Video analytics is an advanced monitoring process based on technologies such as artificial intelligence and computer vision. Through automated video stream analysis and pattern extraction, captured events can be identified and interpreted in real time, providing valuable information for decision-making.
Choosing solutions optimized for specific application needs when designing monitoring systems is therefore vital in today’s society. Thanks to modern AI-based video surveillance solutions, it is possible not only to monitor potentially dangerous events and situations in real time, but also to collect large amounts of relevant data. Once properly analyzed, these data enable effective data-driven governance. Smart cameras, in fact, are no longer simple video surveillance tools, but rather platforms capable of transforming video data into valuable information. This, in turn, allows for the implementation of preventative strategies and operational decisions with the greatest possible predictive power.
Intelligent Video Analytics: What It Is and How It Works
Intelligent video analytics is an advanced analysis process capable of identifying and interpreting events captured in video footage. Through the integration of artificial intelligence, the acquired information is processed in real time to provide useful data to support effective decision-making processes. Specifically, video analytics leverages machine learning and computer vision algorithms to recognize and extract recurring patterns within video streams.
Thanks to increasingly high-performance computing capabilities and the availability of enormous amounts of training data, video analytics systems are able to automatically identify and track objects, people, and events within footage. The technological architecture underlying intelligent video analytics solutions can include different approaches. A centralized, server-based approach sends video streams from IP cameras to dedicated servers, while peripheral solutions integrate processing directly into edge devices to avoid transmitting data streams. Video management systems also perform analysis directly connected to video sources.
When designing and implementing intelligent video analytics systems, it is essential to choose an architecture optimized for specific application needs, taking into account factors such as processing time, available hardware resources, and the volume of data to be managed. For applications requiring real-time alerts and notifications, such as security, it is crucial to choose solutions capable of providing immediate responses. Intelligent video analytics is a constantly evolving technology that, by leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence, enables new opportunities in multiple fields, including security, logistics, retail, and Industry 4.0.
Intelligent Video Analytics: Various Applications
Intelligent video analytics has many potential applications, spanning a wide range of operational areas. In the security field, deep learning-based object tracking functions can be used to monitor sensitive areas. Its use is also particularly widespread for counting and subclassifying vehicles on roads and highways, as well as for advanced intersection monitoring and intrusion detection. In the industrial and manufacturing sectors, video analytics is used for applications such as monitoring restricted parking zones to facilitate operational activities. Solutions such as detecting blocked emergency exits are also crucial for ensuring the highest fire safety standards. In the public transportation and logistics sectors, the system can provide information such as accurately counting people entering and exiting buildings or detecting parking lot occupancy. Specific applications also include monitoring level crossings and detecting smoke and fire. Finally, public administrations also leverage the potential of video analytics for purposes such as detecting the prolonged presence of individuals in front of offices, monitoring worker safety, and detecting no-entry zones. Thanks to this wide range of applications, intelligent video analytics is proving to be a flexible tool for multiple sectors.
