The role of network cameras as sensors to support digital transformation

Phil Black - PII Editor 14/06/2023

483 2 minutes read

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Axis Communications’ Linn Storäng explains how high-quality video data on open IT architecture might support the digital transformation of business functions.

To think of the network camera – an essential part of any company’s security infrastructure – as being a tool for security purposes alone could be a missed opportunity. Today’s cameras are versatile IoT devices capable of offering a number of additional benefits through analysis of high-quality video data that can be used to accelerate and enhance digital transformation efforts. The key to discovering that potential is to refocus; if a camera can see it, your systems can act upon it.

Digital video is not simply about security – it is also an extraordinary source of data. Over the years network cameras have been bolstered by higher grade image quality, improved bandwidth efficiency, and more powerful processing both on board and in the cloud, while the addition of advanced analytics and AI capabilities adds a wealth of functionality. And when wedded to open IT architecture that paves the way for ease of integration, a world of smarter possibilities awaits.

Benefits of the camera as a sensor

Thinking of network cameras as sensors and applying analytics to video data can help identify trends that develop over time, or highlight issues and insights in real time, all without requiring a human to constantly survey the output. Properly applied, that data may also be valuable in building predictive models which can help improve future efficiency or discover brand new directions for your IT provision or the business.

Cameras can provide secondary security reassurance, monitor critical systems for temperature changes, ensure production lines are running efficiently and even detect the early signs of an outbreak of fire. Ease of deployment and integration means cameras can be employed on a smaller scale, keeping a digital eye on otherwise difficult-to-access equipment, and simultaneously on a wider scale, using their vast field of view to monitor large areas.

Important considerations for platform selection

However, the picture isn’t, perhaps, quite that clear. The ubiquity of cameras means they are theoretically straightforward to integrate into a digital transformation effort, but that all-important data must be reachable in a safe way. The camera’s hardware, firmware and ecosystem need to be flexible enough to support whatever application your business wishes to build – open enough to be useful, but robust enough not to present a risk.

They must also be accessible by all entities that need that access – be they personnel, third-party integrations, or bespoke applications – opening as many data points as possible without exposing security holes. To be effective, cameras should be deployed as part of an overall IT infrastructure rather than being siloed into merely acting as part of a security function or chosen without consideration of additional use cases. This also helps to guarantee that such hardware can be properly managed and updated over its lifetime.

A new generation of IP cameras

The network camera space has grown to meet the needs of its traditional users and this new set of wider IT use cases. Cameras can now routinely integrate neatly with, for example, DCIM systems to help the creation of bespoke applications. They can include features like visual overlays which make alerts and analytics clear and concise. Today’s cameras are built to be lean, with technology designed to minimise energy use, demand minimal network bandwidth, and even reduce the load on cloud servers by performing complex computation on the edge – all while simplifying maintenance through secure tools which smooth the process of managing large networks of IoT devices.

Learn more about how network cameras can support your digital transformation agenda