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Home > Video surveillance in 2007 -- emerging technologies and trends to watch out for in the New Year
February 22, 2007
By: Lynn Bryant
Video surveillance has been an effective monitoring tool
for quite some time now. Traditionally, however, this method
of surveillance has played more of a reactive rather than a
proactive role in security. Recent technological
advancements have begun to revolutionize the way
surveillance technology is used. This growing trend of
active, intelligent video surveillance will likely continue
to transform the way society utilizes this technology well
into 2007 and beyond.
We will seek to review some of the emerging surveillance
trends that will likely garner a great deal of attention
throughout the remainder of this year. We will also seek to
look at some of the concerns over how the increased use of
CCTV and surveillance equipment will affect our personal
privacy.
New surveillance trends for 2007
In a Newsweek Web Exclusive (March 15, 2006) by Jessica
Bennett entitled, "Big Brother's Big Business," it was
stated that nearly one in four major cities within the
United States is investing in new surveillance technology.
In addition, Joe Freeman, a columnist for Security
Technology & Design Magazine has noted that spending on
surveillance equipment has nearly doubled in the last five
years.
The 2005 video surveillance market was a $9.2 billion
dollar business, and is expected to grow to $21 billion by
2010. Advancements that are likely to take the spotlight in
2007 include intelligent video surveillance, new
breakthroughs in video surveillance cameras and equipment,
and improved wireless IP video connectivity.
Surveillance becomes proactive with intelligent video
surveillance technology
Intelligent video surveillance is used to describe the
active monitoring of video feeds to detect suspicious
activities and behaviors. Intelligent video surveillance
software is designed to actively and rapidly scan though
video feeds to monitor and detect such suspicious activities
as a person entering an unauthorized areas, a bag left
unattended, or an individual loitering.
A gentleman by the name of Rama Chellappa, a professor in
the department of electrical and computer engineering of the
University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of
Engineering, has developed just such a system. He has
designed an application that essentially has digitalized
specific patterns of activity such as walking. He then
incorporated the intricate variations that occur when an
individual is harboring a hidden object, or carrying a
package, for example. His software is able to detect these
variations and determine if they match a pattern consistent
with suspicious activity.
Chellappa and his team are now seeking to combine this
technology with advanced facial recognition software, and a
software algorithm that can estimate the height of subjects.
This powerful combination of tools will help identify
individuals that might pose a security risk such as known
terrorists, criminals, and even unknown individuals who turn
up repeatedly in sensitive locations. Click on the following
link for further details about this
intelligent video surveillance technology.
New breakthroughs in video surveillance cameras and
equipment
Video surveillance cameras and related equipment become
more sophisticated every year. New technology rapidly
emerges, and almost as quickly video equipment that was once
cutting-edge suddenly becomes obsolete. Two new innovative
additions to the surveillance marketplace include a
distortion free wide-angle camera lens and a hovering
camera.
- Distortion free wide-angle camera lens -- A
group of South Korean researchers led by Gyeong-il Kweon
have designed a wide-angle lens that produces a distortion
free image. The lens is built in the shape of a dome. When
light enters the dome of the lens, it is reflected off a
v-shaped mirror. The light is then redirected into a
second "refractive" lens that produces a crisp, clear,
undistorted image. Video surveillance cameras equipped
with this lens can achieve a field of view of 151 degrees.
This camera lens is very inexpensive, selling for only
$105. Potential applications for this lens include use in
intelligent video security systems and as a robot
navigational aid. Click on the following link for further
details on this remarkable
wide-angle camera lens.
- Hovering video camera -- Another unique device
we will likely be hearing more about in 2007 is the
hovering video camera.
Honeywell Aerospace has developed a small 13"
compact aerial hovering video camera device called the
Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) that can be
used in military applications to provide information on
surrounding areas without exposing troops to enemy fire.
This device can go as high as 10,500 feet, but it performs
optimally at around 500 feet. It is capable of hovering
and loitering in one spot, or can be used to track and
follow a moving target. It is easy to see the benefits
this type of technology has for military applications. The
following article contains more complete details on this
hovering surveillance camera.
For a rich media demonstration of this futuristic
surveillance device, click the following link to view a
video of the
Honeywell MAV system in flight.
- Improved wireless IP video connectivity --
Wireless video technology has experienced rapid growth and
development in recent months. This technology is
responsible for greatly expanding the scope and outreach
to which video surveillance cameras can perform
effectively. A new development in wireless standards in
March of 2006 has led to the 802.11n protocol. This
greatly increases both the range and transfer rate of
wireless signals.
Wireless security has also improved drastically. It is now
standard for a wireless system to incorporate advanced
encryption technologies. Examples include 128 bit AES,
TKIP, 152 bit WEP, and RADIUS. These technologies make it
extremely difficult for anyone to break-in or eavesdrop
over any wireless network.
All of these advancements is a strong indicator that
video surveillance technology is here with us to stay. The
applications to which video surveillance technology will be
applied will only become more creative and innovative as
time passes.
What do all of these innovations mean for us
personally?
In general, most individuals are not bothered by the
every present eye of video surveillance cameras. A survey
conducted in Chicago polled 700 registered voters and found
that 8 out of 10 were in favor of video surveillance cameras
as a crime prevention measure. The problem is, as video
surveillance cameras get more sophisticated they become more
effective and easier to conceal. It becomes increasingly
difficult to detect and prosecute those that use
surveillance technology illegally.
It is inevitable that there will be those that abuse this
technology and directly violate an individual's right to
personal privacy. Civil liberties groups have become more
outspoken about the potential abuse and the need for
protective measures. The debate over the use of surveillance
cameras is likely to rage on, with no easy solution to the
problem.
Like the video surveillance trends we reviewed that will
remain with us throughout the year, the conflict between
personal protection and personal privacy will remain with us
long into the future.
About the Author
Lynn Bryant is a successful freelance writer and contributor
to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com. Your definitive guide to
video surveillance equipment, CCTV cameras and wireless
security systems for home and business.
Also See:
[ Monitor your home or
loved ones with a home spy camera ]
[ Consider
webcam security software for inexpensive home surveillance ]
[ Potential legal issues
when using a microphone in CCTV applications ]
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