Viseum UK’s Automated Surveillance Respecting Privacy

New computerised video surveillance cameras detect and confirm threats from 1 metre out to 39 kilometres 

The Viseum UK Group AI Situational Awareness Company has developed a video surveillance technology. This can keep us all safe from crime and violence while protecting our Right to Privacy.  Stuart Thompson was a recognised innovator at British Telecom. There he led the development of the high-speed modems behind broadband internet. He then applied that expertise to security. He developed an award-winning Intelligent Panoramic Security Camera system. It observes and ignores innocent activity. It alerts human operators quickly to suspicious or dangerous activity. The system strengthens homeland security on Britain’s streets. It also protects schools without intruding. It protects elderly and vulnerable people in care homes and hospitals.

Stuart Thompson is President and owner of Viseum UK. He recalls a warning from the Director General of MI5. Thousands of extremists living in the UK saw their British home as a legitimate target (Gardner, 2013).). He adds a second point. The UK Home Office admitted that the E-Borders programme had failed. It did not detect or intercept major crime suspects at the national border (Travis, 2013).). The Care Quality Commission (CQC) looked at a different problem. It recommended surveillance cameras in care homes. The aim was to protect vulnerable adults from abuse by a small number of staff (McGinty, 2013).). In a busy area these are all serious security challenges. They are also very different from each other. Ordinary video surveillance has struggled with them for decades.

“Discerning suspicious and potentially harmful indicators within a sea of mundane, innocent routine is a needle-in-the-haystack task, that human beings are exceptionally bad at.” (Britain’s Largest Police Force)

The solution is a computer-automated AI situational awareness system, optimised for complex and challenging environments where we live and work. Viseum UK’s globally proven Intelligent Moving Camera (IMC) is controlled by iVOS an Intelligent Virtual Operator Software. Viseum AI Situational Awareness Systems recognise and track suspicious activity. They also identify known terrorists and other criminals. They do this more reliably than a human surveillance operator. The system uses a ring of automated surveillance cameras. They watch in every direction at the same time. The system quickly learns its surroundings and “normal” activity. However, footage of routine events stays within the camera unit – unseen by humans. The iVOS Virtual Operator alerts a human operator only when needed. The trigger is unusual, suspicious or dangerous activity.

The security operator will be shown edited footage of what the Viseum system spotted. He can then alert the authorities, emergency services or security patrols and guide them onto the scene. In the meantime, the Intelligent Moving Camera system has automatically started its evidence collection mode. It then takes control of a high-quality PTZ (pan, tilt and zoom) camera. This captures forensic quality images of the event and the people involved. The Find, Fix, Follow (F3) capability uses behaviour algorithms. It adds face, person and vehicle number plate recognition. It tracks a suspect wherever they go. This covers the streets, buildings and corridors in the Viseum camera network. Viseum iVOS detects other events just as well. Examples include an abandoned package, public disorder, a neglected patient or a person harassed late at night. When nothing unusual happens, the images stay on the system hard drive. They are then overwritten at a set time.

Each Viseum installation scales with the camera hardware used. Coverage starts at close quarters in a room. It extends to an airport. At the top end it covers an area the size of New York City. Viseum technology is well known for its impact on crime and antisocial disorder. That impact is visible in public spaces worldwide. Conviction statistics show that criminals have good reason to fear them.

Viseum highlights that it aims to optimise and supplement the human response to security incidents, rather than replace them completely. Viseum force-protection and security experts call this force multiplication. It frees people to do what they do best, which is deal with other people. Viseum gives security practitioners continuous 360-degree coverage of any area of responsibility. This removes the need for hundreds of AI surveillance cameras. It also removes the need for large monitoring teams. It will also provide instantaneous forensic analysis of a previously unknown perpetrator’s movements before and after the event. We give patrols, incident commanders and the courts an unbroken record of video evidence. It shows what happened and who was involved. Viseum adds, “iVOS also supports wider security at hospitals and care homes. Intruders may attempt access, and confused patients may wander off”.

Viseum has recently visited the USA to take part in a technology showcase at “Government Security Expo” in Dallas Texas. It was striking though not surprising that we share so many security challenges with the States. Local police chiefs and military base commanders shared the same concern. So did university campus supervisors, care home providers and homeland security practitioners. All feared a low probability event with high impact inside their area of responsibility. To use military description, they want perfect “Situational Awareness and Ground Truth” before, during and after an incident.

For further information on this and other Viseum news and products, please contact Viseum  via:

[email protected]

For more information on the Viseum intelligent surveillance systems please visit https://www.viseum.co.uk

References

Gardner, F. BBC news security correspondent (2013) MI5 chief Andrew Parker warns of Islamist threat to UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24454596 [Accessed 16/12/2013]   Travis, A. The Guardian home affairs editor (2013) UK e-borders scheme failing to make immigration checks https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/09/e-borders-scheme-failing-to-stop-terror-suspects [Accessed 16/12/2013]   McGinty, L, ITV news science and medical editor (2013) Should care homes be monitored with hidden cameras? https://www.itv.com/news/2013-10-15/should-care-homes-be-monitored-with-hidden-cameras/ [Accessed 16/12/2013]