Plain-English definitions of key physical security and AI video analytics terms — from computer vision to ONVIF.
What is computer vision in security? — Computer vision in security is the use of artificial intelligence to automatically analyse live or recorded video feeds from surveillance ca
What is perimeter intrusion detection? — Perimeter intrusion detection is a security system designed to identify and alert when an unauthorised person or vehicle breaches the bounda
What is object detection in CCTV? — Object detection in CCTV is the AI capability that enables a security camera to identify and locate specific objects within its video feed —
What is video analytics software? — Video analytics software is a category of intelligent surveillance technology that uses algorithms — increasingly powered by AI and deep lea
What is a false positive in security cameras? — A false positive in security cameras is an alert triggered by the system when no actual security threat exists — a shadow flagged as an intr
What is edge AI in physical security? — Edge AI in physical security refers to running artificial intelligence inference directly on local hardware — at or near the camera — rather
What is VMS (video management software)? — Video management software — commonly abbreviated as VMS — is the platform that manages security cameras, recordings, and live video feeds ac
What is ONVIF and why does it matter? — ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) is an open industry standard that defines how IP-based security products — cameras, recorders, an
What is a PSIM? — A Physical Security Information Management system (PSIM) is a software platform that aggregates data from multiple, disparate security subsy
What is thermal imaging in security? — Thermal imaging in security uses cameras that detect infrared radiation — heat — rather than visible light, producing images based on temper
What is people counting technology? — People counting technology uses sensors or cameras — increasingly powered by AI — to count the number of individuals entering, exiting, or o
What is a security operations centre (SOC)? — A security operations centre (SOC) in physical security is a centralised facility where trained operators monitor, assess, and respond to se
What is multi-camera tracking? — Multi-camera tracking is an AI capability that maintains a continuous identity track of a person or object as they move across the fields of
What is a virtual tripwire in security cameras? — A virtual tripwire is a configurable line drawn across a security camera's field of view that triggers an alert when an object crosses it. U
What is video metadata in surveillance? — Video metadata in surveillance is the structured data that describes what an AI analytics system detected in a video feed — including timest
What is GDPR compliance for CCTV operators? — GDPR compliance for CCTV operators is the set of legal obligations that any organisation operating video surveillance in the UK or EU must m
What is video evidence management? — Video evidence management is the structured process of identifying, preserving, exporting, documenting, and submitting surveillance footage