VideoIQ / FLIR Thermal Analytics Processor

JH
John Honovich
•Published Sep 15, 2011 00:00 AM
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VideoIQ and FLIR have announced [link no longer available] a joint analytic solution, simply named the Thermal Analytics Processor. This announcement comes on the heels of announcements earlier this week of a new CEO and $7.5M in venture funding.

Overview

While VideoIQ has demonstrated their encoders functioning well with FLIR's thermal cameras for some time, the Thermal Analytics Processor has reportedly been tuned specifically for use with thermal cameras. Essentially, this product is a VideoIQ iCVR encoder [link no longer available] with an additional mode specifically for use with thermal cameras, which will be available from FLIR, instead of normal VideoIQ channels. A FLIR-labeled version of VideoIQ View (VIQ's own client software) will also be supplied with the processor, however, it may be integrated with any of the video management systems currently compatible [link no longer available] with VideoIQ's line, including Milestone, Genetec, Exacq, and others. 

According to VideoIQ, this new thermal mode of their analytics is necessary to avoid issues possible with thermal cameras.  In some instances, thermal cameras may cause false alarms or missed detections, since they produce no texture or details which analytics may use to alarm or ignore based on an event. VideoIQ has adapted the algorithms used in their analytics to compensate for these issues.

Competitive Offerings

Competitive analytic packages (and VideoIQ themselves) have been deployed with thermal cameras for some time. See our test of AgentVi's Vi System with an Axis Q1910, for example. Pelco and Bosch [link no longer available] both offer thermal IP cameras with on-board analytics purportedly optimized for thermal imaging. IP thermal cameras such as these, with built-in analytics offer a simpler solution, with fewer components, at a price point likely much lower than a FLIR camera plus the Thermal Analytic Processor. 

Having only tested the Axis/AgentVi combination, we cannot claim which of these options performs best. VideoIQ's other cameras do perform well, with no calibration, as we cover in our VideoIQ test results.

Pricing and Availability

The Thermal Analytics Processor will be available October 1st, 2011 via FLIR. Pricing is not currently set, though we imagine it will be in the same range as other iCVR encoders, whose MSRP starts at $1,119.