Hikvision Highlights Deeper Video Camera Intelligence, Drones & More

Along with drones and AI, Hu said the company has been focused on upgrading its compression technologies for greater efficiency and usability of data in images, on both the front and back ends. Hikvision was demonstrating video stitching and using multiple sensors to combine for higher quality video presentation. Its second-gen PanoVu p/t/z dome on display features eight lenses (the original had four) to produce up to 24-megapixel resol
ution panoramic imagery.

Of course, one issue that’s top of mind for any security company these days is the threat of cyber attacks and hacks. When asked about Hikvision’s cybersecurity measures, Hu acknowledged that the topic was a big challenge for not only manufacturers but integrators, installers and end users – though manufacturers typically receive the brunt of finger pointing when breaches occur.

“We’re under very, very high pressure, so in 2014 we established a network security response standard to respond to those issues,” Hu said, adding that in 2013 the company created its own cybersecurity lab and testing process. It has a tight relationship with a third-party cybersecurity expert and works with a hacker group to subject its products to real-world evaluation. “We understand there’s always a concern about cybersecurity, and it’s also not possible to eliminate it 100%. So we work with integrators not only on product sale but on system design, so for example is there a health check or constant monitoring system in place.”

Meanwhile, as manufacturers and integrators expand beyond the scope of physical security, they may also be able go beyond providing security (physical or logical) in general as the uses for surveillance cameras expands.

The growth possibilities excite Hu, whose company is already enlisting its own robotic solutions to improve efficiencies in its new factory that opened about an hour’s drive from Hikvision headquarters in Hangzhou. Coincidentally, the World Robot Conference 2016 was also being held in Beijing the same week as Security China 2016.

“When we see technologies develop here we’re very excited about that, full of hope for this industry. We also know that video is not just used in security or surveillance but also used many fields, many areas – for example, robots in future they will have to have an eye. The machine vision, we believe that it will become even bigger than security,” he says. “We’re also developing our industrial cameras or industrial automation. There’s a lot of things we can do around video and around images.”

The Future of Industrial Automation

The press members got a tour of the new factory, whose campus consists of four distinct buildings labeled A-D (and two main sections per building). To Hu’s point, Hikvision utilizes 500 robots (and hope to increase the total to around 800 by year’s end) to move around the various sections, loading and unloading cargo, day and night.

It was noted that these automated ground vehicles (AGVs) have increased warehouse efficiency by 2.5x, can carry about a half-ton of cargo, drive roughly 1 meter per second, and operate for about 10 hours following an hour’s time to charge (and they know when and where to get juiced up).

The robotic vehicles are fed input by workers, and then go on their merry way following the course of QR codes that dot the warehouse floors and shelves. The vehicles have surveillance cameras on the top and bottom to read the codes and know where to go and which shelves to unload their pallets of boxes.

Hikvision’s automated ground vehicle (AGV).

The 300,000-square-meter campus is 8x the size of the company’s original factory and is home to 3,000+ employees. Hikvision explained that phase two of the factory expansion will make it 3x larger still when construction within the adjacent lot is completed.

While in Hangzhou, the press tour included an end-user visit to the luxurious, golden spherical-shaped InterContinental Hotel. Used during B20 and site of presentations by foreign dignitaries, the hotel security relied heavily upon its more than 700 cameras of all types – including night vision models on the perimeter – installed throughout.

Cameras could be seen high up the lobby walls, within the ceiling of the grand ballroom (where President Xi Jinping delivered the B20 keynote) and elsewhere.

On the back end of all the cameras, a peek inside the monitoring operations center revealed a 7×3 video wall whose displays were configured with the majority showing multiple cameras per screen. In the middle, Hikvision VMS mapping software was demonstrated, giving a comprehensive view with both 2D and 3D rendering into every floor of the 21-floor hotel, by which camera icons could be clicked on to then pull up that particular live video feed.

The VMS can be used to program automated checkpoint rotations for various cameras being patrolled. Video is stored for 90 days on eight centralized video recorders (CVRs) onsite. Hikvision personnel noted that following the summit the hotel was lauded by local police with a “best in class of security solutions” award.

If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!

Related Content

AMAG Technology Unveils New Strategic Direction, User Experience, Products

Resideo Bolsters First Alert VX Series with VX5 Indoor Camera

Hanwha Vision Announces Strategic Partnership With SAVI Controls

Canyon Hills Community Church Takes Proactive Gun Detection Security Measures