Background
Public safety, incident management, risk reduction and access to clear evidence - today’s transit authorities face many challenges. Metro systems are commonly deployed in cities, urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas to transport large numbers of people at high frequency. Some of the busiest metro systems in the world, just to name a few, include New York City Subway, Shanghai Metro, London Underground, Tokyo Subway, Moscow Metro and Seoul Metropolitan Subway. In Taipei, the capital city and the largest metropolitan of Taiwan, with a population of 6.9 million as of January 2012, a well-designed, reliable metro system to transport travellers is crucial.
Operated by Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC), Taipei Mass Rapid Transit or Metro Rail Transit (MRT) is a rapid transit system serving residents of the capital since March 1996. According to official reports dated from December 2011, the system carries an average of over 1.66 million passengers per day. The most congested route sections handle over 38,000 commuters per hour during peak times.
Mission
The Taipei MRT system operates according to a spoke-hub distribution paradigm, currently with five major lines (brown, red, orange, green and blue) running outward from central Taipei. The maintenance centre is located outside of Beitou Station on the red line. The maintenance crew constantly travelled in between large machines, uneven platforms, dark tunnels and other various hazardous environments. In order to improve the working conditions of the employees and enhance their safety, TRTC embarked on a project to install network-based surveillance cameras from VIVOTEK, together with the Linux-based Network Video Recorders (NVRs) from Plustek, to keep an eye on the activities and the surroundings. At the same time, the solution would be able to provide a stimulation of what is in fact monitored on the day to day basis.
Another ongoing issue which prompted TRTC to strengthen the security of the facility is unwanted graffiti, such as on the wall, the pole or on the train car.
Solution
The compact, 2-megapixel VIVOTEK MD7560 was selected for various reasons. First, full EN-50155 compliance was an absolute must. Particularly for railway applications, regulating all electronic equipment used on rolling stock, the EN-50155 standard proves that the device is capable of withstanding shock, humidity, dust and temperature fluctuation. Such qualification ensures stable video recording during vehicle movement. As an EN-50155 certified device, the MD7560 immediately stood out from the competition. Other significant contributing factors included the IP67-rated design, which protects the MD7560 from water and dust intrusion.
With vandal-proof design and tamper detection, the MD7560 serves as a truly robust and intelligent camera. Not only does its housing effectively provide robust protection from vandalism, also the PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) function allows user-friendly, hassle-free installation for integrators and installers. In order to facilitate on-board storage and data portability, the MD7560 is complete with a MicroSDHC card slot for local recording as well.
VIVOTEK MD7560 is perfect for transportation applications, such as buses, trains, trams, subways, metro cars and other vehicles. As such, the combination of high resolution imaging and protective housing endows the MD7560 with the rugged reliability required to maximize passenger safety and to optimize mobile surveillance. By utilizing high definition 1600x1200 resolution, this high-performance mobile dome delivers clear and detailed images, achieving accurate object identification with ease. Video footages of in-vehicle passenger activities or vehicle accidents captured with this camera can thus be used for post-event forensic evidence.
Other advanced features available on the MD7560 include multiple streams, video cropping for bandwidth saving and ePTZ for data efficiency.
Benefits
According to Plustek, partner of VIVOTEK on this project, the high quality images have enabled the end user to further enhance company resources and better manage staff members as well as other corporate issues. As a result, the graffiti situation has improved and more productivity has been generated.
VIVOTEK mobile dome series is known for delivering proven solutions covering both mobile and fixed environments, including stations, depots and park-and-rides. This masterpiece has helped transportation agencies improve the safety of passengers and employees and respond quickly to emergency. At the same time, hey enable agencies to better manage and reduce risk, deter theft and vandalism and improve maintenance as well as operational efficiency. VIVOTEK MD7560 is the best solution for all transportation surveillance needs.
