Security Sales & Integration April 2023 - 50

Video
Heating Up Imaging
Imaginations
Color accuracy
impacts the ability
to trust in the
evidence the
camera captures.
The longer we can
keep a camera
capturing colors,
the better it is for
forensic search or
real-time
notification.
- Rui Barbosa, i-PRO
Americas
Cameras that offer dual imagers
are well-suited for a variety
of environments due to them
containing both thermal and
optical imagers.
COURTESY BOSCH
50
such as email, SMS and push notifications on
PC or mobile devices. "
In most cases, thermal cameras are used
along with analytics that generate alarms based
on detection areas preconfigured for desired
surveillance areas within a camera's view, Patel
adds. Analytics can also provide tracks of movement
for individuals in the detection area which
further helps with security personnel dispatch
and more effective response to a threat. And,
as Johnson notes, end users want the ability to
be alerted to a person at their perimeter. " With
the ability to detect and classify objects, thermal
cameras with built-in video analytics can
detect and alert to a person at a perimeter, while
ignoring wildlife. Built-in intelligence helps to
reduce the number of false detections. Reducing
false alarms improves the efficiency of security
personnel at a facility who may need to be dispatched
to the area to investigate the alarm. "
It's important for integrators to keep in mind
that although new capabilities are enticing many
more end users to adopt thermal and nightvision
cameras, there are some applications and/or locations
that simply are not well-suited to deploying
these types of cameras. Patel cautions that
areas where a high concentration of water vapor
and carbon dioxide are present should typically
be avoided when using thermal cameras. He explains,
" Water vapor and carbon dioxide in the
air are the primary causes of absorption. During
absorption, the heat radiated from an object is
absorbed by water vapor and carbon dioxide and
it loses some of its energy before reaching the
camera. This will limit a thermal camera's ability
to detect heat radiated from objects. "
In addition, Johnson advises that thermal
cameras may not be needed in well-lit areas or
those with enough ambient lighting from nearby
buildings or other sources. Optical cameras
with low light capabilities or those with integrated
IR can provide clear images in these
areas, he says. " The latest low light cameras deliver
high-quality color images in very limited
lighting conditions. These cameras can provide
greater details - such as the color of a vehicle
or clothing - that can aid investigations in
environments with adequate ambient lighting. "
Getting Up to Speed
Given the new capabilities that advancements
have afforded, and at much more affordable
prices than ever before, opportunities abound
for installing integrators to sell and deploy deSecurity
Sales & Integration APRIL 2023
vices and systems offering thermal and/or nightvision
feature sets. There are resources out there
to help them segue into this market. As Barbosa
points out, integrators can educate themselves
on the capabilities of these cameras by comparing
different brands and requesting sample
units from different manufacturers, as well as
researching third-party industry comparisons.
Manufacturers offer training to educate dealers
and integrators on the benefits of their specific
products, which can be helpful in determining
the brand/model to sell, Johnson adds,
noting that it's important that the integrator
understands the capabilities and limitations of
the camera. Features to review, he says, should
include resolution, refresh rate and sensitivity.
" High resolutions will enable detection at
longer distances. A faster refresh rate provides
greater detail for fast-moving objects. Higher
sensitivity will enable improved object detection
in areas with high heat, where the temperature
differential makes it difficult to distinguish
people from the background. "
He also advises dealers/integrators do their
own research to understand the capabilities
and limitations of the technology in general.
" In applications where rain, fog, or snow are
common, a camera that features dual visible
and thermal imagers may provide better performance.
Thermal cameras can be challenged
to produce usable images in rain, fog or snow. "
Patel concurs it's important integrators and
dealers know the main applications and key
benefits of thermal cameras. Namely, compared
to visual cameras, thermal provides more reliable
detection and shape recognition, he says.
This is achieved by combining high image
contrast with motion detection. Thus, the false
alarm rate can be kept down, with fewer unnecessary
responses and actions by personnel.
Now is the time for enterprising dealers and
integrators to seize the new opportunities that
thermal and nightvision cameras present. And,
those opportunities, Johnson adds, can go beyond
the bounds of security applications.
" The increased use of radio metrics will allow
more thermal cameras to measure the surface
temperature of an object. This technology will
expand the use of thermal cameras beyond security
to solve operational challenges. " SSI
ERIN HARRINGTON (erinharrington1115@
gmail.com) has 20+ years' security industry
media experience.
securitysales.com
http://www.securitysales.com
Security Sales & Integration April 2023

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