INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL

Purpose-built AI for security cameras

• By Nick Israel
• Mar 22, 2023

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in companies introducing AI technologies for the security surveillance industry. All are promising the ability to deliver some new capability or a better “mousetrap.”

Though many have been incredible enhancements to security camera systems, providing additional layers of security, they all continue to remain dependent upon one fact.

For these camera systems, VMS, NVRs and novel technologies to do their job, the entire system must work perfectly. If any part of the system malfunctions, there is a risk of missing the all-important image or video clip evidence when needed. This significantly reduces the effectiveness of those novel technologies.

If you are familiar with history, you know that having video evidence after an incident is not a certainty.
That is where Duke University decided there had to be a better way than hoping they had their evidence after an incident, and is the origin story of Ai-RGUS in 2017.

At that time, the university was dedicating 4-plus hours each day to go through the cumbersome and time-consuming process of checking each camera in order to identify the small percentage of the thousands of cameras in their system per day that may have an issue.

Determined to find a better way, Duke Security staff embarked on an extensive search of the available commercial products on the market.

Despite their best effort, they could not find one that would help them manage and maintain their system better with less resources and time, so the university turned to one of the Duke’ research labs and tasked them to develop an AI better suited for their needs.

The team accepted the challenge and successfully developed their solution for the university.

Ai-RGUS quickly earned the title and recognition as a “purpose built” AI solution in the industry designed specifically to resolve the security camera, system maintenance and health challenges for a major university.

Duke quickly learned that with Ai-RGUS, they could check and audit, and check of the complete health and performance of their entire security camera system in less than 5 minutes a day rather than the more than four hours a day dedicated to checking only part of the system.

After solving their system challenges by creating a powerful and capable camera system, health verification tool, the university enabled the development team to “take it commercial” and fill the AI void they found in the marketplace.

Formed in 2019, Ai-RGUS entered the security market just in time to participate in the challenges and effects of the COVID-era with a new commercialized version of its powerful AI, focused on developing its dealer and system integrator channel.

As organizations recognize increased operational efficiency and cost savings from Ai-RGUS, it is quickly becoming the industry-standard for security camera, system health, support and maintenance.

The Ai-RGUS mission is simple: To help partners know, and be better able to identify and overcome security camera, system challenges before that all-important video or clip needed after an event.

This article originally appeared in the March / April 2023 issue of Security Today.