Thermal
Imaging Finds its Way to The London Eye
Since
its opening in 2000, an average of 3.75 million visitors have experienced
the London Eye each year. Merlin Entertainments Group, sole owner of the
London Eye, owning 51 attractions in 12 countries, takes security extremely
seriously.
It
is of the utmost importance that visitors of the London Eye are safe and
secure. Not only during their flight but while waiting as well. On New
Year's Eve 2008, 700,000 people headed to traditional firework locations
including The London Eye, for displays organised by the Mayor of London.
Therefore a complete and extremely tight security network is in place.
Just like at an airport, all passengers that want to go in one of the
32 capsules are thoroughly screened. Security staff keep an eye on all
visitors waiting in line to board the capsule. In a control room security
staff monitor the images coming in from CCTV cameras installed at multiple
locations around the London Eye. Numerous other security measures, not
all visible to visitors, are in place.
Since safety and security is the biggest priority for this high-profile
attraction, the Merlin Entertainments Group wanted to even further increase
security for visitors to a maximum.
A safe site, night and day
‘Our job is to make sure that the London Eye is an extremely safe
place day and night’, comments Mr. Eric Dench, Security Manager -
The London Eye. ‘If something unusual happens, we want to know this
immediately. Security staff guard the site continuously and people in
a control room look at the images produced by numerous cameras around
the perimeter. We have also installed a Video Analytics System.’
‘The London Eye is a technically challenging environment in which
to operate an effective security system. It is a revolving structure,
located over a tidal river with large amounts of reflective glass. The
requirement to be able to monitor security sensitive areas continuously
while keeping the London Eye open for business compounds these issues.’
‘If you are underneath the wheel, the likelihood is that you are
a tourist or legitimate operative. But if anyone attempts to access the
structure without authorisation, the security staff need to be alerted
straightaway.’, Mr. Dench continues.
Thermal
imaging tightens the security network
‘Although not always visible to the public, security measures have
always been extremely tight. We are however constantly looking at new
and better ways to make our security network even tighter than it is’,
explains Mr. Dench. ‘A new tool for us at the London Eye is thermal
imaging cameras.’
Thermal imaging cameras create a clear image in the darkest of nights.
They need no light whatsoever to operate. They not only operate during
the night but they are also well suited for daytime use. Since they can
see through light fog and rain, smoke and many other obscurants they allow
us to continuously monitor the site, regardless of changing environmental
conditions.
The core of the thermal imaging cameras that are installed at the London
Eye are FLIR Systems Photons. Equipped with a 320 x 240 pixels Vanadium
Oxide detector, they produce a crisp thermal image on which the smallest
of details can be seen.
Furthermore, since they contain an uncooled detector they are maintenance
free which is a main advantage when they are installed in hard to reach
areas.
Thermal imaging and video analytics working closely together
The images produced by the thermal imaging cameras are not only being
watched by security staff. In order to eliminate human errors, they are
also combined by with Video Analytics. Reliable intrusion detection is
based on the ability of a system to discriminate between background activity
and unusual events that require investigation by guards. The software
installed by Ipsotec, combined with the thermal images delivered by the
FLIR Systems do this job.
‘Thanks to thermal imaging, the London Eye became even safer than
before. Visitors of this major attraction can be assured that everything
is in place to guarantee them a first class, and safe, experience’,
concludes Mr. Dench.
Tel: +44(0)1732 220011.
Web: http://www.eurasia.flir.com
