Security on the edge

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By Stefan Li

April 29, 2021

Thermal technology can now provide affordable perimeter protection

It’s true that every building has a different security need. There are various factors that can change this, not least the surrounding area that building is in. Imagine, for example, a place surrounded by thick foliage, fences or outlying buildings. Imagine also that there are no street lights in the area. All of these things make perimeter security harder, especially for traditional optical cameras that rely on line of sight and at least a low-level of light to spot intruders. It’s these scenarios that benefits greatly from another technology – thermal imaging.

Now affordable and accessible to SMB

According to Inkwood Research, the Global Perimeter Security market will have grown to $38459 million by 2026. Companies are realizing that securing their perimeter, so often previously added as an ‘afterthought’, is increasingly important. The use of thermal technology has been traditionally for large-scale projects, with technology prices being quite high. These days, however, manufacturers like Hikvision have brought costs down, making this technology accessible to a wider range of projects.

Smaller business and homeowners can now benefit from this extra layer of security, which gives more peace of mind, since intruders can be flagged even before they get to the front door. With modern convergence technologies now available, they can also link their thermal cameras to their alarm systems. This means that they can have a simple way to monitor the situation holistically, even through their mobile phones using an app.

See through the perimeter

In a perimeter security situation the focus is on ensuring a person does not approach past a certain ‘line’ into an area. But this can be tricky, since it deals with an outside area, which is more likely to be out of the direct control of the home or business owner. In this scenario, there are lots of places where potential intruders can lurk, behind fences and in dense shrubbery, for example. Traditional ‘optical cameras alone would not be able to detect them. Thermal technology, on the other hand, does not require any light at all. Since thermal sensors detect emissivity – the low-level radiation given off by all ‘surfaces’ at different levels - it can ‘see through’ obstacles like fences and bushes.

Another issue at the perimeter is that of distinguishing between a human trespasser and another object, which could set off a false alarm. Sometimes animals can be picked up, for example, or even branches and other non-human items. To counter this, Deep Learning technology can be used in combination with thermal imaging. It enhances video analytics to distinguish humans, thus reducing false alarms and the associated operation costs. When detection rules are triggered by a human being, for example Line Crossing and Intrusion Detection, the camera can instantly raise an alarm to the operator. Some cameras can flash to deter the intruder away, or even give the operator the ability to give a warning through the built-in speaker.

Efficient technology

The effective nature of the technology mean fewer cameras are necessary to cover a perimeter. For instance, for a 50 meter range, a camera (for example a Hikvision HeatPro) can usually replace 2-3 optical security cameras. This is partly due to the fact that object movement sensing capability is more accurate using thermal imaging in this way. Even when the target is at the edge of the detection range, thermal imaging can still sense the object movement accurately; while for video cameras, the object needs to get much closer for the sensor to detect it.

It’s usually been the case that, as technology advances, it becomes more affordable and so accessible to more people. Security is no exception here, and Hikvision is at the cutting-edge of innovation, creating effective perimeter security using thermal technology, for example. This development has meant it’s available to be used in smaller projects, at a lower cost. Now, small businesses, and even home owners, can reap the benefits of thermal technology protecting their perimeter and seeing the unseen, in the form of Hikvision HeatPro cameras.

Find out more about thermal technology

Check out the HeatPro cameras

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