Joining the Intelligentsia

Just recently, companies have been noticeably quick off the mark in jumping on to the IP bandwagon as though this is something radically new from another universe – when in fact many product technologies in this area have had IP capabilities for several years. The words 'smoke' and 'mirrors' spring readily to mind.

Developing technologies that are genuinely new therefore present something of a challenge. Developing technologies that are not only new – but which people may actually really want – are perhaps a greater challenge still.

As an integral part of any CCTV recording solution, Actionable Intelligence could well be one systems-based development that sits comfortably astride both camps.

Actionable Intelligence explained
So what exactly is Actionable Intelligence? Like many good ideas, the theory is simple. Actionable Intelligence is a technology that recognises specific behavioural patterns as being either 'appropriate' or 'inappropriate' – and will trigger an alarm accordingly. In this way, the end user can be alerted to a problem, and review that problem in real-time rather than hours after a given security event has occurred.

Action may then be taken to save time, money and – potentially, at least – lives. In those applications where the need to quickly and effectively determine what has transpired is paramount, such a capability would be considered an essential.

To understand a little more about the technology's potential, Actionable Intelligence comprises two fundamental characteristics: motion and behaviour. Motion is already well understood. Items of a particular size or heading that enter a field of view in a specific direction will trigger an alarm (while so-called 'nuisance' alarms can be easily filtered in preference to motion of real interest). This in itself is not new, although for the end user to have such a feature embedded in a single platform (ie within the new Loronix VR series recorder) is indeed an innovation.

On the other hand, behaviour is entirely new, and segmented by a number of different categories. One example is 'loitering'. In the case of 'loitering', an alarm will trigger if 'objects' are seen to 'loiter' around a particular area when in fact more regular comings and goings would usually be the norm.

Take, for example, the typical issues faced within a retail environment where there's a need for security professionals to reduce shoplifting, staff theft and other shrinkage, as well as improve customer services. Suppose there's a shopper lingering in an area for too long, or a member of staff in a room where they shouldn't be? Both might give rise to an alarm situation by being deemed 'inappropriate' behaviour depending on the criteria set for the installation.

From a customer service perspective, the ability of a system to detect 'loitering' can have a further positive outcome. For instance, it can 'sense' a long queue, prompting management to open further checkouts and thus ease in-store congestion.

It can also assist sales and marketing departments by enabling them to monitor the flow of store traffic (which helps with display placement) and determine those periods when additional cashiers are needed.

Translate this theory from the retail to the transportation sector and, arguably, its significance increases still further.

Post-September 11, there have been numerous shutdowns in ports and terminals throughout the world. Breaches in security – whereupon sites have to be closed down – cost the transport sector millions of pounds, and similarly disrupt millions of passengers into the bargain.

Actionable Intelligence is a technology that recognises specific behavioural patterns as being either ‘appropriate’ or ‘inappropriate’ – and will trigger an alarm accordingly. In this way, the end user can be alerted to a pro

There are many areas within transportation terminals that have restricted access (or indeed no access at all at certain times of the day). Actionable Intelligence will trigger an alarm when these areas are entered – and then commence the recording process. Further to this, it will also pre- and post-alarm video, enabling the security manager to see exactly who entered the door and triggered the alarm without the need for wading through copious amounts of video material. Breaches of security are dealt with swiftly, then, with on-site disruption kept to a minimum.

In a similar vein, consider the issue of left luggage. A major, disruptive problem and potential terrorist threat. Actionable Intelligence can detect an item of luggage left for too long in one particular place (in this case it's the luggage that's loitering!). Security officers can then be alerted and the issue dealt with in such a way that the lives of neither staff nor passengers are placed in any danger at any time.

As well as having the ability to detect 'loitering' as unusual behaviour, Actionable Intelligence can also 'count' the number of specific objects or people within a specific zone or area – as well as determine such factors as time, speed and direction in order to interpret when an alarm should trigger.

For example, too many personnel within a specific office at a certain time may be deemed unusual, and subsequently trigger an alarm.

Conversely, a single individual within an office (where they shouldn't be) for too long a time period may also be deemed inappropriate and trigger a response. That may also be the case if they went into the office via the wrong doorway.

Again, translate that same theory to objects like cars. A car parked where it shouldn't be, outside a Government building, military installation or the headquarters of a multinational. Loitering. Inanimate. Vehicles entering a site at speed, or from the wrong direction...

Even at a less sinister level, too many cars attempting to park at the same time. All might be deemed 'inappropriate' or 'unusual', thereby causing an alarm to be triggered.

Analogue and IP streams
Where the need for such sophistication is required, today's very best digital recording technologies are able to capture high quality images at very fast speeds (and have an equally fast post-event analysis capability).

The last point renders the recorders ideal where safety is paramount or the threat of terrorist activity is a very real possibility, or indeed for the protection of high value assets.

They will also possess the ability to take both analogue and data IP streams so that end users can make maximum play of existing IP infrastructures – saving both time and money as a result.

The addition of Actionable Intelligence, though, with a recorder integrating both motion and behavioural tracking with the same unit, looks set to take traditional recording to another level.