Month: September 2021

A large number of different automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) applications such as parking systems and toll control, requires that the system can be adapted in a short time and at low cost. Wahtari has developed the neural camera that is based on a flexible modular principle and equipped with Allied Vision’s Alvium 1800 C cameras. The challenge Varying requirements Wahtari has developed solutions for a wide variety of tasks. Depending on the application’s scope and the requirements, end users can create a product tailored to their needs based on Wahtari’s open architecture. For use in license plate recognition, the system must meet the highest requirements in terms of precision and speed. With a large number of different applications such as parking systems and toll control, it is essential that the system can be developed in a short time and at low cost. The solution Open system architecture The neural camera nCam developed by Wahtari is based on a flexible modular principle. It consists of the basic elements of an image sensor in the form of an Alvium CSI-2 camera, a carrier board, a lens, an image processing controller, a network interface, an AI accelerator, and an x68_46 Intel processor. Up to three Intel Movidius Myriad X VPUs neural processing units are dedicated exclusively to accelerate sophisticated deep learning inferencing. With its high-performance industrial image sensors ranging from 0.5 to 20.4 megapixel resolution, Alvium cameras fit perfectly into the system’s overall concept. As an open platform, nCam is used in many areas of intelligent traffic solutions (ITS), like license plate recognition (ANPR – automatic number plate recognition). Typical ANPR applications are vehicle access control e.g., via black & white lists, automatic billing of toll and parking tickets, as well as free-flow applications in multi-level parking garages or other constellations where RFID transponders are unsuitable. The benefits Flexibility through modularity Wahtari’s modular camera design is developed exactly for versatile requirements. The large sensor selection of the Alvium series opens up a wide range of applications for the nCam. Frame rates of up to 289fps or a resolution of up to 20.2MP are possible, while LEDs with white or IR light ensure a visibility range of up to 50m even at night. Depending on the task such as license plate recognition, the system can now be tailored exactly to individual requirements. The overall system is no larger than 355.00mmx130.00mmx210.00mm. Packaged in an IP67 aluminum housing with a sophisticated passive cooling system, the camera reliably delivers results in a matter of milliseconds even under the harshest conditions (-40°C to 55°C/ -40°F to 131°F). Optionally, it can be equipped with a sunshield. The ANPR system demonstrates its particularly high efficiency gains in scenarios where a large number of unknown vehicles need to be identified quickly and without errors. The number of incorrectly recognized license plates drops to almost zero thanks to deep learning. The collected data provides an ideal basis for drawing conclusions about the utilization of road or parking spaces, analyzing drivers’ usage behavior, and defining appropriate optimization measures.  

Rekor Systems, Inc., a provider of real-time roadway, customer and public safety intelligence to enable AI-driven decisions, announced the selection of its Rekor One™ vehicle recognition system by the City of Albany, New York, in partnership with the Albany Police Department. Rekor was selected after a competitive bid process in June 2021 to help maintain the safety and security of the community and its citizens. Albany is New York’s capital city and part of the economic and cultural core of the Capital District, the third most populous metropolitan region in the state. Rekor One™ will assist Albany’s law enforcement efforts to deter criminal activities and will serve as a forensic tool to help solve crimes after they occur. Rekor’s technology met various performance requirements which support Albany’s public safety mission, including lane capture, solar power operation, easy integration with third party applications, unlimited storage, and robust vehicle identification capabilities. Rekor’s solar option allows for cameras on remote escape routes without relying on city infrastructure or existing power sources. Albany will benefit from the groundbreaking capabilities of Rekor One™ to implement multiple missions simultaneously. By providing real-time access to vehicle make, model and color, as well as license plate information, the platform will support the Albany Police Department in accelerating investigations and will also assist in rapidly locating vehicles of interest and reduce response times to AMBER and Silver alerts. Concurrently, Rekor One™ will also deliver real-time alerts that allow for efficient action and correction by the proper agency when a vehicle is traveling at a dangerous speed or in the wrong direction, or encounters an obstruction in the roadway, minimizing the risk of accident and injury. “Using Rekor One™, the City will glean new intelligence on its roadways in real time, enabling a safer community and continue to progress as a smart city,” said Robert Berman, President and CEO, Rekor, “We look forward to our partnership and the successful outcomes that they will experience.” Rekor’s partnership with Albany follows successful implementations in 24 states nationwide. Rekor has quickly documented success in accelerating investigations, increasing recovery of stolen property, reducing accident risk and enhancing community relations. The system is expected to be fully installed in the near future.  

UK CCTV manufacturing company, 360 Vision Technology, confirms that its Invictus high-performance, ultra-lowlight, HD ruggedised PTZ camera is being rolled-out across the boroughs of Bristol. Over the past 10 years, 360 Vision Technology has developed a successful partnership with Bristol City Council, with the company supplying its Predator PTZ cameras for the city’s public space CCTV, traffic and metrobus projects. Building on that legacy, Chroma Vision have been awarded a contract to upgrade Bristol city centre’s existing camera network, with 360 Vision Technology Invictus PTZ cameras. Utilising Bristol City Council’s privately owned fibre-optic cable network, to date, Chroma Vison have installed 120 Invictus cameras, with 40 more units earmarked for installation in the next phase. In total, the new contract will see 350 Invictus cameras employed on the streets of Bristol. Bridging the divide between analogue and IP systems, and coupled to attractive pricing, the Invictus PTZ camera features industry-leading low power consumption, offering system operators significant energy savings, allied to low running costs. The cameras’ low carbon footprint also helps local authorities to meet their all-important carbon footprint reduction goals. Completing the Invictus’ highly-competitive camera package and providing peace-of-mind for local authority operators, the cameras’ high-quality paint finishes are supported by 360 Vision’s UK based design and manufacturing resource, and a comprehensive 3-year warranty, or an enhanced optional 5-year full warranty on request. “As a business we have worked with 360 Vision on many projects over the years and the incredible all-round imaging performance of the 360 Vision Invictus camera, coupled to attractive pricing, made it the perfect choice for deployment in Bristol,” confirmed Rick Aisthorpe, Engineering Director at Chroma Vision, “360 Vision have also supported us during the implementation phase of this project and are always happy to assist via phone or on site.” Mark Rees, Managing Director at 360 Vision Technology commented, “We place great value on our partnerships and we are delighted to be working with Chroma Vision on this significant upgrade project that continues 360 Vision’s camera legacy in Bristol. With a host of performance and user centric operational benefits, Invictus cameras feature extensively in many local authority upgrades, as customers look at total cost of ownership and the need to ensure CCTV equipment deployed is fit for purpose.”  

Genetec Inc., a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, recently announced that Seagate Technology Holdings plc., a leading world provider in data storage and enterprise storage systems, has deployed Genetec™ Security Center to secure their global campuses and regional offices. At the heart of this large-scale global deployment is the Genetec unified security platform which includes Security Center, Genetec Omnicast™ IP video management system (VMS) to manage more than 1,150 cameras, Genetec Synergis™ IP access control system (ACS) to manage more than 22,000 card holders, Sipelia to manage communications between intercoms and security operation, and Seagate’s own high-efficiency, high-performance Exos™ X 5U84 mass capacity storage system. All sites are connected using the Genetec Security Center Federation feature to centralize monitoring, reporting, and alarm management across the entire organization. The solution enables Seagate to pull in up to 1.3 petabytes of high-definition video in a single disk enclosure from hundreds of cameras and other IoT devices without losing a single frame or data packet. “Video, especially multi-source, high-definition video, provides a stringent performance test for any storage solution,” said Ken Claffey, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Storage Systems at Seagate, “Likewise, the data availability expectation of a robust, unified security platform like Genetec™ Security Center is formidable. The sheer volume of high-definition video streams, frames and metadata coupled with increasingly long retention periods, represent one of the most challenging IT infrastructures to deploy.” This enterprise-scale deployment provides a clear blueprint for a state-of-the-art, unified, high-performance physical security environment for modern, large-scale facilities. “Enterprises with global campuses and data center environments have mission-critical requirements, and securing a growing number of assets across huge facilities, while staying ahead of emerging threats is increasingly challenging,” said Christian Morin, Vice President of Product Groups at Genetec Inc., “Through our partnership with Seagate, this enterprise-scale deployment provides a great example of how enterprises can implement a holistic approach to security, that encompasses physical and cybersecurity while ensuring compliance with fast-changing regulatory mandates.”  

At this time of year, our thoughts turn to the heartwarming idea of a long holiday break enjoying sun and sea. Though it is unlikely that we can go on a typical holiday activity that we’ve loved, hopefully a nice relaxing break is still possible. But no matter where and how we will relax this summer, before we start packing we also feel a little anxious. Not just because we wonder what we should pack, but also about things that are left behind. We want to make sure everything is safe and sound during our travels. For households and business owners, this can be about a secured backyard, locked doors and windows, closed water valves, safe gas and electricity, and many others. Hikvision’s latest Pro Series cameras can take over the security duties for you. Now Hikvision has embedded both its AcuSense AI technology and its low-light ColorVu technology. This combination creates a powerful hybrid, providing 4K ultra HD color for you to see a scene clearly, and the intelligence to be able to recognize a security breach. What’s more, all these can be accessed and viewed remotely using Hik-Connect app on your smartphone or tablet. With this triumvirate of combined technologies and abilities, you can enjoy a laid-back life.   See it clearly… We understand that you might be concerned about your pretty garden that you’ve been looking after with care, or your cat that is fed by a pet sitter during your leave. There is nothing better than a high quality, full-color real-time video which can reassure you; and that’s what the Hikvision cameras with ColorVu can provide. Hikvision ColorVu technology ensures the best possible vivid color to be reproduced in extremely dark scenarios, even on a moonless night. Cameras with ColorVu guarantee video with colorful details when they are needed. Access it easily… Next, it’s about how you see it. It is easy with the Hik-Connect app on your smartphone, which connects and communicates with all your security devices at your premises. With Hik-Connect, you have full access to real-time feeds, you can playback and receive event notifications remotely, even when you are lying on a beach. So you can easily look in on your pets or garden anytime. Understand it quickly… A carefree summertime break also means you are not disturbed as much as possible. You may have experienced annoying frequent alerts, from a traditional security system, and when you checked an event alert, you found nothing but a swaying tree in your front yard from the camera view. This type of ‘no-threat’ incident may happen from time to time, making people frustrated during a holiday. Hikvision AcuSense AI technology can help you solve this conundrum. By using AI, it enables a security camera to only trigger an alarm when a human or a vehicle pops up in the camera view, for example, if someone enters the restricted area in your warehouse. So you can focus on the real threats and act only when needed. At the end of the day, no one wants to be bothered in a relaxing environment. To take things one step further, some cameras with AcuSense AI can flash to deter the intruder away, or even allow you to give a warning through the built-in speaker. In this way, you don’t really need to worry and waste time on your holiday. A powerful combination With AcuSense and ColorVu, the latest Hikvision Pro series cameras are able to deliver much clearer, vivid color images helping you see the scene clearly. It also means that you can understand much more readily what you are looking at, with automated alerts demonstrating real security breaches, and everything can be viewed right in the palm of your hand. Let technology take away the stress, so you can chill out this holiday season!