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It is becoming increasingly difficult to go anywhere within the security industry and not hear or see something about intelligent video products. These products work to transform video surveillance from a reactive forensics tool to a pro-active detection tool that alerts to security events in real time.
When used effectively, intelligent video systems can efficiently increase security while reducing monitoring requirements. They can also dramatically increase efficiency by, for instance, reducing the amount of hard drive space required to effectively manage video resources, and reducing the time required to search and retrieve archived video.
Intelligent video surveillance has been available for more than five years, but the market has experienced tremendous growth over the past 18 months. However, intelligent video is still a long way from becoming the standard in video surveillance.
The number-one roadblock is the perception that intelligent video is reserved for top-tiered security operations, such as metro transit systems, airports, port authorities and Fortune 1000 companies. Security executives often assume the price will be too high, or the product will include very sophisticated features they'll never need to use.
It's true that most intelligent video products have been priced high enough to make them inaccessible for many facilities. Fortunately, there are some products now on the market that, although they do command a premium over simple digital video, are not priced to exclude the majority of the video surveillance market. The IVS products that are helping overcome this roadblock are doing it through price flexibility. Price flexibility is available in systems that offer a range of sophistication in intelligent applications and features.
There is no question that detection of abandoned objects and counting and measuring the speed of objects are amazingly powerful security tools. However, many video security operations simply do not have the legitimate threat of a terrorist situation or the need to measure the speed, direction and number of vehicles in their vicinity. Still, these operations may benefit from the real-time alerts and recording efficiencies achieved by the less sophisticated intelligent applications available, such as "violated area," "virtual trip-wire" or "vehicle recognition."
In order for intelligent video to become the standard in video security, the sophistication of the systems must be able to match the sophistication of the threat. IVS products that allow users to enter into the world of intelligent surveillance with basic applications that match the level of their threat sophistication are helping to make IVS the standard in video security. Scaled-back IVS products should be easily upgradeable to the more sophisticated IVS at minimal cost. This flexibility in sophistication will also present new pricing flexibility while offering security executives a more robust product package.
Steve Birkmeier is the marketing director for Arteco Vision Systems in St. Louis, MO.
author: By Steve Birkmeier