In today’s technologically advanced society, data is everywhere. Innovative security systems are continuously gathering endless pieces of information at a more rapid pace than ever before, typically funneling massive amounts of data into a control room or Security Operations Center (SOC) for analysis and response.
Operators are tasked with sifting through the footage and material, working around the clock to recognize potential threats or anomalies. But there just aren’t enough human eyes available for organizations to dedicate to this overwhelming responsibility; one that may seem impossible to fully maintain.
Enter artificial intelligence (AI). Powered by computer vision and machine learning, solutions that employ AI technology can highlight the 1 to 2 percent of video surveillance events that actually need attention. And this can be achieved automatically: “Real, true AI is something that shouldn’t require any human interaction at all,” said Andy McMahon, Director of Sales, North America, iCetana.
These intelligent solutions, such as those developed by iCetana, can learn the difference between normal movement patterns and abnormal exception events in real time. This then saves operators time and effort by only displaying the relevant video data that requires processing for increased situational awareness.
This type of technology is especially critical in SOCs that manage a large number of video surveillance cameras at one time — a common issue that developed from an attempt to adjust to an evolving threat landscape. As risks have grown and become more severe over the years, the traditional reaction to enhance security was to add more cameras. But at some point, this starts to decrease efficiencies: “Cameras are being thrown at the problem every year but there’s no one to watch them,” said McMahon. “Now we can use AI to watch for them.”
The key is to apply a non-rules-based approach, where the solution isn’t trained or told to look for any particular occurrence. Instead, by creating a statistical model of where pixels are at every moment in time, the technology can proactively identify an unusual movement or object and alert to a potential hazard.
Operators in a control room can then facilitate the next level of action if necessary based on the initial trigger. For example, facial recognition, license plate recognition or access control systems can be prompted to mitigate the anomaly further. “There’s no top-to-bottom solution for surveillance — no one magic bullet,” said McMahon. “Having additional systems connected is very important.”
Integrating iCetana’s software into Vistacom’s control room solutions can help ensure that operators are able to focus on imperative data and never miss an event that demands a response. iCetana will join Vistacom at Global Security Exchange (GSX) by ASIS International Sept. 25-27 in Las Vegas, at booth #2967. To find out more, click here.
