PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The main purpose of the SAVSI project is to combine the aspects of several tested-and-affordable technologies in order to provide a centralized video surveillance service for locations where terrestrial DSL connections are not available.
These technologies are:
- IP video surveillance using MPEG compression,
- Wireless local network,
- DVB-RCS broadband Internet connection.
Two video-surveillance services are currently being developed:
- Surveillance of sensible sites, either as a nominal surveillance capability or as a means of redundancy (high-risk sites classified as “Seveso” e.g. remote train crossings, hydroelectric dams, isolated ATM machines, etc.),
- Surveillance of large and remote areas (mountains, borders, jungles, volcanic areas) where several risks are present (fires, smuggling, rains, eruption, etc.).
The SAVSI project focuses on these two specific services, especially the surveillance of isolated SEVESO classified sites and the surveillance of wild fire over large surfaces. Two users with specific needs have been selected in order to demonstrate the services in an operational environment where the use of a DVB-RCS satellite connection is mandatory:
- Titanite: a private company specialised in the production and storage of explosive substances which owns several isolated storage sites in France and Belgium
- BMPM (Bataillons des Marins Pompiers de Marseille): the marine fire-fighters battalion of Marseilles city who are involved in the protection of the city and its surroundings.
The expressed needs are different:
- Titanite is subject to a new French law concerning Class 1 Seveso facilities, obliging the company to keep the video records of its remote sites where dangerous materials are stored in a central and secure location,
- BMPM would like to have an operational tool, which would allow the fire-fighters to observe isolated are
Challenges
The use of satellite bandwidth. As any scarce resource, the bandwidth must be managed precisely in order to give a good user experience of video surveillance over IP.
The human-machine interface of the video surveillance subsystem is critical. BMPM will use the system in real conditions during the summer of 2006, which is a fire-prone season. The operators will work under high pressure and the system must respond perfectly to their demands.
The quality of the video cameras is critical to the surveillance subsystem, especially for the fire surveillance service because large areas are to be monitored.
The secure video storage of the records is critical for the SEVESO site surveillance. The architecture with two video servers (one on the remote site and one on the central) is designed to provide the best service.
Plan
1st step – Specifications: the system specifications depending on the functional requirements and the technical constraints of the subsystems are to be outlined by the end of January 2006.
2nd step – Prototype implementation: the system is built at als@tis facilities in order to confirm all functionalities. An agreement for the prototype with the users is expected by the end of April 2006.
3rd step – In Situ implementation: the systems are to be deployed in their experimentation sites, and configured for operational use. This step will be completed by the user’s acceptance of the system by the end of May 2006.
4th step – In Situ experimentation: the users have full control of the systems and use them in operational conditions. This step lasts from June to October and ends with the final review where the feedback of the users will be incorporated.
Current Status
Some long delays were encountered with the SEVESO domain development. In particular the search for a commercial partner together with the evolution of the specifications (e.g. data storage policy, inclusion of voice, software interface) required a much longer development.
As a result of a significant modification of the commercial market (a new and very aggressive offer from the national historic ground network operator in France) and of the very demanding French Directive Constraints, the proposed satellite solution that was to be developed, has become commercially obsolete, at least in France.
After successful completion of the MTR for both the BMPM and the SEVESO domains (3rd step not deployed for SEVESO), the project has been terminated by mutual agreement.
Companies
