Video analytics play an important role within a business’ CCTV system. A valuable piece of software, video analytics can maximise the potential of your CCTV system and provide other benefits such as a reduced workload for your security team, delivering overall, improved security. But what exactly is video analytics, how do they work and what can they be used for?
Video analytics is a type of software used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of CCTV and video surveillance. Those in charge of surveying the security footage of a business have hours and hours of footage to monitor, in order to capture a particular incident, whether that be a break-in, intruder, or identification of a specific individual.
However, constantly manually viewing footage is not an effective method of security surveillance, due to many factors of being human that we can’t control. For example, a lack of focus over time, tiredness and general human error. It is quite possible that an incident could be missed!
Video analytics, therefore, help to automatically identify these incidents and send an instant alert or notification to the security team so that they can take relevant action.
Video analytics has the technology to process video footage using a specific algorithm to carry out an action, in particular, a security-related one. Video analytics software will therefore monitor your CCTV camera footage to search for your chosen type of activity. Once identified, the software will send your security team an instant alert so that they can carry out the necessary actions.
There are various ways in which you can implement video analytics in CCTV, such as installed on the cameras, on your network video recorder (NVR), or as an external 3rd party software. All forms will provide the same ‘monitor, search & alert’ technology but each solution will vary in capabilities depending on the manufacturer and type of application you choose.
Wondering how the video analytics software will identify activity? When setting up your software, you’ll need to set parameters, so that the system knows what it is looking for, as well as the alert notification process. This is so that the video analytics will look for the right type of activity on your CCTV footage and when it finds it, actions the alert response you want.
For example, you may want to set up motion detection on-site during out-of-hours, thus identifying a potential intruder and break-in. If the video analytics detects any motion, your chosen key holder will receive a phone call so that they can react quickly to the incident and call the relevant authorities.
Video analytics has a vast array of capabilities and can be used to identify many different situations on your CCTV footage, across multiple industries. These include:
Use video analytics to identify specific people of interest or those who are known to the security team. Whether you don’t want them entering your site or want to identify anyone who is within the workplace, that shouldn’t be.
Identify intruders and break-ins by setting up motion detection on your video analytics. Any movement within key areas or during non-working hours will action an alert.
Similar to facial recognition, video analytics can be set up to look for certain vehicle registrations or alert you if there is one it doesn’t recognise.
Video analytics can be used for crowd management, by counting individuals as well as vehicles, so that you are alerted if there are too many people in one area. Similarly, parameters to search for fights and brawls can also be set up, which is especially useful in large social settings.
Use video analytics to alert you if there are too many customers waiting at a checkout point. Provide better customer service as well as keeping your customers safe.
Identify a potentially big security issue by setting a parameter for unattended baggage. Be alerted instantly for suspicious items of luggage with video analytics.
Video analytics can also be used to identify the signs of a fire breaking out. Working alongside your fire safety system, using fire detection with video analytics is a clear way to secure maximum protection against the devastating effects of fire, by identifying it quickly and early.
Video analytics are therefore an integral part of a CCTV system and ensure maximum security to your business, employees and visitors, as well as providing other added benefits that can improve other aspects of your business such as efficiency and customer service.
At BusinessWatch, we provide full CCTV system installation and video analytics software to ensure the safety and security of your business. Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation quote on 0330 094 7404.
