Site Features
To effectively cover the vast area, the first step was to deploy enough surveillance cameras. While cameras were already installed in pavilions by the building contractors, the public areas were left untouched.
Secom installed 173 cameras in open areas. For optimum low-light performance, most cameras were day/night WDR analog cameras which could operate at 0.01 lux illumination.
Critical entrances were covered by 29 megapixel cameras, as well as several speed domes. These cameras sent footage to the Taipei traffic control center to help smooth traffic congestion in the surrounding areas.
Video was transmitted to a distributed storage solution from analog and network cameras. Since the organizers wanted to archive all six months of footage, each server has 8 terabytes of storage.
Emergency Response
To complement the surveillance system, 17 panic buttons were placed in various areas for visitors to push in the event of emergencies. When pressed, sirens and flashing lights are triggered. The central control room and security center are notified of the event and nearby cameras automatically pan to the location to provide security personnel with real-time footage.
The panic buttons are located on noticeable emergency response poles, which include LEDs so they are easy to spot even in the dark. Some of these poles also have cameras mounted on them, which helped lower the overall installation cost.
Due to the vast size and semi-open design of the areas, infrared motion sensors were also installed to eliminate possible blind spots of the surveillance system.
Central Control
All 431 cameras at the expo site were linked to the control center using fiber-optic cables. In addition to video, the system also integrates alarm, emergency response and perimeter defense systems. Using an electronic map, the location and status of the cameras and panic buttons are displayed on the map, providing visual cues if events occur.
The control room will not be staffed by technicians, Secom said. An intuitive Chinese graphical interface shortens the time required for training. The interface can also be adjusted for different user authorization levels, allowing a customized view of video and other content.
The expo's security makes use of Secom's Minibond, a location-aware device worn by children and senior citizens for tracking. These devices are provided for free at service counters and require wearers to be photographed upon borrowing them.
The Minibond has a built-in GPS chip that uses satellite positioning and cell tower triangulation for quick and reliable tracking. The location and photo of the wearer can be sent to the cell phones of security personnel when needed.