Audio in video surveillance: Key verticals that can benefit from it

Audio can well complement video surveillance to enhance users’ situational awareness and operational efficiency. Together, audio and video surveillance can benefit end users in a variety of verticals. This article looks at some of the vertical markets that can especially benefit from audio in video surveillance.
 

Transportation

 
End users in the transportation sector, such as airports and transportation hubs, can particularly take advantage of audio in video surveillance.
 
“The most predominant use of audio surveillance is in transportation, particularly in airport locations such as ticketing counters, help desks, and boarding gates, where visual and audio audit trails can be vital. In and around these larger environments, combined with the use of video analytics, audio can also help monitor large crowds and detect unusual sounds that may indicate security threats or emergencies. The ability to communicate with passengers through audio systems can also support crowd management, emergency response, and provide passengers with information in the event of weather delays, power outages, and other incidents that impact business continuity,” said Sean Um, GM and Head of European Business Development Team at IDIS.
 

Retail and hospitality

 
In retail, audio is typically used to play background music, but it can go beyond that to handle security-related tasks. “Retailers have extended the use of audio beyond ambient music and reminders of store closing times to help detect shoplifting or disturbances, allowing security officers to respond quickly to incidents. Additionally, the ability to communicate directly with customers through two-way audio can enhance customer service and deter potential thieves,” Um said. “Similarly, the hospitality sector, including hotels, resorts, bars, and casinos, can utilize audio surveillance to monitor public areas, ensuring guest safety and promptly addressing incidents such as altercations.”
 

Education

 
The education sector is another area where audio in video surveillance can make a difference. “Schools and universities can enhance campus safety by monitoring hallways and common areas for bullying or other unsafe behaviors. While constant audio monitoring of conversations is not considered desirable, the use of audio analytics to detect specific sounds, such as distress calls or shouting, can trigger alerts, enabling timely intervention while maintaining privacy,” Um said.
 

Critical infrastructure

 
Audio can serve as an effective tool for deterring criminal activities, whereby operators can communicate or “talk down” to suspected individuals when they are detected by the camera. Such application is especially useful in critical infrastructure facilities. “In higher-security perimeter settings, including critical infrastructure with multi-layered perimeters, the ability of remote monitoring teams to communicate directly with would-be intruders, warn them off, or divert their attention can buy valuable time for a direct security intervention. The most effective deterrent is achieved through in-person communications rather than pre-recorded messages, making it clear to the suspect that their actions are being monitored and recorded, and that direct intervention is imminent,” Um said.
 

Public spaces

 
Finally, in wider public areas, camera systems with audio capabilities can also be used to make supplement emergency communications and safety announcements. “In these larger area applications, monitoring teams can also use remote verbal communications to deter anti-social behavior, with polite reminders to miscreants to act responsibly, and where this does not work, with admonishments and warnings, such as alerting individuals that law enforcement has been contacted. This type of intervention requires the operator to possess training, experience, and confidence,” Um said.
 

A word on audio recording

 
It should be noted that no matter where a security system is deployed, the audio is typically not stored or recorded due to compliance issues. The system instead analyzes the sound to determine whether it may indicate danger or distress.
 
Carl Malmqvist, Regional Director, South Asia Pacific, and Dinesh Rai, Business Development Manager for Network Audio, Asia Pacific, at Axis Communications used their company’s solutions as an example. “It is possible to record the audio in an SD-card or stream it to another server. However, using AXIS Audio Analytics, there is no need to record or keep the audio. The output of AXIS Audio Analytics is metadata. In Axis cameras, audio streaming and recording are off by default,” they said.
 
“For anyone recording audio in surveillance applications, it’s important to consider the privacy and legal implications,” Um said. “Today, most jurisdictions have specific laws governing audio recording; as a result, organizations must ensure compliance with relevant regulations and implement appropriate measures and cybersecurity best practices associated with video surveillance to protect the privacy of individuals.”