When it comes to perceiving threats and assessing danger, oftentimes what you hear is as important as what you see. If you’re only integrating video analytics into the solutions you provide your customers, you’re missing half the equation and half the revenue opportunity. Adding audio analytics not only provides an extra layer of protection, it can further validate an event and provide acoustic context for activities that might be outside the camera’s field of view. This additional situational awareness will enable your customers to be more proactive in identifying and responding to imminent threats, business challenges and profit opportunities.
The best way to understand the value of integrating audio analytics with network cameras and network speakers is to look at a few examples. What you’ll discover is that audio analytics can amplify safety, security and business operations in most industries.
Sound ideas in education
Creating a safe environment for learning is the mantra for educational institutions. Integrating audio analytics into a school’s network camera/speaker system could help save lives. For instance, gunshot detection analytics can detect gunfire and automatically trigger a classroom lockdown, broadcast a prerecorded message for students and faculty to shelter in place, send text messages to authorities, as well as display appropriate directions and instructions on computer monitors and digital signage.
Aggression detection analytics can help curtail bullying and fights by listening for sound patterns associated with duress, anger or fear. Once identified, the software could automatically trigger an alarm and/or stream real-time video footage to a safety officer’s mobile device so they could quickly intercede and de-escalate the incident before hostilities turn physical.
Sound ideas in retail
Audio analytics can help retailers be more proactive about customer service, stockturns and reducing shrink. For instance, audio analytics could automatically trigger a call over the speaker for another cashier when the cameras detect a lengthy line at the checkout. Or the audio analytic could page the stockroom asking for staff to refill a shelf so the store doesn’t lose sales.
Audio analytics could also be used to detect and deter pilfering. If a large quantity of product is removed from a shelf all at once, the analytic can broadcast a message over the audio system informing employees that assistance is required in that specific area, which generally stops the would-be thief in his or her tracks. Or audio analytics could be used to broadcast targeted messages (or even seasonal music) to different areas of the store to promote specific specials.
Sound ideas in healthcare
In healthcare, it’s important to detect if a patient is in distress, especially when the attention of medical staff might be directed elsewhere. Aggression detection analytics can be particularly valuable in this setting because the software can be programmed to filter out ambient sounds like traffic, conversation and music so it just focuses on the acoustic sound patterns of duress, anger or fear.
Whether in a busy emergency department, a locked down ward or a patient’s room, audio analytics can detect if someone’s distress level starts to escalate and notify medical staff to respond. Equally important is the analytics’ ability to detect aggression in patients, visitors or even staff and notify security to intercede before anyone gets hurt.
Sound ideas in critical infrastructure
Audio analytics can be used to trigger a warning message to the trespassers that they’re under surveillance, causing them to flee before they can steal material, damage property or get injured. It can also be used to promote worker safety, cautioning employees that they are entering a restricted zone and should be wearing certain safety gear. Or it could be a message that a sensor has detected an overheated transformer that needs to be dealt with immediately to prevent a cascading catastrophic system failure.
Audio analytics: a win-win for you and your customers
As you can see, audio analytics can transform traditionally passive systems into end-to-end proactive solutions, enabling your customers to do more with their network camera/speaker systems than they ever thought possible. While they’re reaping the benefits of analytics, you can be reaping the benefits of a new revenue stream from ongoing licensing fees.
If you and your customers would like to know more about integrating audio analytics with Axis network cameras and intelligent network audio systems, come to an Axis Experience Center to see the technology in action. Or attend Axis Academy training and listen to our on-demand webinar: Application use cases for network audio: A portfolio of solutions.
