Security Sales & Integration March 2022 - 59

" COVID-19 affects different people in different
ways. High temperature is one of the indicators
and may only appear after the onset of
other symptoms, reducing the effectiveness of
only using a temperature monitoring solution.
Furthermore, the current technology limitations
required thermal cameras deployed for the
purposes of human temperature monitoring to
adhere to specific guidelines, making it practical
only for certain customers that had the resources
to deploy such a solution as a first stage
screening solution, " notes Hamish Dobson, vice
president, product management, Video Security
& Access Control at Motorola Solutions.
Though the COVID temperature screening
fad failed to gain traction, thermal imaging has
proven to excel in an integral area: perimeter
security. Ahead, experts in this field will provide
an update on the latest thermal trends and
opportunities, while sidebars provide insights
in the worlds of nightvision and illumination.
Price Decreases as Interest Increases
A frequently cited knock against thermal
imaging has always been its price. However,
advancements in technology over the last several
decades has made the technology more
cost-effective, creating new opportunities for
integrators to utilize it. Projects where thermal
cameras were once out of the question, like
a ranch or a sprawling housing complex, can
now enter the conversation.
A major evolution was the jump from analog
to IP, which put it on a totally different
trajectory with regards to intelligence capabilities
and what can be done with it, according
to Burdet. He adds that the technology
has improved to get better sensor size and
better resolution in those sensors, as well as
better sensitivity, which helps reduce false information.
When it comes to image processing,
that helps with noise reduction and color
representation. There has also been some
improvement in compressing and transmitting
that information which can reduce the
file size, but also can help retain that data in
a useful way.
" Driving down the cost has really helped
make it more accessible for customers. It's
helped broaden it down to those people and
then maybe offered more tier options where,
now, because I can get these different levels of
resolution or sensor quality, I can then get different
levels of the product itself, " he explains.
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Thermals Make Sense as Sensors
While it is well-known that thermal imaging
technology can improve accuracy and reduce
false alarms in challenging video conditions
such as fog, smoke or light rain, the combination
of this technology with the latest video
analytics and AI has made it more accurate
than ever. Specifically, these advancements can
provide improved contrast between, for example,
a person or a car, and the surroundings,
which leads to another advantage.
" The algorithms can accurately and reliably
pick up intruders so you don't have to have
a security operator looking at a video wall of
hundreds of cameras all the time to try to find
anomalies. The algorithms can do that for you, "
says Kai Moncino, director of global business
development, Security at Teledyne FLIR.
Hamish adds AI alerts " are meaningful,
which avoids wasted time and improves productivity.
This added layer of automated detection
and notification is often the difference between
security teams being able to respond to eventsin-progress,
versus providing documentation to
conduct further investigation after-the-fact. "
In addition to perimeter security, integrators
can expand their services by offering thermography
for condition monitoring. Condition monitoring
involves cameras that exclusively measure
the temperature of a critical object, such as
a transformer at a substation or a fan in a pump.
" More and more we're seeing security integrators
broadening their scope into condition
monitoring because these cameras are oftentimes
mounted in a fixed way, the way a security
camera would be, " Moncino says. " So,
security integrators are uniquely positioned to
install them and then there are also networked
Thermal cameras are ideal
for detecting trespassers in
adverse weather conditions,
such as rain and fog.
More and more
we're seeing
security
integrators
broadening their
scope into
condition
monitoring
because these
cameras are
oftentimes
mounted in a fixed
way, the way a
security camera
would be.
- Kai Moncino,
Teledyne FLIR
MARCH 2022 Security Sales & Integration 59
COURTESY OF TELEDYNE FLIR
http://www.securitysales.com
Security Sales & Integration March 2022

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