Until recently, fire detection primarily relied on two major devices – heat and smoke detectors. And for the most part, these two devices have provided sufficient coverage and timely detection. However, this has not always been the case. Certain areas – such as large warehouses – require a more sophisticated fire detection system, a system like video image detection (VID).
VID has evolved over the past decade to address the fire detection problems associated with warehouses and other large indoor areas.
VID for flame detection is looking in part for:
1. Flicker
2. Color
3. Size
4. Brightness
5. Dynaxmic texture analysis
VID for smoke detection, on the other hand, has algorithms for:
1. Contrast change
2. Edge lost
3. Motion
4. Color
5. Fractal encoding of the image
6. Temporal and spatial wavelet transformation
With VID, unlike heat and smoke detectors, the products of combustion are not required to travel all the way to the sensor, greatly reducing detection and response times. The only real restraints of VID are sharpness, contrast, and illumination within the field of view. Thus, items that should be considered when selecting a camera include:
1. Brightness
2. Sharpness
3. Flicker suppression
4. Color balance
There are two configurations of VID, both of which use analytical algorithms within their processors for the detection of either smoke or flame.
- The first is having multiple cameras feed into a central processor, which is then connected to the fire alarm system. In this case, the “smarts” of the system is not in the cameras, but in the processor
- The second method is by having the processor within each camera, which in turn is connected to the building’s fire alarm system.
Newer VID systems tend to utilize the second configuration.
For any further questions on Video Surveillance and Fire Application, simply contact ARK Systems at 1-800-995-0189 or click here today.
When you consider how crucial security can be, and when you think of all the options that you’re faced with today, one thing becomes clear. You need a contractor with experience. For assessment, design, installation, testing and service, ARK is the expert across the board.
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