Smart Cameras Blog

From New York Times:

A short article on CCTV, video surveillance, and smart cameras in London contained a few interesting points.

The next wave in CCTV, experts say, is to marry traditional surveillance with computer software to make cameras better at detecting suspicious behavior that can be the precursor to a crime.

The police are believed to have used a rudimentary form of such technology to make the first arrest in this plot — Mohammed Asha, a Palestinian of Jordanian descent, who was captured on a motorway after his license plate was recognized by roadside cameras.

I don’t know if anyone has confirmed that it was ANPR that caught the suspect. Other news articles mention it may be cell phone traces that led the police to the suspect. The article also mentions future uses for smart cameras:

More advanced applications include cameras that can be programmed to search for specific objects — say, an unattended bag in a subway station — or for people with suspicious mannerisms. Cameras that recognize facial characteristics are also being developed, though their effectiveness has been hampered by the unpredictable lighting in outdoor spaces. “Some people are looking very hard at suicide bombers,” said Peter Fry, director of the CCTV User Group, a trade association. “You can possibly pick up mannerisms, facial tics and so on. If that works, it would be a tremendous help in cases like these.”

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From Government Technology:

I have noted before how cell phones can be used for traffic monitoring. Dust Networks is taking that capability to add smarts to traffic monitoring.

“The Dust Network compares current speeds with historical speeds, and when it sees a large variation in what’s expected, it trips an alarm,” said Szymkowski, adding that AirSage monitors calls to 911 and creates an alarm when it detects a spike. “We’re probably going to be working with the Wisconsin State Patrol to understand when an incident occurred and see if we can match up the alarms with the real incidents.”

Dust Networks web site also mentions another interesting technology that makes parking meters smart.

Streetline Meter Monitors provide two-way networking to standard single space parking meters, with no wiring and no modification to the meter housings. The patented technology is compatible with over 90% of installed meters, and in most cases will simply plug into existing meter data ports. The Monitors help cities track usage and vandalism, and provide a detailed audit of all meter operations in real-time. Streetline Vehicle Sensors deliver accurate real-time information about arrivals, departures and occupancy in on-street parking spaces.

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