Most of us grew up thinking good security amounted to an alert man at a boom. Today, security is no longer just about being watchful. It is about understanding, anticipating, and acting, all in real time.
We have grown to understand that, given enough time, any attempt at physical security can be overcome. We see evidence of this in the fact that the multibillion-dollar US/Mexico border wall – touted as the ‘Rolls-Royce of barriers’ – was breached about 1090 times annually during its first three years alone.
A US news crew has even filmed people smugglers using a generator-powered angle grinder to methodically dismantle a section of this 9,1 m high steel bollard wall. If America cannot build barriers to keep people out, can we?
Technology has become a critical component in our lives and simply has to be embedded into the layers of protection surrounding us. In South Africa, where entire houses have been carried off while their owners were on holiday, there is now an understanding that the words ‘smart’ and ‘security’ need to be linked.
There are now many examples of kilometres-long estate fencing, for example, being complemented by fibre-optic motion detection systems that alert guards by a combination of light, heat and motion. However, the ‘smartening up’ of security is not limited to physical barriers. The rise of AI is fuelling our appetite for advanced security cameras that can do everything but shoot back, for now.
The evolution of the smart camera is quite similar to that of the smartphone. Not long ago, a smartphone was just a cell phone. You punched in some numbers and made a call and that was that. Today, we still call a phone a phone, but in reality, we are doing very little phoning. We spend more time streaming, checking social media and sending messages than we do phoning.
It is the same with today’s smart cameras. They are still cameras, but they have gone way beyond the word's original meaning. For many decades, a security camera was a device that captured and recorded video on a continuous loop. One could then view the footage from a connected monitor.
In the same way many people still use feature phones, there are many people who still use the various incarnations of the pre-AI security camera. The biggest limitation here is that traditional security cameras are reactive in nature. Like the example of the border wall above, threats generally go unnoticed until after an incident occurs. Of course, the workaround for this is constant monitoring by a human being at an operational expense.
Smart security cameras are a different breed altogether. Just like smartphones, these evolved devices offer many additional features. AI functionality means cameras can detect events such as loitering or sudden movements and alert security personnel accordingly.
In addition, video footage can be accessed through laptops or mobile phones via smart camera dashboards. This provides a centralised mobile management platform that is easy to manage for anyone who wants to integrate their cameras with anything, from access points to switches and firewalls.
The emergence of the smart camera means it is no longer about pure visibility or even about security. IoT technology today means you can use the data you are receiving from your smart camera in numerous ways to enhance business performance.
Retail shops, for instance, can see where foot traffic is heaviest to target specific customers with certain specials and products. They can trigger a media display when a certain number of people are in range of a screen in a store environment. Health and safety also gets a boost from the smart camera as one can set off an alarm when people are near a dangerous piece of equipment.
While traditional security cameras still serve a fundamental role and can be seen as a cost-effective alternative, their limitations can hinder how we approach safety and efficiency now and in the future. In contrast, smart security cameras enhance security through real-time monitoring and intelligent analysis, and open the door to innovative business solutions.
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