International Data Corporation, also called IDC and a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), has announced the release of its latest market research study titled, “Monitoring the Network Surveillance Market Value Chain” and claims the most significant trend prediction is that the revenue stream from surveillance and monitoring cameras will increase to $ 26.5 million in 2013 from $ 9.3 million in 2007, registering nearly a 300 percent growth rate.

The anticipated growth assumes greater significance when one considers that prices keep decreasing as volumes keep increasing – the economy of scale, some call it. Global surveillance and monitoring camera shipments, indicates the report, are expected to increase by an average of 45 percent Year over Year from 2009 to 2013.

Officials at the company say that improvements in technology are creating a paradigm shift in approach to security systems with enterprises now more inclined to significantly reduce, if not eliminate, and substitute high cost factors such as trained dogs, experienced guards, sophisticated weaponry, and iron-clad gates with relatively lower budget IP surveillance networked solutions that can be scaled as per need.

"Market changes are causing a major shift in the way organizations protect their business assets," said Chris Chute, Research Manager and Co-author of the report, Worldwide Digital Imaging Solutions and Services at IDC ( News - Alert) . "Moving forward, security administrators will rely less on human observation to address their most critical security demands.”

Another important finding, the research company claims, is that surveillance systems are becoming so easy to install, connect and remotely use, and cheaper to buy, that the visual aids are being used in other sectors such as education, gaming, public safety, retail, and transportation for hazard prevention, lecture beaming for distant learning, counting the number of visitors and passengers, coupled with sensors for virtual reality games, and for critical condition patient monitoring. The common incidental factor in all these new business segments is that the camera solutions can also back-up for security.

“The opportunity is tremendous for those who understand how to position themselves in this evolving space," said Chute.

More examples of varied uses, the company cites, are: retail outlets can analyse video analytics to track customer movement through various store sections and use that data to reposition goods; traffic management agencies can send emergency aid to reach accident areas in time to save lives, and input traffic flow information to plan futuristic infrastructural modifications; and, casinos can assess customers’ inclinations and behaviour patterns to strategically position specific games to maximize profit.

Virtual reality shopping with real-time video coverage via IP cameras, reported TMCnet, is in the process of becoming a reality.

More findings and predictions from the report reveal that: Captured network surveillance content should grow by nearly 52 percent, and archived network surveillance content may expand by more than 50 percent by the year 2013; IP camera sales will overtake analog camera requirements by 2012; and, the associated segment to significantly benefit will be the physical security information management software market where revenues will exceed $ 5.3 billion by 2013 end.

IP surveillance systems have broader ramifications than only using networked cameras. For example, thermal sensory systems, reported TMCnet, that can be either permanently positioned or quickly deployed and setup by field operatives to cover long range, wide balloon coverage angles for covert operations, and can also be used in tandem with the cameras.

Video compression devices, reported TMCnet, can be positioned within an IP closed circuit television (CCTV) camera for H.264 standard-based transmission. H.264 utilizes half the bit rates, continues the report, than that used by MPEG2 or H.263, its predecessor, to deliver high quality digital images and video via its compression and decompression (codec) application. The codec achieves fast streaming by motion compensation to further reduce the file size.

Vivek Naik is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Vivek's articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Patrick Barnard