Boosting Security - Over the last few years, campus security and student safety have become two of the most discussed issues.

Boosting Security

Illinois school enlists help of audio analytics

Over the last few years, campus security and student safety have become two of the most discussed issues. With the number of active shooter incidents on the rise over the last decade, there has been a movement to examine and enhance current security systems in schools. One K-8 school, serving 1,000 students in Illinois, is a prime example.

The school, which will remain anonymous for security and confidential reasons, wanted to take a proactive look at their current security system after the end of the 2014-2015 school year. The school turned to Jeff Gibson, president and CEO of TacticalVIDEO, to conduct a security assessment and implement his recommendations.

The integrator found that the layout of the school was such that each classroom had an exterior door. As a result, the school needed a revamped audio-video surveillance system to increase security around its perimeter, and more specifically, to detect visitors coming and going through the exterior doors and other vulnerable areas on the premises.

Gibson recommended deploying a complete surveillance solution integrating Axis IP cameras and Exacq VMS. Gibson also introduced the idea of integrating Louroe Electronics’ audio monitoring and advanced analytic technology into the solution, which the school was eager to install.

“Where it makes sense, I think the inclusion of audio into a video surveillance system that is monitoring the general population, can give you that early warning detection that video itself is not capable of providing,” Gibson said. “The precursor to a lot of bad behavior tends to be acoustic in nature.”

The integrator chose Louroe’s signature Verifact microphones for the project. The Verifact is known for its directional capability, impressive pick-up pattern and appealing design.

“From an install perspective, the microphone is a little bit more aesthetically pleasing,” Gibson said. “It looks more like a smoke detector or something that is non-threatening that people wouldn’t necessarily look at it and say, oh I know that’s a microphone and I’m going to be scared of that.”

After the microphones were selected, the analytic software was chosen to address key challenges and threats the school faced. The school decided to go with Louroe’s gunshot and aggression detection analytics solutions.

Studies show that 90 percent of physical aggression is preceded by verbal aggression, making aggression detection technology an important deterrence tool that allows for early intervention. Wanting to be aware of any escalated conflicts that could indicate a child may be at risk in their home life, the school wanted to mount the Aggression Detector at its front entrance to identify any arguments or heated discussions arising while visitors or families dropped their children off.

The way the Aggression Detector functions is simple. The microphone captures all sound, which is then transmitted to the IP camera containing the downloaded analytic software. Much like how the human ear processes sounds, the analytic software analyzes audio through advanced algorithms. It focuses on identifying spikes in verbal aggression such as shouting, stressed voices and other verbal cues that indicate anger and/or fear. Once a noise that matches the sound pattern for aggression is identified, the detector immediately sends an alert to staff, either with a visual notification or by triggering an alarm.

The Gunshot Detector was installed in the center of the collective area of the school’s first building. It can detect discharge from a variety of firearms, including handguns, shotguns, rifles and automatic rifles. According to a recent FBI 2014 study, the median police response time for 51 active shooter incidents between 2000 and 2012 was three minutes.

The key value of deploying a Gunshot Detector comes in its ability to shorten response time. Within seconds of a gunshot, the detector can immediately notify staff and first responders, while also giving them the ability to playback the gunshot recording.

When either the Aggression or Gunshot Detector identifies a preclassified sound, the school can use the mapping interface within the VMS software to post alerts and activity in real time. Alerts are sent via text messages and email, which can also be shared with local police, creating a coordinated effort among first responders.

In the summer of 2015, TacticalVIDEO installed the Aggression Detector and the Gunshot Detector. For this application, the detectors integrated Verifact microphones, Sound Intelligence analytics software, Axis IP cameras and Exacq VMS.

“There have been no problems with the audio,” Gibson said, as he described the security system.

In addition to the detectors, several cameras were set up to increase perimeter security. A number of cameras were installed inside Building 1, and others were mounted on the exterior of the school’s four buildings. The cameras are used to monitor driveways in and out of the school, ingress and egress points, basketball courts and the general playgrounds.

One challenge that the Illinois school, and any organization that deploys an audio security solution, will face is monitoring compliance.

“There are a lot of varying laws and statutes for audio. A lot of times, video systems can’t be monitoring audio,” Gibson said.

However, the law indicates that where there is no expectation of privacy, such as in public places, recording is allowed. On the other hand, in environments where there is some expectation of privacy for the individual involved, it goes to the state’s policy. For example, Illinois is a two-party consent state, meaning that all parties involved must give their consent for monitoring to be permitted. One of the unique aspects of the Illinois school’s audio solution is that the “audio is never transmitted or interpreted,” as Gibson puts it.

“The use of acoustic analytics circumvents the majority, if not all, of the legislation and rules around the use of general audio,” Gibson said.

In other words, sound detection actually upholds privacy because it recognizes sound patterns rather than speech. For this reason, Gibson feels that audio analytics will only continue to gain prominence in security solutions.

“I think this is going to be an emerging technology that’s going to be included into sensitive video installations,” he said.

Audio analytics technology, or classifying sounds that indicate highrisk or threat situations, has been around for many years. As the security industry moves from detection to preventative technologies, audio analytics will only continue to become a staple security technology for the education sector.

This article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.