Latest research on video surveillance in schools, colleges and hospitals: AI video analytics on the rise

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Recent research on the use and planning of video surveillance in schools, colleges and hospitals has found that an overall positive experience with security camera systems has led to even more investment in video technology over the past two years.

According to Campus Safety’s 2021 Video Surveillance Deep Dive Survey, 94% of college and hospital security professionals say they have video surveillance systems deployed, with another 4% saying they don’t but plan on buying security cameras in the next two years.

The incidents and situations investigated using security cameras are many and varied. They include unauthorized recording of TikTok videos on campus, vandalism, bicycle accidents, fights, fallen trees, thefts, cars using parking lots to "drift," and more.

Key challenges security professionals face are primarily in the maintenance of camera systems, in the operation and upgrade of legacy systems, and in the integration with other public safety systems where data protection is key. In these areas, there is great potential for system integrators to fill the gap in necessary resources and expertise.

Video Analytics and Artificial Intelligence gain in popularity

Since almost all of the organizations surveyed have already deployed surveillance camera systems, their primary focus in the near future will be to expand and upgrade these. Video analytics and AI are on the rise to get more out of video cameras and enable them to take on tasks that previously had to be done by humans.

30% of college and hospital security professionals say they have implemented video analytics solutions over the past two years, compared to only 18% two years ago. More than one in five respondents (21%) have purchased AI in the past two years. In 2019, only 6% had purchased AI over the past three years.

These encouraging results clearly show that security professionals have recognized the added value that smart technologies offer them. Therefore, the use of camera systems equipped with AI video analytics will continue to grow. 

Top applications of AI video analytics in surveillance cameras already in use include license plate recognition (29%), facial recognition (27%) and cloud-based video surveillance (28%). Specific applications such as weapons detection are currently little used (12%), but there is great potential to make educational and healthcare facilities safer.

In the Azena Application Store, you'll find 100+ apps that enable IoT security cameras to reliably perform tasks such as license plate and facial recognition, fire detection, and many more.

More than just security applications for IoT cameras

Campus Safety’s Survey shows that security professionals are on the right track and take advantage of getting more out of their camera systems. In the Azena blog, you find a vast amount of articles and whitepapers for users and integrators illustrating that AI Video analytics is by no means limited to security applications. 

Cameras enabled with AI video analytics become business all-rounders that help automate and significantly improve operations in many different areas.

Applications such as facial and license plate recognition, crowd detection, behavioral analytics and many more help improve operations and thus the overall user experience in education and healthcare buildings. So when setting up or expanding a camera system, it pays to think beyond security and safety and take advantage of new ways smart camera systems can make your business more efficient and future-proof.

Worth reading: In our white paper for integrators and users, you'll discover how smart surveillance cameras can improve not only security but also operations in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. 

3 examples of AI video analytics applications beyond security in healthcare

When it comes to monitoring the behavior of both people and objects, for example, to quickly detect and respond to anomalies and critical incidents, smart video cameras equipped with AI video analytics can provide superior value to operators. The following examples show what is already feasible today and where smart video technology is heading.

• Use smart technology to detect fallen & helpless persons: The 2006 International Patient Safety Goals (IPSG) require JCI-accredited hospitals to reduce the risk of patient harm from falls. Every healthcare facility dedicated to the well-being of patients should care and take appropriate measures. Smart surveillance cameras can help detect spills when they occur and take appropriate action in time.
• Ensure staff & visitors comply with COVID hygiene regulations: Social distancing and wearing masks are key to preventing, or at least slowing down, the transmission of COVID-19 from person to person. Security cameras equipped with AI video analytics can help ensure that people comply with hygiene regulations at any time.

• Use video analytics applications to protect patients’ privacy: Many countries have strict legal requirements for video surveillance in healthcare facilities. In the U.S., for example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 protects the privacy and security of patient protected health information (PHI) transmitted and maintained in any form or medium. Smart video analytics can help to protect sensitive patient data e.g. on computer screens captured by cameras. 

Read more about these applications in our blog article "The 3 most popular uses for AI Computer Vision in healthcare"

What's special about the applications shown here is that they don't require an extensive new infrastructure, but run directly in the cameras (edge computing). Cameras empowered with AI video analytics no longer provide raw video data that had to be analyzed in real time or retrospectively by humans, as in the past, but valuable insights gained by analyzing the data straight in the devices. Big data becomes smart data, which can be used to control connected systems in the IoT and support operators with valuable insights. 

The future of Video Surveillance in educational and healthcare facilities

What is technically possible and helps to manage security and operations more easily and efficiently will soon become established. Much of what an IoT video camera equipped with AI video analytics can do is already used to make educational and healthcare facilities safer and smarter. It's only a matter of time till AI video analytics become standard in video surveillance. The devices and software applications required are already out there. 

We at Azena aim to ensure that the implementation of new innovative solutions in your facilities or those of your customers is as simple, cost-effective and flexible as possible.

Browse our Application Store for the latest camera apps designed for improving security and operations in your facilities.