RESTON, Va.-- ObjectVideo, the leader in intelligent video, announced today that it has been selected to protect the Alabama State Port Authority against terrorism and theft. ObjectVideo VEW will be used to monitor the port's perimeter and other sensitive areas and provide real-time detection, identification and alerting capabilities to potential threats such as unauthorized persons attempting entry, suspicious objects left near crucial infrastructure, vehicles driving the wrong way or persons loitering.
Port Authority security personnel will use ObjectVideo's patented video tripwire feature to create virtual perimeters on land and water by simply drawing a line directly on a computer snapshot of the camera's view. They can then instantly adjust the perimeters to respond to changes in security level or to address specific maritime threats. The public cargo terminals at the Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) handle roughly 24 million tons of cargo per year and have immediate access to two interstate systems, five Class 1 railroads, and nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterway connections.
"We have a large port complex, with many ways to exit and enter, and ObjectVideo will give us a terrific edge in securing the perimeter," said Hal Hudgins, Vice President of Security at the Port Authority. "After a thorough analysis of the intelligent video software on the market, ObjectVideo stood apart as a superior technology, not only for its sophistication, but also for its ease of use as well as its cost-effectiveness, both big selling points."
ObjectVideo VEW will also be used to assist in operational and logistical matters; for example, to determine how long a ship is docked at a pier, as well as when it arrived and left. The software even protects itself with system tampering notification.
ObjectVideo VEW is a featured component of a security system devised by Honeywell Building Solutions and will be installed on fixed and pan/tilt/zoom analog Pelco cameras. Work is expected to be completed in August. ASPA's purchase of ObjectVideo software was partially funded with a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) grant as part of ongoing security upgrades in conjunction U.S. Homeland Security measures.
"The Alabama State Port Authority joins a growing list including Port Everglades and Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) utilizing ObjectVideo's expertise and experience with port security," said Raul J. Fernandez, CEO and Chairman of ObjectVideo. "This deployment is a great example of TSA security funds being spent to implement smart technologies as an integral part of a comprehensive security solution."
ObjectVideo VEW, based on artificial intelligence called "computer vision," runs all objects in a camera's view against threat-specific pre-programmed rules in real time. When an object violates a rule, for example, a small boat loiters next to a ship or a bag is left unattended at a cruise ship terminal, the software alerts port security personnel by phone, pager, email or an alert console. Rules can be configured according to a number of criteria that allow detection based on the direction an object is moving and object type (boat, vehicle, person, etc.).
