Harris Corporation demonstrated the enhanced capabilities of a prototype of its Intraplex® NetXpress IP network gateway device, which has been optimized for tactical surveillance in a sensor network, at GEOINT 2006 in Orlando, Florida.
The NetXpress prototype demonstrates how ObjectVideo® analytic software can be embedded in a network edge device to significantly improve sensor capabilities and network performance, and automatically produce actionable metadata from its analysis of a video. At the GEOINT exhibition, Harris is demonstrating how ObjectVideo® intelligent video analytics on the new PC board within the NetXpress prototype is used to detect, track and classify objects within a video in real time.
This rules-based video content analysis system can be set to recognize preprogrammed characteristics, such as a vehicle, person, or other object of interest, and automatically generate alert data and metadata in real time. This information, along with the encoded video stream, can be transmitted across a local- or wide-area network or stored locally. The video itself and the video metadata also can be fed into centralized systems such as the Harris® H-Class Content Delivery Platform along with meaningful intelligence about the video content, and the results are immediately searchable. The ability to place additional software processes at the network collection site can reduce the strain on limited network resources and allow the sensors to operate with autonomy.
“This combination of features provides a powerful platform to automate sensor data and metadata collection in any network environment even constrained networks,” explained Lucius Stone, director of sales, Government Solutions, Harris Broadcast Communications Division. “The expanded capability allows users to push intelligence, processing and automated decision-making to the network edge, or collection site, which conserves both network and human bandwidth.”
Current content collection solutions at a network edge are often manually integrated with a separate personal computer, router and other components. The NetXpress system combines all components into one small frame, which can take in multiple sources of content, including sensors, and still host multiple applications.
“This is especially important in applications such as border security and tactical surveillance where having a smaller footprint, using less power and having less weight provide a huge advantage for automated tactical surveillance,” said Stone.