Jack Thomas Tomarchio, the former Principal Deputy Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis Operations for DHS and a SightLogix board member, recently sat down for a Q&A about the use of technology in the wake of the Boston Marathon events.
Smart thermal cameras have entered the mainstream. As prices fall while capabilities increase, new opportunities are emerging to use the best perimeter detection technology available – a smart thermal camera – for many outdoor security applications, at costs that now meet or beat less effective approaches. When combined with video analytics, thermal cameras offer real-time, [...]
Perimeter security for ports and bridges is the first line of defense from disruption to commerce. In the past, these assets have been difficult to secure with automated technologies. Ports cover large geographic areas that include vast and varied perimeters that are not capable of being secured the same way. For example, fences aren’t feasible for [...]
Trying to manually steer a PTZ to identify an intrusion is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. The solution is to a use a hands-free, auto tracking PTZ camera that automatically zooms and follows an intruder in real time.
There is a strong case to be made for the development of video perimeter security standards. Until now, certain aspects of perimeter security systems have lacked basic guidelines to ensure effective and measurable operation. Lacking clear standards can be an impediment to market growth, as integrators and end-users are consumed by performing their own evaluations [...]
Video analytics are a valuable tool to protect outdoor assets either at the perimeter or around critical assets. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when deploying smart cameras for outdoor security. Choose video analytics specifically designed for outdoor use Smart cameras operate by sensing movement, but outdoors everything moves, including the camera itself. A camera [...]
The recent perimeter security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex highlights a long-standing challenge for perimeter systems used to protect outdoor areas. Repeated false alarms can eventually condition security operators to ignore valid alerts, undermining security effectiveness and causing security teams to lose trust in their perimeter security systems.
Long Range Thermal Camera – Impact on Cost For perimeter security applications covering large outdoor areas, using a long range thermal camera with video analytics offer significant economic advantages. To leverage extended range products effectively, it’s important to consider several best practices of product selection and deployment. With the right approach, the resulting cost savings now make [...]
Perimeter cameras that use video analytics are designed to detect movement, but outdoors, everything moves. Trees and foliage, small animals, and blowing debris can overload security operators with nuisance alerts and undermine trust in the system. The foundation to accurate detection outdoors is to know the location of a detected object so its size can [...]
Every installed security camera has a perimeter camera blind spot, which must be considered in the perimeter design as this area can cover a meaningful portion of the camera’s overall range. Many outdoor surveillance designs will narrow a security camera’s field of view to increase the camera’s detection distance in an effort to decrease costs. [...]
A perimeter security system based on video analytics operates by “seeing” targets that move into a camera’s detection area. Unfortunately the practical real-life detection range of a camera doesn’t always match the manufacturer’s published specifications. This means it’s up to the integrator to test and determine the camera’s true detection distances. Knowing the camera’s true range lets [...]
The key to accurate video perimeter security systems is to know the location of all objects so their size can be accurately determined. This information can be used to set size filters that eliminate movement that does not represent a security concern, while detecting human-sized intruders under all conditions.
ABC World News with Diane Sawyer covered airport perimeter security issues and included the SightLogix thermal camera system in the story. You can see the SightLogix system at about three-quarters of the way through the clip, showing the video from a Thermal SightSensor operating at one of our nation’s largest airports. An alarming fact indicated [...]
Achieving accurate perimeter security for outdoor areas comes down to knowing the nature and location of an intrusion, allowing an effective response. While there are a number of options available for perimeter security, using a thermal camera with video analytics has become a strong contender for best-of-breed in this area. Thermal video analytic cameras operate [...]
An evaluation by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Airport Perimeter Security test program has confirmed 100% accuracy of the SightLogix SightSensor in the challenging environment typical of many airports. According to the TSA’s final report, the “evaluation team performed over 900 scenarios of which every alarm instance was accurately reported.” The TSA established the Airport Perimeter Security [...]
Achieving effective perimeter security around electrical utilities, chemical plants, airports, data centers, sea ports, rail facilities, and other critical assets often comes down to detection accuracy and solution cost. While there are a number of options available for perimeter security, thermal cameras have become a strong contender for best-of-breed. Recent developments in processing for thermal cameras [...]
Providing cost-effective systems that meet Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) performance requirements is a challenge for integrators to the chemical security sector. It is also an opportunity. A number of automated detection technologies including coax and fiber fence sensors, microwave, seismic sensors and radar can provide some level of perimeter detection. However, intelligent video systems with advanced analytics [...]
Five years ago, SightLogix launched the SightSensor with the goal to make the world safer by automating video with a high degree of accuracy outdoors. Our measuring stick was and still is customer satisfaction in the form of repeat business and enthusiastic references. Having secured hundreds of locations, including some of the most notable in [...]
Our eyes work by seeing contrast between objects that are illuminated by either the sun or another form of light. A thermal camera operates by “seeing” heat energy from objects. All objects – living or not – have heat energy that thermal cameras use to detect an image. This is why thermal cameras can operate at [...]
When outdoor conditions are ideal, thermal cameras can “see” what the eye cannot, even in complete darkness. Problems occur when rain, humidity, and other outdoor conditions bring background temperatures close to the temperature of objects which represent security concern, such as a person entering an unauthorized area. When background temperatures closely match the heat of a person, [...]
