SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - June 11, 2007) - In an effort to increase retail loss
prevention effectiveness and bolster in-store customer experience metrics,
Cisco® (NASDAQ: CSCO) today submitted a proposal to standardize how
computers describe surveillance video for image analysis to the Association
for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS), a division of the National Retail
Federation. A group of leading retailers asked Cisco to work with them to
develop a consistent way to access video analytic metadata from different
vendors.
Video surveillance has traditionally been used in retail for loss
prevention. With the aid of computer processing and analysis of video,
referred to as video analytics, retailers can further enhance loss
prevention efforts and better understand customer behaviors, as well as
improve the customer experience to increase sales. Today, there are a large
number of video analytic software programs that identify specific behaviors
and events captured on video, such as people counting, line queueing,
package left behind and people entering specific areas. As a new
technology, most of these programs use different and proprietary formats
that limit interoperatibility and compatibility. The proposed standard for
how and in what format video metadata is described by these analytics
programs will enable greater interoperability between multiple vendors'
products. As a result, a retailer or third party will be able to more
easily create and integrate several video analytic products into a
customized solution.
As a recognized leader in converged network applications, Cisco was asked
by a team of Retailers to create a proposal that provides consistency,
interoperability, and extensibility for metadata access.
"Application interoperability coupled with the power of IP network
infrastructure, which serves as a platform for convergence, are the keys to
unlocking the true value of video. A standard method to access video
analytic metadata will accelerate innovation in loss prevention and buyer
analytic network applications as vendors can more easily and quickly
implement new and improved capabilities," said Pete Jankowski, chief
technology officer, Physical Security Business Unit (PSBU) at Cisco. "Cisco
believes this open standards approach will increase the use of video
analytics and delivers far greater return on the customer's investment."
Today at the NRF Loss Prevention Show, Cisco and the retailers behind the
proposal, invite video analytics providers and other retailers to review
the proposal before it is submitted to ARTS. The meeting will take place at
3pm PDT in room #30B at the San Diego Convention Center.
"We're pleased that Cisco and their retail partners have selected ARTS as
the standards association to create an open industry standard from the fine
foundation they have created," said Richard Mader, executive director of
NRF ARTS. "Standardized access to video analytic metadata will provide
retailers a better tool to improve loss prevention and general store
operations."
For more information about Cisco's retail solutions, visit
www.cisco.com/go/retail.
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