Is Facial Recognition the right security solution for your business?
When clients come to us for help building their business security system, they’ve often done some research on the many different types of security cameras and have become overwhelmed by the tidal wave of different surveillance and commercial security manufacturers on the market. These conversations usually start with the same million-dollar question:
“How good does my camera have to be?”
My follow-up to that question always is, “It all depends on what you want to see!”
So let’s break it down. Below are four images showing four types of views available from a number of different cameras.
The first view is at 8 pixels per square foot, and is truly just an attempt by whomever purchases this camera to have the general sense that some type of object is in an area of observation at a given moment in time. These camera views have little to no significance to the camera owner, and especially have no ability to identify what is happening in a particular scene. (The next three images is where cameras start to differentiate themselves from one another!)
The second image is at 20 pixels per square foot, and is quite the useful camera for observation of an area with the ability to determine between a person and an animal. If observation is all that is needed, these camera types can save money and cover many areas of a business.
The third image is at 40 pixels per square foot, and this image would be the recognizing image needed for detail in a viewed area. Camera cost rises with these cameras, but the detail is great. Often paired with analytics, these camera views can be used in a variety of ways due to the detail they offer.
The last image is at 80 pixels per square foot, and this would be the top options in identifying people or objects in a viewable area. Of course these often come at the highest price tags, but when “without a doubt” identification is needed, this is the viewing capabilities needed.
Pairing these types of cameras with analytics, like BriefCam, can give the end user a variety of options with the video they capture and process. From license plate recognition to facial recognition to people and/or vehicle tracking, are just a few examples of the abilities available with todays technologies.
So, how good does your camera need to be?
It depends on what you want to see!