IT'S TIME TO 'WAKE UP' THESE 'SLEEPING' CAMERAS

Preamble

In today's world, surveillance has become ubiquitous, with cameras proliferating across public and private spaces. A report by Motorola Avigilon released in 2020 indicates that within the next five years, there will be around 45 billion cameras globally. This extensive network of surveillance promises enhanced security and safety, but will we truly see the benefits with just the increase in the source of information? Or will we see more 'garbage' being collected? Even today, with the number of cameras of various kinds, CCTV, Drones, UAVs, Body-Worn, Dashcams, is there any empirical evidence to suggest that crime rates are decreasing proportionately or that compliance is improving, or that health and safety standards are being met more effectively, or that operational efficiencies are getting truly better? Instead of applying our minds as to why things are not improving, all we are doing is being enamoured by the glitz and glamour of AI and such advanced technologies and believing that these technologies are the panacea to the above issues.

The Problems

Despite the proliferation of surveillance cameras and advances in AI, crime rates remain high, compliance and health & safety improvements are often compromised, and operational efficiencies are undermined by false positives and data overload. Massive data generation without effective management turns valuable information into digital garbage. Additionally, the lack of standardized reporting mechanisms results in lost insights and lessons, and there is no clear evidence that AI technologies alone significantly reduce crime or improve safety.

Opening the Eyes of Users

It is crucial to recognize that the mere presence of cameras and the application of AI technologies do not inherently solve the problems of security, compliance, and efficiency among other issues. The belief that AI is a panacea for all surveillance challenges is misguided. Critical events are highly subjective, and the reliance on AI to identify these events without human oversight is fraught with risks.

Cameras need to be part of an active monitoring system that includes timely human intervention. Simply recording footage without proactive measures does little to ensure that users achieve optimal outcomes from surveillance video. While effective compliance requires a systematic approach to ensure that regulations are being followed and violations are addressed promptly, operational efficiency comes from leveraging both AI (where needed) and human intelligence. ?

Data Management

The enormous volume of data generated by billions of cameras needs to be managed efficiently. This requires reduction of data size (over and above H.265), establishing institutional libraries, and standardized reporting systems to ensure that valuable footage and insights are preserved for future reference and analysis.

Standardized Reporting

To maximize the utility of surveillance footage, there must be standardized reporting mechanisms that document and analyse incidents consistently. This enables organizations to create institutional libraries, ensuring that even after footage is overwritten, the critical information is retained and can be used for future training and improvements.

Effectiveness of Surveillance Technology

The real value of surveillance technology lies in its integration with human oversight. AI should augment human capabilities, not replace them. Effective surveillance solutions combine the strengths of AI with the critical judgment of human operators.

So, what is part of the solution that can ensure far better outcomes from surveillance video?

COM-SUR

'COM-SUR' is the world's only CCTV Footage Auditing, Smart Backup, and Intelligent Incident Reporting software. It’s the missing piece of the CCTV puzzle and is compatible with all camera types and VMS.

Start Auditing CCTV footage daily!

When it comes to surveillance video, any frame could contain vital information, and missing it can be critical. With COM-SUR, one can effortlessly audit 24 hours of footage in minutes, depicting the 'entire picture' as opposed to AI/ML systems which give you 'snippets' (including tons of false positives) besides the complexities and expenses that come along.

Other Benefits:

1. Data Security: With COM-SUR, even if recorders are compromised, the data will always be recoverable, providing an added layer of security.
2. Business Intelligence: COM-SUR’s Daily Audit reports offer valuable BI, helping users make informed decisions and improve various areas of operations.
3. Remote Auditing Capability: COM-SUR's design allows users to audit footage from any place.

Conclusion

The world has heavily invested in surveillance technology, yet its potential remains untapped due to strategic missteps and an over-reliance on technology without adequate human oversight. It's time to therefore wake up these sleeping cameras. By adopting a balanced approach that integrates playback, auditing, and standardized workflows, we can transform surveillance footage into a powerful tool for enhancing security, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Let us shift our focus from merely recording to actively using surveillance data to create a safer and more efficient world using non-complex technologies that are affordable to one and all.

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