Video Search: from overload to overview

As the number of cameras in public and private environments increases dramatically, so does the collected footage. But how do you quickly find that one crucial moment among thousands of hours of video footage? And how can you keep track of this? AI technology can provide a solution here. Using Video AI Analytics and Video Search, it becomes possible to automatically analyse large amounts of video footage and perform targeted searches. This makes video images not only insightful, but also directly usable for action and decision-making. 

What is Video AI Analytics?

Before we zoom in on Video Search, it is first good to look at the concept of Video AI Analytics. Because what exactly is it? Video AI Analytics is a technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically analyse and interpret video footage. Using smart algorithms, Video AI Analytics can recognise objects, people, behaviours and events in footage. For example, the system detects when someone enters a restricted area or shows suspicious activity, after which a notification is automatically sent to security staff or users.

But Video AI Analytics is not just limited to security. The technology also provides valuable insights for optimising business processes, improving customer experience and increasing operational efficiency. As a result, video becomes a source of actionable intelligence, enabling organisations to work smarter, safer and more efficiently.

What is Video Search?

Video Search is a sub-area within Video AI Analytics. Using Video Search, end users can search video footage based on, for example, objects, colours, people, vehicles and behaviour. That search is made possible by a technique called AI metatagging. AI metatagging is assigning information to objects, people, vehicles, patterns, behaviours and anything else that can be seen on the footage. So in this process, all things are labelled and categorised. Then, these labels are stored and linked to the recorded footage. Assigning metadata to footage thus provides the context needed to properly understand what is actually happening. This metatagging therefore eliminates the need for operators to manually search video footage. Want to know more about exactly how AI metatagging works? We wrote an article about it. Read it here.

Video Search makes targeted searching a snap. Via smart filters, you simply enter what you are looking for, et voilà: there is the result. For example, “”Show all people wearing black clothing between 10:00 and 11:30.”” 

Benefits of Video Search

Having explained the video search, we would now like to give a brief overview of the advantages of this technology in practice:

• Saving time: operators and security guards do not have to spend hours going through footage. Want to know more about the role of AI within the dispatcher’s work? Read there heremore on.
• Efficiency in forensic investigations is increased.
• Better decisions are the result of quick access to relevant information.
• Human mistakes are reduced.
• Scalable: It also works with hundreds of cameras simultaneously.

Practical application areas

Where or with whom can the video search be used? Here are some examples:

• Police and detection: to be able to search for suspects more quickly.
• Event safety: Quickly retrieve incidents and find out where certain people are in large crowds.
• Business parks and ports: to determine where and when a certain (suspicious) vehicle has passed by, or to search for containers and trailers on the premises. 
• Traffic management: analyse the traffic flow and record incidents.

Point of ethics

The use of video AI analyses and the use of video search require responsible handling of data, as is also the case with the use of cameras. For example, companies must be transparent about how the images are processed and stored. AI can provide support, but human control remains crucial. Especially when interpreting situations. Data protection laws (such as the AVG) set clear boundaries and provide the framework for responsible handling of video data. Want to know more about video AI in the context of the AVG? We have also written an article about it. Read it here.

Video Search: a quick and powerful tool

Video Search thus enables access to video material. The technology makes it possible to extract information quickly and specifically from hours of film material. This in turn ultimately leads to time savings, insight and better decisions. It is important that this is used responsibly. However, if this is taken into account, the benefits are tangible and security within an organisation is guaranteed. Would you like to know more about Vaidio’s video search function? Take a look at the product page or Contact with us. Our specialists will be happy to help you.