Bosch introduces thermal imaging cameras featuring built-in Intelligent Video Analytics.

In today’s volatile world political climate, perimeter protection of critical infrastructure such as airports, government buildings, power plants, oil refineries, sea terminals, and bridges is a top priority. But despite constant advancements in the technical capabilities of networked security cameras, the number of security breaches is increasing at an alarming rate.

According to current research conducted by the Associated Press, the number of intrusions at the busiest 31 airports in the United States is at an all-time high: In 2004, intruders successfully crossed security lines at these airports – handling 75 percent of U.S. air traffic – on average once every 13 days. Since 2012, the number of intrusions has shot up to one every 9.5 days on average, with intruders scaling fences, walking past vehicle checkpoints or even crashing cars into barriers in order to access restricted areas.

The industry has been mounting a strong response. The European and North American perimeter security markets are set to reach $3.91 billion and $5.1 billion by 2019, respectively. Within this market, network video surveillance has the highest potential to drastically increase perimeter security. But as experience shows, even some of the most advanced and reliable cameras fall short of providing complete protection for two reasons.

The two main challenges of perimeter security cameras
Looking at the latest data, the main weak spot facing security cameras instantly becomes apparent: human error. The average security operator can miss 90% of activity after viewing the video screen for only 20 minutes. Combined with the multitude of cameras operating simultaneously at large facilities the size of commercial airports, these lapses in attention create loopholes for intruders.   

Second, conventional optical video cameras – even the most advanced high-definition versions – reach their limit when it comes to detecting intruders under extreme conditions that cause limited vision. Examples include smoke, fog, dust, mist or spray from bodies of water, heavy rain or complete darkness. Direct light and glare hitting the lens at problematic angles can also “blind” visible light cameras, either from the sun’s natural position in the sky or foul play.

Blending analytics with thermal imaging: Dinion IP thermal 8000 Camera
But despite rapid technical advancements and heavy investments, there is a catch: Pursued in isolation, both of these countermeasures – video analysis software and thermal imaging cameras – are destined to fall short of providing end-to-end perimeter security under difficult conditions. Without seamless image capture, even the most powerful content analysis algorithms have no chance of detecting “invisible” intruders. Without the aid of our Video Content Analysis (VCA) called Intelligent Video Analytics, thermal imaging cameras are reduced to becoming one more screen in the control room that becomes largely unmonitored in a matter of minutes.

This is why Bosch is introducing an evolution in the security cameras market. The Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera combines the fields of powerful thermal imaging cameras with Bosch’s proprietary suite of built-in Intelligent Video Analytics. Embedded within the larger context of Bosch Security Systems video solutions, the corrosion proof camera comes with built in analytics as a standard and offers an improved replacement to the Bosch VOT-320 thermal IP camera.

Technical parameters: Built to withstand the elements
The Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera offers excellent thermal performance, built-in Intelligent Video Analytics and outstanding corrosion resistance meeting the EN 50130-5 salt mist test, withstanding up to 1000 hours of salt/mist under test conditions.This makes it ideal for mission-critical applications such as perimeter protection of airports, critical infrastructures, government buildings and bridges, ensuring early detection in environments with limited vision due to poor lighting conditions, smoke or complete darkness.

As for the Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera’s thermal vision capabilities, it uses an advanced thermal module to capture the invisible thermal energy radiating from moving or stationary objects and buildings.

This data is translated in real-time into the high-quality relevant thermal images, available in two video resolutions: QVGA or VGA. The Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera’s level of actionable image data delivers images even in situations where natural barriers such as leaves or bushes obstruct the field of view.

Another bonus for operators: The Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera actively supports easy set-up and calibration. The built-in gyro sensor helps configure the camera’s pre-loaded analytics by gathering the most important parameters automatically. Users are merely required to enter the height where the camera is mounted and the configuration process for the on board analytics is complete.

The Key Advantage: Intelligent Video Analytics
Here’s a crucial point for operators: In terms of performance, the fact that the Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera comes pre-loaded with Bosch’s Intelligent Video Analytics unlocks more than just access to automated video analysis and rule-based threat detection. The symbiosis between highly precise thermal optics and computer intelligence goes beyond by actually making the camera more powerful. Equipped with a 65mm lens, the DINION IP thermal 8000 camera delivers early detection over distances up to 762m – even in complete darkness – thanks to the combination of thermal imaging and Intelligent Video Analytics.

Initially developed in direct cooperation with the Bosch Automotive division, Intelligent Video Analytics – and the more streamlined version Essential Video Analytics – are at the core of Bosch’s mission to deliver the most relevant image data through built-in analytics. Created with the fact in mind that less than 10% of available video data is ever used as actionable intelligence, Bosch video analytics software has proven such a powerful asset to security operators that, as of August 2017, it is now a standard feature. Bosch cameras from the IP 4000 to the IP 9000 series include on-board video analytics as standard, rather than as an optional feature – with no additional investment or license fees required.

Intelligent Video Analytics has proven highly successful in ruling out false alarms that are especially prevalent in challenging environments prone to snow, wind, rain, hail, and water reflections. Paired with the Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera’s weather proof abilities, Intelligent Video Analytics can see through challenging conditions at the frontlines as the first line of defence.

A Full Suite of Applications
Intelligent Video Analytics is specifically designed for the most demanding environments, a state-of-the-art solution for the ultimate in video analytics. Built into the Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera, it unlocks a new level of security in the following applications:

Perimeter Security
In mission-critical applications like the perimeter protection of airports, critical infrastructure and border patrol, Intelligent Video Analytics can be customized with user-defined rules. These include automatically triggered alarms for an intruder climbing a fence, someone leaving an object behind or parking in an unauthorized area. The system can intelligently track moving objects and can be configured to recognize changes in a person’s speed (running), shape (crouching) or aspect ratio (falling). Combined with the Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera, the system performs these functions at greater distances, under poor visibility and extreme weather conditions, thereby adding an unprecedented layer of security to these critical zones.

Traffic Management
Equipped with Intelligent Video Analytics, the thermal cameras helps monitor the flow of traffic, especially in potential bottlenecks such as tunnels or bridges. The system also triggers alarms when cars are stopped in the emergency lane, blocking entries or driving in the wrong direction. It also triggers alarms for cars parked in restricted areas or people entering the roadway. Bringing these capabilities to the next level, the thermal cameras ensures these functions run flawlessly even in the event of fog, fires, or in complete darkness after a power failure.

Forensic Search
Video analytics acts as the ‘brains’ of your security system, using metadata to add sense and structure to your video footage. This layer of metadata not only allows for triggering alarms in real time, but also greatly enhances the analysis of footage in retrospect. Instead of watching hours of video footage, operators can search through low-volume metadata enables operators to retrieve evidence quickly and simply. The system also allows specific searches for events that were originally not set up as an alert via the unique forensic search functionality. In a typical setting, 20 seconds are sufficient to filter all relevant video sequences out of four hours worth of video using metadata. This “smart” data can be used in police investigations, for instance to find a car of interest based on colour, license plate or the direction it was travelling.

Completing The Puzzle
In the bigger picture, the Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera is a key step in Bosch Security Solutions’ mission to provide operators with the most relevant image data possible. And while it marks a new level of early detection at previously unattainable distances, there is a caveat: The DINION IP thermal 8000 camera is not a stand-alone replacement for visible light cameras, but plays a supporting role in creating an unmatched level of security in existing systems.

As the next step in joining Intelligent Video Analytics with thermal imaging, Bosch will release a new moving camera, the MIC IP fusion 9000i camera – boasting both thermal and optical camera capabilities – in late 2017. Much like the Dinion IP thermal 8000 camera, this new high performance camera has the ability to detect thermal movements, but is capable of serving as a complete solution with the ability to automatically detect triggers in images captured in the most extreme conditions, through smoke, in complete darkness or when objects or people are obscured by foliage thanks to the dual cameras (thermal and optical) found inside.

With these scenarios in mind, the Dinion IP thermal 8000 fixed camera and MIC IP fusion 9000i moving cameras represent crucial milestones in Bosch Security System’s ongoing journey of making video surveillance more relevant to our end users, so they may never miss a potential threat and can retrieve the correct data quickly, however extreme the conditions.