Visual Tracking
Augmented Reality Comes to the Security Industry
By means of some of the latest user interface (UI) development technologies and usability concepts, Genetec brings augmented reality to the security industry. As part of this initiative, Genetec offers the Visual Tracking feature to users of their Security Center unified security platform. Visual Tracking enhances the operators’ experience as well as their efficiency during monitoring activities. More specifically, operators will be able to execute actions directly within a live-video view such as switching from one camera to an adjacent camera when tracking a suspect.
The Trend towards Augmented Reality
One of the latest trends in the high-tech industry is augmented reality or the ability to integrate advanced graphical capabilities with real-world environments to enhance a user’s overall experience. Simply put, augmented reality is a concept that looks to enhance the visualization of real-world environments with graphical information, as well as graphical command and control capabilities. The end result blurs the lines between real-world environments and computer-generated information, while offering users more contextual information about the current situation.
The cellular-phone industry has tapped into this trend but it goes without saying that augmented reality lends itself effortlessly to the video surveillance industry. This is mainly due to the intrinsic visual requirements of video. A security camera displays a live view of the world… so why not trigger actions in the live world directly from a live video image?
Visual Tracking view in the Security Desk: An operator simply clicks on one of the semi-transparent blue shapes (overlays) to switch to the adjacent camera.
Visual Tracking – An Example of Augmented Reality
Visual Tracking is one of the Security Center's features that brings the concept of augmented reality to the security industry. Visual Tracking allows security operators to switch between cameras directly within a tile. Through a Visual Tracking Designer, as shown in the figure below, an administrator can add semi-transparent shapes (or overlays) onto a camera view. Each shape can be linked to one or more cameras. In live monitoring mode, an operator clicking on the shape will automatically switch the video stream from the current camera to an adjacent camera all in real-time, all within the same display tile, and with the simple click of a mouse button.
Several practical use cases emerge with Visual Tracking. One is for a manual video guard tour; operators can manually switch from one camera to the next within the same display tile without having to find adjacent cameras. This effectively allows security operators to conduct a video guard tour from their security workstation at their own pace.
A second and more important use case for Visual Tracking is that of an operator manually tracking or tailing a suspect in real-time. With traditional video monitoring systems, the operator has to find the adjacent cameras and manually bring the right one into view when the suspect leaves the current camera’s field-of-view. This may require manually searching for an adjacent camera, a complicated task when the video monitoring system consists of hundreds or thousands of cameras. An alternative strategy could be to create layouts with multiple cameras and look for the suspect by scanning several live video feeds at the same time.
With Visual Tracking, switching from the current camera to an adjacent camera is a simple click away. As the suspect leaves the current camera’s field-of-view, the operator clicks on the adjacent camera in the direction of the suspect’s movement and continues to track him dutifully.
In addition to live operation, Visual Tracking is also available when viewing recorded video. This is ideal when security operators or administrators are reviewing video as they can switch from one camera to the next while remaining in playback mode. This greatly speeds up investigations and increases operators’ productivity.
Visual Tracking Designer: Allows administrators to add semi-transparent shapes (overlays) to the view of a current camera and associate the overlays to adjacent cameras.
Benefits of Visual Tracking
A variety of benefits are derived from Genetec’s Visual Tracking feature. First and foremost, the operator’s task is simplified as advanced commands are available directly within a tile. Information is graphical and command execution is available through the single click of a button. Moreover, Visual Tracking can be easily turned on or off. When activated, semi-transparent shapes (or overlays) and text indicate the commands that are available; when deactivated, all overlays are invisible. These overlays provide instant visual cues to operators, avoiding long searches and increasing their efficiency.
Efficiently managing emergency or high-alert situations improves greatly. Suspects can be manually tracked in real-time while operators effortlessly follow targets as they move from one scene or camera view to the next. Operators are no longer required to look for suspects by scanning several video feeds. Moreover, the availability of Visual Tracking with recorded video allows for a streamlined investigation process of past events and suspect activity. This ensures that operators have the most intuitive tools to review suspect activity from recorded video, thereby providing a higher level of security to your facility.
