12.13.24 – SIW – Babak Shir
Explore how thermal AI cameras complement visible AI cameras to overcome distance and lighting challenges, providing comprehensive and cost-effective remote video guarding solutions.
Remote video guarding has gained popularity as an effective solution for protecting outdoor environments and preventing crime in areas where manned security is impractical. These systems are often straightforward to implement using affordable visible cameras mounted on buildings, which rely on existing security lighting for nighttime visibility and a separate artificial intelligence (AI) video streaming service to reduce false alarms.
While this approach works well for well-lit, close-range areas, it becomes less effective for darker or low-lit zones farther from the building. Extending protection to these areas typically requires installing additional lighting and mounting cameras on poles, which can significantly increase costs.
This is where user-friendly, cost-effective thermal AI cameras can enhance and complete the security design. By combining thermal AI cameras with visible AI cameras, security integrators can reliably detect intruders in distant, unlit areas, creating a stronger and more comprehensive solution for any site. This approach enables integrators to secure more applications more effectively, generate more significant revenue and deliver better results.
Tackling Distance and Lighting Challenges with Thermal AI
Visible AI cameras are effective for close-range applications with sufficient lighting to support their AI capabilities. However, their performance could improve when tackling intrusion detection approaching 90 feet or more. Addressing these limitations often requires additional infrastructure, such as poles and extended outdoor wiring for camera placement, driving up costs and potentially making the solution unfeasible.
Thermal AI cameras excel in these situations by detecting heat signatures, allowing them to “see” objects in total darkness in challenging conditions without relying on lighting.
This capability makes them ideal for addressing those marginal areas. Thermal technology is particularly attuned to human body temperature, making these cameras exceptional at detecting people, even at distances well beyond 90 feet. With onboard AI, thermal cameras accurately classify objects such as people, vehicles, or animals in total darkness or bad weather, ensuring only genuine threats from these more distant, dark, or shadowy regions reliably trigger alerts — and that no intrusion goes undetected.
Integrators can create comprehensive, high-quality solutions tailored to each site’s unique challenges by incorporating thermal AI cameras and visible AI cameras into the site design. This combination ensures reliable detection near the asset and in darker, more distant areas without the need for costly additional lighting or infrastructure.
Addressing Application Challenges in Remote Guarding
Protecting outdoor environments often involves securing high-value assets on large properties such as auto dealerships, corporate campuses, multifamily housing or shopping centers. These sites frequently include extensive areas with little to no lighting, creating significant challenges for traditional security solutions.
“Our customers face significant challenges in protecting high-value assets and inventory on large properties, whether fenced or unfenced, with low or no lighting. These environments are extremely difficult to secure, leading to potential gaps in coverage,” states Rudy Aragon, senior vice president of operations of Elite Interactive Solutions, a Los Angeles-headquartered remote guarding provider. “We’ve found that Thermal AI cameras provide a superior solution for these applications, enabling proactive intervention with trespassers within seconds, before any crime can be committed. This capability is crucial for effective crime prevention, which is the primary focus of our customers.”
By filling the coverage gaps left by visible AI cameras, thermal AI cameras empower remote guarding organizations to address these challenges, offering a complete and reliable 24/7 solution that enhances crime prevention and security outcomes.
“Such systems have been particularly successful in large outdoor areas where unauthorized presence is not expected, like retail car dealerships, manufacturing facility yards, and perimeter zones. These systems are effective because we can determine a specific area/zone to monitor — regardless of area size — with precise detection capabilities,” adds Aragon. “With this technology, we have been able to prevent 12 crimes from occurring and resulting in one arrest. These results were unprecedented for this site, demonstrating the system’s effectiveness in identification of an intruder, deterring the crime and enhancing security.”
Business Impact with Thermal AI Technology
Thermal AI cameras allow the security integrator to implement more comprehensive designs that provide customers with protection they can easily count on. This expands the types of jobs they can address and that commands a higher recurring monthly revenue (RMR).
This creates a competitive advantage, putting the dealer in a better position to take on jobs that competitors can’t handle. Additionally, this approach enables dealers to expand their service offerings. Sites previously too complex or costly to secure are now viable opportunities, allowing dealers to grow their customer base. Thermal AI cameras are a compelling tool for dealers seeking to build scalable, profitable remote guarding services.
Thermal AI cameras are also an affordable option for mainstream commercial security. The advances in manufacturing and economies of scale, driven by the adoption of thermal sensors in consumer products like cell phones and cars, have significantly reduced the cost of thermal technology. With a lower barrier to adoption — cost and complexity — integrators can economically implement thermal AI cameras into their strategy.
Integrating thermal AI cameras with visible AI cameras allows monitoring teams to confidently protect more sites with fewer resources, improving efficiency and profitability. False alarms are minimized, ensuring that monitoring staff can focus on genuine threats while reliable detection enhances customer satisfaction and retention.
Completing the Solution
Implementing remote video guarding strategies provides organizations with 24/7 crime prevention, reduced false alarms, and effective monitoring of large areas where manned security may not be practical. However, achieving these benefits requires selecting the right detection technology for each application.
Thermal AI cameras are the ideal complement to visible AI cameras, addressing the challenges of distance and darkness with unparalleled reliability. They detect threats without needing light, in any weather, and at long ranges, filling the gaps that visible cameras cannot. This combination enables integrators to provide stronger, more comprehensive solutions, improving customer results while increasing profitability and RMR. Thermal AI cameras don’t just enhance security—they complete the solution.
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About the Author
Babak Shir | vice president of engineering for SightLogix
Babak Shir is vice president of engineering for SightLogix, a Princeton, N.J.-based manufacturer of smart thermal and visible security cameras designed for outdoor perimeter security. Babak has over 20 years of experience in robotics, computer vision and embedded systems. He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE), a master’s degree in CS from Drexel University, a master’s degree in engineering Robotics, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania. Babak joined SightLogix in 2010 and has been instrumental in the design, development and enhancement of multiple camera systems.