The impact and effectiveness of low-cost automated video surveillance systems

The use of closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras in surveillance applications is growing more rapidly than almost any other sector of the security industry. The paper presents the need for automation of the surveillance function, the problems with current automatic systems, and the impact they have on the effectiveness of CCTV surveillance. It attempts to take a fresh look at what we are trying to achieve by automation. An alternative approach is proposed and with some speculation on how this might affect the industry