Security cameras are constantly evolving to handle newer threats and be more effective in catching intruders. Machine learning, Remote monitoring, and Thermal vision are just some of the new technologies in CCTV that are helping revolutionize the security industry.
CCTV cameras have evolved significantly since their inception in the 1940s. Originally used as a dubious deterrent and blurry footage for serious criminal cases. Now it has transformed into a powerful weapon to fight crime before, during, and after the act.
This article is an overview of the technologies powering modern security cameras as part of a home or business security system. From Artificial Intelligence to thermal imaging, any property owner has an almost science-fiction level of protection available to them.
Machine Learning algorithms
One of the more recent advancements in CCTV technology has come with the massive computational power upgrades of the last few years. Artificial intelligence has taken the world by storm, and image recognition with machine learning is how it plays a part in security cameras.
Facial recognition of intruders
With the advancement of machine learning in recent years, facial recognition has emerged as a notable improvement. With the aid of high-resolution cameras, it has become increasingly easy to digitally detect a person in the camera’s field of view. This technology has numerous applications, including the prevention of crimes and the prosecution of criminals.
If someone who is already considered suspicious appears on your camera feed, you can receive an immediate alert in case your security personnel doesn’t recognize or notice them. This allows you to take proactive action by asking them to leave or contacting law enforcement before any harm occurs.
If you capture the image of a burglar on your camera after the crime, you can share the footage with the police and the surrounding area of your business. This allows nearby homes, businesses, and law enforcement to compare the face with their own facial recognition database. This can speed up police investigations and contribute to a safer community.
Car License/Registration plate recognition
Facial recognition works well with the ability to quickly identify and read car number plates. While a person may not be able to recognize a number plate immediately, a high-resolution camera can easily read the few digits and letters. By linking the number plate with a person’s existing presence or facial features, it can act as an extension of their identity.
You can use this method proactively, just like facial recognition. If a suspicious car appears in the view of any CCTV camera, it will instantly trigger an alarm. This allows your security, staff, or the police to be prepared to respond even before the person gets out of the car and tries to enter your property.
Similar to facial recognition, the number plate of an intruder’s car can significantly assist the police in narrowing down their location and possibly identifying them, especially if the car is not stolen.
Cloud storage
Another advancement that rapidly gained adoption in the last 5-10 years is cloud storage. Not just limited to backing up your iPhone photos, cloud storage has spread to many other devices. CCTV systems, it has only recently become popular due to the massive transfer speeds required to constantly upload high-resolution footage.
Using cloud storage for CCTV footage carries three benefits: infinite/flexible capacity, no upfront cost, and reliable data backup/recovery.
Remote Monitored Camera systems
Being able to see your camera feed in real-time, from anywhere in the world. That’s the power of remote-monitored CCTV systems. Granting you the ultimate peace of mind, knowing that there are eyes on your property 24/7.
Remote monitoring turns security cameras from simple visual deterrents to active crime-fighting weapons.
Integration with alarm sensors
By integrating your surveillance cameras with alarm sensors such as motion detection, or glass break detection, you can achieve instant response time to any intruders. This is even possible with cameras’ built-in motion detection or in newer models, using machine learning for intruder detection on the footage automatically.
As soon as an alarm is triggered, or a motion detection alert is sent by the camera, it can instantly be verified. Either you or a security monitoring company will pull up your camera feed straight away and confirm the threat. If it is valid and not a false alarm, you can call the police within half a minute.
Thermal imaging cameras
Thermal vision or infrared imaging cameras, are not necessarily a new technology, but it deserves mention nonetheless. Especially since the infrared mode of cameras has always lagged behind the color image, in recent years, it is drastically catching up.
Thermal imaging allows your cameras to keep supplying footage even in dark conditions, such as night time or a dimly lit/unlit interior space. Additionally, it makes it incredibly easy to detect fire. Modern cameras use machine learning coupled with thermal reading footage to detect fires and alert you straight away.
Conclusion: An Arsenal of CCTV technologies available
In conclusion, modern CCTV cameras are a new level up in the security game. Despite resting on the same basic concept of recording footage of a target area, they are worlds apart from the old analog cameras of the 1990s. Machine learning, thermal vision, and remote monitoring have made security cameras an extremely vital layer of any security system, residential or commercial.
