Hikvision previews the main security trends for this year

Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, intelligent video, 5G, convergence of multiple systems… These are some of the technologies that will be key in this industry, both in the short and long term, and that are analyzed in this article.

Aunque 2020 it has been a very unusual year, the constant transformation of the security industry has not stopped. Several major changes in the use of technology are even accelerating, such as, For example, the increase in multi-sensing technologies; the convergence of security systems; the popularity of artificial intelligence and the rise of cloud solutions.

These changes are expanding and changing the scope of this industry: from keeping people and assets safe to creating safer environments, efficient and smart.

Facing 2021, great hopes are placed, y Hikvision has shared some ideas and thoughts regarding the key trends that may affect the security industry both in the short and long term.

1. Smart video technology that helps during the pandemic. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are prioritizing finding ways to resume their activity safely. Smart video technology has shown great potential to help companies keep employees and customers safe as they return to work.

With artificial intelligence technology, security cameras monitor places with high density of people to ensure that employees comply with safety measures, like social distancing, the use of masks and access control. Besides, these devices offer the possibility of measuring temperature.

Employees are avoiding unnecessary physical contact when entering facilities and contactless access systems are being implemented, like facial recognition, using the palm of the hand or via NFC and QR codes.

2. Multidimensional perception. for a long time, capturing visual images has been the only capability of conventional video cameras. With the development and application of detection technologies, computing systems and intelligent algorithms are coming into play, allowing devices and integrated security systems to use multiple sensors.

Now, more perception capabilities are being integrated, como detección de radar, imágenes multiespectrales, medición de humedad y temperatura, detección de presión de gas… con cámaras y sistemas de vídeo. Esta integración amplía las capacidades de los nuevos sistemas y cámaras de vídeo y amplía sus aplicaciones ya que permite la recopilación y el uso de información multidimensional.

For example, hay proyectos prometedores que integran cámaras con tecnología de radar de ondas centimétricas y milimétricas, y que pueden extender la percepción de la cámara más allá del rango visual, para detectar objetos y hacer seguimiento de movimiento a más de 100 meters away.

Las imágenes multiespectrales son otro buen método para que las cámaras perciban información del espectro de luz no visible. For example, la innovadora detección ultravioleta (UV) aumenta la capacidad de percepción de las cámaras hasta capturar fenómenos de arco eléctrico invisible; esta tecnología encuentra una aplicación clave en controles de seguridad en redes eléctricas antiguas.

Las capacidades de percepción multidimensional jugarán un papel fundamental para llevar la industria de la seguridad por vídeo al siguiente nivel.

3. Visibilidad en cualquier momento y condición. Los usuarios esperan un rendimiento ininterrumpido de sus cámaras de vídeo, independientemente de la temporada, del clima y de la hora del día. Es vital tener cámaras que puedan responder de manera efectiva para capturar imágenes claras en cualquier circunstancia.

Nowadays, la tecnología que permite capturar imágenes coloridas con poca luz -por la noche o en entornos oscuros- está proliferando en la industria de la seguridad, y los clientes han mostrado preferencia por las cámaras con imágenes en color las 24 hours of the day, los 7 days of the week. Besides, cada vez más cámaras frontales están equipadas con esa tecnología para asegurarse de que puedan ver y reproducir el color de la imagen tanto de día como de noche.

Y en otras condiciones extremas, como lluvia intensa, snow, niebla… ¿cómo garantizan las cámaras la visibilidad? Los profesionales de la industria tienden a elegir imágenes térmicas, that measure heat or thermal radiation to generate images from their field of view.

With thermography, the image is much less affected, even by conditions that darken light the most.

4. 5G technology for wireless and ultra-high-definition video security. 5G technology can bring significant changes to the security industry. The higher bandwidth and lower latency of 5G make the regular transmission of high-quality images possible and, with the widespread adoption of ultra-high-definition cameras (UHD), new opportunities open up.

Besides, reliable wireless transmission through 5G technology will revolutionize the current security market through wired video. In upcoming 5G networks, wireless cameras will proliferate and more devices will connect in remote locations. This will also facilitate the broad and rapid implementation of AI applications.

5. Convergence of multiple security systems. The vast majority of security professionals have long desired for systems to work together seamlessly. The benefits of converging multiple security systems – video, access control, alarm, fire prevention and emergency management- on a unified platform are multiple, especially when it comes to efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

For example, when an alarm is triggered, an integrated system automatically links that alert to the output of the nearest camera, so the entire event can be easily monitored from the control center.

This translates into a considerable reduction of time and effort and, the most important thing, de costes. Labor savings, installation time, maintenance costs, software licenses… add up to create an attractive package for customers.

Besides, Convergence makes security solutions easily scalable. The existing infrastructure is prepared to manage future needs on the same central platform.

6. Digital transformation of companies driven by video security systems. In addition to security and protection, la oferta de sistemas de seguridad por vídeo de valor añadido ha crecido para ayudar a las empresas en su proceso de transformación digital y para obtener información sobre oportunidades de desarrollo.

Con la potencia de los análisis de inteligencia artificial, las soluciones de seguridad de vídeo inteligente de hoy en día están diseñadas para mejorar la automatización y la eficiencia operativa en varios mercados verticales, incluidos el tráfico, el comercio minorista, manufacturing, la construcción y la educación, inter alia. Los comercios, For example, entienden mejor los recorridos de los clientes en sus tiendas y así pueden mejorar sus estrategias de comercialización.

These solutions have been designed with digital panels to display data and information coming from integrated internal business information systems. Operators can use these systems to get real-time situation updates that will help them make the best decisions for their business.

The trend of digital transformation in many companies presents enormous opportunities for security companies to expand their reach and play an important role in the future of a smart world.

7. Cloud-based accelerated security solutions. The trend of moving to the cloud by companies of all sizes has increased in the security industry 2020. Cada vez más compañías aprovechan los económicos servicios de la nube para ampliar la flexibilidad de sus operaciones, despliegue y gestión.

Los sistemas de seguridad basados en la nube, que combinan seguridad, networking, almacenamiento, análisis y administración, están facilitando mucho la implementación, ya que no se necesitan servidores ni software locales. Esto ahorra una significativa cantidad de tiempo y dinero, al tiempo que amplía o reduce los sistemas de seguridad.

A través de una infraestructura de alojamiento en la nube, estas soluciones también benefician a los clientes con operaciones y mantenimiento remotos, alertándolos rápidamente sobre eventos clave de seguridad y permitiéndoles mantenerse al día con las últimas versiones de firmware, actualizaciones y servicios.

8. Increase in cutting-edge computing to put AI everywhere. Cutting-edge computing is increasingly accessible for security cameras and intelligent algorithms with broad applications are continuously being developed. This leads us to think that advanced computing will allow AI to be brought everywhere.

Automatic license plate recognition (ANPR); Automatic event alert; People counting; Heat mapping; Illegal parking detection and helmet usage detection, as well as other artificial intelligence applications, are becoming common in the security market.

With the evolution of computing and artificial intelligence algorithms, Security cameras will gradually take on smarter tasks in the near future to help improve safety in local communities and the efficiency of data systems.

9. Open AI application ecosystems. With AI applications finding uses in many new fields, Market requirements for AI algorithms are diversifying, and the demand for customization is also increasing. There has been more collaboration in the industry and new ecosystems to meet diverse needs.

Several security manufacturers have launched programs to keep their peripheral devices open to third-party AI applications. This brings a greater variety of intelligent functions, while development partners also benefit from openness.

Providing open AI platforms for customers to directly create and train their own algorithms is a fairly common practice in other industries and is now emerging in the field of physical security.

Customers have a deeper understanding of their own businesses and it will be more efficient and effective for them to have easy-to-use open AI training platforms to develop their own algorithms based on their specific data and needs, both in security and business.

10. Emphasis on cybersecurity and data privacy. Cybersecurity and the protection of data privacy have been a challenge for the security industry since the moment the first security device was connected to the Internet.

Driven by the surge of cloud-based solutions and a range of innovative technologies, such as IoT, Big Data, 5AI, millions of security devices and systems are now joining this connected network.

Protecting security devices and systems from cyberattacks and establishing data privacy are issues more important than ever. Cybersecurity will continue to be a concern for the industry at every step of data processing, from generation, transmission and storage, hasta las aplicaciones de datos y finalmente la eliminación.

Zero Trust ha sido un concepto muy extendido en el campo de la ciberseguridad, y esta puede ser una idea inspiradora para que las empresas de seguridad creen estándares de ciberseguridad de alto nivel, con la actitud de nunca confiar, siempre verificar. El tiempo lo dirá.