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Intelligent Video has a Bright Future
The costs of video analytics are coming down, and the benefits are expanding far beyond securityThe Latest from SIW
The security week that was: 10/10/08 Understanding wireless bridges for IP networking WINA launches information site on wireless networks Open Network Video Interface Forum opens at Essen Security primer: Outsourcing employee background checks The security week that was: 10/03/08
By Greg McConnell
Former Assistant Editor
Video analytics has been in the high end market of security projects for several years now. Airports, prisons, military bases, and other large scale facilities have deployed intelligent video with some success over the years. However, as with any new technology, it is taking a while for video analytics to really make its way down to the small and mid-sized projects. It's not “mainstream” yet, which of course begs the question: “How long will it be before video analytics becomes a staple technology?”
Your answer largely depends on who you ask. Some industry insiders will tell you that video analytics is already mainstream because it's already popping up in everyday places such as banks and grocery stores. Others argue that the technology still needs to mature and prices have to come way down before it can turn a profit for most security dealers.
So where is the happy medium? The truth is that the video analytics game is changing at an accelerating pace. Manufacturers are entering the mainstream market with simplified solutions tailored to fit what the small or mid-sized customer needs. No, the mainstream market isn't anywhere close to being saturated; and yes, security dealers should still be cautious about implementing intelligent video solutions as data still comes in regarding the returns on investment. But the trend is undeniable: The solutions are becoming better, the prices are coming down, and video analytics is beginning its move into the mainstream.
“We're really at the very beginning of the crest of the wave,” says Mariann McDonagh, VP of global marketing, Verint. “It's probably going to take the next 3 years or so before video analytics becomes a widely accepted, mainstream video application.”
So what will this “wave” look like? How will video analytics be priced for the mainstream market and what real-world problems will it aim to solve? These are the questions addressed in this article.
WHY VIDEO ANALYTICS?
When looking at the critical i nfrastructure market of video analytics, an important function is “intrusion detection.” Large facilities, such as airports, have such expansive perimeters that it's not feasible for a person (or even many people) to monitor the entire perimeter. This is where a camera with video analytics can do a good job of alerting security personnel when a vehicle or person is exiting or entering an area at a time or place that could be suspicious.
However, this is not what video analytics will look like for the mainstream market. In fact, physical security will be just one of many video analytics applications.
