Video plays a key role in helping identify an object – be it a human, an animal or a vehicle – detected along the perimeters of a facility or end-user organization. Typically, the video is integrated with other systems to verify as well as respond to an incident.
Video plays a key role in helping identify an object – be it a human, an animal or a vehicle – detected along the perimeters of a facility or end-user organization. Typically, the video is integrated with other systems to verify as well as respond to an incident. When deploying a video-based perimeter defense system, several things need to be looked at, for example price, performance and ease of use.
Perimeters have specific challenges that vary from site to site. “Large sites such as airports, seaports, refineries and the like have very large perimeters with varying terrain and often challenging conditions. Keeping unauthorized personnel outside the perimeter is important, as is keeping wildlife outside the operating areas. Maintaining a high degree of confidence in the security of the perimeter is key,” said Mike Prysock, Global Vertical Market Manager for Airports/Seaports at
Pelco by Schneider Electric.
It is often suggested that perimeter protection come in a layered approach, whereby video is integrated with other systems or devices so as to enhance the accuracy and timeliness for both detection and response. “A layered approach is going to provide for a higher level of security as well as the ability to leverage the strengths of each technology. This will result in fewer false alarms while maintaining a high degree of confidence that the perimeter is secure,” said Prysock. “In a layered approach, video fulfills multiple security objectives including detection, alarm verification, live surveillance and as a forensic tool.”
In perimeter protection, the detection part is critical. Today’s analytics embedded in thermal or visual cameras is smart enough to discriminate objects by type or action. But equally important is response when a potential intruder is detected. For this, integration between video and other devices is key.
Typically, operators are less concerned about apprehending intruders than they are about scaring them away. For this video is often integrated with audio. “Our network horn speakers are used in conjunction with Axis Perimeter Defender. This combination enables an operator to remotely address people and deter unwanted activity. The loudspeaker can also play a pre-recorded audio file, when it is manually or automatically triggered in response to an alarm event,” said Andrea Sorri, Business Development Director for Critical Infrastructure at
Axis Communications. “This synergy can happen with very little configuration effort and each device is autonomous and independent which is also an advantage in terms of redundancy.”
PureTech Systems, meanwhile, offers similar solutions that automate audio talk down. “Use of a series of outdoor speakers easily achieves the audio portion of the solution. For larger or advanced installations, an expanded solution includes the option of adding a long-range audio deterrent (LARD),” the company said in a whitepaper. “An LRAD brings the added functionality of directional audio, whereby the system focuses the audio directly upon the intruder. Using the same camera auto tracking technology controlled via video analytics, applied to the directional LRAD, keeps the directional audio pointed at the target, even when moving. As the name implies, these devices also have the ability to provide additional influence for the intruder to leave the area by asserting very loud, directional and deterrent tones.”
What to look for
When choosing a video-based perimeter detection solution, the integrator should look for several things, for example price, performance and ease of implementation and use. “When choosing analytics products, choose products that are flexible and can incorporate best of breed components while maintaining the ability to integrate with a wide variety of third party systems, such as video management systems (VMS), access control, fence detection, radar and microwave,” said Prysock.
Meeting the end user’s overall requirements is equally important. “Among the questions to be asked are: Does the solution meet the detection requirements set forth by the customer? Secondly, how does the VCA capability fit into the system design? Can it integrate in with the existing video management system and utilize current cameras models, or does it require system upgrades? Is the VCA capability edge-based, server based or both? Does it provide the value in line with its price and is there a growth path for the end user to expand surveillance capability in the future,” asked Eric Olson, VP of Marketing at PureTech Systems.