Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having a drastic impact on the security industry. When it comes to physical security, AI is evolving rapidly to improve existing systems and devices. One of the most prominent areas of improvement that we are seeing is within video surveillance. AI spans a whole spectrum of uses, and is assisting video surveillance in areas of analysis, video analytics, facial recognition, operational efficiency, and event interpretation. In this blog, we’ll expand more on each of these areas to understand how AI is driving their advancement.
Analysis
Today, facilities utilize a large number of cameras, creating far too much recorded video for security operators to keep up with. AI can assist with this because it has the ability to analyze more video data than a human ever could. With modern AI technology, searching through recorded video also becomes much easier. If an incident were to occur at your facility, AI makes it easier to locate the footage using descriptors like the colour of a suspect’s clothing. Making investigations much easier than combing through hours of footage hoping to find what you’re looking for. The amount of information being provided to security personnel can be overwhelming, and as humans, they are prone to missing details. The addition of AI to video management allows security personnel to be proactive, as they will now be alerted to the most important data in real time, so they don’t miss anything in the moment.
Advanced Video Analytics
One of the first impacts that AI had in the realm of video surveillance was through its application to video analytics. The use of AI removed the need for algorithms to allow AI to capture and decipher data in real time. Traditionally, video analytics would alert security personnel that a person or object has crossed a barrier due to pixel based changes in the image. Now, AI and video analytics can identify a security risk through environmental behavioural changes and specific identifiers such as facial recognition.
Similarly, a camera technology using video analytics can identify an incoming car and reference a license plate in order to identify a potential risk.
This can also be useful at large events. AI and video analytics can review video footage as patrons approach the facility entrance and cross-reference facial recognition against a watch-list database. If a person of interest is discovered, an alert can be sent to security personnel who can then mitigate the situation.
Facial Recognition
Facial recognition is not a new technology to have available in today’s security cameras, however, AI is continuing to drive the development of identification and tracking. Facial recognition is advancing to a point where an operator can identify a person, and utilizing AI software, be able to know what that person was doing before and after an event. This can assist security personnel in identifying if a person had any accomplices, or capture a license plate number of an escape vehicle before they leave a site.
Additionally, an operator would be able to leverage facial recognition software to select a person in a section of footage, and have the system locate other footage of similar looking people.
Operational Efficiency
AI is also being used by companies to engage with customers and employees to improve operational efficiency. Security solutions that utilize video analytics or networked access control, can utilize that data to identify the behaviour patterns of employees and visitors to a building. Businesses can then take that data to increase efficiencies in how they operate. For example, access control information can be used to identify when rooms are not occupied so that energy usage can be reduced.
Anticipating Events
Looking ahead to the future, AI continues to push technology forward in an attempt to anticipate events before they happen. Currently, Carnegie Mellon University is developing technology that will review live video and identify suspicious behaviour based on body language. This potentially has the ability to spot would-be thieves just based on their physical behaviours.
Similarly, scientists in the UK and India are using AI and drones to identify violent behaviour in crowds. The technology is used to interpret “the poses of humans in the video and matches them to postures the researchers have designated as violent.”
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For 20 years, Bulldog Fire and Security has been an expert in Security Camera System installation, having installed a variety of systems across Southwestern, Ontario.
If you’re interested in learning more about security cameras and video surveillance, call us at 1 866 670 1590, email info@bulldogsecurity.ca, or fill out the contact form below.