Video Analytics

Analytics is the process of automatically analysing video, using statistical techniques to extract useful contextual information in order to provide notification of an incident to an operator. Upon receiving this automatic notification of an incident, action, such as generation of an alarm, can be taken.

There are multiple benefits from using live video analytics:

• Assists and improves existing security systems
• Monitors multiple cameras simultaneously
• Faster response times over operator-based systems
• Operates 24/7 and does not get tired like human operators

Analytics can be applied to many applications,
including:

• Perimeter security
• Incident counting
• Logging times of peak activity within a supermarket
• Collecting marketing information

Motion detection
Motion Detection finds general motion in both live and recorded video. This is hugely useful when searching for events in corridors, staircases, walkways, etc. A “no-motion” option lets you monitor things that should be moving and alert when motion stops, e.g. escalators and conveyor belts.

Virtual Trip Wire
Virtual Tripwires can be used to protect boundaries such as railway tracks, freeways and building perimeters. The operator is informed when a tripwire is crossed. Virtual Tripwires can be used to count how many people enter or leave buildings. A number Virtual Tripwires can be placed in the scene and combined with logic, e.g. alarm only if both Tripwires are crossed.

Theft Detection
Museum mode can be used to detect theft of static objects.  In this mode sensitivity is configurable and moving foreground objects are ignored. It can also be used when reviewing recorded footage, for example, of a warehouse or a stockroom.  It can quickly identify when a particular item was moved or removed from the scene.

Hooded Camera Detection
Hooded camera can be used to detect when a camera’s view has been obscured. Examples include the camera being covered by a bag and the lens being deliberately defocused or spray painted.

Shape-based Detection/Object Tracking
Shape-based detection/object tracking in analytics filters can be used in many applications. It can alert operators when a high-sided vehicle approaches a low bridge. It can be used to distinguish between animals and intruders approaching a fence. This feature can also be used to analyze recorded video footage.

Abandoned Object Detection
Used for alarm generation when an object has been left in a busy scene. As well as abandoned objects this feature can be used to detect illegal parking or vehicles staying too long in certain zones, etc. It can also be used to search recordings for events such as parking violations and blocked freeways.

Congestion Detection
Congestion Detection is used to alert a user in the event of a build-up of congestion in an area of interest (railway station platforms, public spaces, highway entry/exit slip roads, point-of sale queues, etc). It can also be used to provide statistics for staff planning and marketing purposes.

Counter Flow
Counter flow is available to alert a user to a person or vehicle moving in an unauthorized direction, e.g. a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on a carriageway or a person moving the wrong way through airport security. Counter flow analysis can help optimize crowd control in public areas, such as the underground or train stations.

With all these analytics applications, camera positioning, lens selection and lighting are absolutely critical. Just changing the camera position can easily improve the analytics performance by an order of magnitude. For example, in counter flow detection the algorithm has a far easier job if the camera is positioned pointing down so that it sees the area in 'plan view'. If it is looking from a perspective view - with human bodies occluding one another, the process of tracking people becomes much harder.

 

Analytics A-Z

		Live	Recorded
Abandoned Object detection		Used for alarm generation when an object has been left in a busy scene (such as a suitcase in an airport or railway station), this feature is a key component in the timely management of dangerous situations. This functionality can also be used to detect illegal parking or vehicles staying too long in certain zones.	It can also be used to search recordings for events such as parking violations and blocked freeways.
Congestion Detection		Congestion Detection is used to alert a user in the event of a build-up of congestion in an area of interest (railway station platforms, public spaces, motorway entry/exit slip roads, point-of-sale queues, etc.). This helps to initiate timely action and prevent an undesirable situation from worsening.	It can also be used to provide statistics for staff planning and marketing purposes. For example, it can detect when a shopping mall is at its busiest, or when hypermarket queues start to build up.
Counter Flow		Counter flow is available to alert a user to a person or vehicle moving in an unauthorized direction, such as a person moving against the permitted flow in an airport immigration or customs area, or a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction on a carriageway or in a one-way system.	Counter flow analysis can help optimize crowd control in public areas, such as the underground, or train stations.
Motion Detection		Motion detection can be used to alert users of unauthorized entry, and of potentially dangerous situations, for example, if a member of staff is entering a hazardous area without protective clothing.	Users can define specific areas of interest in a scene and search automatically through a recording to identify and view any significant motion that occurred during the recording. This is hugely useful when searching for events in corridors, staircases, walkways, etc. during quiet times. This can be tuned using parameters such as object size and sensitivity.
Shape-based Detection/Object Tracking		Shape-based detection/object tracking can be used in a wide variety of applications. It can alert CCTV operators when a high-sided vehicle or ship approaches a low bridge. Alternatively, it can be used to distinguish between an animal approaching a boundary fence, and an intruder.	In recorded video footage, this feature can be used to analyze the types of vehicles using a road, and what time of day they are using it.
Theft Detection		Museum mode can be used to detect theft, such as the removal of a painting from the wall of an art gallery. In this mode sensitivity is configurable and moving foreground objects are ignored.	It can also be used when reviewing recording footage, for example of a warehouse or a stockroom. It can quickly identify when a particular item was moved or removed from the scene.
Virtual Tripwire		With a virtual tripwire set alongside a railway track, freeway hard shoulder, building perimeter or around a temporarily parked asset for example, the operator will be informed when that tripwire is breached. Since the system “understands” direction, alarm discrimination based on direction of approach is made possible.	A virtual tripwire can also be placed on the entrance into a building or parking lot to review how many people or vehicles enter it.