Sony, Milestone and Agent Vi collaborate to utilise distributed architecture to accelerate use of intelligent video security

Leaders in video security analysis implement all-inclusive offering

Sony Professional, Milestone and Agent Vi  recently announced a complete solution for intelligent video analysis ahead of Milestone's Integration Platform Symposium in Las Vegas, February 12th - 14th. Following its introduction to the market several years ago, intelligent video analysis technology has been increasingly used by the security industry. However, up until now there has been no single cost-effective, scalable solution available as systems have been heavily dependent on central video processing software.

A central system requires a significant hardware platform, and as a result, the server cost quickly increases with the size of the installation. Large server costs have meant that video analysis technology has not been as widely used as expected. To this end, Sony Professional, Milestone and Agent Vi are combining their three video analysis technologies to create one ‘distributed architecture' which draws on the strengths of the three products. The solution is a combination of Sony's DEPA architecture, the distributed architecture and video analysis algorithms offered by Agent Vi, and Milestone XProtect™ IP video management software.

Currently, Sony provides intelligent cameras embedded with its unique video analysis architecture, DEPA (Distributed Enhanced Processing Architecture). DEPA embedded cameras process the video in the camera and transmit the metadata to the Agent Vi application.

XProtect™ gives users a powerful surveillance solution that is easy to manageand reliable

The Agent Vi offering is based on the concept of ‘distributed architecture' and boasts a comprehensive rule engine and easy-to-use GUI for handling the metadata created by the camera. It triggers an alarm that reports back to the Milestone application. Milestone offers a video management platform, XProtect Analytics 2.0, which integrates and consolidates alarms from the combined systems and provides complete operational workflow for the security operator.

The new offering relies on the open platform of the Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.0 framework to manage and view the alarms created by the Sony/Agent Vi integration. It enables customers to access video analysis technology without the cost burden of a server infrastructure for video processing. As such, those who have been reluctant to use the technology in the past can now start to benefit from video security analysis.

"We are delighted that the strongest parties in the video analysis market are able to collaborate and build an offering that will accelerate the use of the video analysis technology. Sony Professional brings Sony megapixel cameras to this partnership, providing the largest range of x14 type of cameras embedded with intelligent video analysis on the market, although all Sony cameras can be used," said Yu Kitamura, European Product Manager, Sony Professional.

The Agent Vi offering boasts a comprehensive rule engine and easy-to-use GUI

"Agent Vi's partnership with Sony Professional and Milestone yet again emphasises the central role that video analytics has in the surveillance world, and points to the solid position that Agent Vi has in this space. To maintain leadership position in the surveillance world, companies have to include layers of intelligence as part of their solutions and we are proud to take part in bringing a comprehensive intelligent video solution alongside Sony and Milestone," said Itsik Kattan, CEO of Agent Vi.

"The Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.0 framework provides an easy-to-manage interface for this powerful combination with Sony Professional and Agent Vi that really adds value to a security installation. It's a future-proof platform that allows the addition of more innovations as they become available," says Henrik Friborg, VP Strategic Alliances and Co-Founder of Milestone Systems.