Here is my latest article on the role of ‘automation’ and human judgment in video surveillance.

Discover how daily human activities involving alarm clocks to self-driving cars, where automation assists us, but human decision-making is still essential.

Similarly, while automation (where needed) in video surveillance can only assist, in order to understand the entire ‘picture’ one has to see it fully!

The article clearly validates the age old adage “SEEING IS BELIEVING!”

The Human Touch: Why Automation in Surveillance Still Needs a Personal Eye

In a world where automation is becoming the norm, we often overlook the irreplaceable value of human judgment. From alarm clocks to self-driving cars, automation assists us, but human decision-making is still essential. For instance, your alarm clock wakes you up, but you decide when to get out of bed. Your water heater automates temperature control, but you adjust the temperature to your liking. Even with smart home devices, you still need to program and customize them to suit your needs.

The Role of Automation and Human Judgment in Video Surveillance

The same applies to video surveillance. While automation can aid in monitoring and analyzing footage, human-driven review and analysis are crucial to:

• Decide what footage is relevant.
• Interpret the context and significance of events.
• Make judgments about potential security risks or incidents.
• Take action based on the insights gathered.

COM-SUR – Don’t Miss a Single Frame! You Never Know What You Might ‘Discover’

We chanced upon the insight that CCTV is not a fraction of what it could be, and created a piece of software that creates a visual dragnet for businesses, governments, and every user of video surveillance systems. Built on a .Net and SQL platform, award-winning COM-SUR is the world’s only mission-critical CCTV video footage auditing, smart backup, and standardized intelligent incident reporting software—the ‘missing’ piece of CCTV. COM-SUR works seamlessly with all cameras (CCTV, drones, UAVs, body-worn, dashcams, mobile phones) and VMS, regardless of type or brand. Akin to ‘MS Office’ for CCTV, COM-SUR is the best mousetrap in the video surveillance industry.

The Importance of Daily Auditing

But why didn’t anyone think about auditing surveillance footage as a standard operating procedure (SOP)? Why didn’t we recognize the value of reviewing footage daily, just like we check our phones for notifications or scroll through social media?

The answer lies in two reasons:

1. Nobody saw it coming: The hidden value of surveillance footage remained unnoticed, and its potential to expose events and insights went unexplored.
2. There was no easy tool: Until COM-SUR was born. Just as we swipe through photos on our phones, taking it for granted, COM-SUR allows users to audit 24 hours of footage in minutes, creating a visual representation of events, akin to a photo album.

How COM-SUR Revolutionizes Surveillance Auditing

Daily auditing with COM-SUR becomes a breeze, enabling users to:

• Review hours of footage in minutes.
• Zoom and pan into multiple cameras. This can’t be done by a DVR/NVR/VMS; i.e., one can only zoom and pan into a single camera at a time with them, thereby making ‘joining the dots’ more difficult.
• Apply forensic filters to enhance video quality.
• Make informed decisions based on accurate analysis.

By incorporating daily auditing into their SOP, users can uncover hidden events, identify potential security risks, and take proactive measures to ensure safety and security.

Addressing Key Problems in Surveillance

Problem 1: Too much information, too little action.

• Issue: Existing playback systems are slow and cumbersome, unable to quickly review footage.
• Solution: COM-SUR’s smart media player allows fast review of footage, using augmented intelligence (A.I. + H.I.) to reduce data volume while retaining essential information.

Problem 2: Data size and recorder vulnerability.

• Issue: High storage needs, and vulnerability of recorders (theft, tampering, failure) can lead to loss of critical data.
• Solution: COM-SUR compresses data from terabytes to gigabytes and transfers it to a personal cloud repository, ensuring data safety even if recorders are compromised.

Problem 3: Non-standard and inadequate incident reports.

• Issue: Incident reports often lack standardization, missing essential details (5Ws + 1H).
• Solution: COM-SUR creates detailed incident reports in a .pptx template with one click, embedding video even from compromised recordings.

Validation and Adoption

A groundbreaking achievement unfolded as we collaborated with the Ministry of Skill Development (MSDE) in India to establish the world’s first National Occupational Standard (NOS) for the ‘CCTV Video Footage Auditor’ skill. This has been adopted as a vocational subject for students in grades 11 and 12, endorsed by the Ministry of Education. Additionally, all schools in Raipur (2000+) are mandated to audit their footage daily. It won’t be long before such mandates are passed across India and globally.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while automation has its benefits in video surveillance, it is not a replacement for human judgment and analysis. By striking a balance between automation and human-driven review, and incorporating daily auditing with COM-SUR, we can ensure effective and accurate surveillance that prioritizes security and safety.

Ultimately, the synergy of automation and human oversight, exemplified by COM-SUR, ensures that our surveillance systems are both efficient and reliable. This approach clearly validates the age-old adage “SEEING IS BELIEVING!”

For more insights, “See What the Camera Saw – The Footage Whisperer” by Gautam D. Goradia provides a comprehensive guide on the challenges faced by various business verticals, camera positions, and how COM-SUR helps. Order it on Amazon.