Challenges to Securing Public Transportation
Systems
Bus, rail and
other public transportation systems are
extremely critical to a nations’ economy.
For example, every day in the U.S., millions
of commuters use public transportation to
get to work, and businesses rely on millions
of miles of railroad track for transporting
goods efficiently and safely. Unfortunately,
these impressive statistics present serious
challenges for protecting passengers, cargo
and the vital infrastructure they ride upon.
Mass transit systems involve such a large
volume of passengers that airport-style
security screening is impossible. Instead,
bus depots and rail stations rely on access
control systems, CCTV cameras and a
relatively small number of security
personnel to ensure public safety. These
systems make it difficult to actively detect
access violations, graffiti, loitering,
unattended items and other suspicious
behavior.
Protecting passengers and cargo along
countless miles of track is also a daunting
endeavor. Once passengers and cargo are on
board, their safety can be compromised when
trains approach bridges and tunnels, or when
stopped for crossings or passing trains.
Motion detection systems are ineffective in
accurately identifying threats and are prone
to false alarms. And, in a world of
heightened security, false alarms are worse
than no alarms because they train security
personnel to ignore all potential threats.
Improve Security by Integrating Existing
Systems with Intelligent Video
By integrating
with existing security systems, intelligent
video offers the real-time monitoring and
situational awareness necessary to
dramatically improve security for bus and
rail systems. Easy integration with CCTV,
global positioning, biometric and access
control systems creates a centralized
security management solution that can
trigger alarms to prevent or respond to
security situations.
Intelligent video software can continuously
analyze data from thousands of cameras to
automatically detect problem situations such
as people walking next to a track, someone
entering a secure area or a package left
unattended at a bus terminal. Customer
service can also be improved by detecting
overcrowding on subway trains or long lines
at ticket counters.
Once a suspicious behavior is detected,
automatic alerts can be sent wirelessly to
security agents for an immediate response.
The agents can then prepare a response based
on data from various integrated systems.
Furthermore, higher accuracy rates through
situational awareness help reduce false
alarms and enable more effective responses.
The end result is an integrated,
cost-effective solution that offers
actionable 24/7 surveillance without
requiring wholesale changes to existing
infrastructure.
THE CASE FOR THE SMARTCATCH INTEGRATED
INTELLIGENT VIDEO SYSTEM
SmartCatch
provides the most comprehensive, accurate
and advanced site-wide intelligent video
surveillance solution available. With true
behavior recognition capabilities,
SmartCatch can detect suspicious behaviors
that threaten safety and security in real
time, alerting the appropriate security
staff for an effective and efficient
response.
Unlike other intelligent video solutions
that merely integrate with existing CCTV
cameras, SmartCatch maximizes investment in
other security systems, including access
control, RFID and biometrics. By integrating
video behavior analysis with authentication
devices, situational awareness is heightened
dramatically. Moreover, SmartCatch’s varied
behavior modules can be used in any indoor
or outdoor setting, regardless of water
borders or weather conditions.
Finally, SmartCatch uses state-of-the-art
machine learning, multiple object trajectory
tracking and human reasoning technology,
which consistently achieves the industry’s
highest accuracy by detecting violations and
eliminating the false alarms caused by
motion detection systems or simple object
tracking solutions.
SMARTCATCH in aCtion at a busy subway
Station
Subway systems
are adopting SmartCatch to better protect
passengers and the vital transportation
network on which they rely. Metropolitan
transit authorities can use SmartCatch to
improve both security and service.
Transit authorities are already relying on
CCTV, motion detection and access control
systems installed throughout their systems;
however, these alone are unable to provide
the real-time capabilities and situational
awareness required to properly distinguish
real threats from false alarms. By
integrating these systems with SmartCatch,
security agents can have one interface for
managing and monitoring security across the
system.
Protecting passengers and improving service
at stations across the network can be
accomplished through SmartCatch’s ability to
effectively recognize suspicious and problem
behaviors. Unattended objects can be readily
identified, as can loitering around
sensitive areas. Integration with access
control systems allows SmartCatch to detect
someone tailgating behind an authorized
employee into a secure area.
SmartCatch can improve service by
identifying overcrowding situations within
the station, at platforms and on subway
cars. Once alerted of overcrowding, security
agents can monitor the situation and
dispatch personnel as appropriate. The
authority can also crack down on fare
violations by alerting security agents to
turnstile violations.
Once on the train, SmartCatch helps ensure
safe and timely passage from station to
station. SmartCatch analyzes data from
tunnel-mounted CCTV and motion detection
systems to automatically detect foreign or
removed objects or unauthorized people in
the tunnels.
By implementing SmartCatch, fare violations
can by reduced and security costs lowered by
eliminating false alarms and reducing
surveillance expenses.
SMARTCATCH TECHNOLOGY
The SmartCatch
Intelligent Video Surveillance Platform
offers a unique distributed architecture
that is easily deployed on a few cameras or
on thousands across a large organization.
Multiple behaviors are available and can run
in any combination to provide comprehensive
coverage.
SmartCatch includes a complete set of
application programming interfaces (APIs)
for integration, customization of the user
interface and tailoring applications. It
works with existing CCTV and security
infrastructures such as access control
systems, biometrics and RFID. Alerts are
delivered in real time to a wide variety of
devices including pagers, PDAs and email.
SmartCatch runs on industry standard
hardware and operating systems.
MINIMIZE SECURITY COSTS AND MAXIMIZE
EXISTING INVESTMENT
SmartCatch
Intelligent Video provides a measurable
return on investment by significantly
reducing fines, delays, theft, damage and
labor costs.
The ability to automatically monitor
thousands of security cameras enables
airports to improve security with fewer
personnel. The improved security leads to
fewer TSA fines and reduced loss from theft
or damage to critical airport infrastructure
or high-value assets. Finally, SmartCatch
provides further value by helping to avoid
costly security-related delays and by
leveraging investments in existing security
systems.
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