| Don't look now! Someone's staring at you from that | | | | surveillance systems in preventing a repeat of |
| far wall behind the artificial potted plants in this busy | | | | large-scale terrorism after the 9/11 attack at the World |
| hotel lobby. But there's no need for that furtive glance | | | | Trade Center. These developers are working hard to |
| like you have some lint on your shoulder. There's no | | | | develop programs for surveillance systems, among |
| need for those tiny furtive steps either. No one's | | | | them an important feature known as face recognition. |
| stalking you. It's just the hotel's CCTV surveillance | | | | With face recognition installed in CCTV surveillance |
| system. The hotel has recently been caught up in the | | | | systems, it is now easy to recognize certain key |
| wave of video surveillance. That someone staring at | | | | features in the face of an individual. This face will be |
| you from across the room is just the camera from the | | | | compared to a host of faces from a database of |
| newly installed CCTV surveillance systems. In hotels | | | | mug shots and photographs. A person flagged as |
| and in places where there is high human traffic, state | | | | dangerous can then be prevented from gaining access |
| of the art CCTV surveillance systems have been | | | | to buildings or public transportations, thus thwarting any |
| mounted for purposes of safety and as crime | | | | planned attack or escape. |
| deterrents. | | | | Big Investment That Pays Off |
| That Constant Fear | | | | CCTV surveillance systems today now boast of |
| The world, it seems, is gripped by fear of terrorist | | | | functionalities not seen in the video surveillance |
| attacks. In fact, after 9/11, it seems to be a Herculean | | | | systems of the past. This time, CCTV surveillance |
| effort to make life go on - do business, travel, interact | | | | systems have |
| with others in densely populated places. After all, if | | | | 1. motion detection. This means that the surveillance |
| there's anything 9/11 has shown us, it is that a bomb | | | | system only records footage when movement |
| could go off in a sidewalk while you are having an al | | | | triggers the surveillance system. |
| fresco lunch with a colleague, or blow up the | | | | 2. resolution as clear as day. Grainy footage is not a |
| trans-continental plane you are in while it's in in the air, | | | | problem anymore with some video surveillance |
| cruising at 125,000 feet. | | | | cameras featuring 1600 x 1200 dpi, or even more, |
| The security guys you see milling about do not | | | | resolution. |
| reassurance you. You have always felt that security | | | | 3. night and infrared vision. Even with low or minimal |
| guys patrolling public places have a very limited | | | | lighting, these new surveillance systems can record |
| capacity for preventing crime. They only act when | | | | images with infrared technology. |
| something happens in their line of sight. By then, | | | | Government administrators are seeing the positive side |
| however, you'd be beyond help. | | | | of surveillance systems. In fact, after 9/11, federal |
| You're Safe Now | | | | budget is flowing in for these new security measures. |
| Installed in a strategic spot and equipped with cutting | | | | There are states which require the installation of |
| edge technology in surveillance cameras, CCTV | | | | surveillance systems in business establishments before |
| surveillance systems can record everything that goes | | | | these businesses can operate. |
| on in its line of focus. These recordings can later be | | | | So, there is really no need to be afraid. CCTV |
| retrieved and analyzed to recreate scenes. | | | | surveillance systems, those new security guys, have |
| Software developers now see the potential of CCTV | | | | your back. They are always watching. |