More and more, end users are using video for various purposes, some security-related and some beyond security. The AI+ Software Innovation Zone in this year’s Secutech shows how video can have different applications.
Needless to say, while visible light cameras are important in security, they are not suitable for night-time surveillance whereby things are harder to detect in total darkness. In this regard, thermal cameras present a good solution for surveillance during nighttime as well as in inclement conditions, for example heavy rains or fog.
In fact, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the thermal imaging market is expected to be worth US$4 billion by 2023, from $2.7 billion in 2017, at a Compound annual growth rate of 6.73 percent between 2018 and 2023. “Reduction in the price of thermal imaging products, the increasing adoption of thermal imaging in perimeter security, and penetration in machine vision applications are driving the growth of this market,” the report said.
In this regard, Bosch Security Systems has on display at its booth its latest camera with two sensors, one visible light and one thermal, and both images are simultaneously presented by the VMS on the monitor.
This presents an ideal alternative for sensitive, mission-critical venues such as airports or military sites. “In a conventional setting, you’d have two cameras – one visible an done thermal – for daytime and nigthtime surveillance. We’ve now combined them into one unit that saves cost and time for installation,” said Wolf Chang, Sales Account Manager at Bosch.
The camera is also special in the fact that it not only pans horizontally, it can also tilt up. “This is especially beneficial for end users who need to detect something that’s above them,” Chang said.
Meanwhile, Bosch cameras, including the abovementioned model, have advanced analytics built into them for various functions, for example people counting. “You can use this camera to count how many people are coming in and out of a building or a venue, making it ideal for verticals such as retail,” Chang said.
3D cameras
LIPS, meanwhile, is showing how the company’s solutions have different applications. The company makes 3D cameras which add another dimension to the video, thus improving the accuracy of detection – for example whereas a 2D camera may detect two people walking closely together as one, a 3D camera can tell the difference.
Applications are manifold. For example, LIPS is showing a solution that combines a 3D camera with an algorithm to calculate the skeletal positioning of an individual. This can have applications in various verticals for example retail, whereby user behavior can be analyzed. Anther application case is nursing homes, whereby the solution can detect someone falling due to an individual’s skeletal positioning and sends an alert to the operator.
Another solution is control by way of gesture. For example, typical control of a PC by way of moving and clicking a mouse can now be done by hand gestures. “This is especially suitable for end users who place a particular focus on hygiene,” said Kayn Huang, Marketing Manager at LIPS. “Control by gesturing works better with 3D cameras than with 2D, which does not achieve the level of accuracy and precision as 3D.”
Finally, a third application is facial recognition, whereby LIPS’s 3D camera and software are integrated into one single, stand alone unit. A major benefit of 3D camera versus 2D is its anti-fraud features. Whereas a system with a 2D camera can be “fooled” by a photo, for example, a 3D solution will not have this problem due to the added third dimension – that is depth, Huang said.