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| IMS Research considers 3D technology will upgrade video surveillance to a higher level providing the perception of depth |
HD was the hot trend in the video surveillance industry in 2010; could 3D be the next hot technology trend for the video surveillance industry in 2011? In the consumer and professional broadcast space, 3D technology gained increasing acceptance and mindshare during 2010, and recently IMS Research has observed a number of examples of 3D technology beginning to penetrate the video surveillance market.
At the ASIS 2010 trade show, a small number of vendors were exhibiting 3D video surveillance products. However, beyond the "pizazz", are there any benefits in applying 3D in video surveillance?
The key benefit that 3D offers to the security industry is depth perception. The extra dimension of depth could pave the way for more accurate and more advanced analytics algorithms. One prime example is the distinction between flat and non-flat objects; confusion between shadows and solid bodies could be significantly reduced via the introduction of a depth dimension.
IMS Research does not believe that 3D technology will gain mass acceptance amongst vendors or end-users in the security industry in 2011. The high price of 3D displays, the high cost of cameras, the initial lack of vendor support and technological conservatism inherent within the security industry will all be limiting factors. However, it is believed that 2011 will herald the start of a trend towards 3D in video surveillance. It is expected that increasing numbers of manufacturers will begin to experiment with 3D and begin to plan 3D into their technology roadmaps.