was now shareable over local area networks or the internet. Suddenly, surveillance was able to integrate with other systems, be accessed anywhere, and easily scaled. All the while, the creation of high-definition and megapixel cameras increased the fidelity of footage.

To complement IP cameras, the creation of network video recorders (NVRs), would supersede DVRs. This new generation of recorders takes advantage of the network. They provide remote storage access, flexibility, improved scalability, and centralized management of the video surveillance system.

Cloud-based video surveillance took network connectivity one step further. Its unique offering reduces the need for on-site storage and hardware.

Access is also possible from anywhere with an internet connection. Usage, however, remains scenario specific. Certain IT policy and security constraints can prevent some cloud deployments.

Progress then focused on video and software analytics capabilities. Most recently, the integration of AI and edge-embedded processing has vastly improved functionality.

And the explosion of internet-of-things (IoT) devices fundamentally changed what is possible. By integrating new sensors and data feeds, systems can now carry out highly complex tasks.

Both physical and digital processes can be automated. Users can create advanced situational alerts and event management systems. The data can even inform strategic decisions.

Find out more on Axis video surveillance offering here:

Products for every need

The post Understanding the essentials of video surveillance appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Balancing value and total cost of ownership in city surveillance https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/video-surveillance-value/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:00:20 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=2309 As data becomes more valuable and important to cities in realizing their smart city vision, authorities are investing in technologies that create, collect and analyze data. Video surveillance cameras and connected devices – the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) – are central among them. Every technology used in a city comes at a cost, including … Continued

The post Balancing value and total cost of ownership in city surveillance appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
As data becomes more valuable and important to cities in realizing their smart city vision, authorities are investing in technologies that create, collect and analyze data. Video surveillance cameras and connected devices – the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) – are central among them.

Every technology used in a city comes at a cost, including both the initial investment in hardware and the costs of running and maintaining the solution over its complete lifecycle. A 2017 TCO study of a 1,500-camera video surveillance project over a 10-year lifecycle found that on 34% of the overall costs were in the initial investment in hardware and software; the remaining 66% came from installation, maintenance, and operation.

These costs are weighed up against the value delivered by the solution, which include operational efficiencies, savings in linked technologies (e.g. storage and bandwidth) and more effective use of the city’s resources. Analytics on the edge and deep-learning has been a game changer, by analysing the data in the camera cities are able to collect “only” the data that the really need, saving both bandwidth and server-power.

The added value of a system can be difficult to calculate, however, and when cities are constantly looking to expand their system, the temptation can be to choose less-costly technology at the outset. However, this can often turn out to be a false economy over the long-term.

Why TCO can be an incomplete view

Total cost of ownership (TCO) models are useful in examining the cost of a video surveillance system over its complete lifecycle, rather than just the initial investment in hardware. A TCO model can help capture all visible expenses associated with the solution. System administration, software licensing fees, cameras and IT maintenance, and energy usage are relatively easy to quantify, particularly if the vendor provides a fixed-cost service package.

Where TCO models are less good is highlighting the potential hidden costs that might come with a video surveillance solution. System downtime is a great example. Given the vastly different implications from user to user – and, indeed, from use case to use case – the financial consequences of system downtime can be serious and significant, but are rarely included in TCO figures.

Quality: the foundation for reliability, robustness and resilience

Within a city, system downtime – for whatever reason – can have direct and indirect implications in costs and investing in quality will have a direct benefit. Malfunction and failure can come from many factors, including an inability to withstand extreme weather or the dust, direct and vibrations that form part of urban life.

The sheer number of cameras in a city’s surveillance solution, which can number hundreds if not thousands, means that the need for regular repair or replacement quickly becomes a significant direct cost. The indirect disruption of surveillance solution maintenance can also impact the functioning of a city. In many cases cameras are positioned in locations where maintenance and replacement results in the disruption of infrastructure, including roads, cycle paths and pavements.

A video surveillance solution that doesn’t allow for remote system health monitoring and management can mean man hours spent physically maintaining cameras. A faulty camera resulting in security teams being unnecessarily deployed due to an inability to visually verify the seriousness of a situation can also be costly. More seriously, system faults delaying a prompt response by emergency services can result in quickly escalating costs.

An additional but critical area of video surveillance and IoT quality that is difficult to factor into TCO models is cybersecurity. Investing in a solution demonstrably ‘secure by design’ and from a vendor committed to updating firmware regularly in response to new vulnerabilities is essential. The number of cyberattacks on smart city infrastructure are increasing, and can seriously affect critical areas of a city’s infrastructure and services – such as emergency services and law enforcement – which can have a huge effect on both cost and safety of citizens.

Future-proofing through flexibility

We’re all familiar with the pace of technological change, and how quickly devices can become seemingly obsolete. With investments as significant as smart city video surveillance projects, future-proofing of systems is critical. Solutions based on open standards bring a level of flexibility that will follow the smart city’s evolution and requirements, something which is valuable in an uncertain world.

We see a strong trend to do “more with less” and video surveillance cameras are becoming more powerful and increasingly multifunctional. Cameras that might have been initially installed for safety and security, with appropriate analytics, can also be used to collect data for city planning, environmental monitoring, parking management and numerous other applications. In effect, one camera could be collecting data that is shared and used by several different authorities involved in managing city infrastructure and services.

Even if a smart city doesn’t have need for every function of a device when the initial investment is made, support for multiple functions brings flexibility moving forwards. With the improved processing power of surveillance cameras – and with it the potential for more advance analytics – an investment in quality today will also support the use of new and enhanced analytics applications in the future.

Balancing cost and value in video surveillance

Ultimately, the total cost of a video surveillance system needs to be balanced against the expected value that the system will deliver to the smart city. That requires a clear definition of the value the city wants to see delivered (and how this will be measured).

Value can be direct – for instance a reduction in vandalism or theft – and also indirect, such as reduced maintenance costs and energy usage. Every city will have a focus on sustainability. In simple terms, surveillance cameras that need replacing less often will have a direct environmental benefit. In addition, looking closely at how manufacturers reduce the amount of plastic in their products, and manage the entire product life cycle to ensure that as much material as possible finds its way back into the industry is critical. A third aspect is how video and IoT can be used support cities to report on the progress against their sustainability goals.

New areas of value can also be created, for instance optimizing and managing traffic and environmental monitoring, which can subsequently lead to ‘softer’ values such as city liveability, citizen quality of life and the city’s reputation.

Though committed to the use of technology and data, when making the most of limited resources and budgets, smart city authorities can focus too specifically on cost (and often too much on the initial investment). It’s essential to look not only at the costs of a system over its lifetime – both obvious and hidden – but to balance these against the value delivered. An investment in quality is rarely a mistake.

Read more about how Axis can contribute to your city and TCO model.

Read more about CTO

 

The post Balancing value and total cost of ownership in city surveillance appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
The potential for MQTT in realizing the smart city vision https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/mqtt-smart-cities/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:00:59 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=5986 The technology industry loves an acronym, and here’s one might be new to a lot of people: MQTT. And while the acronym itself doesn’t give much away, even the expanded version – Message Queue Telemetry Transport – doesn’t help a great deal more, nor give a sense of its potential. But as a communications protocol … Continued

The post The potential for MQTT in realizing the smart city vision appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
The technology industry loves an acronym, and here’s one might be new to a lot of people: MQTT. And while the acronym itself doesn’t give much away, even the expanded version – Message Queue Telemetry Transport – doesn’t help a great deal more, nor give a sense of its potential. But as a communications protocol that facilitates the efficient and reliable exchange of data between IoT devices and cloud applications, MQTT is already being used in a number of sectors, and is likely to play a significant role in the realization of smart city goals.

MQTT: a protocol for any connected device

MQTT has been designed as an extremely reliable and lightweight messaging transport protocol that is ideal for connecting remote devices with a small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth.

It is easy to program, scalable, and reliable, enabling a complete system architecture from all types of sensor to the server- or cloud-based application. As an OASIS standard, MQTT is based on open standards and is open source, which should quickly help it become ubiquitous.

Sitting on top of the better-known and well-established TCP/IP protocol, MQTT is finding its way into the increasingly connected urban infrastructure: street lights, traffic lights, parking management systems, charging stations, bike stations, air, weather, noise, vibration sensors…and many more. The data from these can then be used in numerous applications which in turn bring benefits to city administrators, service providers and citizens themselves.

Here at Axis, we’re looking closely at the potential benefits of integrating MQTT into our surveillance cameras and other connected devices. That might seem counterintuitive – after all, live and recorded video is hardly lightweight messaging – but it highlights the evolution of the video surveillance paradigm.

From real-time video to data creation

Traditionally, of course, the main benefit of surveillance cameras has been the provision of high-quality video footage. While this remains a core function, the sophistication of todays connected video cameras, and in particularly with deep learning-based edge analytics within cameras themselves, they are becoming increasingly intelligent sensors. And with this intelligence comes the creation of valuable data beyond simply video itself.

Put simply, whether a sensor is reacting to sound, smoke, temperature or movement, it is turning this information into data which can be transferred as a message to application which then prompts an appropriate response, whether automated or human.

MQTT’s potential for smart cities

At its foundation, the vision for smart cities relies on the efficient exchange of data between connected devices and sensors and cloud-based applications. Whether managing traffic and transportation, ensuring the safety of people as they move throughout the city, monitoring air quality and other environmental factors, or enabling the fastest and most appropriate response from the emergency services, combining data from IoT devices is essential. The reliability of MQTT’s message delivery, even over poor-quality telecommunications networks, can play a foundational role in smart cities meeting their objectives for citizen safety and security, in addition to overall liveability.

To take an example use case, a sensor detecting a deterioration in air quality around a city’s streets could utilize MQTT to connect this with live traffic data to see whether a build-up of traffic in certain areas was causing an increase in pollution. This could then lead to the automated redirection of traffic through less busy streets, allowing the pollution to fall to acceptable levels.

In a more severe and sudden scenario, a rapid fall in air quality which immediately exceeds safe levels could be caused by a fire producing dangerously toxic smoke. In this instance, messages carried via MQTT could alert emergency services, prompt PTZ cameras to focus on the affected are for visual verification, and automatically play pre-recorded messages to ensure public safety.

While air quality is a key area of focus for smart cities, critical infrastructure is protected by numerous types of sensor which, similarly, could be connected over MQTT. Gas substations, for example, have sensors which monitor for both pressure and leakage. Alerts sent via MQTT in relation to acceptable measurement thresholds being approach or exceeded by these sensors could provide early warning of the potential for catastrophic explosion, again alerting emergency services and rapidly evacuating the affected area.

The role of partners

While at Axis we’re focused on delivering the highest-quality video surveillance cameras and audio sensors it is our community of partners which innovates to develop the applications that take best advantage of the hardware. With MQTT becoming part of AXIS Camera Application Platform (ACAP) – the open application platform that enables Axis partners to develop applications that can be downloaded and installed on Axis network cameras and video encoders – its potential can be explored.

Living in a data-driven world

For much of the past decade years, the mantra has been about ‘Big Data’: how we’re going to harness the potential of the huge volumes of data created by the Internet of Things and connected devices of all types. But ‘small data’ is as critically important, perhaps more so.

The efficient, reliable and instantaneous exchange of small packets of data and messages between IoT devices and connected sensors and applications that allow the appropriate action to be taken to benefit citizens of the world’s cities. MQTT is an exciting enabling technology in this ‘small data’ world and we’ll be watching its progress with keen interest.

Read more about how Axis can support you to meet these smart city trends.

Eight reasons to work with Axis

The post The potential for MQTT in realizing the smart city vision appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
“What is a smart city?” https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/what-smart-city/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:00:23 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=3023 Despite the global smart city hype, with daily headlines about new smart city projects, cities competing to be the smartest and governments around the world investing billions in smart cities, I frequently hear someone say “But what is a smart city?”. Today, many of us turn to Google to find quick answers, and when googling … Continued

The post “What is a smart city?” appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Despite the global smart city hype, with daily headlines about new smart city projects, cities competing to be the smartest and governments around the world investing billions in smart cities, I frequently hear someone say “But what is a smart city?”.

Today, many of us turn to Google to find quick answers, and when googling this specific question, one of the first results is from Wikipedia, which currently summarizes a smart city as “A smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic data collection sensors to supply information which is used to manage assets and resources efficiently.”

Another online dictionary defines a smart city as “A developed urban area that creates sustainable economic development and high quality of life by excelling in multiple key areas; economy, mobility, environment, people, living, and government.”

There are a wide range of definitions for “what makes a smart city”. As the diagram below shows,  there are a lot of potential factors that can contribute to a city being considered “smart” and the below list is not exhaustive, a little searching online and you will find several similar diagrams each with a slight tweak on the smart city ecosystem.

smart-cities-infrastructure-iot

Source: ADTELL Integration

No universal definition

India is one of the countries that has taken a national approach to smart cities. The government in India has chosen a humble, objective approach when answering this delicate question by stating “The answer is, there is no universally accepted definition of a smart city. It means different things to different people. The conceptualization of Smart City, therefore, varies from city to city and country to country, depending on the level of development, willingness to change and reform, resources and aspirations of the city residents.” (Source: Smart Cities Mission)

Is the answer in the objectives?

To make this topic more tangible, I prefer to focus on some of the key objectives that most smart city projects are designed to achieve. I initiated this approach about a year ago, when I was asked to talk about smart cities to system integrators and city representatives in Glasgow, Scotland. Based on their response, I have continued to share this objective-based explanation of a smart city with city officials, journalists, technology partners and colleagues around the world. Often with the same result – “Now it makes more sense to me.”

Six key smart city objectives – and one major

So instead of talking about smart parking, smart healthcare, smart agriculture, smart transportation, smart government, smart energy or smart this or that, one can look at how smart city initiatives are initiated to achieve one or more of the following objectives:

  • Efficiency of services – to optimize the use of public resources and provide a high level of citizen service.
  • Sustainability – to grow & develop the city with strong consideration to environmental impact.
  • Mobility – to make it easy for citizens, workers and visitors to move around in the city, whether by foot, bike, car, public transport etc. (regardless of transportation means).
  • Safety & security – to improve public safety & security in every-day life and at special events, as well as being best possibly prepared for emergencies and disasters.
  • Economic growth – to attract businesses, investors, citizens and visitors.
  • City reputation – to constantly improve the city’s image & reputation.

Successful smart city projects, regardless of their core objectives, will help cities get closer to their ultimate goal to improve the overall quality of life, or in smart city terms, “Livability”.

Six key smart city objectives

Six key smart city objectives to make cities more livable

Technology cornerstones of a smart city

Smart city projects also share three common technology cornerstones – IoT sensors, connectivity, and data. The sensors are represented by any connected device that supply information to the network, connectivity is provided by fixed or wireless networks, and data represent the storage, analysis and presentation of real-time and historical data. By connecting these three cornerstones, cities are provided with a powerful platform for new and more efficient ways of creating more livable cities. This is well demonstrated by the following smart city use cases:

  • Smart waste management. The garbage containers are equipped with sensors, letting the collection company know how full they are. The collection routes are automatically optimized based on actual needs.
  • Smart parking solutions, where sensors keep track of available parking lots. Available parking possibilities are presented to drivers, either via digital signs along the roads, or via mobile apps, so that they easily can find and navigate to the best parking option.
  • Smart building automation systems, that e.g. automatically adapt heating and ventilation to the level of occupancy and ensure that lights are turned off when no one is in the room.
  • Smart public safety & security solutions, where various sensors and connected cameras enable law enforcement and other first responders to efficiently react to, respond to and solve incidents and emergencies.

It’s all about livability

Each of these use cases addresses more than one of the six key smart city objectives listed above, and are based on different combinations of sensors, connectivity and data. And next time you hear about a smart city project, it can be helpful to ask yourself which of the six key smart city objectives the project addresses and how it uses sensors, connectivity and data to improve the overall quality-of-life – or livability – in the city. If you do this, it is likely that you soon will be much closer to having an answer to what the heck a smart city really is.

Read more about Smart cities

City solutions

The post “What is a smart city?” appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Protecting the world’s data centers https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/data-center-security/ Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:00:49 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=5575 Data centers have become an intrinsic part of modern society. Both public and private spheres depend on them to function, be it for local or remote operations, the flow of information and connectivity, digital transformation and improved services, smart cities, intelligence gathering, or data storage purposes. And with the vertical forecast to grow at a … Continued

The post Protecting the world’s data centers appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Data centers have become an intrinsic part of modern society. Both public and private spheres depend on them to function, be it for local or remote operations, the flow of information and connectivity, digital transformation and improved services, smart cities, intelligence gathering, or data storage purposes. And with the vertical forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 12%, their proliferation is showing no sign of slowing.

Data centers are incredibly high value sites, demanding zero downtime operations. As with all critical infrastructure, threat and risk propensity must be diligently addressed from the outset. Since data centers are physical structures, these challenges are not only digital, but material. They affect every decision in the commissioning and running of a data center. But data centers can be built (almost) anywhere. They aren’t confined to the country of origin. This further complicates the decision-making process. As a result, there are both macro and operational threats that must be considered.

The threats at hand

At a macro level, these risks span things like the regional cost of unhindered power supplies and inflation rates, local talent availability and retention, the political dynamics between countries, a county’s own geopolitical (in)stability, and supply chain access – especially in a post-pandemic world.

Operationally, the challenges are just as significant. As critical infrastructure, the SLA for downtime is zero. While there is often redundancy in place, threat from intrusion and unauthorized access, the safety of employees, impersonation, and of course cyber-attacks, continue to keep IT/security managers on their toes. These threats, if not addressed at the time of commission, can and will adversely affect its running.

Minimizing risk: A multi-layered approach

Video surveillance with analytics and 100% coverage

The key to securing data centers is a multi-layered approach to integrated security. Central to it all is the use of video surveillance. Cameras today are used as data-rich sensors in many applications. With advances in functions and embedded features, cameras are no longer just for recording incidents but also assist in making real time decisions. As such, they play a pivotal role in securing sites from internal and external threats through deterrence, real-time analysis and response, and documentation.

From an external perspective, data centers often have wide perimeters. With intrusion a leading threat, overcoming this by installing thermal and visual cameras along perimeters combined with radar and audio solutions are a powerful and comprehensive line of defense. This combination of different form factors, ranging from discreet cameras to multi-sensor, assist in optimizing investment and also assist to provide 100% coverage with minimum-to-no blind spots. Enhanced by embedded analytics, they can detect potential breaches or local unwanted behaviors just beyond the perimeter, alerting staff and allowing them to assess and respond to situations. These same smart, visual cameras can also be used for access controls. Technologies such as facial or license plate recognition can quickly and accurately verify personnel at site entry points.

Within the data center itself, thermal cameras can be installed to measure heat maps of devices and server racks, alerting staff to unusual temperature spikes or when safe thresholds are breached to prevent overheating, particularly of critical servers. Cameras can now in fact be used to detect and act in emergencies like smoke and fire detection and activating evacuation announcements through IP audio.

Due to regulations, data centers are required to store any surveillance data locally. This incentivizes the use of cameras which consume less storage while still able to capture footage at higher resolutions. Certain cameras have advanced analytics features and functions that allow them to identify when footage is of lower value, for example the scene is static for an extended period. They can then dynamically adjust recording settings such as frame rate and resolution, saving on storage and network bandwidth.

Improved accuracy with radar surveillance

The second layer of defense lies within the fences. Keeping track of movements across this real-estate, be it on the ground or aerial incursions from drones, is of paramount importance. While cameras could be used to track suspicious activity by individuals across the premise, radar surveillance is ideal. It provides accurate location and speed detection, while PTZ cameras allow for more detailed investigation as needed. Cameras integrated with radar also reduce blind spots and provide more accurate data.

Foolproof access controls

Next comes access to the buildings themselves. Access controls are the physical gatekeepers, with personnel permissions individually provisioned based on their role. There are many different types of available credential-based controls, often used in combination, spanning cards, pins, and biometrics such as facial and iris recognition. However, depending on the geographies, certain regulatory restrictions may limit the use of biometrics. Many solutions have in fact evolved to make use of multi-factor authentication. By having credentials reside on mobile devices instead of keycards or fobs, that are infamously shared or easily duplicated, the risk of impersonation is significantly reduced. Many systems will also use two-way visual communications to add a further layer of ID confirmation.

Once inside the server rooms, access to both rooms and racks can be further guarded with fingerprint scanners or QR codes, while cameras equipped with motion sensors provide visual oversight and documentation whenever triggered. And modular camera systems within the racks themselves keep track of opening doors and other unexpected activity.

Body worn solutions for forensic evidence

Body worn cameras also add a further layer of security. While the assumed use case is for patrolling guards at entry and exit points, these cameras in fact act as powerful insurance when repairs and installations take place. Workers can document all changes, providing high quality forensic evidence for review should there be suspicion of tampering. Body worn can also be used for impact detection, alerting staff to when the wearer falls to the ground and significantly expediting any required assistance.

Enhancing systems with network audio

Alarms and supporting audio capabilities are a necessary complement to surveillance systems. IP based solutions allow for automated announcements and alerts both to deter intruders and to alert staff to them, or in softer rule enforcement such as deterring jay walking in restricted areas. It also plays a vital role in emergency and evacuation situations, broadcasting alerts, instructions, and guidance. Two-way communications can further verify personnel access or provide hyper-localized instruction. And of course, they can also play soothing background music to create pleasant work environments too.

Secure solutions at every stage

As likely targets of cyber-attacks, ensuring a secure system is vital. Solutions that support zero-trust principles and adhere to the highest security standards for both hardware and software are imperative for keeping vulnerabilities to a minimum, making use of encryption and trusted execution environments (TEEs).

When combined, this multi-layered approach delivers highly effective security to data center sites – all manageable from central, even off-site, locations.

Learn more about how Axis secures the world’s data centers here.

Data center solutions

The post Protecting the world’s data centers appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Are you taking full advantage of open technologies in your building access control? https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/building-access-control/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 13:17:16 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6656 Smart buildings are becoming a key part of the city landscape, but with so many factors involved in their development, it can be difficult to determine the right technology to improve building operations. One of the key considerations is access control. The rise of smart technology provides facilities managers with a high level of automated … Continued

The post Are you taking full advantage of open technologies in your building access control? appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Smart buildings are becoming a key part of the city landscape, but with so many factors involved in their development, it can be difficult to determine the right technology to improve building operations. One of the key considerations is access control.

The rise of smart technology provides facilities managers with a high level of automated control across a building. Whether optimizing and controlling a building’s lighting, electrical or security systems, you can achieve benefits ranging from reduced operational costs to increased energy efficiency.

Being able to expand your system economically and step-by-step is key. As you start to invest in developing and future-proofing your building infrastructure, consider the role of access control, and the core function it holds within your intelligent building infrastructure.

It’s about breaking silos

Breaking down silos means removing the barriers to change. This is important if you are to meet building needs which are likely to adapt and grow with time. The technology underpinning these buildings must be able to do the same. The key to achieving adaptability is moving away from siloed systems, and investing in open, flexible solutions with easy integration instead.

Whether installing IT infrastructure at the hardware layer or focusing on the software layer, you will create more value in the long-term by choosing solutions that can be swapped in and out, or integrated with other systems easily.

When future-proofing your building, it’s worth considering whether solutions have the potential for more advanced use cases in the long-term. In particular, the merit of access control solutions should be considered against not only what they enable but how easy they are to integrate with other systems, given their ability to be plugged into everything from security to lighting and HVAC systems.

For example, while it may not be a priority today, you may want to eventually integrate access control with the visitor booking system in your building as an added security control or at a more advanced level, grant specific access for a delivery so it can be taken securely from reception to an office on say, the fourth floor, with complete traceability.

Whether installing IT infrastructure and hardware or an IoT product and then adding the software layer or vice versa, opting for open, flexible solutions enable access control functionality to be as simple or complex as you need not only now, but in the future.

Easy, scalable, and flexible

You can explore a wide range of possibilities when you deploy open flexible solutions. For example, being able to scale with access control enables coordination between buildings owned by the same organization and supports security teams in determining who’s inside the building and who can access specific areas.

If prioritizing sustainability efforts, you may decide to build in automation which supports better management of energy usage. At an advanced level, this can mean opting to integrate your access control system with the ventilation system, and automating processes so that the temperature is lowered and ventilation increased where lots of people are gathering in a certain section of the building.

Alternatively, you may want to prioritize combining access control and audio. For example, speakers can be used to instruct and help visitors navigate their way to certain areas of a building, or you may decide to play music in certain areas to encourage people to spend time there.

Furthermore, combining audio and access control can enable you to easily scale your emergency procedures. Whether opting for automated, pre-recorded audio messages sounding in emergency situations or choosing to set up live audio feeds that direct people out of the building safely in real-time, you can flex the solution to suit the emergency scenario.

Suiting your needs today without creating barriers for tomorrow

It’s important to invest in technology today that won’t limit future developments. The ability to scale up with open IoT solutions means you can uplevel your technology in line with your needs. This applies from small steps to the development of a full, end-to-end, complex intelligent building infrastructure. At the more advanced end of the scale, you can create a digital twin of the building to achieve real-time understanding of how it’s performing, and test out which adjustments could optimize efficiency, reduce energy usage, and cut costs.

By advancing your use of technology in line with building users’ needs, you can also provide them with greater benefits. For instance, you could support the wellbeing of building users by mapping stair vs. elevator use and getting systems in place to encourage people to take the stairs.

You can also cater to different demands in terms of building access, enabling people to enter the building with a variety of credentials. These can range from more traditional methods like key cards, to more innovative choices like biometrics, QR codes or even being logged into a social media account and scanning the code at the door. You may not need all of these options now, but steering clear of traditional access control systems that cannot integrate with other intelligent systems means that you won’t rule out the possibility of enabling entry with these credentials in future.

The possibilities are endless

With open, flexible solutions, you can ensure that you don’t get boxed in with proprietary systems and their limitations. From smart buildings in their early stages, all the way to creating complex intelligent buildings, you can rely on access control systems that can scale up whenever you are ready, opening up a variety of possibilities for both now and in the future.

There has never been a better time to start utilizing existing technologies to support changing physical and environmental requirements in public and commercial buildings. Innovation is rife in the intelligent buildings space. By choosing digital infrastructure and access control solutions carefully now, you can ensure you’re well-placed to not only adjust to suit changing requirements, but to take advantage of the exciting new intelligent building solutions which the future undoubtedly holds.

Click here to find out more about the Axis solutions enabling efficiency and security in intelligent buildings.

Commercial real estate solutions

The post Are you taking full advantage of open technologies in your building access control? appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Delivering dependable technology today, for tomorrow’s smart cities https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/dependable-technology-smart-cities/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:45:43 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6034 Cities are in constant flux, with authorities expected to develop them to provide a high quality of life for their citizens. At the same time, those authorities must be prepared for future trends such as increased urbanization. Cities are using technology and data to analyze, prioritize, make decisions and use resources as efficiently as possible. … Continued

The post Delivering dependable technology today, for tomorrow’s smart cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Cities are in constant flux, with authorities expected to develop them to provide a high quality of life for their citizens. At the same time, those authorities must be prepared for future trends such as increased urbanization.

Cities are using technology and data to analyze, prioritize, make decisions and use resources as efficiently as possible. However, long-term trends and priorities can quickly change based on unpredictable situations and events. A pandemic, an incident, or a natural disaster might change how citizens act and behave, and the authorities rely on tools that are flexible and adaptable to handle situations that arise.

Technology will always be a key enabler for cities in their quest to become smart. Of the many technologies deployed in cities, surveillance systems play a key role, acting as the eyes and ears of city authorities across all aspects of urban life.

Smarter cities with flexible, scalable solutions

Safety is one of the key responsibilities of every city – feeling safe and secure is one of the main rights of any citizen, but it’s not the only factor to consider when ensuring delivery of effective smart city projects. With new challenges, we must move away from the traditional operating model where city departments work in silos, focusing only on one area of operation, such as traffic or health.

A network camera, for example, might be primarily used for video surveillance to improve public safety, but it can also be a tool for gathering data and statistics for traffic management and environmental monitoring. During the pandemic surveillance systems have, with limited reconfiguration, been adapted to monitor social distancing, and integrated horn-speakers have been used for communicating guidance and information about new regulations.

Solutions built on open standards are flexible, scalable and straightforward to integrate. A single device can, with its open technology, break down data silos and support several use cases and goals of multiple city authorities. Through open platforms such as AXIS Camera Application Platform (ACAP), partners can develop applications for network cameras that allow cities across the world to meet their needs and objectives.

Advanced features support city officials

Cities are some of the more complex environments for camera deployment, particularly when it comes to obtaining actionable, good quality images. Objects and people in motion, changing light and weather conditions can all present a real challenge for obtaining reliable data.

Specific technologies have been developed to address these challenges in city-wide deployments. Some examples are Lightfinder and Wide Dynamic Range technology, which manage difficult low light or backlight conditions, as well as electronic image stabilization that minimizes the effects from vibration and shaking from wind or traffic. These features ensure that images captured are consistently high quality, irrespective of the environment.

Product and image quality are crucial for securing a future-proof solution. A camera that was deployed for a basic surveillance or a specific use-case might be required in future to handle applications such as crowd management with people constantly in motion.

Surveillance cameras are becoming increasingly intelligent sensors. Particularly when using deep learning-based edge analytics the power of video surveillance is multiplied. Such analytics can potentially “foresee” where critical or violent situations are about to arise, triggering messages or warnings via network audio speakers to diffuse situations. Alongside these, security personnel or law enforcement can be alerted to monitor the situation and intervene if necessary.

Improved urban mobility today, safer cities tomorrow

Even in the absence of specific incidents, overcrowding brings its own challenges in city environments. On transportation or in public spaces, crowd management is an important priority for safety – particularly with the need for increased social distancing. Unfortunately, we’re beginning to understand that these will be ongoing requirements rather than a short-term need.

Network video solutions, combined with analytics, can help monitor the movement and distance between people in a specific area, for example, a public festival. Should an area get overcrowded or guidance be ignored, the system generates warnings and statistics for further action.

Overcrowding isn’t just limited to people. The effective management of traffic is necessary – especially in densely populated cities. Flexible video surveillance can play a central role in helping to optimize traffic flows and increase safety, especially when the number or type of vehicles on the road changes.

Surveillance technology in combination with video analytics using artificial intelligence (AI) or deep learning, can not only help monitor the roads, but provides a more predictive view. This helps traffic management centers (TMCs) plan and manage traffic in real time, aiding officials in preventing bottlenecks and subsequent congestion. Advanced AI software can also be added to improve the distinction between vehicles, people and objects, to detect potential incidents or accident risk. This becomes even more important if there is an increase in cyclists and pedestrians.

City mobility must change according to citizens’ needs

Transportation needs in smart cities are shifting. Citizens want greener, safer and more innovative infrastructure to improve livability. The current pandemic, for example, has led to many people avoiding public transport to reduce the risk of infection. The result has been a rapid shift to walking and cycling, leading cities such as Paris and Munich to change aspects of street layouts. For example, cycle lanes were introduced on busy streets to mitigate the risks of cyclists, cars, vans and trucks mixing in the same space.

Analyzing data from video-based traffic management solutions can help authorities spot these trends faster, allowing for authorities to implement safety measures, divert traffic or change road layouts. Temporary short-term demands can lead to sustained changes long-term, benefiting both citizens and the environment.

Supporting the sustainable cities of tomorrow

Sustainability will always be a key priority and will touch every process within a city. Any solution implemented must use products from a sustainable supply chain, that are built with environmentally friendly materials. Operators, distributors and end-customers should also ensure to deploy high quality products, as these are likely to last longer. Ultimately, the need for future repair and replacement will be reduced.

Smart city surveillance solutions based on open architectures also contribute to sustainability goals, allowing authorities to combine products from different partners and various hardware and sensors. This flexibility supports an approach which has a long-term view, as legacy systems can be upgraded instead of being replaced, and investments can be made in the knowledge that they support future enhancement.

Getting smart cities ready for the future

Connected video surveillance systems are already used in numerous ways to increase safety and security in cities. But it’s crucial to understand the value of investing in advanced, open systems that allow for devices, sensors and software to be added to the network. This will make it easy for solutions to be optimized to address both existing and new use-cases. Axis remains committed to developing innovative solutions that will put smart cities in an optimal position to evolve and address future demands and challenges – unexpected or otherwise.

Find out more about Axis solutions for smart cities.

Smart city solutions

The post Delivering dependable technology today, for tomorrow’s smart cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Network intercoms: a cornerstone of public safety and secure buildings https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/network-intercoms-citizen-safety/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:44:13 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6637 We’re all familiar with intercoms and use them regularly. At the entry to commercial and residential buildings – maybe even our own homes and workplaces – intercoms play an important role in verifying the identity of those wishing to enter. What is perhaps less well know is how advances in IP-connected network intercoms – along … Continued

The post Network intercoms: a cornerstone of public safety and secure buildings appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
We’re all familiar with intercoms and use them regularly. At the entry to commercial and residential buildings – maybe even our own homes and workplaces – intercoms play an important role in verifying the identity of those wishing to enter.

What is perhaps less well know is how advances in IP-connected network intercoms – along with improved quality and more robust design – are allowing new use cases to emerge, enhancing safety and security in numerous environments, inside and outside.

Intercoms as part of an integrated security solution

Traditionally intercoms have been analogue single purpose devices, simply linking the intercoms device on a door to a building reception or resident’s apartment. By contrast, open standards-based network intercom devices can be integrated with other network security and surveillance technologies, from video cameras to audio devices to additional access control technologies. This opens a new world of potential applications.

Even in the ‘traditional’ use case of a building’s entry, this connectivity brings benefits. A visitor to a building can use the intercom to alert reception to their arrival, and while their identity can be verified visually through the intercom’s embedded video camera, additional credentials can be integrated as a further level of security.

For instance, this might be card readers for employees, or QR code readers for use with temporary visitor credentials. This can be particularly valuable in environments such as school and college campuses, where ensuring that only those authorized can gain access is essential. In addition, access can be granted from a mobile phone, IP phone, or video management system (VMS), further enhancing flexibility.

The cameras within network intercoms devices have also improved immeasurably in quality and field of view. Fisheye lenses now allow for not only the visitor to be seen, but for more of the surrounding area to also be in view, which guards against unauthorized individuals sneaking into a building alongside a verified visitor (whether the visitor is a willing accomplice or under duress). In certain environments, operators can use nearby video surveillance cameras to complement intercoms and give a broader view of the building entry.

Network intercoms in public spaces

A further advancement in network intercoms has been in robustness. Now designed to handle anything that people or nature throw at them, network intercoms devices can be built into a wide range of urban infrastructure, serving public safety goals in any environment.

From being built into bus stops to standalone emergency stations and help points, network intercoms allow people to call for help and assistance in the quickest, most direct way possible, whether concerned for their own safety, or reporting incidents and accidents.

Again, the integration of network technologies assists operators in providing the best and most timely assistance. Accessing nearby surveillance cameras can give a broader view of the scene and incident, essential in assessing its seriousness (or identifying a false alarm) and alerting the most appropriate first responders. Network audio devices can then enable broader communications to people in the area, notifying them of the situation, passing on instructions, and ensuring that access is clear for first responders.

Clear communications and a complete view

In essence, network intercoms enable quick, efficient, and clear communications between parties, with the integrated video capabilities and connection to broader surveillance and security technologies supporting the most appropriate response. Whether that’s as simple as allowing a visitor into a building or responding to a large-scale incident in a city street, network intercoms plays a key role in public safety.

You can read more about Axis network intercoms solutions here.

Network intercoms

 

And click here for more information about 2N’s intercoms.

The post Network intercoms: a cornerstone of public safety and secure buildings appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Supporting smart city objectives with a single surveillance camera https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/city-objectives-surveillance/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:00:53 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=5520 Collaboration is key to successful smart city development. The ecosystem of different public authorities must cooperate to ensure that processes and responses across the city are optimized and efficient. One of the key challenges that we see for cities on their journey to becoming “smart”, is that authorities and organizations work in “silos” with their … Continued

The post Supporting smart city objectives with a single surveillance camera appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Collaboration is key to successful smart city development. The ecosystem of different public authorities must cooperate to ensure that processes and responses across the city are optimized and efficient. One of the key challenges that we see for cities on their journey to becoming “smart”, is that authorities and organizations work in “silos” with their own agenda. With the right corporation and sharing there is a potential to speed up future developments, as the same source of data can generate value in many different ways, depending on needs.

The sharing of systems, data and insights across authorities will be instrumental to informing decisions on existing and future processes. This collaborative approach acknowledges the value of different data sources and highlights an understanding of current and future needs. Armed with this knowledge, intelligent investments in future-proofed hardware and scalable solutions can be made. A connected video and audio system can be used as critical tools for collecting and assessing data points across the city.

Connected cameras provide an advantage

Network cameras already play a key role in cities, and are normally used for one single use case. A connected camera can be used for visual content, but also as a sensor to provide data and statistics to multiple authorities – from law enforcement to traffic management to environmental monitoring. Ultimately aiding collaboration by breaking down data silos across the city. For example, one camera could provide information on traffic flow and pedestrian safety, while helping the authorities to correlate these factors with environmental concerns, such as the air quality.

However, data capture is only the first step. Within the ecosystem of the smart city, data insights can be used to inform different decisions affecting citizens. It is critical that these insights are considered with the bigger picture in mind. This type of approach will set the scene for additional use cases for connected cameras.

One camera for multiple use-cases & authorities help to support smart city objectives

Preparing for the future

As new use cases emerge, it’s important to consider the type of installation used in preparation for this. An open architecture allows new devices to be connected to existing systems, providing an agility, flexibility and scalability that is reacts to the city’s demands.

The installation and type of camera used is critical to the quality of the data captured. Although many cameras can be used, multisensor cameras are well suited to this function, as the 180° coverage provides high detail and minimal distortion. Because these cameras have multiple sensors, they provide wide coverage combined with high image quality and high pixel density. This will be crucial when it comes to analyzing the video content, alongside other data input. Two other useful technologies are video compression and multi-view streaming, which enables different areas in the camera’s field of view to be cropped from the full view and streamed simultaneously. Multi-view streaming can help reduce bandwidth and storage use while enabling a large area to be covered with just one camera.

This is particularly relevant when it comes to incident response. The solution can be scaled up to provide the maximum information needed to address the issue and minimise the greater impact on the city.

A connected approach to maximizing ROI

It’s critical for different sectors to work together to ensure that processes are optimized and efficient across the city. Technology is a key enabler and solutions which support collaboration should be prioritized. City authorities must also consider the ROI on all their investments and traditionally have immediately anticipated a limited number of use cases. However, making the investment in the right camera will allow for future use cases.

Connected video surveillance systems are already in a position to be used in this way and open architecture makes it easy for IoT devices to be added to existing cameras. By using these solutions to their full potential, smart cities will be in an optimal position to evolve and address future needs.

Learn more about how Axis can help deliver you smart city here.

Cities solutions

The post Supporting smart city objectives with a single surveillance camera appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
7 potential issues with video surveillance in police investigations https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/video-forensic-expert/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:00:24 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=960 Today’s video surveillance systems are often designed as a preventive element, a tool for real-time monitoring or automatic event assessment. But when it comes to a real crime investigation, nothing is as important as a quality recording. Captain Ing. Martin Spurný, a police forensic expert with more than 18 years of experience with the most … Continued

The post 7 potential issues with video surveillance in police investigations appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Today’s video surveillance systems are often designed as a preventive element, a tool for real-time monitoring or automatic event assessment. But when it comes to a real crime investigation, nothing is as important as a quality recording. Captain Ing. Martin Spurný, a police forensic expert with more than 18 years of experience with the most serious cases in the Czech Republic, explains how the reality can differ from popular CSI TV shows.

If an investigator sees a surveillance camera at a crime scene, they’ll obviously want to review recording as a first step in their investigation. However, too often recordings are of low forensic quality and have recurring problems with camera installations that make their work much more difficult. Here are seven of the most common issues we see.

1. The evidence is out of the camera view

Many of the surveillance camera installations today are still done without a proper security analysis that defines exactly for what specific purpose the camera will be used and what angle of view is necessary to capture the most essential events and details.

Wrong camera position
A poorly positioned camera can miss important details

Should it only focus on a certain violation of a perimeter, or is it likely that the recording will need to provide more precise details? Investigators are often challenged with the fact that people in the monitored area are simply “not there” or are too small to determine any useful image information. A typical example of a poor camera position is sometimes seen at shops: when a robber comes to the cashier with a cap on his head, a camera looking from above cannot see important features that would assist in identification.

2. PTZ camera misses the moment

The popularity of pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) cameras can sometimes be a hindrance from the forensic perspective. For example, the automatic “guard tour” set in the camera installed on a city street with 5-10 different PTZ positions simply doesn’t make sense when a sudden incident happens. On the contrary, when static multisensor or panoramic cameras are used, the suspect is always present in the camera view and the forensic experts can more easily prove that the footage comes from one reliable device and that the recording hasn’t been manipulated.

Missing the moment
The PTZ camera captured a bike thief and then the shot shifted to another PTZ position. When it returned, the thief was gone.

3. Poor-quality images from analog cameras

Although the ongoing shift from analog to IP cameras has brought much better video resolutions and full HD is considered as standard in new installations, police investigators will always want more detail. Naturally, higher resolution provides more detail and therefore better identification of people and objects. Unlike blurred and grainy pictures from old analog cameras, Full HD or 4K recordings give investigators the opportunity not only to see the important details, but to employ the latest AI analytic applications on high-quality video footage. This can significantly increase the chances of a successful investigation.

Poor resolution
It is no wonder that investigators are constantly looking for greater resolution.

4. Losing detail between frames

Investigators often encounter recordings made by older camera systems that cannot be used due to low frame rate. Even with the latest network cameras, where frame rates can be as high as 60 frames per second (fps), the problem can occur again when the installers or users want to save bandwidth or storage and reduce the frame rate to do so. Even here it is necessary to consider what scene we are looking for. For example, a system monitoring a large public area will not require as high identification accuracy as a vehicle license plate identification system or a cash counting process. When a 4K camera is saving highly detailed video but only in 5 fps, it will be very difficult to identify a moving car in a scene. Simply put, if you want to use the recording for identification purposes, the picture frequency should never fall below 15 fps, and if you want to identify moving vehicles, the frequency should be at least 25 fps.

Loosing frames
This camera shot in 4K, but only in 5 FPS. Unfortunately, it did not help the investigator, who needed to identify the car.

5. Black silhouettes or white ghosts

The ability to work in challenging lighting conditions is largely determined by the technological advancement of the camera. For example, Axis WDR ensures the maximum width of dynamic contrast, also suitable for forensic evidence. Nevertheless, basic principles must be observed during camera installation: if possible, strong light sources should not be placed facing the camera, with the lighting of the scene being as even as possible. When installing, make sure that external lights or time-controlled lighting do not disturb the scene. Naturally, an object can be detected only when its brightness is different from the background, so before using the camera, make sure that it can handle lighting conditions at different times of the day. IR illumination is also a special case. Here it is important to choose a suitable location of the illumination based on the distance of the monitored objects and also to consider the risk that the color spectrum may be displayed differently depending on the temperature.

IR Illumination
Apparently no one tested this camera at night. The perpetrator at the door is not visible either before or after switching on the IR illumination.

6. Did it really happen at that time?

One of the most pressing issues, frequently dealt with almost every court hearing involving any digital data, is the date and time setting. In essence, it is one of the basic means of defense – whenever there’s any, even the slightest, discrepancy, the defendant immediately points to this area, or uses it to his advantage. Therefore, unambiguous evidence is a key point not only in forensic investigations, but in the overall investigation process. Improper camera settings can make the situation much worse. For example, the camera may not be set to automatically update winter and summer time. Or, during installation, the calendar data on the camera was not synchronized with the data on the recording device. Fortunately, modern VMS solves these problems. The ideal proof of authenticity could be a dynamic watermark in the future, which would ensure the accuracy of the date and the integrity of the record.

7. Spider webs and other problems

While there are significant issues that complicate the criminologist’s work, there are also trivial problems that can play a crucial role. In systems that have insufficient maintenance, poorly focused cameras, dirty glass on the camera cover and cobwebs can all undo an investigation, and waste the quality of the camera technology, while faulty cable connections or a recording unit that lacks data storage can mean that important evidence remains uncaptured. Negligence or the intentional removal of evidence makes it critical that records need to be better protected. Hopefully greater responsibility for personal data and the obligation of more thorough records, leakage reports and records resulting from the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) will also lead to better care for surveillance systems and allow them to serve the purpose for which they are intended.

The post 7 potential issues with video surveillance in police investigations appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Why parking management supports a safe and livable city https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/parking-management-livable-city/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:00:22 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=5607 Everyone who has visited or lived in a large town or city understands the struggle when arriving by car. Each day, people spend a lot of time on the road looking for parking slots, which is valuable time lost from work, family, and life. Finding a parking space ahead of an important meeting, or with … Continued

The post Why parking management supports a safe and livable city appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Everyone who has visited or lived in a large town or city understands the struggle when arriving by car. Each day, people spend a lot of time on the road looking for parking slots, which is valuable time lost from work, family, and life. Finding a parking space ahead of an important meeting, or with a hungry or tired child can be a stressful situation. Frustrated and stressed drivers are often consequences of poor parking management, and it can be far more serious. It’s something that cities definitely need to address.

There’s been a steady growth of population in urban areas over the past decade and that’s not changing. On the contrary, it’s expected that by 2050 the urban share of the world population will grow to more than 6.4 billion. As a consequence, there has also been a growing number of cars in more compressed cities: a combination that negatively impacts city parking.

In smart cities, multiple systems and data silos can be connected to improve the overall accessibility in a city and to use parking resources more efficiently. Enhancing the management of parking also doesn’t necessarily require cities to invest huge sums in completely new technology: existing surveillance technology can be employed to tackle parking issues and improve the situation.

Parking: a seemingly small factor, but with a big impact on livability

Transportation in general is an important factor in the perceived livability of a city, and for those using cars, accessible parking is essential. This is true for permanent residents, visitors and drivers of delivery vehicles. Poor parking management results in stress, inefficiencies, and a broader impact on traffic congestion as vehicles drive slowly through streets looking for a vacant space. Ultimately, this may mean that people park illegally. Not only is this an inconvenience: if emergency service vehicles are blocked, it can be life-threatening.

There are also negative environmental impacts to poor parking management. Cars moving slowly through streets and delivery drivers leaving engines running while parked illegally, causing additional congestion and traffic incidents all add to issues with pollution, air quality and noise levels.

A recipe for parking-success

The solution to urban parking management comes in the form of video surveillance, analytics and data.

Network surveillance cameras – often those that are already implemented in many cities – can be enhanced through specific analytics applications to both alert officers to parking violations and guide drivers to vacant spaces.

Pre-defined detection zones can trigger automated alerts should an unauthorized vehicle stop in the zone for too long. The alerts are sent to authorities or enforcement agents so they can verify the incident and clear potentially important areas. The cameras not only detect violations but also help to prevent congestion and disruptions.

A combination of surveillance cameras and analytics can be used to identify free parking spaces and when connected with, for example, a navigation app can efficiently guide drivers to them. It saves time, avoids traffic jams and improves the residents’ or visitors’ experience.

Further enhancements come through connected data and systems. For example, in combination with payment apps and license plate recognition, parking management systems could be used to pay parking fees automatically. This would also save time, for example when leaving a parking garage, and make processes smoother for drivers.

With license plate recognition it would also be possible to spot cars without appropriate permits for specific parking zones (given these permits are connected with a certain license plate) or if they park in other restricted spaces. Once detected, an officer can be sent to move the respective vehicle or inform the driver to leave.

Through analysis of real-time and historical data it would also be possible to predict peak-times in certain areas and prepare for it, for instance by opening an extra parking lot or informing drivers in time that there is no parking available and direct to other areas. Adding artificial intelligence to the analysis, parking management solutions can even predict where the chance is highest to find an available parking lot when you arrive. In this way, the distribution of cars could be better controlled ensure drivers don’t arrive at a parking garage only to find out it’s full, again causing frustration and further congestion.

An achievable goal

Effective parking management is essential in increasingly crowded and congested cities. It helps to reduce traffic incidents and parking violations, leads to increased safety and security of citizens, reduces stress and improves the environment: all factors which result in an improved quality of life. And it’s a goal well within reach, with many cities already having much of the infrastructure and technology in place to take advantage.

Please find more information about how Axis contributes to livability in smart cities.

City solutions

The post Why parking management supports a safe and livable city appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
How surveillance cameras add value to digital twin cities https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/digital-twin-cities/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:54:01 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6505 Virtual worlds have been receiving a lot of attention recently, not least due to the focus on the potential new ‘metaverse’ we’ll all no doubt be encouraged to join. From a smart city perspective, creating models of the processes and journeys occurring across the urban environment can bring many benefits, helping city authorities more quickly … Continued

The post How surveillance cameras add value to digital twin cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Virtual worlds have been receiving a lot of attention recently, not least due to the focus on the potential new ‘metaverse’ we’ll all no doubt be encouraged to join. From a smart city perspective, creating models of the processes and journeys occurring across the urban environment can bring many benefits, helping city authorities more quickly achieve their objectives.

These models can aid in understanding the dynamics and rhythms of the city – both historically and in real time. Using this information, insights can be gathered on different factors, such as congestion rates, response times, air quality and traffic flow, and used to inform future planning decisions.

Creating virtual models may sound like sci-fi, but these activities are already in progress. City officials are starting to collate data from different departments into ‘digital twin’ platforms to help them understand and predict the impact of different scenarios. These may include reviewing the effects of planned roadworks on traffic flow, working out the best evacuation routes if an incident occurs or analyzing the impact of measures to improve air quality or energy consumption. Network surveillance cameras play a key role by acting as critical sensors to capture visual data from around cities and record events in real time.

What is a Digital Twin?

Before discussing how digital twins are used, it’s useful to know what they are. Digital twins are virtual representations that serve as the real-time digital counterpart of a physical object or process. In a smart city context, these are virtual models of the city built using data collected also from IoT sensors. This data can vary widely and include factors such as air pollution levels, noise levels, meteorological conditions, and the movement of vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians through certain areas of the city.

Where the digital twin platform becomes very useful is when city officials attempt to understand movements, behaviors and the subsequent impact of different events.

For example, if a concert is taking place in the center of the city, data can be gathered to find out how people are accessing the event; which entrances tend to be most crowded and the direction of foot traffic. Using this information, city officials can extract learnings and make assumptions about the behavior of crowds at future events in the same venue. This can also inform incident response planning, as information about the least crowded entrances can be used to predict emergency response routes.

digital twin platform
Click the enlarge. Image courtesy of www.iesve.com

Understanding the dynamic rhythm of the city

The information isn’t limited to a single event. By extrapolating the monitoring capabilities, the general movement of traffic around the city can be traced and mapped. This includes information about the number and type of vehicles and how citizens use the roadways over a period of time.

For future city planning, this information is invaluable, as it can be used to inform decisions about changes to urban infrastructure. For example, if a road is to be pedestrianized, then the effects on road and foot traffic can be visualized using a model before the improvements are implemented.

As data is collected from multiple sources into the digital twin platform, advanced analytics such as multidimensional AI can be enabled. This is where AI is applied to analyze different data sets to draw greater insights which can be applied at a macro level.

These learnings can be used when going through ‘what-if’ scenarios, as the impact and outcome of an action can be reviewed. In this way, challenges can be anticipated and planned for intelligently.

Surveillance cameras provide valuable input

The strength of digital twin platforms depends on the quality and the granularity of data input from sensors positioned strategically around the city. These will feed information into the models, so that the virtual representations can be accurately built. Network cameras are critical to this process as they not only provide surveillance – capturing high quality images which are the foundation for valuable analytics insights – but also real-time visual feedback to help inform subsequent actions.

Applications at the edge can analyze video captured by image sensors, to provide information related to crowds (such as people counting) or classification of vehicles in an area. This information can then be funneled into the digital twin platform.

This is particularly useful when trying to determine what action would cause the least disruption to the natural dynamics of the city. For example, if officials had to close a road to carry out maintenance work, they can use the model to first understand when the road was the least busy – and hence what time would be best to carry out the works to minimize congestion. Once this is known, maintenance staff can be scheduled and dispatched to the site to close the road.

Cameras add even more value as they can be used to capture the resulting impact of the road work in real time, for example whether congestion increases significantly as a result of the closure. If this is the case, officials can then be deployed to manage traffic and re-route vehicles to ease congestion. This information would not only be useful at the time, but can also be kept on file and used for reference when it comes to planning future similar scenarios.

Supporting smart city goals – now and in future

Smart city goals can be varied and range from reducing response times, to decreasing crime rates, and improving the availability of parking. Data collected in smart cities is used to support these different goals, not only to improve livability for residents, but contribute to wider sustainability objectives.

Digital twin platforms can help city officials collect information, take specific actions, measure progress and predict outcomes. For example, if improving air quality is an objective, city officials can review the digital twin model to see where and why congestion occurs and make specific plans to proactively address the cause. This could include opening more lanes or adjusting traffic light timing at certain times of day to improve vehicular flow. One thing that must be borne in mind is the security of the platform, to ensure the insights are trustworthy and have not been tampered with.

Network surveillance cameras will play an important role, by providing visual data to help monitor activity in real time and inform planning for future events or changes. The verification of events also helps to build digital trust in the technology, leading to increased adoption. Ultimately, these types of virtual models will become a critical factor in moving smart cities closer to their objectives and reaping the associated benefits for residents and visitors alike.

Click here to find out more about Axis’ solutions for smart cities.

Smart city solutions

The post How surveillance cameras add value to digital twin cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Tackling the issue of noise pollution in smart cities https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/noise-pollution-smart-cities/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:05:25 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6052 Noise pollution is the second most damaging environmental threat to human health of the modern day. This may come as a surprise to many. Sure, it can be annoying hearing the constant thrum of traffic or music from a club in the early hours, but second most dangerous? Unfortunately, it is very much the case. … Continued

The post Tackling the issue of noise pollution in smart cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Noise pollution is the second most damaging environmental threat to human health of the modern day. This may come as a surprise to many. Sure, it can be annoying hearing the constant thrum of traffic or music from a club in the early hours, but second most dangerous? Unfortunately, it is very much the case. Indeed, even back in 2018 the World Health Organisation, estimated that up to one point six million healthy life years were being lost in Western Europe alone due to noise pollution. Three years later, taking account of all noise sources on a global basis, it’s inevitable that the situation is worse.

But how can noise be such a threat, and impact health more than simply rendering people slightly frustrated? A commonly known issue is its relationship with heightening stress, but there is far more than anxiety lurking under the hood of noise pollution. Physical effects linked to noise pollution include respiratory agitation, high blood pressure, gastritis, colitis and even heart attacks. And this isn’t even an exhaustive list. All can be caused by things as simple as planes passing overhead, daily traffic or construction work close by.

This entire phenomenon has been linked to the earliest human evolution – our brain stems having developed to kick into fight-or-flight at the slightest abnormal sound. Today, this same fight-or-flight response can be unconsciously triggered by jackhammers, trucks and cranes. Reportedly the threat is still getting worse, with recent reports stating that citizen complaints in some cities – in this case Vancouver – have doubled over the course of 2020.

If you can think back to any time in the past few years where you’ve got away from the city to somewhere quiet and found yourself weirdly on-edge at the sudden silence, it’s likely due to an overexposure to noise pollution.

Current responses to the noise pollution problem

Rick Scholte SoramaWe recently caught up with Rick Scholte, CEO of Sorama, a Dutch high-tech company, partner of Axis and expert in this field to talk about noise pollution. According to Rick, most smart cities who are making any attempt to deal with the rampantly growing issue of noise pollution are doing so with sub-par tech. Namely, as he called them, “dumb decibel meters”. These devices are very limited, able to tell when a certain decibel threshold is broken by something in its vicinity, but wholly unable to pinpoint its source or understand what might have been causing the specific sound.

Rick highlights another issue, that some cities are not conscious enough about noise pollution and some are even unmotivated to find out that they have issues to solve: “I knew someone who was behind some of the noise testing for a city. They’d placed a lot of these decibel meters throughout the city and found that this one particular intersection was much louder than any of the others – it displayed markedly higher readings. Unfortunately, they were unable to identify the source of the issue, and without the budget to tackle the problem they looked to avoid it altogether by moving the meter back about 500 feet for a quieter reading! Typically, you see that local government employees are struggling with how to battle noise pollution due to limited resources and knowledge or lacking support from their superiors.

“This inexact and sometimes outright misleading information is then compiled into a noise map once every five years. These maps are static, and can be bought out for construction sites, meaning they become completely out of date really quickly. The current approach to tackling noise pollution is less than optimal, to say the least.”

How should we be analyzing noise?

Acoustic sensors and monitors – such as those developed by Sorama – are the key. By utilizing a vast number of small high-quality microphones an acoustic sensor can create an accurate visualization of where a sound is coming from, how loud it is, at what point that volume drops off, and even more. By utilizing such technology, smart cities will be able to pinpoint the source of a particular noise, be it a construction site or an obnoxious party.

For a more specific example, let’s say that a smart city notes that every day from precisely 17.00 – 17.30 one intersection becomes a significant noise pollution problem to inhabitants that live close by. The city can identify using the acoustic sensors that this is specifically the sounds of traffic coming from a certain direction and realizes that this intersection simply can’t accommodate the rush of people returning home from a day at work. A short-term solution could be simply to use this information to change the controlling of the traffic lights; giving way to the lanes that are most noisy due to heavy traffic stopping and accelerating constantly, thus optimizing for best traffic flow and lowest noise load. Longer-term, intersections could be redesigned completely.

Additionally, information from acoustic sensors running 24/7 allows a smart city to create more transparent communication with its citizens, reporting on noise levels live in a similar manner to how some cites do with air quality (again Vancouver in this case). This would lead to greater accountability for city initiatives to tackle the issue, and allow citizens to check progress in relation to known noise pollution issues, or even to research areas of the city in which to live.

The additional value of integrating video surveillance with noise analytics

Sorama

The combination of Sorama’s quality acoustic sensors with AI that can gather actionable data is integral to any concerted effort to reduce the dangers of noise pollution in a smart city. Combining networked surveillance cameras with acoustic sensors brings a host of additional benefits. Two senses together – sight and sound – clearly building a richer and more accurate view of a situation.

For instance, data from the acoustic sensor could automatically and accurately direct PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) video cameras towards specific sources of noise, allowing for visual verification of an issue, and far better response time to an escalating situation. A sudden increase in noise – for example raised voices or car horns – could provide early warning of an incident before it has time to spiral, or the shattering of glass could alert the camera to a potentially robbery or vandalism.

In addition to ad hoc incidents, the additional visual data captured by video surveillance cameras over longer periods can provide additional insights into specific sources of noise pollution. Back at our busy intersection, while noise early morning might be cause by construction and delivery vehicles, in the evening it could be commuter traffic. The ability to identify in visual detail the difference in noise sources will lead to far more accurate and impactful measures to alleviate. For instance, a city authority might decide to implement priorities to accelerate the use of quieter electric vehicles for last mile deliveries, or limit the size of construction vehicles.

Such benefits can be delivered without a need to upgrade or replace existing surveillance infrastructure. Using surveillance camera networks based on open technology makes it an almost infinitely scalable solution, easy to upgrade with acoustic sensors and allowing operators to immediately start analyzing noise pollution levels and drafting a strategy.

If we want to ensure a healthy, smart and sustainable future for humanity then it’s imperative that we start being more aware of the dangers of noise pollution, and how we might combat it.

Learn more about how Axis can help smart cities with environmental monitoring.

Environmental monitoring

The post Tackling the issue of noise pollution in smart cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Improving livability in smart cities: How cameras and sensors add value https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/livability-smart-cities/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:11 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6083 According to a study from the UN, over half of humanity – 56.2 per cent, 3.5bn people – currently lives in cities and this number is estimated to rise to 5bn people (60.4 per cent) by 2030. This growth in urban populations has driven the adoption of technology in the management of city infrastructure and … Continued

The post Improving livability in smart cities: How cameras and sensors add value appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
According to a study from the UN, over half of humanity – 56.2 per cent, 3.5bn people – currently lives in cities and this number is estimated to rise to 5bn people (60.4 per cent) by 2030. This growth in urban populations has driven the adoption of technology in the management of city infrastructure and systems, with governments investing billions in so-called smart cities. But adoption of technology cannot come at the cost of a city’s livability, an essential factor in attracting people to urban environments for both personal and professional reasons.

Now the key question is: What makes a smart city attractive to its (potential) citizens? It is helpful to look at peoples’ most basic needs as traditionally represented by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In this model, safety and security come right after physiological needs such as food, water and sleep. In today’s cities, there are several factors that can turn into a threat of health, security or even lives and the cities have to respond to them. Little preparation, risk mitigation and the lack of possibility to send out an advance notice can lead to a far greater number of human losses, injuries or damage of property.

If you can’t monitor it, you can’t improve it

While people are working on improving early warning systems and preventing catastrophes, in the future it could be possible to identify risks at an even earlier stage. Going beyond recognizing patterns and taking the appropriate actions to improve a situation, the development of data analytics in combination with the data collected by cameras and sensors could make it possible to identify “near misses”.

Network security cameras can be of help to achieve this goal. Many of these cameras are today used for security and safety purposes, with a single use-case. However, with a scalable network video system you can add this type of analytics to your current system, or easily complement with additional cameras or sensors to supplement your system.

By monitoring an area constantly, devices can detect potential safety or security black spots, such as a very narrow cycle lane, heavy traffic at a busy junction, or children crossing the road near school bus stops. With the cameras identifying near misses, city planners can create a pedestrian crossing, install traffic lights or divert the traffic where needed to decrease the risk of a casualty.

Analyzing data can be our window into the future that will help to make the world a bit more sustainable and safe. Thus, it’s essential to collect as much data as we can. And until we’re ready to develop solutions that can predict and prevent scenarios, there are other systems that can be improved.

Keep it safe, clean and dry

For a city to be livable it needs to be low in health risks. City smog is one such risk. It can lead to irritated eyes and throats, and damage to the heart and lungs. Pollution detectors can spot changes in air quality caused by traffic, industrial activities, or weather, making it easier to take countermeasures. As an example, video-based traffic management in city centers can not only be used to verify the cause of the pollution, but can also be a tool to predict deterioration of air quality due to increased traffic. Such data can enable operators to make informed decisions about diverting or stopping traffic where necessary. The longer these data have been collected, the easier it is to make future predictions and plan ahead.

Poor air quality  isn’t the only factor that can have detrimental effects on health. Noise pollution is the second most dangerous environmental threat of the modern day and can cause serious physical effects such as high blood pressure, gastritis and even heart attacks. A combination of acoustic sensors, AI analytics and video cameras can help to monitor the level and the source of noise, which can then be verified via the video footage. This level of detailed information can help operators to reduce loud sounds where necessary – for example, by optimizing traffic flow on noisy streets – and develop a strategy to tackle noise pollution in future.

Sensors play an equally critical role in the waste sector. There are still communities that don’t have a functioning waste management system. But piles of rubbish can turn quickly into a health threat (e.g. rats, bacteria, diseases etc.), while also constituting a fire risk (e.g. flammable substances, paper, unextinguished cigarette ends). To prevent these potential dangers, sensors on municipal dump sites and recycling depots can measure the fill-level and send a signal that arranges the pick-up; while cameras and visual analytics can avert fire spreading by detecting smoke in time. It’s worth noting that rubbish doesn’t contribute to the city’s aesthetics either when it comes to livability.

However, weather-based issues can pose a different type of threat to citizens’ security and safety, but they are harder to predict. That’s where environmental sensors can help. Early-warning systems allow operators to detect and respond to disasters in a timely manner; for example, a real-time measurement system might detect rain, and the data analytics and forecasting software can calculate if there is a risk of flooding. In this instance, with the help of IP cameras, it is easy to track if the water has crossed a certain mark, a critical evacuation need for cities close to rivers. Furthermore, the sensors can also measure the water quality to identify pollution. While a minor flood could seem harmless, contamination can turn it into a threat to health and nature.

The future is safe and livable

There are many ways to make a city smarter, more sustainable and safer, all of which positively impact livability. Economic benefits close the circle by creating cost-efficiencies through smart technologies to leave the city with resources to invest in improving services such as public transport, emergency services, and maintaining and improving public spaces, all of which combine to make a city a more desirable place to live.

Learn how Axis cameras can be used within the smart city concept.

Smart city solutions

The post Improving livability in smart cities: How cameras and sensors add value appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
How panoramic and PTZ cameras add value in cities https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/panoramic-ptz-cities/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 09:00:52 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=3256 Imagine being in a busy city square and an incident occurs in the far corner. You hear shouting and perhaps see a scuffle, but would you be able to provide accurate details of what happened based on your view? Chances are that there are some elements that you missed due to the distance, obstructions to … Continued

The post How panoramic and PTZ cameras add value in cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Imagine being in a busy city square and an incident occurs in the far corner. You hear shouting and perhaps see a scuffle, but would you be able to provide accurate details of what happened based on your view? Chances are that there are some elements that you missed due to the distance, obstructions to your line of sight and limited ability to discern details.

Law enforcement officers face the same challenges when monitoring for incidents, yet maintaining the safety and security of residents remains a key objective for city officials. This can be difficult to achieve as urban centres are by nature complex environments to monitor, due to the high level and variety of activity. Also, multiple incidents can occur within the same time frame, making it impossible to be in all places at once.

Local security teams lack the resources to have ‘eyes and ears’ in all places and rely heavily on technology to monitor areas and provide details on incidents. Panoramic and Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras are key parts of a surveillance solution and there are a number of use cases where they add value.

Panoramic and PTZ cameras bring different attributes to the table

Before diving into the many use cases for these cameras in practice, it’s important to recognize the key differences between them:

  • Single-sensor panoramic camera

As the name suggests, these cameras have one sensor and tend to be more suitable for smaller indoor areas such as shops or lobbies. The field of view will be determined by where it is mounted. For example, when mounted on the ceiling these cameras provide a 360-degree view of the area to be monitored. This large overview also provides good image quality allowing you to spot and proactively deal with undesirable behavior within your small space.

In addition, even though the camera uses a fisheye lens, thanks to dewarping technology, the image will look very natural and not distorted. Alternatively, these cameras can be mounted on walls, providing a 180-degree view at face level to support identification of suspects if an incident occurs.

  • Panoramic multisensor cameras

Panoramic multisensor cameras consist of three or four sensors, which together covering 180-degree horizontal and up to 90-degree vertical areas. This creates a wide angle, seamless image in much greater detail, even at longer distances, with minimal distortion and no blind spots. Security and safety can often be tricky in situations such as busy town squares, parking lots and stadiums where there is a lot of movement in a wide area. The better image quality at longer distances makes panoramic cameras extremely useful in situations where incidents can happen far away. Also, due to the multiple sensors, the functionality needed is contained within one camera, as opposed to many within the same area. The single camera only requires one license, one cable, and one IP address which can drastically lower your costs.

  • Multidirectional cameras

In some multisensor cameras, different sensors can face different directions to gain maximum coverage. These devices have separate streams with individual viewing angles – using two or four individual camera heads. When spaced evenly the sensors can cover up to 360-degrees, but can also overlap each other to create more zoomed in coverage through one sensor. Multidirectional cameras can also be positioned on the ceiling, so that the sensors can monitor different directions. You will have clear and detailed views of any foot traffic to maximize the overview and spot any security issues that may be developing.

  • PTZ cameras

These are mainly used to provide zoomed in images and can be manually controlled by an operator or set up to automatically focus on things defined in your video analytics software. They provide detailed images allowing identification and classification of objects, especially in high risk areas such as around ATMs and building exits. Operators can ‘click-in-image’ to direct the camera to an area of interest to get a close up of an incident. This will help reveal critical details to support investigations.

Combining both panoramic and PTZ cameras allows for maximum coverage and zooming capabilities in one solution.  These cameras provide real-time monitoring and zero blind spots, which is ideally suited for city surveillance. This configuration also allows you to utilize high quality images to support investigations following an incident.

Cameras in action – from dark alleyways to busy metro stations

Now that you’re familiar with the attributes of different types of cameras, it’s important to know which use cases best play to their strengths. It’s important to remember that in addition to the high level of activity, each area within a city has its own surveillance needs. For example, a metro station at rush hour will require a different level of monitoring than a quiet alleyway at midnight. In both scenarios, you need a surveillance solution which helps you capture what’s happening – with no blind spots – alerts you to any activity of interest and arms you with the information you need to investigate further.

Consider an ATM situated in an alleyway with limited lighting. Although it is a low traffic area, you are already aware that it is high risk for criminal activity. To effectively monitor this area, you can position a panoramic camera to cover the whole alleyway and add a PTZ camera positioned to focus on the ATM. Additional software can be used to improve activity detection, such as a directional audio detector. If an incident occurs, the software could send you an alert requesting to direct your attention to the alleyway. This gives you the chance to intervene and capture the incident for later analysis or evidence

On the other end of the spectrum, think about a busy train station at rush hour. Trains are continuously arriving and unloading hundreds of commuters onto the platforms. In this case, you need wide coverage with no blind spots in case an incident or multiple incidents occur. Multi-directional cameras may be a good choice to support you in monitoring activity. The coverage allows images to be captured from different areas – all from one camera.

Finally, consider a small shop – in this case, a combination of a single sensor panoramic camera positioned on the ceiling along with a PTZ pointed at the cash register may be the most useful. In this way activity across the shop can be captured – even in the furthest aisles – and high-risk areas such of the cash register be closely monitored.

Unlocking the value of panoramic and PTZ cameras

Cities represent a combination of different environments with varying needs. Maintaining the safety and security of residents is of primary importance and video surveillance is a key part of that. Having access to various types of cameras with different attributes can help satisfy the full range of your unique use cases and support law enforcement in their activity. It’s also important to note that combining cameras with different capabilities can reduce total cost of ownership and increase return on investment. This is key in a smart city context, where the benefits of investments in technology must be apparent and support objectives.

As the city landscape evolves with time, it will become increasingly important for have a surveillance system which is able to respond to new use cases as they arise. By understanding what the different types of cameras bring to the table, you will be equipped to respond and implement the right combination and configuration of technology to support your desired outcomes, regardless of required need.

Find out more about Axis Panoramic and PTZ cameras here:

Panoramic cameras

 

PTZ Cameras

The post How panoramic and PTZ cameras add value in cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Bus travel: optimizing the safety and perceptions of passengers and drivers https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/public-transport-optimizing-safety/ Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:48:18 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=7376 In Sweden, Skånetrafiken, the traffic authority for public transport within the city of Malmö, has been testing a network camera system that provides real-time monitoring to optimize safety in public transport. Initially using network cameras onboard two bus routes in the city, the test began at the start of 2022. As a result of its … Continued

The post Bus travel: optimizing the safety and perceptions of passengers and drivers appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
In Sweden, Skånetrafiken, the traffic authority for public transport within the city of Malmö, has been testing a network camera system that provides real-time monitoring to optimize safety in public transport.

Initially using network cameras onboard two bus routes in the city, the test began at the start of 2022. As a result of its success, 1,500 live video network cameras have now been rolled out on buses across Malmö, increasing safety on 45 million bus trips per year. Malmö is the first city in the country to make this commitment.

The cameras’ real-time monitoring capability is significant. Analog cameras have historically been used to provide evidence following an event. They can offer an element of deterrence to criminal or anti-social activity, but as these cameras are not typically connected to a network remotely that enables live viewing, their use is unable to action an immediate response.

Alternatively, cameras connected to an IP network with a gateway enable live monitoring and an instant response to any developing situation.  With this capability, camera operators monitoring the cameras on a bus can direct security personnel to intervene onboard, or at following bus stops.

Not only can a live network camera enable an effective response, but crucially, it can create a much stronger deterrence, helping to prevent crime or anti-social activity from developing in the first place. So, as well as increasing safety for passengers and drivers, this technology can improve the perception of safety for bus travel too.

Increasing safety in public transport

According to the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), anti-social behavior, as well as verbal aggression towards staff, continue to feature in the top five threats reported daily. This data comes from 27 public transport operators from around the world, as part of the organization’s most recent Threat Monitor Survey.

As a typical European city, Malmö faced similar challenges. Yet, after the trial of live network cameras, spanning 30 buses running over two routes, 90% of travelers reported that they felt “safe” or “partially safer”. And, in response to the survey question, “How safe do you feel?”, the median average passenger response was 9 out of a maximum of 10. What’s more, with live network cameras, drivers also responded positively. 75% said they felt “safe” or “partially safer” since the system was installed.

While real-time monitoring can make bus travel safer for existing users, improvement in the perception of safety can also encourage greater bus ridership, especially for routes perceived as less safe, as well as bus travel in hours of darkness. As live camera monitoring can also increase driver safety and their perceptions, this benefit is valuable to assist in driver recruitment and retention, an industrywide challenge across many regions.

Achieving real-time monitoring

The crucial component of a real-time monitoring video solution for vehicles lies in low latency streaming. Moreover, the camera network needs to operate seamlessly within environments prone to fluctuating connectivity. The connection must be robust enough to maintain a steady stream of high-quality video data, despite the challenges of transitioning between zones with varying levels of network availability.

Based on IP cameras and wireless connectivity, Observit provides remote access to vehicles. This service employs advanced algorithms to minimize latency and optimize data transmission in real-time, ensuring that video feeds are not only consistent but also reliable and timely. This is paramount for critical decision making and operational efficiency in mobile environments. The ability to adapt to changing network conditions without significant loss in video quality or transmission speed is what sets apart superior vehicle monitoring solutions. This makes them invaluable assets in ensuring safety and operational effectiveness on the move.

For effective live monitoring, video quality must also enable accurate analysis of events. This is essential if the stream has the potential to serve as evidence in a legal proceeding. To achieve this, network cameras specifically designed for use onboard buses can provide high resolution images up to 12 megapixels. The delivery of clear video in dark or low light is also important, and the cameras also have to be able to deal with strong light contrast, present on bright, sunny days.

Dome cameras, specifically designed for surveillance onboard buses, equipped with a fisheye lens are ideal as they can provide up to 360 degrees view. A dome camera’s broad viewing capability also improves cost effectiveness as it reduces the volume of cameras – and cabling – required, as well as decreasing the resources necessary for installation and maintenance.

Cameras installed onboard a bus also need to be highly durable. They must continually cope with the vibration of a moving vehicle, and, deployed to prevent anti-social behavior, their construction needs to be able to withstand potential impacts and vandalism.

Improving the bus service

Back in Malmö, the use of network cameras onboard has now extended across the city’s 250 buses. With their real-time monitoring capability, IP cameras designed specifically for use onboard buses can not only increase safety for passengers and drivers, but they can improve the safety perception too.

With limited hardware installation required to achieve the real-time monitoring capability, this cost-effective investment is balanced by the potential for an increase in bus passenger numbers. This not only presents a lower total cost of ownership, but gives public transport operators the opportunity to add value to urban mobility.

Read more about the Axis real-time camera monitoring for buses.

Public transport

The post Bus travel: optimizing the safety and perceptions of passengers and drivers appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Using KPIs to measure smart city progress https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/kpis-smart-city/ Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:45 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=5390 There is a wide range of definitions for “what makes a smart city”. It’s a question that doesn’t have a straight and universal answer as it means different things to different people. Another question that’s at least as important is “how do you create a city smart”. Because no matter what it means to you, … Continued

The post Using KPIs to measure smart city progress appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
There is a wide range of definitions for “what makes a smart city”. It’s a question that doesn’t have a straight and universal answer as it means different things to different people. Another question that’s at least as important is “how do you create a city smart”. Because no matter what it means to you, a city needs a strategy to achieve that goal.

Help for city planners comes in the form of U4SSC: United 4 Smart Sustainable Cities. It’s a United Nations Initiative that encourages the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support a smooth transition to smart cities. One of the most remarkable activities of the initiative is the development of key performance indicators (KPIs) for smart sustainable cities (SSC). They consist of indicators that evaluate the smartness and sustainability of a city and as criteria to the contributions that are made towards this goal. The KPIs and are divided into three main categories: economy, environment and society/culture.

Technology – including network cameras, sensors and analytics – can be a helpful and even essential tool to reach numerous of the defined goals. In this article, we’ll show how.

Crime prevention & ensuring safety of citizens

A city is defined by its citizens and can only be attractive to people if it provides a high level of safety and security. While one of the U4SSC KPIs refers specifically to the violent crime rate per 100.000 inhabitants, crime and antisocial behavior can take many forms.

The use of network surveillance cameras in crime prevention and security is not new of course, with most cities using a comprehensive network of cameras to both reduce the overall crime rate, respond to incidents and bring criminals to justice. As technology has evolved, a combination of cameras, microphones and sensors can detect threats such as gunshots, raised voices, people entering prohibited areas or suspicious vehicles loitering near critical infrastructure. Being able to take action before something happens and being in a position to respond rapidly and appropriately to incidents and emergencies, increases citizens’ sense of safety and makes a city more efficient in its fight against crime.

A great example of how cities are using surveillance cameras to reduce the crime rate comes from Detroit, where ‘Project Green Light ’ has resulted in a reduction of delinquency of up to 50 percent. This has been achieved through the integration of private video surveillance with that of the Detroit Police Department’s own. Not only does the footage help officers catch criminals and search for suspects, it enables the police to focus on areas where criminal patterns seem to be emerging or that are known for an increased occurrence of crimes.

A similar approach was used in the Brazilian city of Vitória, which was amongst the 15 most violent metropolitan areas in the world. But within a year – through the use of surveillance cameras in key locations and with them the possibility to verify incoming emergency calls in the operations center, the homicide rate dropped by half and the number of stolen vehicles was reduced drastically (55%).

Improved traffic management with surveillance and analytics

As much as many cities are looking to reduce the number of vehicles on their streets, traffic is inevitable. This is perhaps why in one way or another traffic impacts a number of the U4SSC KPIs Traffic monitoring, intersection control, reduction of traffic fatalities, travel time and number of low-emission vehicles are the obvious ones, but traffic will also play a part in pollution and noise within a city. The effective management of city traffic is necessary, and video surveillance plays a central role.

By combining multiple sources of data, surveillance technology can create a more predictive view of the roads and potential bottlenecks or accident sites. Traffic Management Centres (TMCs) monitor and manage traffic, inform traffic users and control traffic flows. However, TMC operators cannot monitor all cameras at all times. Therefore, video analytics which makes increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning technologies can identify issues and allow for proactive management.

For instance, with a smart network video solution, operators will quickly and automatically be alerted when there’s a stopped vehicle where there shouldn’t be one (on the street or a restricted area) or someone driving in the wrong direction. Situations in which acting promptly is essential to prevent fatal accidents and keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible (which also brings environmental benefits as queues of stationary traffic with engines potentially running are reduced or avoided). This system can also be used for license plate recognition, which can detect stolen or unlicensed cars that can be a safety-threat if used for criminal actions, which is often the case.

Ultimately, efficient traffic management impacts all aspects of city livability: from happy commuters to on-time deliveries; from safer intersections to reduced pollution.

The importance of operational efficiency

Effective traffic management also plays a role – but not the only one – in another important KPI: emergency service response time.

For emergency services it’s critical to know the circumstances of an incident as exactly as possible before they arrive so they can prepare accordingly. For instance, how many people are affected and how many ambulances are needed? What type and scale of fire has been started? Is criminal activity ongoing and how serious is it? Surveillance cameras can give a detailed overview of the scene: helping emergency services to better assess the exact position, nature and ferocity of any incident.

In the City of Atlanta  the solution has been to combine numerous cameras from different organizations across the city, including public schools, local businesses and multi-family housing properties. The network ultimately consisted of thousands of cameras that enabled the Atlanta Police Foundation to pull video resources from private and public entities into a single command center and get a more holistic real-time view. Atlanta Police Department now has access to 24/7 surveillance throughout the city without the excessive cost of owning and maintaining all those cameras itself. The businesses, on the other hand, benefit from the knowledge that the police can see should there be an incident around their property and can respond more quickly.

But back to traffic. Keeping streets clear so ambulances, fire engines and police cars can get to their destination in the shortest possible time is critical. If a car is illegally parking in a prohibited zone or an area dedicated to other users, cameras can quickly detect the vehicle through advanced analytics software. Once the violation is recognized, law enforcement operators are automatically informed and can react accordingly. Combined with network horn speakers it’s also possible to play an announcement – live or pre-recorded – that urges the driver to leave the restricted area.

Livability & Sustainability – from air to water

While safety and security are key factors that need to be considered in cities, other factors related to the livability of the city mustn’t be neglected. This is reflected in the U4SSC KPIs focused on air pollution, noise levels and monitoring of water supplies and other utilities, as well as severe weather conditions.

The quality of air is directly related to the health of the citizens and the level of livability in a city. Especially in big cities, such as London, New York or Shanghai, traffic has a huge impact on the air quality – something that can be monitored and controlled with a combination of cameras and IoT sensors. The latter is a great extension to the visual data cameras collect. They can either detect the pollutants in the air directly or use information based on, for example, increasing levels of traffic that is used by analytics software to conclude the impact it’ll have on the air quality.

Related to that, there’s the issue of noise exposure in cities. IP cameras equipped with microphones and audio analytics software allow city authorities to measure and analyze noise pollution, again correlating it to traffic but also to crowd levels and any construction works going on in the surrounding areas. The microphones can be set to trigger a message or alert when a certain noise level (or types) is exceeded. In fast-growing cities it’s a convenient way to keep an eye on the noise level and knowing where it originates can be useful if it becomes an issue for the citizens. For example, if traffic noises reach a peak on certain roads at specific times, it can be diverted, or if construction continues outside permitted hours it can be reported.

The monitoring of water supply, an increasingly precious resource, can also be managed with network cameras and associated sensors. With the help of thermal imaging and visible light network the water supplies can be monitored and an alert be sent to the operators should the level fall below a set point. And finally, video surveillance and sensors can help city authorities manage the impact of adverse and severe weather, controlling and reducing the impact of storm waters and snow, and responding to weather danger and damage.

Key steps towards smarter, safer cities

Seeing the many ways in which cameras are already making cities smarter is an indicator of the future that’s awaiting us and the smart cities of tomorrow. With more features and advanced technology, the applications of surveillance solutions will only grow further. Combined with initiatives such as the U4SSC and the defined KPIs contained within them, city authorities now have a framework within which to apply smart technologies to the benefits of all citizens.

Learn more about why you should work with Axis to deliver your smart city.

Eight reasons to work with Axis

The post Using KPIs to measure smart city progress appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Energy efficiency in the data center: where every watt counts https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/data-center-energy-efficiency/ Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:41 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6081 If the growth in the number and scale of data centers has been inexorable over recent years, it has only accelerated during the pandemic. As work and education has shifted from offices, schools and colleges to the kitchen table and lounge, our reliance on the internet and cloud-based services has also increased significantly. As a … Continued

The post Energy efficiency in the data center: where every watt counts appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
If the growth in the number and scale of data centers has been inexorable over recent years, it has only accelerated during the pandemic. As work and education has shifted from offices, schools and colleges to the kitchen table and lounge, our reliance on the internet and cloud-based services has also increased significantly.

As a result, more data centers are being created and a greater number of them being ‘hyperscale’ data centers, defined as having a minimum of 5,000 servers or being at least 10,000 square feet in size (and many are much larger). We are at the same time witnessing a parallel trend towards micro data centers which are smaller and located closer to the “edge”, where the data is being generated and consumed.

Given the importance of data centers or, more specifically, the functions, systems and organizations they support, it is no surprise that they are now considered part of a nation’s critical infrastructure.

The downside of data centers

But while data centers deliver numerous benefits to society, business and consumers, they also have a downside: they consume significant amounts of energy. Whether in the computing power itself, the cooling required, or peripheral support systems, the resource consumption of data centers has, rightly, attracted attention.

In November 2020, the European Commission published the results of a study focused on greener cloud services and data centers. As part of goals to be the first climate neutral continent by 2050, the study – in highlighting the growth of energy consumption by data centers in EU member states – proposed technical and policy solutions to address the issue. Technical solutions include more efficient cooling systems, heat reuse, the use of renewable energy to supply data centres, and the construction of data centers in regions with a cold climate.

To be fair, there are few data center providers, if any, who aren’t also proactively looking at ways to reduce the energy required to run every aspect of the facility. If nothing else, as studies have highlighted, the sustainability credentials of a data center will be the most important consideration for customers choosing which provider to select.

And in finding ways to reduce energy consumption with the data center, every watt genuinely does count.

Surveillance solutions playing their part

Video surveillance plays a central role in the security of data centers, essential as their critical importance to society increases. As with any part of a data center’s infrastructure, the energy consumed by video surveillance also comes under close scrutiny itself.

Network video cameras create data; and this data requires transfer and storage, all of which demands energy. Technologies such as Zipstream reduce the overall energy consumption of a surveillance system, lowering bandwidth and storage requirements by an average of 50% without losing any of the forensic detail in image resolution and frame rate needed.

Similarly, cameras equipped with edge analytics – where analysis of video footage takes place in the camera itself – need to transfer less data across the network for analysis on power-hungry servers. More energy savings can be gained.

Low-light technologies also bring benefits in reducing overall energy consumption. Data centers generally aren’t heavily populated with people. However, some video surveillance cameras will still require bright lighting to deliver clear images. Lightfinder technology gives sharp color images and superior forensic detail even in almost complete darkness, reducing the amount of lighting needed to achieve safety and security.

The power of marginal gains

When thinking about the overall energy consumption of a data center, it’s understandably easy to focus on the computing power and cooling. But there are many other aspects of a data center facility which consume energy, and which should fall into the strategies for overall efficiency. Directly and indirectly, a well-designed surveillance solution can meet safety and security objectives, while also contributing to sustainability goals.

Read more about our solutions for data centers here.

Data centers

The post Energy efficiency in the data center: where every watt counts appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Breaking down the silos to create efficient smart cities https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/breaking-down-silos/ Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:40 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=3288 The number of people expected to be living in cities is set to double by 2050 to some 6.4 billion urban dwellers. To cope with this population increase, and to adjust to the new needs of larger cosmopolitan environments, cities will require new and innovative ways of managing their assets and resources. This is addressed … Continued

The post Breaking down the silos to create efficient smart cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
The number of people expected to be living in cities is set to double by 2050 to some 6.4 billion urban dwellers. To cope with this population increase, and to adjust to the new needs of larger cosmopolitan environments, cities will require new and innovative ways of managing their assets and resources.

This is addressed by various smart city initiatives, where clever ways of connecting technologies, data and stakeholders, result in completely new fashions to manage e.g. traffic, street lighting, parking, waste collection or public safety. But for a city to become truly smart, it also needs to break the often-existing silos between different city departments, as well as the silos between public and private entities.

Sharing surveillance cameras to benefit all

Currently, in many cities, surveillance systems are operating as silos, where different components are not directly linked to each other. There may be hundreds of cameras for traffic, hundreds for city surveillance, hundreds at retailers and hundreds within public transport, with very limited scope of cooperation between these silos.

Surveillance represents a typical area where a city can become smarter when selected data is shared across multiple stakeholders. By breaking down the barriers between the individual silos, several benefits can be gained – for the city, for private entities and for the citizens.

Surveillance cooperation between public and private

Project Green Light Detroit is an example of a project that bridged the gap between the public and private sector. A few years ago, when city officials in Detroit looked closer into crime statistics, they found that nearly a quarter of the city’s violent crimes happened close to a gas station.

With the main objectives to deter and solve crime, improve neighborhood safety, and to promote the growth of local businesses, the city and police department partnered with local businesses and launched Project Green Light Detroit. In order to sustain and develop the project while sharing the costs, stakeholders each have responsibilities, e.g.:

  • Individual private businesses are required to install & maintain high-definition cameras, a high- speed network connection and adequate internal and external lighting
  • The City of Detroit and the police, have established a real-time crime center, with devoted staff to effectively receive, monitor and analyze video feeds from participating businesses

Today, more than 200 businesses are part of the project, and violent crimes have been reduced by up to 50%, in some of the monitored areas.

Another interesting project along the same lines is Operation Shield in Atlanta, where more than 10,000 public and private cameras are connected to a surveillance network. This provides the Atlanta Police Department with a more holistic real-time view of situations across the entire city, including public schools, the transit system, local businesses and multi-family housing properties.

In the city of Atlanta the public and private sectors cooperate for increased security

The cooperation allows the cost of efficient and high-quality surveillance installations to be shared, saving individual budgets without a loss of coverage. By breaking down silos between private or public institutions, a city’s network surveillance system can be expanded. This gives local law enforcement access to all cameras which allows them to better monitor the city, act quicker and with more precision when necessary.

Connecting departments to achieve multiple goals

Aside from citizen safety and security, an interconnected network of cameras can also help to address other city challenges. For example, the city of Brno, in Czech Republic, has implemented a connected video solution to deal with the traffic issues around the city center, and to reduce petty crimes. Brno’s Road Administration installed cameras at selected crossroads, tram terminals and in the central underpass of the central railway station.

A connected video solution deals with the traffic issues around the city center of Brno

As a result, the Road Administration and Municipal Police are now able to monitor traffic in key central locations from the newly built monitoring center. The new cameras provide a much clearer real time update on traffic incidents and in higher quality. Additionally, the local law enforcement can take advantage of the cameras’ abilities such as the powerful zoom to track down vandals, undisciplined drivers and petty thieves.

By breaking down the silos, various entities such as law enforcement and traffic management centers can have access to more cameras which enables them to have a widened monitoring capability. More coverage means incidents can be managed much more efficiently as operators will be able to assess the situation and pass it on to the relevant authorities depending on the issue.

How emergency and public services can profit from connected camera networks

Connected video solutions can also increasingly help the emergency services. The city of Copenhagen wanted to streamline their response and reduce the time it took for them to respond to incidents, including fires, especially in cases where human lives were at risk.

In the past, emergency services had relied on radio communication to pass on information about the conditions of a fire. The high-pressure situation, however can mean that some important details are unintentionally omitted. As a result, the fire services decided to implement a new way of providing reports in which the internal operations center could better understand the gravity of the situation. They adopted a networked streaming video solution.

The fire engines are equipped with cameras, one at the front and one at the back, which relay detailed and visual information back to the operations center. The officer in charge of observing the cameras can then decide whether or not further reinforcements need to be deployed to help tackle the fire. Additionally, the officer can enable experts access to the footage in order to determine if the building is in any danger of collapsing.

Connected video solutions can increasingly help the emergency services.

This achieved a much better response time and efficient response overall, as the service was able to assess the situation in real time. Furthermore, the live view from the incident scene has helped to improve public service information in critical situations. The internal operations management can make quick and informed decisions regarding if, when and how to reach out to the public, without the information being passed through various people, which would take a lot longer.

By creating more connected camera networks, in this instance, emergency services can access footage in real time and pass it to others, such as building experts, in order to enable a better response to the situation. In allowing such a partnership, the city can become ‘smarter’ and have a positive impact on the lives of the citizens who reside there.

Smarter cities with cross-silo solutions

Sharing video between various entities offers great possibilities to improve operational efficiency and collaboration between multiple stakeholders. And it serves as a great example of how breaking down silos can help a whole host of organizations to improve citywide efficiency. It can help manage traffic, enable various services to respond quicker and better to any incidents, and to provide citizens with a lasting sense of security.

In the case of public-private partnerships, sharing the cost and burden associated with some of the more upmarket systems can be a real benefit that all can enjoy. Such collaborations allow law enforcement to monitor a larger area and to respond more efficiently to issues happening all around a city. Some smart cities have already implemented connected video solutions across silos to better manage their resources and make life better for their citizens – will yours be next?

Learn more about what Axis can do to improve public safety

Public safety in cities

The post Breaking down the silos to create efficient smart cities appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Building a smart city ecosystem that keeps citizens safe https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/public-safety-in-smart-cities/ Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:15:35 +0000 https://www.axis.com/blog/secure-insights/?p=6617 Public safety authorities, law enforcement and emergency services are tasked with protecting residents and visitors. This means implementing technology and processes which not only tackle crime and keep citizens safe, but also enable a fast response to emergency situations. Given public sector budget constraints, innovative and scalable technology solutions have proven vital to improving citizen … Continued

The post Building a smart city ecosystem that keeps citizens safe appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>
Public safety authorities, law enforcement and emergency services are tasked with protecting residents and visitors. This means implementing technology and processes which not only tackle crime and keep citizens safe, but also enable a fast response to emergency situations.

Given public sector budget constraints, innovative and scalable technology solutions have proven vital to improving citizen safety while optimizing resources. Implementing network video and audio solutions is key to building a smart city ecosystem that improves efficiency in citizen safety, emergency management and crime investigations.

Improving day-to-day citizen safety

Camera in city to help ensure public safety

Public safety officials and city planners use network cameras to collect data that helps them make the city safer for everyone. With a large number of cameras monitoring complex environments with people, vehicles and objects in constant movement, a huge amount of data is generated from city life each day. Analyzing the data through various dashboards provides important insights that enable decision makers to secure public safety planning including priorities, resources, and budget quickly.

Network cameras have been used to deter crimes for a long time. Just the presence of a camera as a “digital witness” can make offenders rethink their actions. However, network audio can also be a powerful tool for deterrence, both on its own and in combination with video. A camera can prompt an automated audio warning to an intruder or alert an operator to give a live warning using the audio system. This often deters the offender, preventing the need for additional security measures such as security staff being dispatched to the scene – optimizing resources and making the city safer.

Today intelligent video surveillance solutions can also be used to detect crowds, count people, measure social distancing, and collect insights for city planning to improve safety. While crowd management traditionally involved using video surveillance to count people in a crowded area and monitor the situation, combining intelligent, open surveillance solutions with video analytics takes this to the next level. For instance, if cameras are capturing supporters leaving a football stadium, analytics can be deployed to monitor pedestrian flow, predict congestion, and help safety authorities enable efficient crowd routing as well as flag when backup is required.

Preparing for emergency situations

Police officers making sure the citizen are safe

In an emergency, every second counts. Ultimately, emergency services and law enforcement can only react as quickly as the system that informs them. To respond effectively, they require a detailed understanding of a situation and potential threats before they arrive at the scene.

Integrating video and audio solutions provides situational awareness so operators can collaborate closely with the police and emergency services to see, follow, and manage an incident or emergency in real-time – efficiently keeping citizens safe. For example, if a fire is reported, operators can access cameras in the area to get more details on where it is, whether it’s spreading quickly, and if anyone is injured. This insight can be shared with emergency services before they arrive at the scene so they can manage the incident and assist those in need of help immediately on arrival.

Network audio solutions also play a key role in informing the public of an incident and guiding people away from danger.

With products based on open technology, systems can be connected, and valuable information can be shared between organizations, whether private or public. So, if the fire was reported at a school, it would be critical for the operator to be able to access the school surveillance system for a complete picture.

Supporting and speeding up crime investigations

Man sitting in front of a computer, overseeing the public safety

Video and audio evidence can be crucial for law enforcement to solve crimes and get suspects convicted. They require crystal sharp video that can stand up in the courtroom, so cameras must be able to capture high-quality footage in even the most challenging light and weather conditions. A city ecosystem can include a variety of camera and IoT solutions to capture this evidence – from PTZ cameras that detect and zoom in on a crime taking place to body worn cameras which provide evidence of exactly what a police officer saw and heard during an arrest. It can also be useful to deploy solutions for temporary surveillance, from monitoring construction worksites to city events, to access footage which could act as evidence if an incident occurs.

Additionally, network video and audio solutions play a central role in forensic search. A common challenge for security operators is managing the size of video surveillance systems within cities: it’s difficult to find the information and evidence needed. Innovative camera solutions, using a mix of edge and server-side video analytics as well as deep learning methods for detection, classification, and search, can help surveillance operators to detect incidents, or find a suspect, quickly.

Metadata essentially assigns digital meaning to each video frame, focusing on the objects and events within it. In other words, it adds intelligence about the scene instead of just offering raw video footage which must be processed manually. This metadata can include location, time, colors, sizes, shapes, coordinates, tracks, speed, duration in scene, direction of travel and so on. The latest smart search functions also support deep learning object and color classification. With search filters, you can quickly look through video materials to find persons, objects and vehicles of interest, speeding up investigations with the ability to review hours of footage in seconds.

Law enforcement agencies can use video surveillance technology to research patterns of behavior over time as well. Comprehensive video intelligence software collects and aggregates data, such as traffic volume and patterns, occupancy statistics and dwell times – presenting it in easy-to-use dashboards with graphs, heatmaps, and charts. With this statistical trend data, you can benchmark what is normal and configure real-time alerts to flag anomalies. For example, if police suspect that drug dealing is occurring, surveillance can be used to map people moving in and out of an address and identify patterns of behavior. Understanding these data patterns provides additional insight so police can be in the right place at the right time to catch the drug dealer red-handed.

Working efficiently to protect citizens

Combining intelligent network video and audio solutions that are effective in all weather and light conditions takes public safety to a new level. With this technology, you can not only ensure public order and tackle crime, but you can keep citizens safe in a more proactive, efficient way.

By investing in open, scalable solutions to build out a smart city ecosystem, stakeholders across the city can work together more effectively to improve citizen safety. Importantly, deploying open solutions also ensures that the technology you invest in today will be compatible with further smart city innovation – boosting public safety both today and in future.

Find out how you can use innovative technology to efficiently keep your citizens safe:

Public Safety

The post Building a smart city ecosystem that keeps citizens safe appeared first on Secure Insights.

]]>