VisioWave consists of a series of hardware and software components, including high-capacity, high-fps (frames per second) digital video encoders, decoders and recorders, long-term central and distributed storage devices and video operating software. Its Software Development Kit (SDK) helps integrators incorporate the platform with other security systems, including access control and intrusion. The Plug-in Development Kit (PDK) allows developers to add video content analysis, such as used for incident detection, intrusion monitoring or people tracking.

The security-over-IP VisioWave surveillance solution Pearson airport chose provides a scalable security management system, designed to meet current and future needs. Together with Visual Defence, GE designed, developed, supplied and commissioned an integrated security surveillance solution over IP.  This system is supported by an advanced video management solution, designed to incorporate disparate security solutions and create a cohesive, centralized management system. VisioWave manages hundreds of fixed and pan-tilt-zoom analogue cameras at Pearson and interfaces along with hundreds of analogue monitors and PC workstations.

It also facilitates the optimized use of Pearson Airport's Gigabit network, while providing good picture quality.
Large and complex digital video installations such as Pearson’s make it difficult to know exactly how the system is performing, a major concern for airports that cannot afford for their cameras to be offline. Therefore, the VisioWave architecture is built to instantaneously access all devices and automatically monitor performance.

To verify system health, the platform provides dynamic diagnostic tools that allow for remote system monitoring and analysis. These tools actually analyze and diagnose while the systems are running, during maintenance or after a reboot.

The system is also embedded with advanced video content analysis (VCA) software that analyzes video streams to alert users to displaced, blocked or out of focus cameras, obstructed views or video loss.
The system itself checks for such things as:
”¢    Black frame detection
”¢    Low or noisy signal detection
”¢    Lens occlusion detection
”¢    Overexposure detection
”¢    Blur detection    
”¢    Camera displacement detection

What this means is that the system is automatically checking itself for localized camera and other failures, alerting security personnel to such issues before incidents occur.  As a result, maintenance of the digital video security system leads to an easier, more optimized operation. 

Device monitoring capabilities even include the status of video ports (inputs, outputs, connected, not connected), health of hard drives, including any predictable failures, internal temperature of device, temperature of hard drives, fan speed, network statistics, activity and errors, network traffic (IP unicast, IP multicast and asynchronous, transfer Mode — ATM), and statistics on connected network interfaces (Ethernet and ATM).

With such applications activated, detection of video devices dysfunctions becomes easier and more preventive.  Security or maintenance personnel is notified in real-time, or through a logging system, of any trouble in the system.  This results in a faster and easier reaction and therefore a better level of security and cost savings.

As camera sites become increasingly networked with similar large IP systems, such as at Pearson Airport, video surveillance becomes more effective as a security tool and can be used to interrupt acts of crime or aggression, not just record them.

If the goal is to detect incidents before they turn into a crisis, airports can no longer afford passive video systems.  Who cares if you catch the bad guy after the fact, when you could have prevented the loss of property or life in the first place?  In short, airports realize that they can do much more than ever before with such a streamlined, intelligent surveillance system. 

Now, platforms such as VisioWave IVP let airports and other complex organizations add intelligence to their systems to detect incidents in real-time—or even before they happen.  It’s the system itself that “understands” scenes and sets off alarms when required conditions are met.

Advanced VCA software analyzes live or recorded video streams and detects suspicious activities and events.  Embedded and third-party plug-ins enable the following functions at such sprawling public facilities:
Ӣ Crowd management
Ӣ Forensics
Ӣ Left object/removed object
Ӣ Motion detection
Ӣ People counting
Ӣ Perimeter/intrusion detection
Ӣ Smoke detection
Ӣ Suspicious behavior detection
Ӣ Traffic law enforcement
Ӣ Waiting line measure
Ӣ Wrong way movement detection
    New video analytics are always on the horizon.  For instance, in high threat facilities, many organizations want video analytics that can track people and objects.