Video surveillance systems seen eliminating security guards
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, October 23, 2006
WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has been testing surveillance technology for site security that could completely replace human security guards.
"With a single camera, or just a few cameras and video intelligence
technology, you can efficiently protect hundreds of sites without a single
guard in the field," said Gadi Talmon, a former Israeli
intelligence officer who founded Aspectus Video Intelligence.
The Energy Department has overseen trials of a digital video
surveillance software system in pilot programs throughout the United States, Middle East Newsline reported.
Executives said the system, developed by Aspectus, an Israeli company based in the Tel Aviv suburb of Petah Tikvah with a subsidiary
in New York, was meant to integrate thousands of cameras
and sensors at such facilities as airports, railways and power stations.
The software could monitors video and alerts a supervisor to
suspicious activities, they said. The video could be sent
directly to the supervisor's cell phone, PDA, or laptop.
Executives said Aspectus, whose clients include Israel Railways and the
Israel Prison Service, has been developing systems that could recognize
license plates from video surveillance. The systems were also designed for
facial recognition and fire detection.
"Penetration of video intelligence technology is today only about 2-3
percent," Talmon said. "From what we hear from experts and customers, that
penetration will grow to 25 percent, or even higher in some market segments.
Down the road we foresee a day when all the cameras in the world will be
intelligent."
Copyright © 2006 East West
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