Security does not just encompass protecting lives and assets. Smart rescue and retrieving missing people are also crucial elements in security. Taiwan companies have solutions in this regard.
Security does not just encompass protecting lives and assets. Smart rescue and retrieving missing people are also crucial elements in security. Taiwan companies have solutions in this regard.
An important part of security is
rescuing people in danger, as well as protecting first responders performing the rescue. Meanwhile, searching and recovering people who are missing is also critical. Leveraging the powers of IoT, AI and wireless communications, Taiwan companies have the solutions, many of which were on display at
Secutech at the end of April.
Multifunctional body-worn
RT Stream for example showcased their 6-in-1 body-worn camera that includes: the camera itself, 4G router, lifesaver, walkie-talkie, light and GPS tracker, allowing field commanders to have clear oversight on their crewmembers as they perform rescue missions in disaster areas.
“The body-worn can transmit video data via 4G. If 4G is not available at the scene it can co-work with a mobile base station to connect to the Internet. The lifesaver function sounds an alarm after the wearer remains motionless for 20 seconds – either due to immobility or loss of consciousness – and issues an alert every 13 seconds afterwards until the situation has been taken care of,” said Eric Chang, CEO of RT Stream.
The body-worn camera is mainly targeted at military personnel, police officers and firefighters – it’s already used by three fire departments in Taiwan and is expected to receive orders from US police and Mexican military. Manufacturing, meanwhile, is another important vertical. Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp., a subsidiary of TSMC, for example requires construction workers to wear the device as they build new foundries, Chang said.
Cross-camera search
Whether it’s
elderly who wander off, or
children who are missing, retrieving them is of vital importance. In this regard, Touch Cloud has “GotchA!,” a cross-camera pedestrian search solution that tracks individuals across various surveillance cameras.
“The solution was at first targeted at VIP tracking, whereby retailers can find out in a mall or department store, where VIP guests go first and how long they stay there. But then we realized there were also missing people retrieval applications, for example finding senior people wandering off or children getting lost in a large event,” said Vanessa Hung, Marketing Specialist at Touch Cloud. “Especially for seniors, they don’t like wearing RFID wristbands, which they think are stigmatizing. Cross-camera tracking doesn’t have that problem, whereby should a senior go missing, we can find them across different cameras by search criteria for example, thin or chubby, tall or short, gender, color of clothes, etc. Now we’re in discussion with certain senior care homes in Taiwan to deploy the solution.”
Privacy protection by way of DVS
Speaking of monitoring seniors or patients in medical facilities,
privacy is key. In this regard, HPB Optoelectronics has a solution that protects users’ privacy by way of dynamic vision sensing.
“In the solution, we use Dynamic Vision Sensor (DVS) module instead of general RGB camera, generating DVS images – with only white-dotted human body outline against a black background. The imagery is only generated when an event is detected. Thus, the person’s privacy can be well protected. This is an advantage over RGB cameras, which record all the time and consume a lot of bandwidth, plus that the person’s privacy will be exposed. Our solution is suitable for senior homes, whereby the solution is placed over the care-receiver’s bed. When our AI detects an abnormal movement – a fall, for example – the solution will send an alert to prompt care givers to respond immediately,” said Kei Chen, Senior Sales Engineer at HPB Optoelectronics.
He added: “We had completed a successful research project in Taichung Veterans’ Hospital and now have another new project in Veteran’s Home. We’re also discussing opportunities with bathroom equipment manufacturers as our solution can also monitor bathroom users, whose privacy can be well protected.”
Lens cleaning
Camera lens cleansing is needed especially during inclement weather conditions. HPB Optoelectronics also showcased its solution in this regard, a module that, when attached to the front of the camera, can help wipe rain, water, snow, ice, etc. off the lens.
In a similar manner, AETEK also has a camera housing solution that keeps the camera’s lens clean. “It’s an all-in-one solution that includes a wiper, a water tank (that provides water for the cleaning), and an IR light. Only one PoE cable is needed to provide power for all of the above, as well as the camera itself. We work with major camera brands," said Joan Chen, Product Manager at AETEK, adding the solution is already deployed in some projects.
“There’s a city surveillance project in Europe with 1,000-plus cameras, all using our housing. In city surveillance, cameras are costly to clean; you need to send workers regularly and need to lift them to high-up places where cameras are installed. Our solution solves the problem,” he said.