Cameras and IoT: Going from smart to intelligent

Eyes are considered to be the most powerful human sense. The equivalent technological tool is an intelligent video camera that can observe, analyze and act on provided information. This technology is know as Intelligent Video Analytics or Video Content Analysis.

Vendors such as Cisco and IBM are key companies in the market. Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are only beginning to integrate intelligent cameras. Here are some examples of IoT platforms that are already using this innovative tech and the potential future market segments.

What is an intelligent video camera?

An intelligent video camera is connected to a cloud that analyzes live video content. Events captured by the camera can instantly lead to desired actions. The ability to take action without a human operator is what makes the camera intelligent.

Imagine the video camera capturing a car accident or someone falling on the ground. Instead of manually monitoring the traffic or a public place, the intelligent camera will instantly call emergency central or other necessary assistance, thus lower the reaction time from accident to action.

Key vendors in the market are Agent Vi, Axis Communications, Bosch Security Systems, Cisco, Honeywell Security and IBM. Research and Markets suggests the main market sectors to be transportation and logistics, banking and financial services, governmental, industrial, retail, healthcare and banking and financial services.

Intelligent traffic cams

Intelligent cameras in traffic can monitor, solve logistical problems and help you get home safe and sound. Intelligent cameras can notify you of empty space in a lane or optimize your driving path. The video camera can be installed along roads or in your car. Intelligent cameras can detect who drove on a red light and only capture and save that exact moment. The transition from smart to intelligent cameras makes the analytics select only the necessary data to be saved for later investigation. Intelligent cameras can also recognize a license plate. Imagine that the garage door opens by itself when recognizing your license plate in the driveway or analyzing who is in the car in front of you.

IntelliVision — its demo is below — and other vendors such as Infinova, Nice Systems, ObjectVideo, Verint and VideoIQ are noticeable leading companies contributing and shaping the intelligent video market.

Facial recognition also helps

Face recognition can become an essential feature in public security and home monitoring. Detecting or tracking people, observing a person’s behavior, counting number of steps or identify who left a bag on the train station. For home monitoring, features as your door unlocking once you get home only by recognizing your face. The camera might even give you a push notification on your phone about who is outside your front door or in your backyard.

Thanks to other contributors who added to this article: Caroline Myrland and Henrik Evensen