Is analytics a must-have? The answer is ‘it depends’.
Much ado about very little is what many people say when it comes to video analytics. Vendors promise the world and deliver sort-of-working motion detection at best, or at least very good ideas that will dramatically change video surveillance at some time in the future.
Hi-Tech Security Solutions asked some people who should know, what is happening in the video analytics market? What real, working solutions are available and what pitfalls await the uninitiated?
Gert Byleveldt, business development consultant at SentronicsSD says, “I am of the opinion that the market as a whole has dug a grave for itself in promising results, but failing to deliver on many accounts, This said, there are also very many successful systems out there, implemented by competent professionals, showing tangible results.”
Does video analytics deliver?
Whether analytics delivers or not is a tough question to answer. Byleveldt says, “Sometimes.”
He continues that if a vendor understands the client’s requirements and is able to decide (in a responsible, realistic way) if a project is feasible, they will probably be able to implement a solution successfully. “Many successful cases exist and as human nature goes, the failed projects are probably the ones people get to hear about, not the successful ones.”
Brendon Cowley, business development director at C3 Shared Services, adds that installers need to understand the end user’s expectations before implementing video analytics. Many companies over promise and under deliver. “This type of technology takes specialised training and many years of experience in order for it to be deployed successfully. Many fly-by-night companies install video analytics and do not get the desired results, not necessarily because of the software, but because of the lack of expertise from installers.”
He says you cannot rely on the software to do all the work for you; it takes extensive training to understand the practical capabilities of the software, coupled with the correct installation. It is imperative to understand the application required and to have correct integration and positioning. “Of course, you also need a very reliable video analytics product, as some of the analytics products on the market have shortcomings.”
What works?
Byleveldt says analytics delivers in controlled environments (with good lighting, simple scenes, etc). “Outdoors, complex scenes and poor image resolutions are the biggest challenges for these types of systems. Add to the mix where manufacturers target easy scenes to keep adoption costs low and you can imagine why there is an apparent stall in the advancement of the technology.”
“Video analytics delivers exceptionally well when it comes to outdoor perimeter security applications where there is a marked difference between the various protection methods being used and a clear adequate field of view (FOV) for the camera, ie,: palisade fencing, brick walls, diamond mesh fencing etc, as the unwanted target can be clearly identified in these types of scenarios,” notes Cowley. “Where it does not work well, is in the exact opposite scenario where the FOV is very limited (narrow) and there is dense vegetation obstructing the view.”
Demand and value
End users are driving the video analytics concept, according to Byleveldt. He adds that there is a strong demand for it in fields not traditionally served by security markets, such as retail analytics. “Think of the benefits you can get from a marketing perspective using video analytics in a retail environment: How many people pass through my store? Are they adults or children? Which areas in my store are more popular? The possibilities are endless.”
“Any area that contains anything of value will be a high-risk site which will benefit from the use of video analytics as part of a perimeter security solution,” adds Cowley. “Also, any facility that has numerous monitors that control room operators have to watch will benefit from the automated ability of video analytics.”
Is the future bright?
With technology advancing rapidly, are we about to see some amazing analytic products appearing?
“Unfortunately the advancement of this technology is an incremental process,” says Byleveldt. “There is very little profound advancement that I am aware of, but the systems are gradually improving.”
Says Cowley, “C3 sees the use of video analytics taking a step backwards due to the negative reputation it is receiving. This is very unfortunate, because when implemented by trained professionals there is no substitute for the efficiency and accuracy of correctly installed video analytic solutions.”
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