This news about Vidient (Silicon Valley based startup using NEC Lab technology) deploying video security software at the Helsinki airport reminded me of an assignment we did a few years ago with Ascom Security in Switzerland. The job was to market the Ascom-developed security software called SEDOR that could self-learn a scene and then identify unusual events, triggering an alert.

Vidient seems to do similiar things. For example recognizing static (e.g. left luggage) in an otherwise busy airport hall full of moving people.

While it makes a lot of sense to have such security support software, one problem is the amount of false alerts, which can be unreasonably high and make systems difficult if not even impossible to use during day-to-day operations. Another problem is that such systems could give the impression that one is now on auto-pilot, so to speak, and that no more attention is needed.

Assuming Vidient has managed to identify relevant events with a very low false rate, then I can see a huge market potential where airports are just the beginning.