In an effort to increase retail loss prevention effectiveness, Cisco announces it has submitted a proposal to standardize how computers describe surveillance video for image analysis to the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS), a division of the National Retail Federation.
A group of leading retailers asked Cisco to work with them to develop a consistent way to access video analytic metadata from different vendors, according to the company.
With the aid of computer processing and analysis of video, known as video analytics, retailers can further enhance loss prevention efforts and better understand customer behaviors, as well as improve the customer experience to increase sales, the company states.
Many video analytic software programs are currently available that identify specific behaviors and events captured on video, such as people counting, line queuing, package left behind and people entering specific areas. As a new technology, most of these programs use different and proprietary formats that limit interoperability.
Cisco says its proposed standard for how and in what format video metadata is described by these analytics programs will enable greater interoperability between multiple vendor’s products. As a result, a retailer or third party will be able to more easily create and integrate several video analytic products into a customized solution.
“Application interoperability coupled with the power of IP network infrastructure, which serves as a platform for convergence, are the keys to unlocking the true value of video,” says Pete Jankowski, chief technology officer, Physical Security Business Unit (PSBU) at Cisco. “A standard method to access video analytic metadata will accelerate innovation in loss prevention and buyer analytic network applications as vendors can more easily and quickly implement new and improved capabilities.”
