As K-12 and college students start to file back into classrooms and begin another school year, there’s no doubt that safety and security are at the top of the minds of all stakeholders in the education market. The latest high-profile tragedies in schools across the US cannot be ignored, demanding a concerted effort toward comprehensively mitigating threats and alleviating risk.
Security leaders in schools and universities are turning to intelligent technologies to ensure protection. Schools in the US are increasing their budgets for security-related expenses, which means there is more opportunity to add innovative products that make a difference in protecting students and staff. And as the security market continually progresses, the latest developments provide educational facilities with the opportunity to take advantage of cutting-edge innovations.
One of the most recent trends that stands poised to fundamentally alter the landscape of physical security is the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and its benefits can widely impact the way schools and universities approach safety. It’s not that these organizations aren’t prioritizing security; while the use of video surveillance in schools is booming, the problem exists in that the vast majority of these cameras are not actively monitored, limiting their utility during an incident.
The evolution of machine learning has propelled the functionality of video and data analytics to create a more proactive approach to observing activity. Instead of being forced to wait until after the fact to investigate an event, AI-powered solutions provide a better chance of receiving a warning of a potential threat or attack.
For example, leveraging advanced facial recognition and/or behavioral anomaly detection capabilities offered by AI can enable school administrators and security staff to be immediately notified should an inappropriate individual enter the facility. Machine learning also offers schools the ability to simply spot an abnormal object, such as an unfamiliar duffle bag or case, and immediately alert the proper authorities.
While the primary application of AI and machine learning solutions today is in bolstering video surveillance systems and monitoring, the use cases for the technology continue to evolve. Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly referred to as drones, can act as a force multiplier and augment security personnel on campus.
As the security risk that faces K-12 schools and universities continues to become more complex and severe, educational facilities must learn how they can incorporate AI, analytics and machine learning into their technology solutions for advanced and thorough protection.
Oncam will be showcasing its 180- and 360-degree surveillance solutions for the education market at the Campus Security & Life Safety Summit 2018 on Sept. 6 in Phoenix. Register now to join us!