The following report was prepared and published by our sister platform SPEEDA— February 2023.

Surveillance technology encompasses a wide range of solutions, such as intrusion detection systems, metal detectors, video analytics, and surveillance systems to identify criminals and their behaviour in public places. Such technology can be classified into two segments—reactive technology and predictive technology. Reactive technology broadly refers to camera-based analytics, providing valuable information for post-event investigation and follow-up. Traditionally, governments and organisations relied on reactive security intelligence systems such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, which can observe, record, and replay. However, this is often ineffective as it helps track perpetrators only after an incident has occurred. As such, this has created the need for predictive/proactive technology – intelligent security technology systems that identify possible threats before they become incidents. Contrary to reactive monitoring, predictive video monitoring uses intelligent video analytics to identify potential threats and intervenes in the event of unauthorised activity, and takes appropriate measures to deter the event from occurring.

With respect to surveillance systems, the industry has now moved from traditional solutions to smart surveillance powered with artificial intelligence (AI) that allows detection, tracking, and alerting people of interest (POI) in real-time, facilitating proactive security. Tracking of PIOs in real time is likely enabled through the integration of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) in intelligent video surveillance systems. Subsequently, biometric technology can also be deemed a form of proactive security increasingly used for surveillance purposes. Biometric technology allows an individual to be identified, verified, and authenticated based on biological measurements and physical characteristics. Given its reliance on physical characteristics, such a system cannot be easily forged, duplicated, or replicated, thus providing individuals, organisations, and government institutions proactive protection against fraud, identity theft, and more. FRT, iris scanning, fingerprint scanning, and voice verification are all forms of biometric technology that are utlised to detect any intrusion. As such, the preemptive identification of security threats via such measures has resulted in the surveillance industry shifting towards a more predictive model.