Australia to pilot city surveillance system that uses NEC’s biometrics tech

Australian cities will be the first to trial a ‘next-generation security’ systems that will combine live video with advanced real-time analytics, according to a Government News report.

NEC Australia has partnered with Silicon Valley vision analytics firm CrowdOptic to develop the technology which NEC describes as a “ground-breaking intelligent live video streaming security system enabled by real-time analysis of footage captured from fixed cameras and mobile camera sensors in body cams, smartphones, and drones.”

The technology uses internet-connected mobile cameras and NEC’s biometrics. “This is the future of public safety. Smart cities can now use mobile camera technologies to improve the safety of public spaces and the capabilities of first responders,” explained NEC Australia in a statement. “Live, intelligent video footage combined with efficient transmission of data from mobile camera sensors enhances the impact of NEC’s facial recognition technology, NeoFace.”

“The real-time identification enabled by NEC biometric technology is enhanced by mobile camera sensors that give first responders, police and ambulance staff a clearer, real-time picture of the environment they’re operating in.

“Mobility is where CrowdOptic’s technology offers new capabilities to NEC’s NeoFace. CrowdOptic’s technology uses triangulation to detect when two or more cameras are aimed at the same person.

“Integration with NEC’s facial-recognition software means that fixed cameras can interact with body cams and smart glasses to enhance identification. This provides the ability to feed multiple perspectives of an individual to the facial recognotion database, speeding and enhancing the accuracy of the facial-recognition process.”

NEC said this will allow emergency workers to aim smartphones, wearables, or cameras at a shared point of interest in order to triangulate its position. For example, fire rangers in the field could point to a plume of smoke and direct the drone to it, without the drone’s operator needing to directly see or know the location.

“NEC’s facial recognition technology, when combined with CrowdOptic’s Intelligent Livestreaming and Engagement Geometry, ushers in a new era of public safety. Customers can configure systems to use cameras with CrowdOptic software that capture video streamed to servers running NEC’s facial recognition software.”

The partnership with CrowdOptic was initiated by NEC Australia.

Article Topics

Australia  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  NEC  |  surveillance