We’ve come a long way since the early disappointments in video analytics, and the technology is finally moving out from under the shadow of the days when “over-promise and under-deliver” was the unspoken mantra within the space. While that may no longer be the case, there is still a danger of history repeating itself unless all the facets of the technology are fully understood.
“Video analytics is growing into a hot topic for many customers, yet many of the features touted by manufacturers are often not fully implemented or do not meet customer expectations. This is in part because analytics can be overhyped by the vendor, or the application environment may not be suitable for the desired analytic,” says Jeff Whitney, vice president of marketing, Arecont Vision, Glendale, Calif. “In a very busy area with multiple people, equipment or vehicles moving through the scene, it may not be a successful deployment. Therefore, while video analytics are becoming increasingly important, they remain only part of the solution.”