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www. securityworldhotel.com
Trend4:
The demise of pure server-based analytics
Trend5:
New markets for body-worn cameras
The market for video content analysis has endured
a rough ride to date; nevertheless, its development
remains intently monitored by the wider surveillance
industry. IHS has researched the video content ana-
lysis market continuously for over 10 years, tracking
consistent growth despite various challenges to
date. Again, in the latest publication of market data,
demand for intelligent video surveillance solutions
remained strong. However, this disguises a funda-
mental shift in how such solutions are being imple-
mented.
Few would argue against a growing need for body-
worn cameras on police officers. Body-worn cameras
cause both police officers and members of the public
to modify their behaviour, potentially save police
forces time and money, and provide clear, transparent
evidence.
In the early years, the preferred way of running video content analysis
was on off-the-shelf computers or servers. This circumvented the need to
replace existing video surveillance equipment; and the use of servers pro-
vided the required level of processing power. This approach was largely
standard amongst the dedicated software suppliers that were formed to
target this market. Initially, strong growth prevailed until around 2008,
when the industry suffered extensive reputational damage after it had
widely overstated the capabilities of video content analysis. More re-
cently in 2014, a milestone was reached: the first decline in the market
for pure server-based video analytics (dumb cameras connecting to a
server that carries out all the processing).
In 2014, the market for
pure server only based analy-
tics was estimated to have sh-
runk by $39.4 million in one
year to $81.9 million. This
was accompanied by a strong
rise in the market for edge-
based analytics, indicating a
substantial shift in preference.
The increasing prevalence of
edge-based video analytics
comes as no surprise, given the vastly increased processing power on
board today's video surveillance cameras enabling the option, and lower
total system and networking costs fuelling it. However, a more steady
transition, along with a continued dominance of server-based analytics
in certain environments was still forecast.
It is inevitable that the on-board processing power of video surveil-
lance cameras will continue to increase and many applications will be
performed at the edge. However demand for high-end server based ana-
lytics is expected to be sustained. With the future prospects for server-
based video analytics looking ever bleaker for more basic applications,
IHS expects that the remaining dedicated software providers will look
to partner manufacturers with video surveillance devices to develop the
level of intelligence that is embedded on them; this will further drive
the trend away from pure server-based analytics in 2016.
In 2015, several police forces around the world choose to deploy body-
worn cameras to assist their officers, including the London Metropolitan
Police, which agreed to deploy 22,000 body-worn cameras to all of its
front line officers, further extending the use of body- worn cameras in law
enforcement.
North America and Western Europe were the leading markets in 2015,
accounting for 79% of the 135,000 body camera units shipped to the law
enforcement market. This is a trend that is not expected to slow down
either, as regions such as the United States, Benelux, France, Germany and
the United Kingdom are expected to continually increase the proportions of
their police forces using body-worn cameras.
However, come 2020, IHS forecasts most of the markets in these regions
to have reached near saturation, becoming mainly replacement markets.
If camera manufacturers are to continue to grow, IHS predicts that they
will need to widen their customer base and to sell to markets other than
the public safety sector. There are many such commercial markets that
could benefit from body-worn cameras, including repossession officers,
club bouncers, electricians and plumbers. However, IHS has identified
Correctional Officers and Manned Guarding as two key potential markets
in the future.
Correctional officers
In 2012, Los Angeles County tested
body cameras in the jails, but the
technology was less developed at
the time, prompting the county to
opt for fixed surveillance cameras
instead. However, as the technology
has developed, and become more
widely used in the police and law
enforcement community, jails are
now starting to consider their use.
In September 2015, follo-
wing the death of an inmate at
Santa Clara County, supervisors
decided to equip all jail guards with body-worn cameras. San Francisco
also announced a similar step. It was hoped that, as with police officers
and members of the public, the technology would be most effective in
preventing escalation during guard-inmate interactions, whether abusive
behaviour towards guards or unnecessary use of force by guards. It was
also hoped that body cameras would save jails time and money, and
provide clear accounts of interactions between guards and officers.
In the United States, an estimated 400,000 correctional officers are
guarding 2,200,000 inmates, across the federal and state prisons, and
county jails. This is a huge potential market.
Manned guarding
Private security firms such as G4S, Securitas AB, AlliedBarton, and
Chubb Fire & Security are just some of the companies that employ
In the United
States, an
estimated
400,000 correctional
officers are guarding
2,200,000 inmates,
across the federal
and state prisons, and
county jails. This is a
huge potential market.
By Aaron Dale
By Oliver Philippou
Det INT 2_16.indd 16
2016-04-12 15:03