Central Jail of Nicosia, the only correctional facility in Cyprus, deployed a video analytics and laser-based perimeter protection system designed and implemented by Sicura Systems and their technology partner CBC Europe. The project uses behavioral algorithms as a first line of validation to alert staff to unusual or unexpected activity. The system consists of 132 IP cameras with inbuilt video analytics from GANZ, a CBC company, plus a customized one petabyte NVR by Sicura engineering team for the project. Additionally, it integrates with Optex laser scanners to trigger the network PTZ cameras to follow threats around the site. The system was installed by local integrator and consultant Wave Electronics, and commissioned together with Sicura.
Central Jail of Nicosia, the only correctional facility in Cyprus, deployed a video analytics and laser-based perimeter protection system designed and implemented by Sicura Systems and their technology partner CBC Europe. The project uses behavioral algorithms as a first line of validation to alert staff to unusual or unexpected activity. The system consists of 132 IP cameras with inbuilt video analytics from GANZ, a CBC company, plus a customized one petabyte NVR by Sicura engineering team for the project. Additionally, it integrates with Optex laser scanners to trigger the network PTZ cameras to follow threats around the site. The system was installed by local integrator and consultant Wave Electronics, and commissioned together with Sicura.
The Cyprus Prisons Department required the securing of a new wing. “The key task in this project was to combine the complementary technologies of video analytics and laser scan detection in order to give the client a dual level of protection in tracking alarms and movements within the prison perimeters,” said Emi Roberti, Director of Sicura. “Custodial clients cannot rely on unicasting, and often ask that the same video footage be available to several security guards at the same time.” Working along with Wave Electronics on the jail project, multicast streaming was adopted to ensure eight or more operators could view footage from the same camera simultaneously and access footage in asynchronous or synchronous manner from any NVR, Roberti added.
The cameras are a combination of PTZ and fixed units covering interior walls, exterior chain link and razor wire fencing and an intervening sterile zone. Approximately 70 of the cameras use GANZ edge-based video analytics to report on possible breaches of the perimeter or sterile zone and other atypical incidents. Within the Sicura information management system, users can specify their own alarm zones and exploit object tracking scene analysis with pop-up menus and snapshots of camera views. Unexpected motion in these zones will appear as an alarm to all stations. The system allows fine-tuning of sensitivity in order to filter out ambient activity and specify size of object and pattern of movement.
The customized one petabyte NVR is assembled from nine client stations. The system employs Cisco switching, Dell servers and RAID5 storage. Integration of the video wall function of the information management software, to the prison control room includes a ‘carousel' whereby instead of trying to view all 132 cameras at one time, prison officers observe footage from one area of the prison for a pre-agreed number of seconds before turning their attention to another part of the site.
Wave Electronics implemented Optex's laser units to detect any movement by tracking people moving within target segments inside the perimeter. This has been supported by Optex field engineers. Sicura provided full integration to the laser units in order to receive alarms from the lasers and take control of the nearest available PTZ camera and point it to the exact location. This gave situational awareness by providing visual tracking of the alarm segment.