Three practical monitoring applications of human-based video metadata

Issue 7 2021 Surveillance

Human-based video metadata, as its name suggests, are data derived from human targets in the monitored scene. It can be utilised based on user’s requirements to significantly enhance the management and operation of various application scenarios, while carefully maintaining people’s privacy at the same time.

To give you some insights into its practical usage, here are three conventional applications of human-based video metadata that you can adopt based on your own monitoring needs:

Search targets and generate statistics

One of the most common applications of human-based video metadata is for target searching after an event. Intelligent surveillance devices, such as the Dahua WizMind products, offer Quick Target Search function that can locate suspects in time using their physical attributes. Target attributes include beard, glasses, mask, hat, etc., which are continuously being developed and increased to meet the requirements of various application scenarios. Irrelevant targets in the captured images are also filtered out by the back-end devices (IVSS, NVR) or by the platform. It can capture up to 640 targets (with attributes) per second with an impressive detection rate of 98% [1].

In addition, another useful application of the human-based video metadata technology is for target statistics. WizMind counts, in real-time, the human targets in the monitored scene and filters them based on target category and direction. The directions include A>B, B>A, or A<>B. And it can also generate reports by year, month and day. It can capture up to 96 objects per frame, providing a detection rate of 98% and accuracy rate of 96% [2].

Detect PPE

Wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) is a must in any construction site. Depending on the scope of the project, monitoring proper wearing of PPEs in the site could be a tough challenge to implement.

The latest PPE detection technology of Dahua WizMind can detect wearing of commonly used PPEs in construction sites, including safety hats, protective vests, face masks and glasses. It can even detect the colour of the uniforms (top and bottom) of workers. When a violation has been detected, the site supervisor or manager can be notified via the DMSS mobile app. Similar to target searching and statistics functions, it also offers a detection rate of 98%, with accuracy rate of 96% [2].

Aid city road planning

Who would have thought that aside from vehicle-related data, statistics related to people on the street can also be useful in planning city roads? By collecting attributes of pedestrians, directions and time periods, local road planning departments can design better roads tailored for road users and commuters.

One good example is the Dahua solution developed for a local organisation in Ireland. Aside from motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles, metadata of pedestrians are also captured on main city roads and streets around plazas. These data are then securely transferred to an SFTP server for further data analysis. The data summary is relayed to the local transportation department to help them plan and manage streets more efficiently.

Key takeaways

Human-based video metadata can be effectively utilised to optimise the monitoring operation of various application scenarios. Metadata based on human targets can be used to search suspects after an event and to generate accurate statistics of the people in the monitored scene. Also, the structured data can be used to detect proper wearing of PPEs in a particular site and help local transportation departments in planning and maintaining city roads to benefit the general public.


[1] Based on the maximum performance of WizMind IVSS7000-16M

[2] Based on actual performance of WizMind IPC 7 series




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Protect More with SecuVue
Secutel Technologies Surveillance AI & Data Analytics
Whether you are responsible for electronic key management, securing safes and containers, transport operations or high-value equipment, every asset represents an investment that deserves intelligent protection.

Read more...
Synology unveils Surveillance365
Surveillance Products & Solutions
Synology has launched Surveillance365, a Video Surveillance as a Service solution that enables businesses to deploy enterprise-grade multi-site surveillance in minutes and scale without additional IT overhead.

Read more...
Amplifying the value of CCTV systems with AI
IoT & Automation Surveillance Entertainment and Hospitality (Industry) Retail (Industry) AI & Data Analytics
Smart AI platforms enable retail and hospitality organisations to turn their existing CCTV investments into proactive security systems and smart retail ecosystems that boost customer service and ROI.

Read more...
Dallmeier extends software maintenance up to 10 years
Dallmeier Electronic Southern Africa Surveillance News & Events
Dallmeier is expanding its software maintenance offering and now provides an additional maintenance package for cameras and recorders, enabling customers to keep their video security systems up to date for up to 10 years.

Read more...
ONVIF releases Profile V draft for cloud video without vendor lock-in
News & Events Surveillance
The cloud profile will give system integrators, consultants and end users a standards-based way to build and maintain cloud video systems using ONVIF-conformant products from different manufacturers.

Read more...
Video surveillance market faces faster growth, and 2026 price shock
Surveillance News & Events
Novaira Insights has released its 2026 edition of The World Market for Video Surveillance Hardware and Software, highlighting a stronger global growth profile in 2025, tentative improvements in China’s market outlook, and unprecedented price increases in 2026.

Read more...
A layered approach to safety in schools
Surveillance Integrated Solutions Education (Industry)
Physical security in schools and learning institutions is a hot topic in South Africa, with the Gauteng Department of Education recently announcing plans to use AI-powered cameras and biometric access to strengthen school safety.

Read more...
An intelligent pair of eyes
Axis Communications SA Surveillance
When it comes to physical security, organisations in the EMEA region continue to show strong demand for safety and security use cases, alongside increasing adoption of video systems for business intelligence and operational efficiency.

Read more...
Security that never sleeps
Secutel Technologies Surveillance
Retail environments face increasing pressure to protect stock, staff, and operational continuity, especially after hours when sites are most vulnerable. Traditional monitoring methods often rely on reactive measures. Virtual Guard changes this approach.

Read more...
AI-enabled NVR for Milestone XProtect
Surveillance Infrastructure Products & Solutions
As surveillance environments continue to grow in scale and complexity, organisations need infrastructure that is easy to deploy, simple to manage, and ready for AI-driven workloads.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.