Given the gloomy economic climate, 2012 is still expected to be challenging. Some companies found there is still a need for innovation particularly during a recession. It is also a good time to differentiate business and products and to grow the brand. In the following, top IP players talk about how they keep investing in R&D to enhance their product differentiation.
IP camer...
Given the gloomy economic climate, 2012 is still expected to be challenging. Some companies found there is still a need for innovation particularly during a recession. It is also a good time to differentiate business and products and to grow the brand. In the following, top IP players talk about how they keep investing in R&D to enhance their product differentiation.
IP cameras: Picture Resolution is still the key
Due to the increasing demand of IP products, IP cameras suppliers are expecting its high demands in the next few years. They focus on the techniques to achieve the high picture resolution under any circumstances, such as in a low light or strong light environment. Axis released a new and advanced “Lightfinder technology,” which delivers superior image reproduction in very poor light conditions. “The cameras, which are light sensitive, are ideal for users that need to see colors in poor light, both indoors and outdoors, in order to recognize and identify people, vehicles and incidents,” said Ray Mauritsson, CEO of Axis Communications.
“Avigilon's most important breakthrough and key differentiator is our High-Definition Stream Management (HDSM) technology. HDSM preserves complete image integrity through visually loss-less compression while efficiently managing bandwidth and storage,” said Alexander Fernandes, CEO of Avigilon.
OPEN IP Video Management Platform
As IP video technology keeps improving, how to enable multiple cameras work in an open infrastructure is definitely a key. Milestone just released the new IP video management software with 64-bit recording servers to enable adding more cameras, multi-live streaming to define views according to different available bandwidths (good for mixed network connections) and extended edge storage retrieval functionality.
VMS Goes “PSIM-like” features & PSIM implementation
VMS vendors will look to further develop their offerings from pure-play VMS platforms to security management platforms. They have already sought to bridge the gap between supply and demand for situational awareness by implementing “PSIM-like” features in their platforms. IMS research predicts that 2012 will see an acceleration of this trend.
“PSIM as a vision is good for the industry. It sets the correct aspirational level for what users should expect from a security system. The reality today is that there is still a huge variety of proprietary interfaces amongst alarm, access control, building management and video systems. This makes commissioning a PSIM system complex, expensive and difficult to expand and maintain. None the less, many of the ideas from PSIM such as event escalation paths, logical analysis of multiple events and simple display of complex situations are applicable in today's VMS systems. Interoperability standards for security equipment such as ONVIF and OPC will also help with the development of PSIM,” said Marcus Kneen, CEO, IndigoVision.
NICE has implemented PSIM deployments globally. One example in Asia Pacific is with Delhi Police which selected NICE to Enhance Safety at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. NICE's situation management solution offers broad interoperability with many third party solutions for video analytics, video surveillance systems, Tetra(Terrestrial Trunked Radio) IP network for public safety, and GIS, among others. This approach delivers a single, holistic operational view and enhances real-time response by automating procedures, as well as information sharing. The NICE solution also enables comprehensive debriefing by full reconstruction of an event and response to it, leveraging NICE Inform incident information management solution and NICE screen encoders for screen capture of the command and control room's inputs during security events.
Video Analytics Brings Business Intelligence
IMS research also predicts that in the coming years, Video analytics that can be performed at the edge on the device's main processor will increase. This will mainly be driven by the availability of more powerful processors and partly by the refinement of VCA applications to make them less processor-intensive.
Vivotek mentioned how video analytics is adopted in their future IP cameras to make the product differentiation. “The main driver is still the migration from analogue to digital. When a camera goes digital, it would be able to serve as a central management system, monitoring and performing video analysis. Now an IP camera has a very powerful processor. IP cameras can do much more than just surveillance. IP cameras now can perform video content analysis. For example, there is now technology available on IP cameras capable of detecting and differentiating the gender of the person identified in the footage. There is a driving force to add on more business intelligence to IP cameras, which can be tailored to a specific vertical market in order to provide a more complete solution to the buyers,” said William Ku, Director of Brand Business Division of Vivotek.
One success story is the Nice IP-based Video Security Solution with Real-time Analytics implemented for China's Tianjin Metro. This solution has helped reduce safety risks and operational bottle-necks and expands footprint of NICE security solutions in China for securing mass transit passengers, following success of eight prior deployments. This resulting increase in situational awareness will help to mitigate risks, enhance passenger safety and better protect metro assets. The solution will also enable the metro's security personnel to keep track of the number of people at multiple entries and exits. This trend analysis capability provides business insight that can be utilized to enhance commuter service levels.
Remote Access Control via Mobile Devices
For an access control system, IP technology makes it easily integrate with other systems to add on more extra business beyond just the access control. CDVI has a series of web-based (on-line) access control management system, enabling the security and management at one or several sites, remotely or locally. “Through the innovative embedded web server, users can do tasks like; user/card management, lock/unlock doors instantly, and view system events, from any place in the world. The embedded web server provides instant results using any recent web browser, smart phone or tablet,” said David Benhammou, CEO of CDVI.
These systems integrate the backup of events, such as status of doors, authorized or denied surveillance, intruder alarms, payment management software, additional database, lifts and parking management. Benhammou expects this product could generate more business value, apart from surveillance. It tends to be adopted more in some developed markets too.