Investing in a good business CCTV camera system is very important in order to capture any unauthorised access, suspicious activities, provide proof for insurance companies, and notify the right authorities if an emergency arises.
For larger sites, monitoring of CCTV cameras in real time is required for quick response to incidents, however this has its challenges for human operators.
Understanding human limitations
Monitoring of CCTV systems in real-time can often be problematic due to human limitations or distractions. We all have limitations when it comes to how much information our brains and bodies can process in a certain timeframe, and as the information becomes more sensitive and complex, data processing will only get more problematic.
It is near impossible for a person to dedicate 100% attention to monitoring of CCTV cameras for an extended period of time. This becomes increasingly difficult the more cameras are being viewed simultaneously.
So, what needs to be considered?
Multiple external factors will affect the likelihood of a human operator to spot any suspicious behaviour, this includes the number of screens he has to monitor, the field of view of cameras, the quantity and quality of cameras, and the room environment.
In addition to these, there are other internal factors which include limitations in observation due to potential divided attention, fatigue or distraction, memory issues, personal beliefs and biases, different interpretations of an event and experience of the operator. All of these factors contribute to the reliability of the entire monitoring process.
How to improve the detection rate of events requiring intervention
In order to increase or improve the detection rate of incidents or suspicious behaviour, we need to address all of the potential factors and mitigate them. There are operational measures that can be implemented, such as employing additional staff so each operator only has to monitor a specific amount of cameras, or rotation of staff to minimise fatigue. Additional training of operators may enhance performance for a short while, however these measures are not cost effective or reliable long term.
What if the CCTV system could detect events and present them to the operator for review? This could potentially reduce the amount of operators required, reduce the time the operator is required to be focused on viewing cameras, reduce fatigue and eliminate un-detected events.
CCTV analytic technology has progressed to almost eliminate human limitations of monitoring CCTV systems. Analytic technology can detect a large amount of events simultaneously and notify operators in real time. The technology can detect people, vehicles and objects and create an alarm condition based on various predefined rules, such as loitering, crossed line, object left, or movement in wrong direction. The systems can also notify the operator of unusual or non-standard events.
About Ryalex
Ryalex Security is one of Australia’s leading business security integrators. Ryalex designs, installs, maintains and monitors security systems for renowned businesses across Australia. Talk to us today about our video analytic options available today, on 1300 792 539.