VIVOTEK is now offering businesses a solution to maintain maximum occupancy as well as a safer and healthier environment. VIVOTEK Crowd Control Solutions can easily monitor the number of people entering and exiting a store, thereby providing customers and staff with a safer environment.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing has become a standard public health intervention around the world,” said David Liu, President of VIVOTEK USA, Inc. “According to the definition by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social distancing, also called ‘Physical Distancing’, means maintaining space between yourself and other people outside of your home. Through social distancing, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 by making a conscious effort to keep a physical distance between each other. Social distancing is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak.”
As the IP surveillance industry enters the era of AI, security network cameras (IP cameras) have seen great advances through the application of AI and deep learning technologies. These next generation cameras are equipped with high performance computing power and video analytics, allowing users to transform real-time images into big-data analysis. Under the social distancing practices of supermarkets, there are four video analytic techniques that are commonly deployed to take precautionary measures.
- Queue Management
- Queue management was designed to optimize customer experiences and reduce wait times. During the pandemic, queue management is focused on managing customer flows and avoiding physical queues to maintain social distance.
- People Counting
- In response to the needs of entry-control management, a people counting solution is the ideal video analytic tool for supermarket chains. It can easily identify occupancy levels and monitor in real-time the number of people entering and exiting a store, thereby providing customers and staff with a safer environment.
- Crowd Detection
- Crowd Detection video analytics can be used to identify how many people are present in a given area. Stores and businesses can then effortlessly manage and maintain distances between customers, automatically sending alert notifications when maximum capacity is exceeded.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Detection
- PPE can protect the user against health or safety risks. These items include safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility garments, safety footwear and so on. During the COVID-19 pandemic, advanced video analysis can identify people who are not wearing masks, hardhats, vests or other critical equipment, providing a safe and healthy environment for both frontline workers and customers.
“These AI-driven video analytics and smart-edge cameras are enabling IP surveillance solutions to better assist users to manage their business under the increased pressures of pandemic conditions,” Liu continued. “VIVOTEK’s intelligent people counting camera and analytics system can be deployed at points of entry to areas with a higher likelihood of social interaction such as shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, and restaurants.”
Benefits of VIVOTEK’s Crowd Control Solutions:
- Social Distancing Compliance
- Putting safety first, implementing VIVOTEK’s Crowd Control Solution enables effective management of crowds in places where social distancing must be upheld.
- High Accuracy
- When business owners recruit security staff or part-time employees to manually count traffic, this leads to a less than satisfactory result. VIVOTEK’s 3D stereo counting camera provides precise tracking and a counting accuracy up to 98 percent. This accuracy is further increased by the ability to transfer large datasets.
- Real-time Analytics
- Combining AI with deep-learning analytics, video data can be gathered, analyzed, and applied in real-time, enabling staffs to respond promptly to any change.
- Lowered Risk of Infection
- The deployment of VIVOTEK’s Crowd Control Solution also means a minimization of physical contact, providing both customers and employees a safer working and shopping environment.
“COVID-19 has changed our lives and the way we all interact and communicate,” Liu added. “It also has a growing impact on the global economy. From AI to video analytics, VIVOTEK’s Crowd Control Solution has become essential at this time of social distancing.”
The need for social distancing will eventually end.
“In a post COVID-19 world, the solution can be expanded as a Business Intelligence Solution to optimize operations,” Liu concluded. “Until then, VIVOTEK will continue to stand together with and serve our customers, while providing AI-based solutions in our fight against COVID-19.”
