Bring the age of AI to metro and train stations in just a few clicks

Urban rail transport has come a long way and has adapted to many new challenges and technologies over the last 150 years. Much has changed since London's first subway railroad was put into service, and the journey continues in the direction of Smart City and IoT. 

Video technology, which has provided security in stations and trains for decades, is evolving into computer vision. CCTV cameras, available in almost every station and train worldwide, will be enabled by artificial intelligence and video analytics to perform tasks that people haven’t done before. Smart surveillance cameras become business all-rounders in smart stations and trains.

At Azena we aim to make the latest AI technologies available for IoT cameras in public transport. For this purpose we have created an open platform with a Camera OS and an Application Store enabling users & integrators to get more out of their surveillance cameras.

Here are some ideas how smart security cameras can make urban rail not only safer but also take the efficiency of operations to the next level.

• Monitor occupancy to reduce waiting times and queues at entrances and checkouts

• Automatically detect and report unattended luggage to prevent terrorist attacks

• Detect suspicious behavior to prevent violence and vandalism

• Detect and prevent unauthorized persons from entering restricted areas

• Recognize confused people loitering or elderly fallen, and call for help in time

Smart security cameras equipped with AI Video Analytics can help automate and better perform these and many more tasks in metro stations, suburban trains and buses. The key to success lies in software applications installed directly on the cameras that add powerful features. 

Here are some examples of camera apps you can find in our Application Store.

Counting passengers to keep operations running

Crowds in station buildings and on platforms are always a challenge for public transport, not only in times of COVID-19, when strict hygiene rules apply. To ensure the best possible passenger experience, operators must be able to respond flexibly to high occupancy at peak times by identifying critical trends early and allocating additional resources as needed. 

Intelligent surveillance cameras can help to continuously monitor occupancy in stations and trains, both to be able to react quickly to incidents and to optimize operations in the long term using statistical analyses.

Example: Isarsoft Perception offers crowd counting, occupancy monitoring, crossline detection and heat mapping for crowd management, event management and traffic analysis in one single application for security cameras. AI video analytics allows you to evaluate video data in real time in order to be able to react quickly to events, e.g. inform staff at the train station. Video data can also be analyzed statistically, e.g. to improve operations and passenger services.

Source: Isarsoft - Learn more about and download Isarsoft Perception in our Application Store

Did you know... that AI Video Analytics not only adds superpowers to surveillance cameras but also protects passengers' privacy? Camera apps such as Dynamic Privacy Mask allow you to automatically mask sensitive information in videos such as faces, documents or laptop screens to ensure privacy in stations and trains at any time. 

Get to know more about our traffic management solutions.

Increase passengers’ safety on platforms

In some train and subway stations platform screen doors (PSD), also called platform edge doors (PED), are used to separate platforms from trains. Smart video systems offer a much more cost-effective alternative to protect passengers from incoming trains.

Source: VIVOTEK

Example: Camera apps such as AM Line Crossing allow security managers to set virtual crossing lines in any scenario and automatically trigger appropriate actions such as alarms and train stops whenever a passenger crosses a line. Crossing lines and actions can be adapted to new requirements at any time with just a few clicks, just like you are used to with apps on your smartphone.

Recognize and rescue helpless people

Although prohibited, alcohol and drugs are a major challenge for security services in metro stations and suburban trains. But even older people who are disoriented or handicapped aren’t easy to recognize in the crowd. Smart security cameras, enabled to identify unusual behavior, can help to detect critical incidents reliably and initiate appropriate actions in time.

Example: AI Spill is a camera app able to distinguish different human positions to detect people lying or sitting on the ground. The area in which the app detects people and analyzes their behavior can be individually defined, as can the actions to be triggered automatically.

Source: Aitech - Learn more about and download AI Spill in our Application Store

More applications for AI video analytics in stations, trains and buses

• Observe wearing of masks and social distancing to implement hygiene regulations

• Analyze and control visitor flows by connecting smart cameras and displays

• Recognize objects and people on rails in time to avoid serious accidents

• Detect smoke and fire as early as possible to contain damage

• Smart entrance management using highly accurate ticket recognition

Worth reading: AI for security cameras: from expense to profit center in a few clicks

This is just the tip of the iceberg

The ones presented above are just some of the apps you can find and test in our Application Store. New ones are constantly being added and there are not only apps that help you protect public transportation against threats and crime. Other apps designed specifically for your security cameras will help you to make operations more efficient and successful.

Browse our Application Store for more Apps designed to get the most out of your camera system.