Year
2002
Abstract
The aim of the AMETHYST (AutoMatic Event auTHentication sYSTem) project is to encourage the development of a high-performance, perimeter-alarm verification system that, using computer-vision, automatically rejects false alarms. AMETHYST will pass to an operator only those alarms that are caused by an intruder. Previous papers at INMM have introduced: • the AMETHYST concept; [1] • the development, deployment and evaluation of an AMETHYST prototype; [2] and • the development of enhanced algorithms. [3] This paper describes the development of a commercial, pre-production system, incorporating lessons learned from operational deployment of prototype systems. The pre-production system is designed to be a valuable, cost-effective addition to an existing perimeter security system. Many sites, despite possessing well-maintained, state-of-the-art, Perimeter-Intrusion-Detection Systems (PIDS), experience excessive numbers of false1 alarms during periods of extreme weather. Evaluations of AMETHYST prototypes at two, government-related sites showed that alarm rates at the two sites could be reduced by up to 80%, whilst still ensuring an acceptable probability of detection. The false alarm rejection and detection performances were critically dependent upon the performance of the existing detection and CCTV systems, and the correct configuration of the alarm assessment algorithm. Development of the pre-production system, reported here, has improved speed-of-processing and alarm-handling.