Video Content Analysis Moves to the Edge

IMS Research’s latest report on video content analysis (VCA) highlights the rapidly growing trend towards embedding VCA algorithms into security devices, such as DVRs video encoders and network cameras. DSP-based analytics enables these devices to analyse live or recorded video streams to detect predefined suspicious activities, events or behavior patterns.

IMS Research predicts that in the short term the biggest penetration of VCA will occur within DVRs and video encoders. This will be due to the large installed base of analogue cameras. Intelligent encoders offer a cost effective way to convert to a networked system and analyse the video at the point of capture. A number of suppliers are already offering network cameras with a full suite of embedded analytics. IMS predicts that in the coming years there will be even greater penetration of VCA as network camera manufacturers increasingly embed low cost, entry level analytics for advanced motion detection or systems health monitoring. IMS Research predicts that shipments of network cameras with embedded VCA will exceed 800,000 units by 2010.

Market research analyst at IMS Research, James McManus commented: “There will be a greater emphasis on moving the intelligence out into the field devices to enable pretransmission processing and bandwidth preservation. Intelligent edge devices eliminate the need to transmit all captured video to centralized servers for analysis. This is a more cost effective way of implementing VCA than a server-based approach and will lead to far greater uptake of VCA technology”