Building a Security & Surveillance System with Facial Recognition

Smart security and surveillance systems offer a win-win situation to businesses as they are more accurate and efficient than traditional systems. Facial recognition technology can also significantly cut expenditures on security personnel by providing integration with employee timeclocks, POS systems, and access control systems.

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have revolutionized the future of the security sector, shedding more light on contactless facial biometric technology and its diverse usage in various industries.

This article shares key considerations for deciding whether AI-powered facial recognition surveillance is suitable for your business, what qualities and features you should be looking for when choosing a facial recognition system, and how to design a cost-effective smart security system.

What is a Smart Surveillance System?

A smart surveillance system integrates sensors and computer vision into a traditional CCTV system, enabling it to perform identity verification, send instant alerts to security staff, and manage access control – all to further protect an organization’s property and enhance employee safety.

One of the easiest and most-adopted ways to create a smart surveillance system is to introduce AI, more specifically facial recognition technology. The resulting smart surveillance system will wield the benefits of integrated computer technology, provide faster and more accurate identity checking than ever before, and help cut labor costs.

How Does Facial Recognition Help with Security & Surveillance?

There are many advantages to facial recognition technology. One of the most common applications is in security management.

Let’s look at 5 critical benefits of integrating facial recognition into security and surveillance systems:

1. Increased efficiency and reliability

Facial recognition technology increases efficiency and reliability within biometric verification to avoid human error. Advanced facial recognition software like FaceMe® can even integrate with time and attendance systems to automatically track and report employee clock-in/out history.

Real-time identity verification using facial recognition requires minimal effort from end users, ensuring the verification process is very low friction. There is no need to remember PINs, passwords, key fobs, ID cards or other paraphernalia – nor is it necessary to be in physical contact with any shared security devices (e.g., fingerprint reader or keypad) to gain access. In fact, the touchless quality of facial recognition based access systems has been greatly favored by businesses in terms of biometric modality selection.

2. Provide real-time alerts and reduce labor costs

Traditional security systems require security personnel to observe the premises and oversee all movement to verify guests and spot intruders. Smart surveillance systems empowered by facial recognition technology verify identities by mapping the facial identity of the person and providing real-time alerts when pre-defined events occur, such as a block-listed person entering a restricted area, or a VIP guest arriving at the reception area.

Due to facial recognition’s high accuracy rate and recognition speed, organizations can better allocate their personnel resources and shorten reaction time, reducing overall operational costs in the long term.

3. Locate persons of interest

When a criminal event occurs (e.g., trespass or theft), security personnel must locate a suspect quickly. With the help of a facial recognition surveillance system, companies can search for a specific person by uploading a picture or cropping a certain face from the video footage. The search results can show administrators if the person is on-premises, when they arrived/left during the current day, their clock-in/out history, and even track the individual’s full footprint across monitored areas of the business.

The latest People Tracker feature also allows users to search by objects and body figure, using advanced filters like age, gender, color of clothes, bag carried, and more. This way, even if a camera didn’t capture a clear facial image, FaceMe® Security is still able to identify that specific person and map out his/her complete route.

Businesses can integrate their current video management system with FaceMe® Security, AI-driven software designed specifically for access control and surveillance. It is compatible with various mainstream video management systems (VMS), from vendors including Genetec, Milestone, Axis Communications, Network Optix NxWitness, Vivotek, Hanwha and more. The integration allows security staff to operate within the same user interface (UI) dashboard, reducing onboarding time for a completely new system.

4. Monitor and ensure the correct use of machinery or equipment

The scope of facial recognition for security isn’t limited to business entrances. It can also be used to grant people access to certain specialized or restricted lockers or machinery.

Recently, CyberLink’s FaceMe® technology was adopted by Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan to limit access to specialized machinery. FaceMe® ensures that only certified personnel can login to the quality control system to inspect and sign-off on finished vehicles. Additionally, FaceMe®’s ability to verify the identity of individuals wearing personal protective equipment and safety gear (up to 98.21% accuracy rate) was appreciated in the Toyota factory setting.

Key Success Factors in Deploying Facial Recognition in Security & Surveillance Systems

When adding facial recognition technology to existing systems you must first define key constraints and success factors required for deployment. These elements may include the following:

1. What type of system architecture you should use?
2. Should you keep, upgrade, or replace hardware components such as security cameras?
3. What data should you collect and where should it be preserved— at the edge, on local servers, or in the cloud?
4. What is the size of the area you wish to monitor?
5. How scalable will the solution need to be?
6. Who will your surveillance system monitor?
7. Will the facial recognition software integrate with your existing VMS?
8. What type of cameras do you need?
9. What are local privacy and personal data protection regulations for the collection of personal and biometric information, and do you expect them to change?

Designing Your Facial Recognition Security & Surveillance Systems

Surveillance Solution Architecture

Developers designing the system architecture for a security and surveillance solution must first determine the array of events, time constraints, and notification settings needed to create the best system for each unique deployment scenario. Below are a few factors to consider.

Facial Recognition Camera System and Video Source

The first step in designing a high-performing system architecture is determining the video source. Besides camera placement, identify if you will pull the video stream directly from IP (Internet Protocol) cameras using RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), or interface with an existing video management system (VMS).

Video format is another important factor. Traditional IP camera systems use H.264/MPEG-4 as their primary format, while newer models may support H.265/HEVC, reducing file size by approximately 70% and saving storage space on your NVRs (Network Video Recorders).

Platform and Hardware Infrastructure

Next, assess existing infrastructure to determine how to integrate facial recognition technology. Factors such as real-time processing, and deployment scope, will help determine if you will process content on a local server or use a workstation and send results to a remote central server. In the latter scenario, an organization may have workstations in California, Florida, and Texas, all communicating with the central server in California.

Facial recognition software like FaceMe® Security is compatible with existing IP surveillance setups, including NVR, VMS, and IP cameras. You can add workstations equipped with AI processing capabilities (GPUs, VPUs, or APUs and FaceMe® Security software) to upgrade existing systems with facial recognition system functionality – with only 15 to 20% in additional costs.Read more on specific chipset and other infrastructure considerations.

Quick Upgrade over Traditional VMS system?

Prior to upgrading to a smart security system, many enterprises already have an image management system that has been running for years. With that in mind, before introducing facial recognition, there should first be a deep understanding of the integration of software and hardware, and whether it can be directly and quickly upgraded to a smart surveillance system under the original system. Seamless integration can greatly reduce operating and deployment costs, effectively carrying out smart security management.

FaceMe® Security provides comprehensive support in the field of smart security. Its powerful integration with multiple VMS' can upgrade existing security systems to smart surveillance with facial recognition without the need to develop serial connections or purchase additional equipment. Security staff can directly access and use facial recognition functionality from the original system UI, which greatly reduces new system onboarding time.

FaceMe® Security – All-in-One Facial Recognition Security Software

FaceMe® Security is a turnkey, value-added facial recognition solution. It enables facial recognition functionalities on top of existing IP surveillance deployments – such as PCs, workstations, servers, VMS', and most importantly, IP cameras.

FaceMe® Security can conduct various tasks, from identity verification to visitor check-in, employee attendance-taking, mask detection, real-time monitoring, and alert notifications.

FaceMe® Security VMS Integration

Most security setups contain VMS (video management systems), allowing security personnel to simultaneously monitor videos from multiple cameras. However, many of the VMS' available in the market don’t support facial recognition out-of-the-box, requiring add-ons to integrate this biometric surveillance functionality.

FaceMe® Security quickly and easily integrates with mainstream VMS', including Milestone, Network Optix Nx Witness, VIVOTEK VSS, and Genetec Security Center. These integrations allow users to enable their security cameras with facial recognition from the same UI they are accustomed to, allowing an immediate upgrade to a smart surveillance system - without additional hardware costs. FaceMe® Security provides the ability to send real-time notifications to supported VMS' when needed, supports one-click database synchronization, and integrated visual floor plans so security staff can effortlessly have a holistic view of security management status.

FaceMe® Security Add-Ons

1. VMR Add-On: For installers and implementers not using third party VMS', FaceMe® Security VMR Add-On includes necessary basic monitoring functions. It offers real-time camera monitoring for up to nine streams, real-time alerts integrated with different messaging apps (Slack, Messenger, LINE), and video recording and playback.
2. Check-in Add-On: FaceMe® Security's Check-in Add-On can be deployed in employee attendance systems to clock in/out and restrict access to facilities by integrating with door lock systems.

FaceMe® Security's comprehensive features, Add-On solutions, and flexible deployments for various environments make it the highest valued, plug-and-play facial recognition solution for smart security today.

Facial Recognition Use Cases in Smart Security and Smart Surveillance

Two good examples of companies which have integrated facial recognition technology and reaped the rewards of smart security and surveillance include ACE BioTek (smart medical solutions) and Talma (airport services, security, and health screening).

ACE Biotek’s Wallie Screen Access Control and Health Screening System (TC-800) is a small unit, designed to provide frictionless access control and health checkpoints across industries, including medical and office facilities. The firm worked with CyberLink to integrate the FaceMe® engine and IR cameras for enhanced AI-powered facial recognition, mask checking, and human temperature measurements.

The TC-800 from ACE BioTek, augmented with the FaceMe® engine, is already being used by customers in Taiwan and the US. At one of the company premises where TC-800 units are deployed, and where 5,000+ employees come and go every day, the facial recognition driven device has provided beneficial smart building integrations including, the replacement of time clocks, frictionless health screenings when required, and the eradication of queuing during peak times.

Talma, a major player in airport security across Latin America, provides important security services to air transit passengers, as well as all essential airport staff, such as ground assistance and aircraft maintenance.

Talma’s partnership with CyberLink has seen the FaceMe® engine deployed to ensure airport employees are identity verified before accessing secure airport operation zones. Additionally, FaceMe®’s compelling extensibility, with face mask and temperature monitoring, ensures Talma employees adhere to all the latest health and safety guidelines.

Facial Recognition: A Modern Way Into Smart Security

The use of facial recognition in surveillance and security has gained great momentum over the last few years and its adoption, or market size, is set to almost triple by 2026. Any early tech teething problems have been left behind thanks to the continuous development of facial recognition and the application of AI / deep learning algorithms - boosting recognition accuracy, strengthening anti-spoofing features, and increasing reliability to challenge any other type of biometric. Moreover, it rises above other modalities with its natural benefits of speed, flexibility, and ease of implementation.

Without doubt, facial recognition technology will continue to become even more accurate, and its use-cases will continue to expand thanks to developer initiatives from firms like CyberLink, and businesses seeing new and compelling applications of the technology.

CyberLink’s FaceMe® already has popular turn-key solutions like; FaceMe® Security, FaceMe® eKYC f& Fintech, – with additional offerings in development. For those experimenting with newer and innovative uses for facial recognition, such as mobile app developers, the FaceMe® SDK, can be leveraged to assure they know their customers, and therefore can confidently build new digital businesses.

To learn more about FaceMe® Security, please visit the FaceMe® Security website or request a free demo today!

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