THE FIRETIDE BLOG

The Internet of cameras: Mesh networks’ role in smart cities

Feb 04, 2016

City Surveillance.jpgWith the rise of the Internet of Things, billions of devices will become "smart" or "connected." As early as 2020, the IDC predicts that there will be up to 28.1 billion installed IoT units. While many of these connected devices will be intended for consumer use, many others will be used for more utilitarian purposes, not the least of which are security cameras.

The role of video surveillance in smart cities

Smart cities in particular will have a lot to gain from wireless video surveillance. In terms of infrastructure management, the strategic deployment of video surveillance solutions can help improve the flow of traffic, especially during high-commuter times.

A recent example of a city-wide initiative aimed at improving the morning commute occurred in the Bay Area. The Transit-Only Lane Enforcement (TOLE) program, first introduced to San Francisco in 2007, entailed the deployment of video cameras onboard city buses to capture images of double parkers blocking the transit-only lane. According to GovTech, the six-year test run is directly responsible for a 20 percent decrease in travel time for hundreds of thousands of daily passengers.

Improving traffic conditions is a very direct way in which wireless video surveillance can make cities smarter, but not all use cases are quite so on the nose. Consider the example of the electric grid. Ahack of Ukraine's power grid that led to a blackout was recently confirmed by U.S. investigators. The ability to infiltrate critical infrastructure through virtual portals is alarming to say the least, especially as utility companies gravitate toward smart-grid technology.

That said, this also precipitates the need for more stringent physical security. Any locations that store end points through which the smart grid becomes accessible must be heavily monitored with a reliable surveillance solution. Likewise, critical physical infrastructure is no less at risk. As noted in a Gartner blog post, it is difficult to foresee all of the different physical attack vectors on the grid system, but thorough security monitoring can improve detection time, help response procedures kick into action more quickly and provide clues that may lead to the capture of the criminals responsible.

As cities connect critical infrastructure such as roadways, power grids and more, video surveillance's role will be two-pronged. In addition to helping make city's more functional for residents — as shown in the example of San Francisco's TOLE — video surveillance will provide valuable security monitoring for the technology that makes smart cities possible. 

It all starts with wireless mesh networks

Wireless network solutions are already playing a key role in providing security monitoring for public spaces, including on trains and buses. But as smart cities are realized, the Internet of cameras, so to speak, will expand. Video surveillance will play an increasingly integral role in development, maintenance and security of critical infrastructure. The integrity of these cameras will hinge upon the reliability and flexibility of the network they run on. 

Enter wireless mesh networks. By leveraging mesh nodes that are strategically deployed within range of video cameras, the network essentially becomes a self-healing system. In other words, if a disruption occurs in one area, network traffic can automatically be redirected so that cameras continue to operate. This reliability will be clutch in smart city deployments, both as a facilitator of better public services, and as a security monitoring tool. As an added benefit, wireless mesh networks and subsequent video surveillance deployments can occur more quickly, and at a lower cost than traditional video surveillance solutions. 

The future of city infrastructure is just around the bend. Wireless mesh networks are ready for it.


Tags:

Archive