How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Surveillance

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a type of technology that makes systems smarter than they have ever been, including giving them the ability to learn. There are many different technologies included in AI and each one contributes to moving technology forward at an alarming rate. With new security systems coming to the market that use AI, surveillance is changing for the better in several ways. Here is how AI can make surveillance better.

Facial Recognition

Public surveillance systems are already having AI components added in so that they can be more effective at identifying people and potential threats. Facial recognition allows security systems to identify people in a crowd. While this is somewhat controversial at the moment, it is an effective tool for tracking criminals and helping police catch them. The complexity of identifying faces requires AI systems, which can make security cameras far more effective. 

Video Indexing

One of the biggest problems with video surveillance is the passive nature of the technology, while it can respond to motion and similar changes, it cannot understand the context of what is happening in a video. This is mainly due to the fact that cameras cannot recognize items in videos. AI is making it possible for surveillance systems to identify and catalog things that they see, which makes it possible to search the catalog of findings for specific information.

For example, a surveillance camera equipped with AI systems could help security teams identify specific threats. If a specific item, like a bag or a gun, is seen in the video, the system can identify it and make it easier for the security team to find it. This is especially helpful when reviewing footage for evidence. Investigators can just search the catalog and any related footage will come up in the results. 

Onboard AI Systems

Rather than relying on cloud-based systems, many companies are switching to security systems with AI features already built-in. This means that those systems are capable of functioning on their own and do not require an internet or wireless network to function properly. This is a big advancement for security systems since it means that each system component is not dependent on the central system. They can continue to function, provide highly-intelligent services, and improve security even if they are cut off from the rest of the system controls. It can prevent criminals from disabling entire systems by taking out a single connection. 

Action Recognition

For all of its potential benefits, perhaps the greatest of those (and what is currently holding it back) the ability to recognize people’s actions. AI systems can identify people and objects to a degree, and can even recognize some basic actions. For example, it can tell if two people are standing next to each other, but that is the extent of what it can tell. Those two people could be talking to each other, or staring at each other, and the system may not be able to tell. As AI improves, it will be able to tell what people are doing and be able to predict specific actions to identify threats. 

Upgrade Your Security System

To get the most out of your security system, you need to upgrade your surveillance equipment. Work with some of the best security and surveillance system engineers in the area. Call Video and Sound Service, Inc. at (708) 562-6316 for expert help on upgrading your security system.