Latest Trends in Parking Lot Surveillance Technology

As soon as you buy a new car and drive it off the lot or swipe your credit card for your new cell phone purchase, the clock is ticking. The race to your vehicle or phone’s technology into obsoletion has begun while the next version, with the newest more advanced features is already being developed.

The improvements in technology are welcome evolutions when it comes to security and combatting crime. As surveillance systems improve, criminals become more sophisticated, which forces the need for technology to evolve even further.

It's a cat and mouse game that has transitioned security systems from being hidden in the shadows and utilized as “gotcha” tools to one that has become more front and center. They now serve as clear signposts—warning that an area is being actively monitored and protected.

And to ensure that the bark meets the bite, surveillance systems and their technologies are continuing to sharpen their teeth and get better in the following ways.

VIDEO QUALITY AND STORAGE

The chase for superior image quality is a never-ending quest. Whether it’s a television, photography or video camera, or even the phone in your pocket, we are all relentlessly pursuing the crispest details and brightest images. For security cameras, nothing is more important that being able to reliably see detailed images. Even with so many advancements in picture quality and night vision capabilities, it’s no wonder why manufacturers continue to push the optical envelope.

Many surveillance cameras now operate in ultra-high definition and even in 4K. These cameras offer roughly 27 times the resolution of conventional analog cameras and nine times that of standard HD cameras. This provides incredible detail and its ability to overcompensate for low light situations is quite dramatic. The higher resolution also allows for better integrity of the image, meaning that the picture won’t degrade significantly if you zoom in. However, with higher resolution and greater detail comes a price to pay in terms of storage. With 4K, storage capacity is doubled compared to HD and it requires a capable internet connection to handle the size.

Another area where advancements are still coming is in night vision, and more specifically, thermal imaging cameras. Thermal cameras are unique in their ability to detect heat signatures from objects which can be immensely useful where visibility may be compromised like in smoke or smog. The downside in all this is thermal cameras can only measure heat expenditures and decipher them into shapes that lack precise details. So, while we can delineate a human from an animal, we cannot specifically identify two individuals from one another. In addition to this, thermal images cannot capture images through glass or water. Thermal cameras utilize infrared radiation for its imaging, and unlike regular light, it cannot pass through or permeate glass or water which reflects it instead. As a result, you can see the image of a car, but you can’t necessarily see a person driving it.

These are just some of the challenges that the next frontier of cameras looks to overcome as the demand for heat signature detection increases.

AUDIO CAPABILITIES

Surveillance cameras and their abilities to pick up sound have come a long way and seemingly go hand in hand nowadays. From initial surveillance cameras that offered only video to now being able to pick up entire conversations and even isolate bits of sound is a gamechanger. Current technology has evolved from audio being a passive listening exercise to a point where it has two-way capability. This allows those viewing the cameras the ability to interact with those being watched. It also provides an added layer of protection where surveillance can now actively stop and prevent unwanted or suspicious activities from progressing further.

There is also a level of customization that can now be implemented as well. Systems can be programmed automatically to blare pre-recorded warnings or activate audible alarms and strobing lights when prompted by specific actions or activity in pre-determined areas.

One of the next steps in audio and security lies in voice recognition and voice control. Microphones and software can start to analyze and authenticate audio files to authorized users allowing them access to secure locations or the ability to utilize their voice for commands or prompts.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

When we think of artificial intelligence, images of floating screens being summoned and swiped away ala The Minority Report comes to mind. Imagine screens monitoring, analyzing, and tracking everything from people’s locations to their biomarkers, to their habits, and even making predictions on future crimes.

And while that is still hyperbole, artificial intelligence does seem to be inching further along the continuum, even if it is considered in its infancy stage. Industries are just scratching the surface of what AI can do but one thing is certain, it is moving well beyond targeted ads on social media.

In security, many experts see artificial intelligence streamlining surveillance, speeding up response times, and reducing human error. Studies indicate that individuals who are engaged in tasks that are considered mundane only have attention capacity for up to 20 minutes. After that, attention span starts to decrease and that only deteriorates even more quickly when faced with multiple tasks at the same time.

AI is starting to aggregate large and multiple streams of data simultaneously (think multiple surveillance cameras) to identify anomalies in all the video feeds and to provide a summary of anything that looks out of the ordinary that needs further investigation. They can use facial recognition and license plate readers to capture images and run it through a database.

Some software technology touts the ability to not only identify individuals but to look for patterns or repetitive instances. This can be extremely helpful in incidents like organized retail crime. The ability for AI to gather, review, and analyze data can also be utilized to understand traffic patterns , to keep track of the areas with the highest product visibility, or note where customers are waiting the longest for assistance.  

Many experts say that not only will AI help combat crime but believe it will also help businesses optimize their operations. It will change the way businesses think about a return on investment and focus more on a return on experience. The hope is that it creates a continuous stream of return business based on customer satisfaction and loyalty.

While many of these advances in AI will be mired with privacy issues, it’s clear that it’s a rapidly moving area that will only grow more important as businesses look to keep their businesses safe and crime low.

Much of surveillance is ensuring that there is a strong enough security presence to deter would-be criminals. That only works if they believe and fear that the security systems in place are continuously able to identify, analyze, and respond quickly and effectively. But the cat and mouse game just might be tilting favorably towards one side—the side that is constantly working to build a better mousetrap.