Surveillance specialists EverFocus Electronics and VIVOTEK highlighted compact IP cameras at Secutech International 2013, Asia's largest international physical security exhibition, in Taipei in late April. The cameras are equipped with motion detection and alarm notification features — increasingly common for IP cameras targeting the SMB, retail and transportation segments.
Surveillance specialists EverFocus Electronics and VIVOTEK highlighted compact IP cameras at Secutech International 2013, Asia's largest international physical security exhibition, in Taipei in late April. The cameras are equipped with motion detection and alarm notification features — increasingly common for IP cameras targeting the SMB, retail and transportation segments.
Triangular and resembling a Japanese onigiri with a glossy black plum in the center, EverFocus' EMN2220 is an IP67-rated, weather-proof camera for, for example, train ceilings and car roofs. The design was built with reducing wind resistance in mind, and the water-proof encasing enables it to endure car washes, said Diane Chen, Public Relations Coordinator, Global Brand Marketing, System Planning and Development Center. The camera is vandal/tamper-proof and shock-resistant. Its motion detection and tampering detection features send out email notifications and upload video recordings onto dedicated websites or servers during alarmed events.
The 2-megapixel WDR camera, released in January 2013, is operable between -40 to 50 degrees Celsius and has been deployed on buses in Taiwan and Russia, as well as by the Ukrainian police force. The camera is EN50155-compliant for in-vehicle applications, but EverFocus hopes to expand applications for the EMN camera series to include indoor surveillance for hotels, cars, retail stores and others. The company is looking to tap into Australia and Singapore, as well as some developing markets, with this product line, Chen pointed out.
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No bigger than the average smartphone, VIVOTEK's compact network camera CC8130 was designed to target SMBs and retailers. The 1-megapixel camera, coined Counter Cam, provides surveillance with discretion to retailers, as it is less noticeable by customers and potential thieves alike. As one of the smallest 180-degree cameras on the market, the camera allows cost-conscious retailers to cover a wider area with fewer cameras, said a VIVOTEK representative. The VCA features embedded can detect motions and missing objects, and has an alert function utilizing HTTP, SMTP, FTP or NAS servers. A built-in microphone also enables retailers to check audio recordings when customer disputes arise, and allows managers to verify whether staff followed preset procedures.
Released in 2011, the compact VIVOTEK camera has been particularly popular in Japan, having sold about 3,000 units in the country. In particular, Pachinko shops (gaming parlors) have embraced the camera and deployed it in between machines, as its vertical setup and 180-degree view can cover two machines at a time. The U.S. is the next on the product rollout map.
Combining surveillance smarts and style, slick IP cameras offer nickel-and-dimed retailers with affordable discreet surveillance, and can be developed to meet the challenges of tough working environments.