For years, video surveillance has been used for security purposes, collecting footage for post-event investigation. Yet, according to various studies, this only accounts for 10 percent of data in the video. How to fully employ the information video provides to enhance business intelligence and operational efficiency has become an increasingly important focus for solutions providers, especially amid fiercer competition in the video markets.
One area where video can be of use other than security is smart parking. There are solutions which entail the use of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) to automate the parking payment process.
Such a solution consists of a kiosk with an ultrasonic sensor attached to it, and a camera. The former detects whether a space is parked or not. This information can then be transmitted to the user’s app or a citywide signage system to help drivers navigate to the right lot/area. Once the car is parked, the camera captures the vehicle’s license plate and the time of entry/exit. That information, then, is transmitted to the payment system, which deducts the value from the driver’s account.
Benefits of such a system is manifold, for the driver, they can enjoy a fully automated, frictionless process whereby they don’t have to insert coins or swipe cards to anything. For municipal administrators or parking lot operators, the benefit is streamlined operations, whereby the city no longer requires human workers to walk from car to car and issue parking bills/invoices. Another major benefit is that the data generated by the sensor and video can be further analyzed for future design and planning purposes. For example, if data suggests that the turnover rate on a particular street needs to be higher, then the city can raise the parking fee in that particular area.
Another area where video can be of use is retail, helping retailers understand more about their customers and make the necessary planning accordingly. There are smart retail solutions which utilize facial recognition that detects the likely gender and age of the customer in front of the camera. The system can then display advertisement on the nearby digital signage targeting that particular customer.
Not only does the solution help target intended audiences more effectively, it can also help the retailers analyze and understand more about their customers. It can help the retailer determine whether it’s a good idea to place a particular merchandise in a certain area. If the area is frequented by visitors who are not the merchandise’s targeted audience, then the operator can move it to a more suitable place. This is where facial recognition can come in handy.
Adapted from a&s Magazine
