INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL

Analytics Uncovered

  • By Amit Kumar
  • Sep 20, 2022

Part 1 – Terminology. If you are in the physical security industry, there’s no escaping discussion on video analytics, their advanced capabilities and the barrage of terminology being associated with what promises to be a turning point for physical security and business intelligence applications.

What does it all mean, and where to start?

Here is information on video analytics accessible and easy to understand for all. We will take a high-level look at various aspects of today’s intelligent, AI-driven video analytics. From what analytics really can do, to how they work, to where they can be best applied and even how they differ. The goal is not to be Ph.D.-perfect, but to provide the tools you need to understand the world of analytics. It is down-to-earth, and a no-frills guide for you.

What is New
Before diving in, it is important to understand how analytics got to where it is today.
Traditional programming consists of using data inputs and written programs to provide an output or action. Essentially, software engineers write code to instruct machines how to act. Machines then follow the instructions, repeating the required action over again.

In contrast, Machine Learning is more akin to human learning, and humans learn by patterns, not by simply following instructions. As babies, we recognize that crying leads to receiving food. As adults, we bring an umbrella with us on a cloudy day. We are conditioned to problem-solve based by observing examples of actions and reactions.

The new world of AI-driven video analytics is a pattern recognition on a massive scale. Known actions and their corresponding reactions analyzed by software, and through the process of machine learning, provided with programs that can detect, analyze new and evolving patterns.

A fundamental example is AI-driven video analytics for smoke detection. Computers get images, and videos of smoke (input) and provided with alerting (output). Machine learning creates a program that recognizes smoke, and thus alerts users to its occurrence.

Large-scale pattern recognition is applied at the micro level. Smoke may not be visible to the naked eye, but computers can look at instances of smoke on a pixel-by-pixel level. The ability to use machine learning in this way makes it possible to problem-solve in ways not previously possible by humans. This is the present and future of analytics today.

Terminology, Simplified
There are several key terms in the exploration of AI-driven video analytics. Some we have touched on briefly already and are likely to touch on again. Others you will also see used as marketing buzzwords to make a company sound “innovative” or “advanced,” but are often not used correctly, further contributing to AI-driven video analytics’ mystique.

The following is a glossary of terms designed to give necessary information without the need for a software engineering degree.

Algorithm. Instructions embedded in computer software to convert inputs (questions) to outputs (answers).
Artificial Intelligence. A broad, wide-ranging term to describe the process of making machines and computers capable of performing tasks traditionally relegated to human intelligence.
Computer Vision. Uses video and digital images to extract data for analysis.
Machine Learning. A subset of AI that allows machines to learn from patterns.
Deep Learning. A subset of Machine Learning that seeks to mimic how the human brain works to create patterns and make predictions.
Model. The output of a Machine Learning algorithm that results in pattern recognition. Also known as a program.
Training. The process of sending evidence, or examples of what is necessary, to the computer to create a model.
Inference. The process of putting the model into action to make a prediction.

Understanding Deep Learning
Deep Learning is perhaps the most advanced subset of AI. Since it attempts to mimic the human brain, it far surpasses the brain’s capabilities – and it does so via Neural Networks.

Imagine you are viewing a blurry scene. Add a lens like when undergoing an eye exam, and the scene becomes clearer. Add another lens, and even more definition is visible. The more lenses added, the sharper and more detailed is the image. This system of adding layers (lenses in this example) to progressively understand a 'scene' is similar to how we think about modern Machine Learning.

Each additional lens becomes its own individual Neural Network. When multiple lenses are added, it is called a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Deep Learning is when Machine Layers layers added, each building upon the previous layer to create better patterns to a more complex problem. For example, one Machine Layer may detect a vehicle, the next layer detects a license plate, and the final layer reads the license plate. Each of these layered models can combine to form a Deep Learning Model capable of solving a more complex vehicle identification challenge.

This article originally appeared in the September / October 2022 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.