Axiom

Image Metrics Security Solutions, a provider of intelligent software solutions to the global security industry, and Baxall Limited, one of the world’s largest CCTV manufacturers and winner of this year’s product innovation award, have jointly launched the first module Image Metrics’ state-of-the-art software solution, Optasia(TM) Security, at IFSEC 2002.

The person detection module, branded as BaxTrack by Baxall, tracked people in the IFSEC crowd live on Baxall’s stand. The launch was also supported on Image Metrics’ stand in the Biometrics Village with further demonstrations of Optasia(TM) Security, alongside state-of-the-art face recognition solutions.

Optasia(TM) Security is a software technology that automates the extraction of security threat information from CCTV. It is designed for integration by global systems integrators and CCTV product OEMs. Baxall Limited, a recognised world leader in product innovation, is the first company to partner with Image Metrics’ to deploy innovative new products based on the core Optasia(TM) technology.

Commenting on the release of Optasia(TM) Security, Marketing Director, Nick Perrett, said, “Optasia(TM) Security really represents a step change for the security industry. CCTV enabled larger geographic areas to be surveyed and staffing efficiencies to be generated. However, CCTV does nothing more than to generate visual data – it does not provide timely, relevant information about real security threats, especially in an era when we are moving toward remote surveillance over IP.”

The software is really the first of its kind in intelligence, based on state-of-the-art advances in computer vision – the science of extracting information from images. Optasia(TM) Security advances significantly beyond motion detection or primitive image recognition solutions to robustly and accurately detect, track, index and classify the behaviour of objects in CCTV. Optasia(TM) Security can be used to search live or pre-recorded CCTV for objects of interest, such as people or cars.

As well as searching and alerting, Optasia(TM) Security makes the video more usable for the end user. The number one requirement of CCTV end users, according to recent industry surveys, is for better image indexing of CCTV footage – Optasia(TM) Security can deliver on this need today, giving end users the chance to locate events that matter far quicker than ever before.

The technology does not use background subtraction, PIR or motion detection technologies, which have known inefficiencies, particularly when used outdoors. Even image recognition solutions that are currently available offer far less robustness to the real world challenges surveillance represent, using simple metrics such as aspect ratio to distinguish between, say, humans (tall and thin) and birds (short and wide). None of these technologies truly understand image content. By contrast, the core Optasia(TM) technology is used to build highly robust statistical models of specific objects of interest. These models encapsulate the complete natural variation of the object – how a person, for instance, appears in an image. A model is compared against real-time footage and matched only if the specific object is found. Optasia(TM) Security is therefore incredibly robust – if you are only interested in people going through a door the wrong way, Optasia(TM) Security will only alert or record instances of that specific event.

The benefits of Image Metrics’ approach to the analysis of CCTV include:

Efficient management & prioritisation of CCTV channels – the software distinguishes between events that matter, such as a person breaking into a building, from events that do not, such as a bird flying past the CCTV field of view.

Real-time indexing of events – storing of events for subsequent rapid review at a later date.

Greater efficiency in CCTV operations – potential to reduce the requirement for CCTV operators and manned guards, with automated analysis of CCTV.

Improve the viability of remote surveillance operations – operating a black screen environment over a larger number of installations becomes feasible with Optasia(TM) Security.

Image Metrics are currently in discussions with global players in four continents for applications as diverse as tracking people, looking for security threats in baggage x-rays and looking for illegally parked vehicles in restricted areas.

Image Metrics Security Solutions
Image Metrics Security Solutions is a dedicated business unit of Image Metrics PLC, serving the international security industry. Optasia(TM) Security automates the analysis of images and CCTV video for objects or concepts that may present security threats. For example, Optasia(TM) Security could be used to search CCTV footage for instances of vehicles that haven’t moved for more than five minutes outside a bank, for bags left unattended in an airport lounge, or potential intruders in a restricted area. The technology offers the labour intensive security industry the ability to automate many tasks currently performed manually and to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their security operations. Face recognition is one of the core modules of Optasia(TM) Security. Optasia(TM) Security was invented by, and is proprietary to, Image Metrics PLC.

Image Metrics

Image Metrics plc is the world’s first Image Understanding company. Its technology automates the analysis and interpretation of images and video, delivering strong ROI to partners worldwide. Image Metrics was formed in November 2000 by an International Prize winning team of PhD scientists, and is backed by equity investment from Axiomlab PLC and Acorn Capital. The company’s core technology is applicable to a wide range of markets, but the company is currently addressing three vertical markets through dedicated business units in Medical, Security & Animation. For more information on how Image Metrics could help you get more from images and video within your organisation please visit, www.image-metrics.com

Baxall Limited

Baxall Limited is one of the world’s leading CCTV manufacturers, selling around 200,000 channels annually. Baxall is part of the Upperpoint Group, which, through Norbain PLC, is a driving force in Europe’s CCTV market. Norbain is Europe’s largest distributor of CCTV product. The Destiny product range is Baxall’s IP offering.