May 15, 2007
Video analytics - can it solve the unattended baggage problem?
If you've flown in an airplane, you know the drill. After snaking through half of the lobby in the check-in line, you arrive at the counter with your ID and ticket and are asked about your luggage. Have you left it unattended? Did you pack it yourself? Are you sure? While they may seem innocuous, ineffective, annoying, or downright grating, airlines have depended on these questions for years as a preliminary screening process. Suitcases, duffel bags and luggage, while they are essential for travel, are also potential wreakers of major mid-flight havoc if filled with explosives or other tools of terrorism.
Whether it's accidentally abandoned by forgetful or stressed travelers, left behind at the carousel, or maliciously and intentionally placed, airports and airlines have struggled with the problems of abandoned baggage for years. Finding an effective solution has proven to be difficult, especially in regards to bags placed with the intent of causing harm. Airports often broadcast warnings over loudspeakers to remind passengers of the dangers of abandoned baggage (e.g. "please make sure you have all your luggage," "any and all abandoned luggage will be confiscated and destroyed" and "please report any abandoned bags or suspicious activity to airport security"), and have been mildly effective in reducing accidentally abandoned luggage, but the fear of purposefully abandoned luggage still remains.
The European Union has introduced a plan to install "intelligent" video security cameras in an effort to reduce the amount of abandoned luggage in its airports. Thanks to the development of video analytics technology, which allow surveillance cameras to independently analyze footage and recognize certain behaviors, this plan could help airports drastically reduce problems associated with unattended and abandoned bags. Video analytics uses a system of algorithms embedded in the camera which command the camera to scan the footage and recognize preset concepts (like an abandoned piece of luggage). While the technology is still relatively new, it holds great promise in instances like this one.
Posted by Jennifer on May 15, 2007 5:01 PM | Comments (0)
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