Security concerns are taking surveillance a step ahead in India

In a chat with VARINDIA, CM Menon, Regional Sales Director - Analog Devices India (ADI) highlights the growth of video analytics in the surveillance industry in India and how is ADI placed to serve its customers with the latest surveillance technologies -

The market for security and surveillance equipment has been a growing market in India from over two decades. CCTVs and cameras have been in use in offices, banks and other establishments that need surveillance. With crime rates in India on the rise, security and surveillance needs have also been increasing in an effort to counter theft and crime. 

Smart city requirements necessitate the use of cameras and sensors to monitor traffic conditions across the city and take appropriate measures like controlling traffic signals accordingly. Smart houses, shopping malls and commercial establishments deploy surveillance cameras to not only safeguard against theft and crime but also for applications like people counting, motion and occupancy sensing, vehicle parking assistance and HVAC/lighting control.

When it comes to the security of students and common people for schools, colleges and ATMs, security and surveillance cameras are very useful as they aid security personnel monitor areas within a complex and take action when suspicious activities are detected or observed.  

Observes C M Menon, Regional Sales Director - Analog Devices India, “Nowadays people are requesting for more features to ensure the security of the loved once like higher resolution video, video analytics and smart cameras. At ADI, we have an innovative solution called the BLIP (Blackfin  Low Power Imaging Platform), which is an effective low cost, low power embedded computer vision platform targeting a vast array of real-time sensing applications.” 
The BLIP leverages the latest entry within the industry-leading, low power Blackfin processor family as well as Analog Devices’ optimized software library deliverables. 

ADI is a technology provider where Systems are developed, deployed and serviced by end equipment manufacturers, OEMs or system integration companies who deploy complete systems and offer service support. ADI provides technology globally, Indian customers will also have access to all technologies that ADI develops in future to serve the security and surveillance market. As a leading security company, ADI sees opportunities in surveillance of ATMs, banks, schools, colleges, commercial establishments and homes. “Additionally we are also seeing opportunities in traffic management and asset management in India,” says Menon.
 

Demand for Digital Technology…
The latest developments in digital technology use cameras with sensors and chips that perform ‘video analytics on the edge’, where analyzing the video is done in the camera itself with the use of sensors and intelligent embedded software running on a MCU or a DSP. 

The change from analog to digital has had an impact on critical parameters in terms of storage of video feeds, bandwidth requirements, video analytics and overall system cost. Wireless IP cameras that communicate wirelessly either through Wi-Fi or short range RF without the need for any sort of wiring lower overall system cost by a fair degree. Wireless communication over IP networks also has fewer problems with interference and encryption security is built into the technology. 

 “Concepts like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning are applied in video analytic algorithms making the camera smart. This reduces down the need to transmit a lot of video to the Cloud or to Network Video recorders thus making the system much more efficient through lowering bandwidth requirements and cost,” says Menon.

Future opportunities for ADI…
Speaking on the future opportunities, Menon believes that if the industry wants to grow together the channel needs to work closely with end equipment manufacturers or system integration companies by sourcing components required for the overall systems. 

“We have 3 channel partners in India who would be able to provide ADI products and reference designs like the BLIP to system integrators and other customers in the security and surveillance domain. We believe that we need to work in conjunction with our channel partners in order to grow the security industry,” he sums up.