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Security and smart city: Our Innovations for making urban living smarter and safer

The urban population is growing fast — by 2025 there will be 2 billion people living in cities worldwide. To reconcile urban growth with the need for security, Thales is developing innovative solutions that help cities to plan for future growth and develop new infrastructure while keeping public safety and security agencies connected and mobile at all times.

 

Mobile videosurveillance using cloud computing technology

Thales has developed an innovative videosurveillance solution that allows users to monitor multiple video feeds from a smartphone, tablet or any other device with a web browser. The solution uses cloud computing technologies to help keep security agents mobile and reduce infrastructure costs. The interface offers a range of functions.

  • For example, depending on their responsibilities, security agents can view camera locations on a map, select one or more cameras and monitor video feeds in a thumbnail display.
  • Video feed display modes are customised according to each agent's preferences and responsibilities.
  • Other functions make it possible to plan security patrols or call a preprogrammed emergency phone number, for example.

By combining videosurveillance and cloud computing, this new solution reduces costs for operators while helping mobile security agents to work more effectively.

 

Secure turnkey identity system incorporating latest technology

Our latest innovation is a secure biometric control solution based on a high-density biometric QR code, which is generated using the bearer's biometric data and then secured and printed on each identity document.

  • The code can be viewed in a mobile control environment such as a smartphone (secured by TEOPAD) in order to securely verify the document holder's biometric information.
  • The biometric QR code offers governments a cost-effective solution that can be rolled out nationwide.
  • It protects the personal data of citizens and leverages the benefits of integrated biometrics and secure environments in mobile communication devices.
  • Agents can use the same device for both personal and business purposes, thanks to the secure separation of the two environments.

 

Behaviour animation software for realistic urban environments

As part of the TerraDynamica* project, Thales has developed true-to-life pedestrian and vehicle traffic simulations integrated into a realistic and accurate urban environment. The behaviour models developed for the project provide the simulated pedestrian and vehicle driver actors with a level of intelligence that allows them to autonomously perform actions and interact with each other and their environment. The autonomous virtual actors adapt instantly to situations generated by user changes to the environment or actor controls.

This project has generated the technological building blocks (modelling, animation, visualisation, etc.) that will make it possible to develop solutions for any field where an animated urban environment is needed, such as land and city planning, transport and traffic management, safety and security, defence and services for citizens and businesses.

 

*TerraDynamica (www.terradynamica.com) is a high-tech cluster collaboration project (Cap Digital – Advancity) involving nine organisations. The project aims to develop an open, real-time 3D behaviour animation platform that shows key actors in their urban environment and can be adapted to different fields of application. The focus of the project is the research and development of a behaviour animation engine based on artificial intelligence technology.