High security locations from prisons, banks and airports to military bases, museums and art galleries will soon be able to improve their intruder protection capability following the development of a unique system as part of a project being run by the European Commission.
Fenceguard is a system which combines Integrated Machine Vision (IMV) with fibre optic cabling. It gives organisations the ability to protect installations with security which has the built-in intelligence to learn the difference between a real intruder and a false alarm.
Fenceguard was developed as part of a European Commission project, EUTIST-IMV, which is aimed at promoting the adoption of IMV technology across a wide range of industries. It was trialled very successfully at a major European explosives factory as part of a programme covering Hungary and Finland. It will be shown to the public for the first time anywhere in the world at next month’s Automaatio exhibition in Helsinki, Finland (September 9-11) – Northern Europe’s leading automation event.
“Integrating IMV with fibre optics gives a dynamic new element to security systems,” said Fenceguard Project Manager Raimo Mattila.
“Trials have proved that false alarms are dramatically reduced, with the system ‘learning’ from its experiences. It is taking security to a whole new level at a time when the world is particularly concerned about maximising on such issues.”
Fenceguard has proved so sensitive that it can detect under concrete flooring, beneath roads or from inside walls. The fibre optics are also much more difficult to detect than InfraRed beams or the more obvious presence of security cameras.
Fenceguard is one of 23 pilot projects being run by the European Commission to promote the uptake of Machine Vision. It was developed by Multitec Ltd and CCD Photonics Ltd of Finland and Electro-Technic of Hungary.
With Fenceguard, an optical fibre cable is installed as part of a fence, or can even be laid underground. Light is passed through the cable and a sensor is used to terminate the cable to generate an image. When the cable is touched, or triggered by movement, the image changes and the intrusion is detected. The cognitive element of the system gives it the intelligence to distinguish between a real intruder and a false alarm.
“Fenceguard is an exciting application of IMV technology – particularly in these security-sensitive times we find ourselves living in,” said EUTIST-IMV Technical Coordinator Annti Soini, who is based in Pori, Finland.
“We have been very encouraged by the success of the trials and I’m sure there will be a lot of interest at Automaatio.”
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For further information, or to arrange an interview or request an image, please contact either:
Brian Dolby/Claire Dickens
GBCS PR Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 115 950 8399
Email: enquiries@gbcspr.com
Antti Soini
EUTIST-IMV Project Coordinator
SAMK
Tel: +358 44710 3174
Email: Antti.Soini@samk.fi
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Useful websites:
EUTIST website www.spt.fi/eutist
UK Industrial Vision Association www.ukiva.org
Notes to Editors
EUTIST-IMV comprises 23 IMV pilot projects aimed at different applications and sectors. The applications include automatic inspection, measurement and control applications. There are over 70 companies from all over Europe involved. These companies represent a diverse range of industries, including electronics, papermaking, food, textiles and timber. More details of the project, which is called European Take-up of Essential Information Society Technologies - Integrated Machine Vision (EUTIST-IMV) can be found www.eutist-imv.com.
A typical machine vision installation consists of a device to capture an image (usually a digital camera), a computer to process the image and suitable lighting. It is what the computer does with the image that makes machine vision such a powerful tool. Until recently machine vision has been too expensive for all but a few niche applications. This is changing rapidly due to the falling cost of components such as cameras and lighting, and the increase in cheap and powerful computers.