Sadly, for some enterprise level projects the reality of bringing together such a high number of disparate elements to deliver the wished for surveillance capability can prove to be extremely problematic, with the end result falling far short of what was initially hoped for. Typically, the disconnect between the initial specification and the ultimate performance delivered can be attributed to having to deal with multiple suppliers of disparate systems which not only raises issues in terms of the time needed to communicate the project's requirements but also the interoperability of the elements once deployed. This is something which is now being addressed in the marketplace with the potential for consultants, integrators and end users to turn to single source vendors whose solutions are interoperable at a core technology level to satisfy their requirements.
So the message has to be that as long as sufficient care is taken over selecting a provider, when correctly specified, integrated, and installed there are tremendous security and safety benefits to be realised from integrated surveillance.
Protecting Transport Infrastructure
A good demonstration of the expanding potential of CCTV solutions is in the transportation sector where, in the case of a transit authority seeking to upgrade their surveillance infrastructure, they could readily turn to CCTV-based Video Smoke Detection to provide an early warning of smoke and flame across multiple road and rail tunnels. Alongside, this as part of an integrated solution, they could look to adopt the latest ruggedised mobile CCTV solutions for bus security, with automatic wireless downloading of footage, and an accelerometer to measure the braking forces on a vehicle - this has proven especially useful to stop fraudulent insurance claims and to monitor vehicle/driver performance as a management tool.
The real scope of the latest intelligent solutions is also underlined by the potential to protect extensive transportation infrastructure such as railway tracks, from criminal activity and terrorist attack. Here, where physical security is impossible, or impractical, using analytics capable CCTV systems it would be perfectly possible to enable a virtual detection tripwire to provide proactive surveillance. For ease of operation, it is important to stress that mobile and static surveillance systems should be fully interoperable so they can be readily viewed and controlled using a common interface.
At a broader level there may even be the potential to set-up an emergency messaging and mass notification system to support enhanced situational awareness and a two-way communication capability with specified assets, should a major incident occur. This would be able to take advantage of the inherent ability of some CCTV systems to support a local display output and communicate over an IP network.
Surveillance at a Higher Level
Another type of application, which is ideally suited to integrated surveillance, are high rise developments whether for commercial, residential or mixed use. These impressive structures, by their very nature, create significant challenges for those tasked with overseeing their safety and security. It is therefore not surprising that security and facilities managers are turning to ever more sophisticated integrated surveillance technologies to keep a watchful eye on these large scale developments where the floor space alone can run into the tens of thousands of square metres.
The visual impact of such buildings, both externally and internally, is an important consideration for attracting tenants so it is perhaps not surprising that the aesthetically pleasing dome and mini-dome cameras tend to be used in multi-storey buildings as the public face of surveillance. In the case of high net worth residents, they will want to be reassured that their security is being taken care of but in a way that is unobtrusive and dome cameras readily fit the bill.
Taking Control
Of course with hundreds of cameras being deployed in developments which may soar over 50 storeys in height it is critical that such cameras can be effectively monitored and controlled. This is where advances in graphical user interfaces can make a major difference. Today, operators in the local - or remote - control room, tasked with overseeing the surveillance, should, ideally, have access to camera selection maps. Such maps allow the user to readily point and click, using a mouse, on specific cameras to call up their point of view and move a camera to cover an area of interest. The advantage here is that it allows suspicious activity to be readily tracked by multiple cameras and addresses perennial issues such as 'network latency' which can be a problem with more conventional joystick control.
Undoubtedly, when it comes to CCTV, there is a growing interest in HD (High Definition) and multi-storey developments are no exception. High resolution image capture can be especially useful in public areas such as a foyer where a wide area can be covered by a single camera, or to provide greater detail of a specific part of a building such as the plant/boiler room. When specifying wide-angled or fisheye lens HD type solutions it is important to be aware of offerings that have the potential to automatically de-warp the images 'on the fly' so operators can realise the advantages of a wider field of view and optimised detail to identify a suspect, while, crucially, being able to see the scene in a normal aspect ratio.
Of course with HD CCTV, and the wider integrated surveillance infrastructure, managers want to be reassured that this is not going to place an unsustainable burden on the building's IT network. To counter such concerns, CCTV systems now implement measures where images can be recorded in high resolution at the edge of the network - close to the cameras - and then transcoded to a lower resolution for transmission to a control room or other monitoring point. The result is that the detail is available for evidential purposes without placing an undue strain on the network.
The Right Number
In the past for high rise developments ANPR may have been viewed merely as an expensive add-on and operated independently of the rest of a surveillance solution to control access to specific areas such as underground car parks. This is no longer the case, and increasingly this valuable access control measure is being embedded into cameras or DVRs where it can simply be activated by means of an unlock code or software upgrade and, as a result, seamlessly networked into the larger CCTV infrastructure as part of the overall monitoring capability.
Emergency Alert
A key consideration for skyscrapers which may be home to hundreds of residents 24/7, and in mix-use buildings that support an influx of office workers during the daytime, is how these individuals can be evacuated effectively should there be a security alert or other life threatening incident such as a major fire. Thankfully, there is now the potential, moving forward, to use the CCTV infrastructure to enhance existing evacuation measures by delivering an emergency messaging and mass notification capability similar to that which was highlighted earlier when discussing the transport sector. This could mean in practice that displays, supported by the installed CCTV systems, could be set-up using the appropriate software to provide, updateable, location specific messages warning of any specific danger and to highlight the best route to safety - so preventing people inadvertently heading in the wrong direction.
Beyond Security
Video analytics (or video content analysis) is also playing an invaluable role in prestige office developments. A case in point is CCTV-based video smoke detection which is ideally suited to detecting smoke in high ceiling atriums that can be prone to effects such as stratification. As video smoke detection uses sophisticated algorithms to identify patterns of smoke in a matter of seconds, offering an early warning of an incident, unlike a conventional detector that relies on smoke physically reaching it. Other examples of video analytics being employed, in these security conscious times, include 'object left' to deal with suspicious items left in public areas and 'object removed' to protect high value items - many prestigious developments may have artwork on public display.
Intelligent Integration
So to conclude, if adequate care is taken over the procurement process, in particular looking at providers who can provide a single-source solution, managers tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operation of enterprise video solutions - from high rise developments to large-scale transport infrastructures - should reap the benefits of this technology to support the smooth running of these environments and, crucially, the safety and security of the people inside.
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