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By Max Fang

January 28, 2021

Multi-dimensional perception capabilities will play a fundamental role in taking the video security industry to the next level. Until now, capturing visual images was the core and only perception capability of video security systems. Today, more ‘senses’ are being added to video security systems, enabling them to collect multi-dimensional data and information.

For video security cameras and systems, capturing images simulates our sense of sight, extending the power of people’s “eyes.” But what if they could use other kinds of “senses” – like “hearing,” “smelling,” “heat sensing,” or even detections that are beyond visual range – to identify and respond to security incidents?

From single to multiple sensors, video security systems evolve with each new trend to fulfill a new potential. And there are already many beneficial advancements being developed across the industry today – and expanding perceptions is one.

There’s no doubt multiple-perception capabilities will make video security systems more powerful – “sensing” the outside environment, identifying events, and providing more detailed information. This will also create more possibilities for video security systems to be used in ever wider scenarios and applications.

Cameras integrated with radar

Cameras integrated with centimeter and millimeter wave radars is becoming a popular approach in object detection.

Radar has shown great advantages in object detection and movement tracking, which can offer accurate and reliable detection over long distances, unaffected by any kind of weather. Equipped with a deep integration of radar and video, a multi-dimensional camera extends perception in perimeter protection to find objects earlier, track movement, and provide visual images to verify detected objects. Such integration overcomes the technological bottleneck of traditional one-dimensional video perception. It has been applied in traffic safety management to improve detection of potential obstacles or traffic incidents at great distance, out of visual range and in low-visibility conditions. The integration is also ideal for monitoring large, exposed spaces with harsh weather, such as sea ports, airports and large open industrial areas.

Video cameras equipped with sonar arrays

Automobile horn noise bothers residents who live near major roadways, but in many cities it has been difficult for traffic control departments to reduce it. A video camera equipped with sonar arrays capable of collecting both sound and image data can be used for automobile horn detection.

The camera integrated with sonar sensors can precisely detect and locate the source of a vehicle’s horn while identifying the vehicle and generating photos and videos of the event as evidence. Local law enforcement can respond as necessary, helping to reduce noise pollution on roadways and in communities with rules against the unnecessary use of horns.

Multispectral imagery

Multispectral imagery is another promising approach for cameras to perceive information from non-visible light spectra. Popular thermographic cameras use infrared radiation to perceive temperature of objects, and the detection of other non-visible light spectra is currently being explored in the security industry.

For instance, electric arc is a key phenomenon to indicate that power grids are aging, and the electrical discharge emits non-visible ultraviolet (UV) lights. Here innovative UV detection can boost the perception capabilities of cameras to capture invisible electric arc phenomena, and finds a critical application in safety-checks at aging power grids in the electricity industry.

Alarm systems with wide range of detectors

Along with video security devices, other conventional security systems have incorporated multiple perception sensors, too. For example, alarm systems that employ a wide range of detectors and peripherals have borrowed the practice.

Today’s wireless alarm systems normally include a compact panel hub and a wide range of detectors and peripherals, covering intrusion detection, video verification, smoke and flood detection, etc. With these detectors and peripherals, alarm systems can collect data and multi-dimensional information to fully protect homes, commercial buildings, factories, and more.

And there is more to come

Increasingly powerful edge computing and intelligent algorithms are becoming available to the security industry, and we are constantly seeing more integrated security devices and systems with multiple sensors. Therefore, we believe that in the near future, additional “senses” – like smoke detection, humidity and temperature measurement, and even gas pressure detection – can be widely embedded in video cameras and systems to precisely monitor and report events or incidents. The multi-dimensional perception trend will very likely and very powerfully shape security systems in the near future and endow them with more capabilities to create safety for users.

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