Video Analytics is a technology that is used to analyze video for specific data, behavior, objects or attitude. It has a wide range of applications including safety and security. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Video analytics technology improves efficiency and reduces response time to major events
Events can often be missed due to operator fatigue and sheer volume of visual information. BT research is studying how video analytics technology can be deployed as part of an information network to provide automated monitoring and decisions to dramatically improve the efficiency and reduce response time to major events.
A key development so far is pioneering new software that leaves the era of IP-CCTV infrastructure behind and moves towards intelligent IP-based video monitoring and surveillance. The new solution enables incident/events detection and intelligence extraction from a distributed network of cameras in real-time.
Whilst the potential applications are endless, it is particularly useful for analysing crowd movement, behaviour information and accurate counting of moving objects in mixed traffic. For example, when dealing with large crowds, the real-time analytics software can provide a continuous measurement of congestion within a defined area, such as a town centre or railway platform.
Railway platform deployment
The analytics software can be deployed on almost any camera with a view of the platform, irrespective of whether the chosen view results in occlusion between individuals. The presence of trains can be accurately detected, and the system can compensate for perspective distortions and variable lighting conditions induced by train headlights or traffic signal lights, for example. The software has been proven in a live trial in underground platforms during which it operated continuously for over 6 months.
Town centre/Open space deployment
The analytics software has an advanced counting application that can classify moving vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles and provide a real-time count of multiple flows within a pre-defined area. Several unique approaches have been perfected (such as multi-tripwire and semi-appearance modelling) to enable accurate counting from sub-optimal camera positions, as might be expected where analytics are required to use images from legacy CCTV equipment.
The particular advantages lie in the ability to deal with streams of loose pedestrian clusters and slow moving and waiting vehicle queues. The current testbed only requires a standard PC for real-time counting of three inward and three outward traffic flows with a very low error rate. It is also robust to an external environment, including changes in lighting levels, shadows, reflections and moving background objects such as trees and has been proven in a live trial at two busy industrial site entrances throughout four seasons.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
ioimage Video Analytics Protects $200M South African Eco-Park Residential Estate
Herzliya, Israel December 16th, 2008 – ioimage, the pioneer of intelligent video appliances designed for simplicity, announced that its video analytics solution was successfully implemented to protect South Africa’s Xanadu Eco-Park from intruders and theft.
Located outside Pretoria at the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountains, Xanadu is a $200M Eco-Park with a perimeter of eight kilometers. Its previous security system, which included electric fencing and CCD speed dome cameras, had proven inadequate, failing to detect perimeter breaches. The estate was looking for an impenetrable and robust perimeter security system that would function equally well day and night without disturbing the estate’s ecological balance.
The security solution adopted by Xanadu was a combination of thermal imaging cameras and ioimage intelligent video devices. The system enables instant visual verification of every alarm, even in pitch darkness, and requires no floodlights, thus maintaining the estate’s eco-friendly nature.
“The ioimage solution has proven itself time and again and we’ve already seen a significant return on investment,” said Nick Grange of C3 Shared Services, who installed the system. “Now when an alarm sounds, control room operators can quickly dispatch a response team to the area where the intrusion was detected. False alarms have been drastically reduced since ioimage intelligent video filters out extraneous activity caused by small animals, swaying branches and flying debris.”
“The estate’s security has been vastly improved and we are now confident regarding the safety of our residents and their belongings,” said Thys de Wet of Clarence De Wet Incorporated, Project Manager for Xanadu. “With numerous thefts already prevented, the ioimage system has more than paid for itself. We are currently extending the solution to a second phase of perimeter protection.”
“This is a great example of how residential properties can be seamlessly retrofitted with ioimage video analytics to increase security and safety, as well as prevent theft,” said Dvir Doron, Vice President of Marketing for ioimage. “Its extreme reliability and rapid return on investment make it the solution of choice to protect estates of all sizes.”
About ioimage
ioimage, the pioneer of intelligent video appliances, provides high-performance video encoders and cameras with built-in self-sustained video analytics, designed and packaged for simplicity. ioimage offers a new approach to video security by transforming surveillance into a proactive, event-driven process. Founded in 2000, ioimage uses edge and centralized DSP-based devices for real-time detection, alert and tracking of intruders, vehicles and other threats, leading to enhanced safety and security for government, public and commercial organizations. Recognized as the world’s market leader for intelligent cameras and encoders since 2005 with over 37 percent of the market, ioimage operates in 35 countries through a network of more than 100 partners.
For further information, visit www.ioimage.com.
About C3 Shared Services (Pty) Ltd
C3 Shared Services (Pty) Ltd is the only applied business partner for ioimage in Sub Saharan Africa and specializes in the design and implementation of high-end perimeter security solutions and military grade intrusion detection systems. C3 Shared Services' directors have been involved in providing integrated electronic solutions for more than a decade; and as a result bring both a comprehensive and extensive wealth of knowledge in providing effective and working perimeter security solutions for high risk and high value areas. To date, C3 Shared Services (Pty) Ltd has had enormous success with numerous installations of ioimage’s intelligent video analytics on various sites in South Africa such as residential estates, refineries, correctional facilities and car showrooms.
For further information visit http://www.c3ss.com
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
City gets 'crime-detecting' CCTV

Now there's a new weapon in the fight against it called Smart CCTV.
For example, a speeding car being driven around an empty car park could be a joy rider or someone running through a deserted shopping precinct late at night might be a vandal.
When those and similar scenarios are 'spotted' by the software, using special parameters from programmers, an alarm is sounded which alerts CCTV operators to that particular camera.
Ray says Smart CCTV takes some of the strain off human operatorsThey then make a decision about whether or not to call the police.
It's already been used in parts of seven cities across America, in places like New York and Washington DC, where the feedback has been positive.
Nick Hewitson helped design the version Portsmouth City Council is using.He said: "It filters out all the rubbish video that you don't want and lets you see the stuff that you do want.
"So you're using human beings for doing what they do well, making subjective decisions on incomplete data.
"And using computers to do what they do well, process tonnes and tonnes of boring data."
But not everyone in Portsmouth is as convinced by the new system as Ray Stead and Nick Hewitson.
Similia thinks the system is too much of an invasion of privacySamilia Narcho, 19, told Newsbeat: "They are lurking a bit too much into people's business. It's a bit unfair on people who aren't doing anything wrong.
"It's a bit too much invasion of privacy. Big Brother going a bit too far."
But 18-year-old Chris isn't worried about being watched. He said: "It doesn't really bother me because I'm not doing anything wrong, so I've got nothing to worry about."
Berry, who's 24, and 21-year-old Becky Pearson have different opinions on the new CCTV system.
Berry said: "I think it's pretty good because there are a lot of idiots in Portsmouth and they need to be kept under wraps."
Becky added: "I can see why people think it's a bit too much, with people being too watched."
The Smart CCTV technology is on trial in Portsmouth but if it proves successful, other UK cities could set up similar systems.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_7775000/7775188.stm
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Portsmouth leads UK by installing video analytics for city centre security
Perceptrak™, supplied by Smart CCTV Ltd of Havant, has been set up to watch quiet areas such as car parks, stairwells or corridors in buildings and streets at nighttime. Perceptrak™ uses the latest software to analyse images using up to 18 pre-defined criteria such as ‘converging people’, ‘fast car’ and so on. When it sees something untoward happening, the system sends an alert to the control room. This allows the security officer to make a human decision on whether to monitor the scene and make an appropriate response. It also ensures that many more scenes are being watched than is normally possible, hence helping to make Portsmouth city a safer and more trouble-free zone.
Ray Stead, CCTV manager at Portsmouth City Council, who decided to install Perceptrak™ for the City, said: “Following a successful trial period in 2006, we decided to install the system on a more permanent basis to prove proof of concept after improvements had been made to the software and because of the quantifiable benefits to the control room outcomes.”
Nick Hewitson, managing director of Smart CCTV, added: "We believe that this is the first fully installed example of video analytics being used in a city centre control room in the UK. As a local company we are very pleased to be working with Portsmouth City by providing leading edge technology to make their CCTV control room one of the most effective in the UK."
In the area covered by the Portsmouth City Council control rooms, there are 142 cameras with live monitoring, and the CCTV operators watch over 24 monitors simultaneously. Perceptrak™ is run in the background looking at some of those cameras that are not displayed to the operators until an alarm sounds.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
ioimage Video Analytics Installed to Protect the Vatican
ioimage intelligent video appliances, monitored by an ioiware Command Center, are being used to detect intruders along a 60-kilometer perimeter of sensitive areas, entry and exit gates and the wall surrounding the Vatican.
ioimage was selected from several other video analytics suppliers for this major contract. The first unit was installed in 2005 following a year of intensive testing which demonstrated the system’s superior ease of installation, stability and reliability. Since then, it has proven itself as an effective deterrent against intruders and has optimized the daily tasks of those responsible for surveillance.
Additional ioimage units are currently being installed. These units ─ composed of ioimage’s IP camera with built-in self-sustained video analytics, the ioicam wdc100dn and ioibox video encoders using autonomous PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) tracking ─ will be centrally monitored and managed by the “Corpo della Gendarmeria”, the Vatican’s security force from their control room.
Millions of people visit the Vatican’s public areas every year. Its library and museum collections, which belong to the extra territorial part of the Vatican state, are of the highest cultural significance, while buildings such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel house some of the world’s most famous art, including works by Bernini, Botticelli, Michelangelo and Raphael.
“As one of the world’s most important sites, the Vatican presented unique challenges,” said Boaz Harpaz, CEO of Picksec International Group, the system integrator. “The security system had to be extremely reliable 24/7 in very crowded, surroundings and under varying weather conditions. It also had to be capable of automatically adjusting to frequent changes in public access schedules while ensuring a low incidence of false alarms. Last but not least, it needed to be easy to install and maintain. After extensive testing of a number of different video analytics products, we found that ioimage offered the optimal solution for this critical site.”
“This project represents a milestone for ioimage and underscores our position as the pioneer and leader in the field of intelligent video,” said Zeev Farkash, VP Sales and Customer Support. “Our solution was rigorously tested by the Corpo della Gendarmeria’s technical personnel before being selected over those of several competitors to monitor this world-famous site.”
About ioimage
ioimage, the pioneer of intelligent video appliances, provides high-performance video encoders and cameras with built-in self sustained video analytics, designed and packaged for simplicity. ioimage offers a new approach to video security by transforming surveillance into a proactive, event-driven process. Founded in 2000, ioimage uses edge and centralized DSP-based devices for real-time detection, alert and tracking of intruders, vehicles and other threats, leading to enhanced safety and security for government, public and commercial organizations. Recognized as the world’s market leader for intelligent cameras and encoders since 2005 with over 37 percent of the market, ioimage operates in 35 countries through a network of more than 100 partners. For further information, visit www.ioimage.com.
To receive regular updates on ioimage, sign up for the ioimage newsletter at http://www.ioimage.com/newsletter.html
For international media inquiries:
Fiona Ungar
Marketing Communications Manager
Tel: +972-9-954-6003
fiona@ioimage.com
For US media inquiries:
Chelsie Woodsioimage
Public Relations
Tel: +1-207-510-0029
cwoods@eclipsemediagroup.net
Next Generation CCTV: Video analytics
http://www.info4security.com/story.asp?sectioncode=9&storycode=4120956&c=1
Video analytics is the most important breakthrough in the application of CCTV. This was the message from Patrick Meaney at last week’s Next Generation CCTV conference.
Meaney, founder of website www.videoanalytics.info, gave his presentation at the event in London, and said that CCTV had been initially installed as a crime prevention measure, but hadn’t delivered the goods in this respect – which is where video analytics comes in.
He said video analytics had the potential to become “the third forensic science, in addition to fingerprinting and DNA”.
Operator assistance
He quoted figures on control room operator fatigue and concentration loss, and said the review of recorded video could be equally as impaired.
Meaney said the advantage of video analytics for monitoring live video is in being able to automatically draw the operator’s attention to relevant events, while for recorded video it can automate the analysis of the footage, extracting only events or incidents of interest.
But, he said, the analytics industry had been damaged by the performance of the earliest systems to hit the market. These were oversold, and failed to deliver on exaggerated claims, Meaney said. He said he had seen one major control room where staff routinely switched off the analytics system due to the constant alarms it triggered.
“The technology is still being oversold,” Meaney said. “The customer has got to be absolutely clear about what they want, and not take things at face value.” He said the technology is till being oversold, and that customers need to be educated about “the art of the possible”.
For instance, he said: “To make it work to its ideal level you do really need real-time video.” He said that for the first time, “scene depth” can be considered when using real-time, high definition video.
Changing conditions
Meaney went into the differences between simple motion detection – which is still sometimes described as ‘analytics’ or ‘intelligent video’ – and the more discriminatory video analytics.
To cope with changing environmental conditions, he said you need a video analytics system with adaptive algorithms specifically designed to take these factors into account.
He said there were a number of factors to be considered when implementing a system: Does it do what you need it do? Is it configured for the application and environment?
Training criticism
He also had some criticism for the levels of education and training being provided to operators, both from suppliers and the end-user management.
“It staggers me,” he said. “Usually the operator training is pretty lamentable in terms of operators understanding and knowing what they’re working with.”
Meaney also stressed the cost benefits of using video analytics systems.
“In the current economic environment, technology is perceived to be adding real value into the mix,” he said. “For the first time we can talk about security in terms of a return on investment, and not a grudge purchase.”
This was able to be demonstrated through time savings in reviewing footage and in following up incidents.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
ioimage video analytics secures shipments moving through DHL major European hubs
DHL Express is the leading global provider of international road, air and rail-based courier and express services. In a project spanning the past three years, the company has been upgrading its security systems in Europe in order to enhance the security of its facilities and comply with EU regulations.
A key component in the upgrade is the incorporation of video analytics, serving to detect intruders and perimeter breaches, protect against theft and identify suspicious activity around the aircraft and in the facilities. These applications are crucial to secure DHL’s ground operation and airport sorting hubs, where thousands of packages are delivered every hour. Furthermore, once the cargo has been screened, EU security regulations stipulate it must be constantly monitored until take-off.
All of the sites presented unique security challenges with regards to size and structural and operational complexity. For example, the new aviation hub at Leipzig/Halle Airport, DHL’s main distribution hub measuring 48,000 sqm, entails surveillance of up to 1,500 tons of freight and up to 60 aircraft daily.
ioimage's video analytics solution has been implemented at several DHL Express sites throughout Europe, including Heathrow Airport in the UK and Leipzig Airport in Germany, as well as ground hubs, terminals and other facilities in Bonn, Germany, Genk, Belgium, and Budapest, Hungary. DHL locations in Spain and Italy are also currently being equipped with ioimage intelligent video while similar projects are in the pipeline in a number of other European countries.
Pinpointing only relevant incidents out of thousands of activities monitored by immense CCTV array, ioimage's video analytics enables DHL to conduct practical and effective surveillance.
After rigorously testing head to head several analytics vendors and sensor products, DHL selected ioimage intelligent video to monitor these critical sites. ioimage’s solution proved to be the most effective and the most efficient in dealing with environmental challenges and overcoming the problem of multiple false alarms, significantly reducing the number of human guards required to perform security tasks. ioimage’s intelligent video appliances were also able to seamlessly integrate with existing DHL security system components.
DHL European security management works closely with ioimage in developing security solutions, expressed with uncompromising support from ioimage in finding pragmatic and cost effective solutions in demanding field conditions.
“ioimage is pleased to have been selected to help secure the shipments moving through some of DHL’s major European hubs,” said Zeev Farkash, ioimage VP Sales & Customer Services. “Our video analytics solutions are proving to deliver the highest measurable Return on Investment for complex installations such as these.”
Thursday, October 30, 2008
ioimage Intelligent Video Appliances Protect $104.5 Million School Construction Site
Systems integrator HowTec Video Security Systems of Vista, California, incorporated ioimage’s video appliances into a Mobile Surveillance Trailer equipped with a DVR, Pelco Spectra IV camera system, cellular router, back-up battery and GPS system. With the addition of video analytics from ioimage, the unit provides around-the-clock intelligent video surveillance of the entire construction site with proactive video alerts monitored by a remote video monitoring station.
The system was purchased by Barnhart Inc., the fourth largest educational builder in the nation, when combined with their parent company, Heery International. Barnhart is the contractor for PUSD’s new high school in Northern San Diego County.
“I wanted to look at a different means of monitoring my site,” said Mike Derouin, Senior Project Manager for Barnhart. “We found that the security guards we used in the past were not effective because they were not always alert.”
Three Mobile Surveillance Trailers monitor the 64-acre site. Together, they are expected to save the construction company $100,000 in security guard expenses and will be deployed at other construction sites once this project is completed in the spring of 2009. The third unit, delivered in July, was upgraded with ioimage’s video analytics, replacing a sensor-based technology that caused a large number of false alarms.
Greg Howard, owner of HowTec Video Security Systems, decided to incorporate ioimage intelligent video appliances into the Mobile Surveillance Trailer because he recognized the advantages ioimage’s technology provided to his customer. “We are always looking for ways to improve our products and want an edge over our competitors with the technology we offer and at the right price,” said Howard. “We achieved all of these objectives by upgrading our Mobile Surveillance Trailers with video analytics from ioimage.”
“ioimage video analytics appliances are a viable alternative to sensor-based surveillance technology, providing a reliable and cost-effective security solution,” said John Whiteman, Vice President & General Manager of ioimage North America. “We’re excited to be part of the Poway Unified School District construction project and are looking forward to future collaboration with HowTec.”
About ioimage
ioimage, the pioneer of intelligent video appliances, provides high-performance video encoders and cameras with built-in self sustained video analytics, designed and packaged for simplicity. ioimage offers a new approach to video security by transforming surveillance into a proactive, event-driven process. Founded in 2000, ioimage uses edge and centralized DSP-based devices for real-time detection, alert and tracking of intruders, vehicles and other threats, leading to enhanced safety and security for government, public and commercial organizations. Recognized as the world’s market leader for intelligent cameras and encoders since 2005 with over 37 percent of the market, ioimage operates in 35 countries through a network of more than 100 partners. For further information, visit www.ioimage.com.
To receive regular updates on ioimage, sign up for the ioimage newsletter at http://www.ioimage.com/newsletter.html
About HowTec Video Security Systems
HowTec Video Security Systems is a systems integrator that serves the Southern California market. Founded in 2001 and based in Vista, Calif., HowTec Video Security Systems specializes in providing surveillance solutions to the construction, government and education markets. The company's motto is "We offer the best value for the money." For more information on HowTec Video Security Systems, visit www.howtec.net.
For international media inquiries:
fiona@ioimage.com
For US media inquiries:
Chelsie Woods
ioimage Public Relations
Tel: +1-207-510-0029
cwoods@eclipsemediagroup.net
Monday, October 20, 2008
Milestone Selects Cernium as Solutions Partner of the Year 2008
Reston, VA – October 14, 2008 – Cernium Corporation, the leading developer of video analytics-enabled products, has been selected Milestone Solutions Partner of the Year 2008. The Milestone Partner Awards are presented each year to distinguished leaders in IP video, and Cernium is recognized for its seamless integration of Perceptrak advanced video analytics software with Milestone’s video management platform.
"We are honored to be recognized by Milestone,” said Melissa Blake, Perceptrak Product Manager. “The complete solution brings exceptional value to IP video surveillance installations, and we are excited to continue extending this award-winning solution to partners and end users alike."
“Cernium has distinguished itself as a Milestone Partner of the Year 2008 because the company has fully embraced our Milestone Solutions Partner concept by performing a tight integration using the Milestone Software Development Kit (SDK) and its Application Program Interfaces (APIs) with the Perceptrak application. Such cohesive solutions based on the true open platform for best-of-breed IP video add real value in our eco-system and the surveillance market worldwide,” said Martin Kaufmann, MSP Program Manager for Milestone Systems.
Perceptrak by Cernium is an open standards software add-in to the Milestone IP video management platform that offers powerful analytics capabilities to help achieve safety and security objectives. Perceptrak analyzes video in real time and adds meta data about the content so administrators and operators can apply an information-based decision making approach to better manage, distribute, monitor, store and query video.
The integrated solution is simple to use and operates on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware to provide maximum design flexibility. Perceptrak also easily scales with Milestone XProtect Enterprise to accommodate system growth and changing security requirements. For more information, please visit http://www.cernium.com/.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Milestone Integration Platform Symposium Sharpens Focus On IP video surveillance leader
Milestone Systems held its bi-annual 'MIPS' event last week: the Milestone Integration Platform Symposium. Several hundred international security industry professionals gathered to learn the latest in digital surveillance solutions, and one of the first presentations from IMS Research announced that Milestone is the number one 'software only' supplier of IP video management software, according to their 2008 report due out soon.
Twice a year the Milestone Integration Platform Symposium (MIPS) gathers the IP elite to hear industry speakers, interact in workshops, participate in training and certifications, see exhibitions from manufacturers and solution partners, and network with some of the most successful IP video systems integrators, resellers, distributors and hardware producers. These conferences have become important focal points for the ever-growing Milestone eco-system to ramp up expertise, share knowledge, brainstorm for new innovations, and learn about the latest solutions in IP video technology.
Almost 300 people attended the conference held in Copenhagen over several days, including training sessions for many systems integration partners. Thirty countries were represented. Exhibitors included such Milestone alliance hardware and solution partners as ACTi, Agent VI, Axis, Cernium, CNL, IQinVision, JVC, Keeneo, Mate, Mobotix, OPAX, Panasonic, Samsung Electronics, Sanyo, Sony, Technology Associates, UDP Technology, Via:sys, and Vidient.
IP video surveillance market trends and forecasts James McManus from IMS Research revealed advance highlights from their upcoming 2007 market analysis of the video surveillance industry, including the announcement that Milestone proved to be number one for open platform IP video management in the 'software only' category worldwide (for vendors of pure IP video software solutions independent of hardware). Other market analyses were presented by Thomas Kalling, PhD at Lund University, and Jeff Kessler, Managing Director of Imperial Capital.
John Honovich, consultant and founder of the internet site www.ipvideomarket.info gave his insights on video analytics and how open platform IP video is the way to win. Keven Marier, founder of IPVS, described the importance of training to move the convergence of IP forward in the security industry through greater education and expertise.
Martin Gren, Co-Founder of Axis Communications, discussed the future of network cameras with new compression standards, de-centralized storage, analytics at the edge, and the Open Network Video Interface Forum (OnVIF) for global industry hardware standards - an initiative spearheaded by Axis, Bosch and Sony that can help expand the IP surveillance market.
Arnaud Ganaye, Head of the NeXt Surveillance project at Orange Technocenter (a division of France Telecom) proposed hosted video surveillance solutions through telecommunications providers as a new business opportunity.
Customer presentations illustrate IP technology in practice James Milton, Founder of Milton Technologies, detailed the use of thermal imaging and analytics to manage challenges in metals recycling, and Sherman Hall from the Atherton, California, police showed how Milestone IP video improves community safety and response to alerts. The University of East Anglia in the UK also illustrated how large and complex campus environments benefit from Milestone IP video surveillance software.
Milestone Partner Awards distinguish leaders in IP video Milestone Partner of the Year 2008 awards were given out with much fanfare. For outstanding distribution, project sales and system integrator installations, these partners were honored: CAMSECURE of South Africa, Com-Scan of Norway, Digitalcom Limited of Thailand, Elmat SPA of Italy, Infosec Communications of Dubai, John Lay Electronics of Switzerland, RUSLAN Communications of Russia, Secured by Web of the Netherlands, SmartGuard of Denmark, SMTechnology of the UK, and Solytron of Bulgaria.
Milestone Manufacturer Alliance Partner of the Year 2008 was announced to be JVC Professional, whose close collaboration covers both support of their network cameras and JVC VR-N1600U Network Video Recorders embedded with Milestone XProtect video management software.
The Milestone Solution Partner of the Year 2008 is Cernium, a Frost & Sullivan 'Emerging Company of the Year in Video Surveillance' for intelligent analytics. Their Perceptrak(r) solutions for incident detection and greater operational flexibility lower the cost and add value to integrated Milestone IP video management implementations.
The next Milestone Integration Platform Symposium will be held the second week in February 2009 at the Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada.
About Milestone: Milestone Systems is a global thought leader and developer of open platform IP video management software. The XProtect(tm) platform is easy to use, robust and proven in more than 35,000 customer installations around the world. With support for the industry's widest choice in network hardware and seamless integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-of-breed solutions to "video enable" businesses, organizations and institutions - reducing costs, optimizing processes, and protecting assets. Milestone software is sold through authorized partners in 90 countries.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Full-Featured Video Analytics Platform Available in Smart Camera Format
The AIT100 is based on the Texas Instruments TMS320DM642 720mHz DSP with a full complement of resources -- 256M SDRAM, 32M flash, 10/100 Ethernet, RS232/485, analog video out, audio in/out, and general purpose I/O and IEEE 802.3af compliant Power over Ethernet. Image acquisition is either built-in megapixel sensors or external NTSC/PAL video.
To speed development of VAE applications, the AIT100 is available with an SDK that includes an IP Camera demo application with a Windows client, a complete Board Support Package (BSP), and a JPEG encoder. The IP Camera demo application is DSP/BIOS(TM) based and requires Texas Instruments' Code Composer Studio(TM) and a compatible emulator. The windows client application is a Microsoft .Net(TM) application and will require Microsoft Visual Studio(TM) if any modifications are required. Image processing algorithms written in C have proven to be readily ported to the platform.
"Video Analytics on the Edge (in the camera) offers a variety of advantages: full frame rate raw video is available to the image processing algorithm; information sparse video need not tie up the network bandwidth -- only video of interest need be transmitted. Additionally, system expansion and management is much simplified -- each camera comes with its own resources. Not only is the camera smaller, less complex and much more power-efficient than a conventional PC-based system, the VAE system enables high response rate/low latency solutions simply not possible in a networked environment," said Richard P. McClellan, CEO of Apollo Imaging Technologies.
Subset configurations or custom designs are available, based on quantity.
About Apollo Imaging Technologies, Inc.:
Apollo Imaging Technologies was founded in 2002 by a group of veterans in DSP video processing applications. Apollo Imaging Technologies provides products and design services for security, biometric and industrial vision applications requiring video processing in the camera. For more information, see http://www.apollo-image.com/
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
ACIC and its partner Comtec System have won two major projects
ACIC will apply its MvActivityDetection solution for Intrusion Detection.
The second project is based on a brand new technology developed by ACIC for coastal surveillance (more than 10km). This combines MvActivityDetection and sweeping thermal cameras acting like RADAR and is called MvPanoramaDetection. This project is conducted in collaboration with Videotec, the European Leader in Camera Housing, PTZ Head and Accessories.
http://www.acic.eu
Thursday, October 09, 2008
MATE Intelligent Video Announced Milestone Solution Partnership
Copenhagen, Denmark and Yehud, Israel, 30 September 2008 - MATE Intelligent Video, the technology leader in video analytics and intelligent video surveillance systems, and Milestone Systems, a global developer of open platform IP video management software, announced today a partnership agreement to deliver a comprehensive security solution.MATE’s advanced security solutions, Behavior WatchTM analytic video server and TriggerTM analytic video encoder, are now integrated with Milestone XProtectTM IP Video Management software to provide end users with a seamless solution for real-time proactive surveillance.
"The integration of a leading management system such as Milestone XProtect with MATE’s advanced video analytics not only enhances both parties offerings and opens new channels, but also provides the market with a greatly enhanced security surveillance solution that will benefit the end-user,” said Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dr. Uri Engelhard, President & CEO for MATE.
MATE’s advanced solutions for behavior detection leverage powerful video analysis algorithms that transform any analog or IP surveillance camera into an intelligent detection sensor: Trigger is a compact, low-power intelligent video detection encoder providing video stream with detection overlay for one, two or four video inputs analyzed concurrently. Behavior Watch is a hybrid video analysis server-based system that can analyze up to eight video feeds, including advanced human/object classification, and Scene Switch for tracking up to four different scenes from a single video feed.
The Milestone XProtect platform is a robust IP video management solution designed for any size enterprise. It optimizes bandwidth usage and scales to handle any number of cameras. Reliable and easy to use, XProtect allows operators to centrally, locally or remotely view live or recorded video to manage thousands of surveillance cameras from multiple locations simultaneously.
“Both Milestone and MATE are designed with open platforms that allow integration of their capabilities, and our partnership is very fruitful, clearly demonstrating the potential of open platforms in this industry. By using the Milestone SDK, MATE has integrated several analytics solutions into the Milestone XProtect IP video management software in record time.” said Martin Kaufmann, MSP Program Manager at Milestone. “Incorporating MATE’s value-adding video analytics into the Milestone XProtect Analytics Framework provides customers with a powerful yet easy-to-manage system.”
About MATEMATE
Intelligent Video is a global provider of cutting-edge, real time video analytics solutions for proactive video and IP surveillance, people and car counting, and tailgating detection. MATE’s advanced video content analysis technology detects and analyzes potential threats and hazards, generating real-time alerts based on user’s pre-defined parameters.
Founded in 1997, MATE has gained extensive experience in the video analytics field, and has positioned itself as a market leader. Leveraging an open architecture, MATE’s flexible and field-proven solutions integrate easily into any network topology, and are sold, installed and supported by top tier systems integrators and distributors worldwide. www.mate.co.ilPress Contact:Lizy GedalyahuMarketing Communications Managerlizy@mate.co.il
About Milestone
Milestone Systems is a global thought leader and developer of open platform IP video management software. The XProtect™ platform is easy to use, robust and proven in more than 35,000 customer installations around the world. With support for the industry’s widest choice in network hardware and seamless integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-of-breed solutions to “video enable” businesses, organizations and institutions - reducing costs, optimizing processes, and protecting assets. Milestone software is sold through authorized partners in 90 countries.
Press Contact:
Courtney Dillon Pedersen
Media & Communications Manager
+45 88 300 330
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Shenzhen Metro to Secure New Subway Lines with Intelligent Video Solution from ObjectVideo and TeraMage
The Shenzhen Metro is the underground railway in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. TeraMage will provide its EagleMage intelligent video surveillance solution to help secure two of Shenzhen Metro’s future lines, the Line 1 Airport Extension and Line 2, which are currently under construction. When completed, these two new lines will add 26 subway stations to the Shenzhen Metro system.
“Maintaining the safety and security of public transportation systems in cities is a worldwide imperative. For railway security teams who need to constantly monitor miles of rail system, intelligent video has proven to be an effective tool,” said Wang Weilei, president, TeraMage. “We worked very closely with Shenzhen Metro officials to design and deploy a system that extends the reach of human surveillance, significantly increasing the safety of the people of Shenzhen.”
EagleMage will help ensure passenger safety and security by leveraging ObjectVideo’s video analytics technology to immediately and automatically alert security personnel when suspicious behaviors are detected on any station platform. For instance, EagleMage can automatically alert security personnel if a relevant event takes place on a subway platform or anywhere within a camera’s view.
“As the exclusive partner of ObjectVideo in the Asia Pacific region, we are delighted to be collaborating with TeraMage to help Shenzhen Metro meet their high security objectives,” said Barry Lin, managing director, WPG International (SA). “We have significant experience working with OEMs like TeraMage and are committed to working with our partners to deliver intelligent video analytics technology that makes video surveillance devices smarter.”
Designed as an embedded video content analysis solution, ObjectVideo OnBoard intelligently discerns objects of interest; distinguishes between humans, vehicles, and other objects; continuously tracks positions for all moving and stationary targets; and recognizes if objects have been removed or left behind at designated site; among other potentially threatening behaviors. When significant changes are detected in the video, ObjectVideo OnBoard immediately logs the event and issues an alert—complete with still images or full-motion video—over the IP network to security personnel.
EagleMage™ is an ObjectVideo OnBoard-powered intelligent video surveillance solution designed in the small form factor of a stand-alone box supporting both IP and dry contact alarms. Its small size makes it an ideal solution for the confined infrastructure of subway tunnels and underground passenger platforms. EagleMage’s loop-through video connection and rack-mountable capabilities provide flexibility and easy configuration during on-site deployment. A fully featured software development kit (SDK) is also offered for quick system integration.
About ObjectVideo, Inc.
With more than 800,000 channels of video analytics sold worldwide, ObjectVideo® is the leading provider of intelligent video software. The company’s innovative products convert video to data in real-time through the detection, classification and tracking of activities. With this technology, end users are now able to obtain vision-based business intelligence, improve surveillance effectiveness, manage building systems more accurately and reduce loss in retail environments. ObjectVideo intelligent analytics are available to the market through original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that embed ObjectVideo® OnBoard® digital signal processor-based technology into a variety of devices throughout the entire video ecosystem. ObjectVideo’s network includes more than 50 manufacturing and technology partners. The company holds more than 55 patents and patents pending in the field of computer vision. For more information, please visit www.objectvideo.com.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Video analytics captures lake monster
The analytics software captured the presence of the legendary Great Lake Monster in Lake Storsjon.
It automatically alerted a film crew who had set up as a “monster tracking operation” searching for the creature that has been a Swedish legend for 400 years.
Now images of a snake-like creature have been broadcast on Swedish TV.
The analytics software was supplied by Aimetis Corp, based in Canada, who described the project as “not your typical application”.
The “monster tracking” crew have been using underwater and surface cameras from Acti, IQeye, Flir and VGA.
Equipped with Aimetis Symphony management and analytics software, the cameras have been on constant watch for the monster "Storsjoodjuret", first documented in 1635.
"with a cat-like head..."There have been 200 recorded sightings since then with some describing it as a “black, serpent like creature with a cat-like head” and up to 14 meters in length.
The “monster trackers” are made up of the Local Municipality of Bergs Community and the Company Association in Svenstavik.
Because monitoring a constant stream of video was too daunting a task, the Aimetis Symphony software was installed on underwater VGA cameras and a surface level Flir thermal imaging camera designed to capture the monster in all weathers and total darkness.
Aimetis said that their software was selected because it “was proven to have the lowest rate of false alarms, particularly in outdoor environments”. It could also be deployed on a range of different manufacturers’ cameras and had been successfully used locally by a supermarket operator who was part of the business association.
The equipment was installed with the help of UTS a Swedish system integrator.
See a Swedish TV broadcast of the sightings. (Be prepared to sit through a brief advertisement, though!)
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Milestone Aggregates Video Analytics Tools in Single Interface
COPENHAGEN – 1 September 2008. Milestone Systems, a leader in true open platform IP video management software, announces its Video Analytics Framework – XProtect™ Analytics 2.0. Part of the Milestone open platform solution, XProtect Analytics seamlessly integrates video analytics tools from different manufacturers under a single, easy-to-manage interface. This gives a powerful, future-proof framework for implementing and managing different video analytics applications that addresses some of the key industry issues such as the end user’s need to easily correlate alerts between various analytics tools. Using the Milestone correlation tools, they can rapidly search across alerts and events to easily find relevant video evidence about security incidents from multiple sources.
“Within the next three to five years video analytics will be as prevalent in video surveillance solutions as motion detection is today,” says Eric Fullerton, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer of Milestone Systems. “Enabling users to easily integrate intelligent video analytics from different manufacturers, both at the edge and at the server, helps decrease false alerts, reduces operating costs and makes the system much easier to operate.”
With the Milestone’s Video Analytics Framework, organizations have easy access to critical information they need to make proactive decisions and take preventive measures to mitigate the consequences of a security incident. A combination of advanced analytic tools and optimized IP-based video technology based on the Milestone open platform, XProtect Analytics Framework enables video analytics at the edge (on camera) and at the server, minimizing processing power and adding value to archived video.
With XProtect Analytics users can correlate events from generic tools such as license plate recognition, facial recognition and traditional real-time access control with alerts from video content analysis tools, such as object detection, etc. Users can build strong, accurate evidence by cross-matching events in real-time and from archived video. Integrating video analytics with open platform video management systems gives a flexible choice of hardware and software that greatly expands the potential for video analytics and increases the value of archived video.
A true open platform solution, such as the Milestone Video Analytics 2.0 Framework, simplifies system operation by integrating a wide variety of video analytics products under one easy-to-manage user interface. This gives a powerful surveillance solution with a flexible IP video management system and a central console for operating, collecting and correlating events from multiple sources.
Milestone has already implemented a variety of solutions with key customers resulting in significant efficiencies. The XProtect Analytics 2.0 framework is based on successful and proven development projects at customer sites, and will be commercially available in Q4 2008.
Register and download the Milestone Video Analytics White Paper
ABOUT MILESTONE
Milestone Systems is a global developer of open platform IP video management software. XProtect™ gives users a powerful surveillance solution that is easy to manage, reliable and proven in more than 35,000 customer installations. With support for the industry’s widest choice in network hardware and integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-of-breed solutions to “video enable” organizations - reducing costs, optimizing processes, protecting people and assets. Milestone software is sold through authorized partners in 90+ countries.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
ioimage Named Again as Worldwide Market Leader for Intelligent Video Devices
HERZLIYA, Israel, September 2 -- ioimage, the pioneer of intelligent video appliances designed for simplicity, has been recognized by IMS Research for the second time running as the world's leading supplier of intelligent video surveillance devices. According to an IMS report published in June, 2008, ioimage holds a share of 37.7 percent of the global market for intelligent cameras and encoders with mid/high end VCA (Video Content Analysis), and 16 percent of the overall intelligent video devices market, which also includes DVRs and traffic appliances.
IMS Research is a leading independent supplier of market research to the electronics industry. Entitled The World Market for Video Content Analysis 2008, the report provides a comprehensive breakdown of the video content analysis market including statistical data by supplier, product type and geographic region up to 2012.
The report reveals that the market for video surveillance devices with mid/high end video analytics which includes person detection, vehicle detection, perimeter intrusion detection, asset protection, object detection, behavior recognition, people counting, etc, is growing rapidly and is estimated to reach approximately $1 billion in 2012, with intelligent video cameras being one of the fastest growing segments.
The report identified over 80 companies active in the video analytics market during 2007, and video encoders as the most successful analytics platform so far. "ioimage was one of the first companies to market with intelligent video surveillance devices and has retained its leadership position, with a commanding share of the market in 2007," said Simon Harris, Senior Research Director at IMS Research. "ioimage has been instrumental in the market's expansion, with its strategy of developing solutions with mass market appeal. The video surveillance market is in the early stages of transitioning from stand-alone analog CCTV systems to fully networked systems with video analytics, and ioimage is well positioned to capitalize on this trend."
"The key for success is enabling small and mid-sized organizations gain access to intelligent video by offering them systems that are flexible, cost effective and simple to install and maintain, using field-proven and time-tested analytics," said Roni Kass, CEO and Founder of ioimage. "By broadening the reach of video analytics in sectors such as industrial and manufacturing facilities, logistics and education, ioimage has consistently been recognized as the pioneer and leader of this transformation."
For international media inquiries: Fiona Ungar, Marketing Communications Manager, Tel: +972-9-954-6003, fiona@ioimage.com; For US media inquiries: Chelsie Woods, ioimage Public Relations, Tel: +1-207-510-0029, cwoods@eclipsemediagroup.net,
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
University of Leeds deploys Verint's IP video system
The University of Leeds has deployed Verint Systems' Nextiva Enterprise IP video system to ensure the safety of its students and staff, and property on the premises of the university and its remote locations including a computer cluster at Leeds General Infirmary.
The Nextiva portfolio includes video management software, integrated analytics, encoders and IP cameras and intelligent DVRs. Verint has deployed the Nextiva system across the university's four virtual Local Area Networks (LANs), in collaboration with its partner Quadrant Security Group.
David Parcell, managing director for EMEA at Verint Systems, said: "We are excited to add Leeds University to our growing list of higher education customers. Our Nextiva Enterprise solution is well-equipped to secure widely distributed facilities that make up a campus environment, providing the actionable intelligence security personnel required for proactive threat prevention."
As well as enabling Leeds to control crime on the premises and its associated locations in West Yorkshire, Nextiva updates health and safety staff with information required to respond to potential problems.
Simon Mulholland, a project manager in the network team at the University of Leeds, said: "The Verint solution is proving successful and already delivering results across our departments. By alerting us to any difficulties, Nextiva will help our teams prevent any incidents and improve our response time.
University of Leeds deploys Verint's IP video system
The University of Leeds has deployed Verint Systems' Nextiva Enterprise IP video system to ensure the safety of its students and staff, and property on the premises of the university and its remote locations including a computer cluster at Leeds General Infirmary.
The Nextiva portfolio includes video management software, integrated analytics, encoders and IP cameras and intelligent DVRs. Verint has deployed the Nextiva system across the university's four virtual Local Area Networks (LANs), in collaboration with its partner Quadrant Security Group.
David Parcell, managing director for EMEA at Verint Systems, said: "We are excited to add Leeds University to our growing list of higher education customers. Our Nextiva Enterprise solution is well-equipped to secure widely distributed facilities that make up a campus environment, providing the actionable intelligence security personnel required for proactive threat prevention."
As well as enabling Leeds to control crime on the premises and its associated locations in West Yorkshire, Nextiva updates health and safety staff with information required to respond to potential problems.
Simon Mulholland, a project manager in the network team at the University of Leeds, said: "The Verint solution is proving successful and already delivering results across our departments. By alerting us to any difficulties, Nextiva will help our teams prevent any incidents and improve our response time.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Watch This Space: Video Surveillance Software Revenue to Grow Fourfold by 2013
Video surveillance systems have existed for many years, but until recently, extracting useful information from them was labor-intensive, time-consuming and tedious, according to ABI research. Now, however, the quickening transition from analog to digital video has made it possible to use software for detection and analysis. This can free humans from the drudgery while improving accuracy and creating opportunities to use video in ways never before possible.
"Analytics software has become increasingly sophisticated and more accurate," says ABI Research vice president and research director Stan Schatt. "It is beginning to be used for such tasks as identifying customer buying behavior, identifying criminal behavior before crimes take place, identifying objects left unattended in public venues, and much more."
A new study from the firm forecasts a nearly fourfold increase in revenue from video surveillance software between now and the end of 2013, rising from about $245 million to more than $900 million.In fact, surveillance software has a myriad uses. The homeland security applications are self-evident, but it is also starting to be used in marketing, to identify customer's "eyeball connections" with products and analyze their retail behavior. In a retail environment it can also analyze customer traffic patterns, helping to improve store layouts. ABI Research expects the retail market segment to grow exponentially. Casinos are also using it to keep staff from restricted areas.
Software can also be used in ATMs and in banks, to identify known criminals before they commit a crime (shades of the film Minority Report).
There are many small software companies in this market, and some big ones such as IBM, which has released software that is largely platform-agnostic, increasing pressure for others to follow suit. And while most systems today are sold to end-users, says Schatt, "IBM Global Services sees potential in a managed service model, and it would not be surprising to see HP jump in as well, particularly following its EDS acquisition."
"Video Surveillance Systems" provides global sizing and forecasting for the key components of this market: digital and analog cameras, storage devices, software, infrastructure equipment, video surveillance chips, and professional services. It also sizes and forecasts the key vertical markets, and includes profiles of key vendors.
It forms part of the ABI Research's Wi-Fi Research Service.
ABI Research is a leading market research firm focused on the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets. Utilizing a unique blend of market intelligence, primary research, and expert assessment from its worldwide team of industry analysts,
ABI Research assists hundreds of clients each year with their strategic growth initiatives. For information, visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.
