Page 18 - Campus Security & Life Safety, May/June 2020

A Campus Challenge
Bringing intelligence to roadways, parking areas with video
Traffic Management
Like cities and towns everywhere, campuses today face tremen- dous challenges when it comes to managing traffic and trans- portation. Between fluctuating traffic levels, busy intersections, incidents that cause delays, population growth and more, these challenges will only multiply without some sort of plan to alle- viate the stress on roads and parking. Any plan must be based on data and intelligence, which is readily available but not always accessible.
Intelligent Systems
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) encompass mobility and traffic management, helping drivers, overseeing the flow of vehicles, and more. These solutions are used in traffic lights, parking lots, toll booths, roads, bridges and more to establish an interconnected system capable of con- trolling traffic so it runs smoothly and efficiently. In addition to helping campuses function more productively, these systems can also improve services and safety by identifying incidents, monitoring weather condi- tions, communicating detours and coordinating responses faster.
While the traffic data these systems generate on its own is helpful, there are many additional data sources that can significantly improve its effectiveness, such as IP surveillance cameras. However, as the number of networked devices and sensors continues to grow exponentially, the need to manage and secure those devices becomes more and more urgent.
With billions of sensors already installed globally, the capabilities of IP-based systems are constantly evolving, with technology provid- ers and end users continually seeking new ways to leverage the power, flexibility and intelligence all this interconnectivity provides. The individual capabilities of devices and systems are outstanding, but the true power lies in these systems’ abilities to work together and share data to solve challenges or provide valuable insight.
The effectiveness of ITS relies on connected devices and systems that work together and can deliver an integrated solution that capital- izes on the combined strengths of every connected device, including vehicles, to solve specific challenges and deliver value.
Managing all of the data associated with traffic management requires a solution capable of integrating disparate systems, analyzing that data, pro- viding control of a variety of technologies and delivering valuable insight that can lead to informed decisions in both the short and long term.
For years, camera and video solutions providers have worked to inte- grate their products with access control, point of sale and many other security and non-security systems and devices. This has all been done with the goal of collecting widely dispersed data from disparate sources to provide a more complete view of security and operations. For this reason, the video system is ideally suited to serve as the foundation for a larger network of sensors like those used in the ITS environment.
These integrations offer the potential to share useful information between connected devices and systems for monitoring and providing a more complete picture of a situation across multiple locations than any single system could possibly deliver on its own.
Why Video?
When it comes to the question of why traffic management systems should be built on video systems, it’s important to consider the matu- rity of IP-based camera technology, which has been around for many years. These cameras have matured significantly to the point where they have become powerful computers equipped with lenses. As a result, video systems have grown incredibly robust and can support a wide range of integrated solutions.
Considering the advanced capabilities and connectivity surveil-
18 campuslifesecurity.com | MAY/JUNE 2020