Artificial intelligence and CCTV

Jul 3, 2023 | CCTV, Security Systems

AI has brought about significant improvements in surveillance, security, and analytics, making CCTV systems more efficient and effective. CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) systems have increasingly adopted artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance their capabilities. In this blog JKE will look at the features of these systems and where they are best deployed.

AI powered CCTV features

CCTV systems that utilise AI provide a range of benefits and can be used in various settings to improve security.

  1. Object detection and tracking

AI-powered CCTV systems can detect and track objects in real-time. This includes recognizing people, vehicles, and other items of interest. By leveraging deep learning algorithms, CCTV cameras can identify and follow specific objects, making it easier to monitor and investigate events.

  1. Facial recognition

AI enables CCTV cameras to recognize and identify individuals based on their facial features. This technology has applications in various fields, including law enforcement, access control, and customer service. It’s important to note that facial recognition raises privacy concerns which will need to be managed.

  1. Anomaly detection

AI can analyse video feeds from CCTV cameras and detect anomalies or unusual behaviours. For instance, the system can identify suspicious activities such as loitering, abandoned objects, or overcrowding in public places, which will trigger alerts to security personnel who are monitoring the live feed or have remote access systems in place.

  1. Behaviour analysis

By observing patterns and behaviours, AI can recognise normal and abnormal activities within a monitored area. This capability is valuable for identifying potential security threats or safety hazards.

  1. Automated alerts and responses

AI equipped CCTV systems can generate real-time alerts based on predefined rules. These alerts can be sent to security personnel or integrated with other security systems for an immediate response to potential security breaches.

  1. Crowd management

In crowded areas like stadiums, public events, or transportation hubs, AI can help manage crowd flow and density. The system can monitor crowd movement and provide insights to enhance safety and optimize space utilization.

  1. License plate recognition

AI-driven CCTV can read and interpret license plate numbers from vehicles passing through monitored areas. This technology is used for traffic management, toll collection, and law enforcement purposes.

  1. Video analytics

AI enables sophisticated video analytics that go beyond traditional motion detection. For example, the system can detect and analyse human interactions, count people or vehicles, and even predict potential incidents based on historical data.

  1. Reducing false alarms

By incorporating AI algorithms, CCTV systems can filter out false alarms triggered by environmental factors like weather conditions or wildlife, leading to more accurate and reliable alerts.

Where to use AI based CCTV systems

Police forces have adopted AI-powered CCTV systems for various applications. This includes facial recognition to identify suspects, object tracking to monitor criminal activities, and analysis to detect suspicious behaviour in high risk places.

Transport for London (TfL), and other regional transport agencies, have begun to use AI and CCTV to manage and secure public transportation networks. This assists with crowd management, real-time monitoring for safety and security, and automatic license plate recognition for congestion charging and law enforcement.

Retail stores and shopping centres have deployed AI and CCTV to prevent theft, monitor customer behaviours, and optimize store layouts for better customer experiences. Retailers could also use facial recognition for loyalty programs or personalised marketing if they follow the American trend in this area.

Large public buildings, hospitals, critical infrastructure sites, and places like airports, train stations, and city centres often use AI-powered CCTV systems for enhanced security and surveillance. Places like big city centre-based banks use these types of systems to safeguard employees, premises and assets.

Some cities in the UK are adopting smart city technologies, including AI and CCTV, to improve public safety, traffic management, and urban planning. More usage will be documented on this as it gets rolled out more over coming years.

Manufacturers and large warehousing type businesses benefit from this technology to ensure access control in high stock value or safety critical areas within their premises. It’s a useful tool to restrict entrance using the facial recognition element which is easy to link up to your door access control systems.

It’s worth noting that the use of AI and CCTV in the UK is subject to regulations and legal considerations, especially regarding data privacy and individual rights. The authorities and organisations that are using these technologies must adhere to relevant laws and guidelines to ensure ethical and responsible use.

If you’d benefit from the installation of AI powered CCTV systems please call us on 0800 2545645 or email marketing@jkesecurity.co.uk and one of the team will be happy to organise a site visit.