Intelligent Surveillance System - Literature review Example

Thermal Imaging Radar (360 degree infrared coverage Potential for commercialization Introduction Surveillance system has long been used by individuals, corporations as well as by security agencies in order to prevent any form of perimeter breach (Castro, et al., 2011). Given the fact that security is of optimal importance for all the above mentioned entities, this field of technology has gone through profound developments over the past few years (Kruegle, 2011). However, with every new development made in this field, the cost of development of these surveillance systems skyrocketed (Lyon, 2013). That is why affordable thermal camera solutions as a mechanism of surveillance have been a difficulty over the last decade or so (Raty, 2010). Organizations as well as individuals longing to deploy such surveillance system have found it relatively difficult to afford the luxury of these items (Lyon, Ball and Haggerty, 2012). That is why Thermal Imaging Radar LLC introduced a next generation thermal imaging camera that provides 360 degree infrared coverage. Protecting a perimeter is vital to both households as well as corporations (TIR LLC, 2013). Nonetheless, it is very challenging to sense potential intruders in varying weather conditions and in absolute darkness. This is where the relevance of a thermal imaging camera with an infrared coverage lies. The product has received multiple awards and has been granted a state of the art status. The product is being believed to be a next step in the genre of innovation and with this thought the company is endeavouring to launch the product in the year 2005. With regards to the facts that have been mentioned above, the researcher endeavours to potential for commercialisation for this product. Intellectual property evaluation The 360 degree infrared enabled thermal imaging radar is patented product developed by Thermal Imaging Radar LLC. The company filed for patent on July 25 2013 and patent publication can be recognized using the publication number WO2013109976 A1 (Google, 2014). The patenting of this product gives the company freedom to operate in-spite of heavy rival activity. This is precisely because of the fact that this next generation thermal imaging camera is unique in its own kind. The 360 degree rotatable camera has no blind spot as it has the capability to take up to 16 thermal images per second. The software that runs the camera is capable of stitching the thermal images obtained from all angles and give a panoramic view to the user thereby eliminating any blind spot. It has one thermal sensor that does the work 16 separate thermal imaging cameras. This reduces the cost for the entity that uses this product by a considerable margin. Moreover, given the fact that the device is expected to consume just 6 Watts of power is an added advantage. Moreover the device has inbuilt Wi-Fi, CDMA and GSM communication platform for providing real time feed to the user. It also has the capability to provide real time notifications of any form of abnormalities detected through email and user to the coded user (TIR LLC, 2013). All this unique features made it relatively easy for the company to obtain a patent. They did not have to rely on alternatives to patenting. All these unique features combined with the patent made it absolutely easy for the company to launch the product in the market with virtually no obstruction. That is why the company has decided to make this product available in the market by early 2015. Technical feasibility After the invention of this product by Michael Dortch and Larry Price, the manufacturers, developers and distributors faced fair shares of ease and difficulty throughout the entire project life cycle. The ease came in the form of adequate amount of funds which were available at the company’s disposal in order to make sure that the development and subsequent distribution of this product becomes a success. Given the fact that, this product was the first and one of its kind shareholders of the company expected to accrue huge benefits once this product is launched in the market. That is why shareholders were able to pool up enormous funds so as to make sure there is no hindrance in the development of this product. Another ease, although intangible, came in the form of vision shared by the lead inventors of this product. The knowledge inputs provided by them were instrumental while making the product a unique prospect in the market. Their ideas were of huge help when it came to nurturing the product from scratch and designing it according to the required specifications. The research and development facility of Thermal Imaging Radar LLC, a state of the art facility, also prove to be a proper hub that facilitated uninterrupted development of the thermal imaging radar. Despite such ease of development, the company aced a considerable number of difficulties during the lifecycle of this project. For example, given the fact that this project was relatively complicated and was the first of its kind Thermal Imaging Radar LLC were having a shortfall of highly experienced and skilled employees during the initial phase of the project. However, in the later phase the company had to invest more and recruit highly qualified personnel in order to speed up the developmental process. It is due to this reason that the cost of developing this product reached $3.7 million, which was quite expensive when compared to the development of other products (Popular Science, 2014). Another difficulty faced by the developers was while seeking appropriate distributors for distributing the product out in the market. Given the fact that this was a completely new product in this genre and there was no previous track record of such products, the distributors who were initially approached were apprehensive of the product’s outcome. That is why they refrained from accepting the assignment of this distributing the product. However after a lot of negotiations Thermal Imaging Radar LLC managed to pool up a team of distributors who will serve as access points for retailers once this product is out in the market. In addition to that the development team also found it considerably difficult to performing best in class benchmarking as not many similar products were available in the market which could actually serve as a benchmark. The concept behind this device is extremely feasible as inferred cameras have already been created prior to the development of this product. The unique selling proposition (USP) of this product is the highly sharp and sensitive sensors as well as the 360 degree rotatable motor installed within the device. Another USP of this product is the software that stitches all the images taken by the sensors and provides a panoramic view of 360 degree without any blind spot. These features are bound to grab the attention of corporations as well other organizations. Moreover, given the fact that according to the Thermal Imaging Radar LLC the overall package (including installation) of this product will involve a very low cost compared to conventional infrared cameras, this device is expected to bring a constant stream of revenues for the company. Societal factors As of now no environmental issues or public health issues have been reported due to the use of this technology. Although there is certain perceived health disadvantages associated with infrared rays, however they are only limited direct contact or exposure to infrared radiation. The use of the thermal imaging radar that provides 360 degree thermal coverage does not pose much threat to public health as there is no direct contact. It is designed to detect distant heat signatures of any object avoiding any direct contact whatsoever. Nonetheless, the only factor that can prove to be a cause of concern is the consumption of electricity by this surveillance system. Given the fact that the system is powered by complex software that allows the user to target a specific region of interest, it is bound to consume a considerable amount of energy (Vollmer and Möllmann, 2010). Moreover, the associative peripherals such as 360 degree rotatable high definition camera, CDMA, GSM, Wi-Fi and satellite communication network devices are also are also known to consume high energy. Given the fact that companies in the contemporary world are seeking options that enable them to maintain a sustainable environment, the power consumption of this device can prove to be a major hindrance towards a successful development of the product. Thermal Imaging Radar LLC has several competitors who are also engaged in the development of similar products. The companies have increasingly directed their maximum effort in order to reduce the energy consumption of the thermal imaging devices designed by them. One of the most prolific inventions in this field was the design of thermal imaging cameras that is powered by solar energy. The surveillance system used solar panels that were capable of recharging during the day time and providing uninterrupted services henceforth (Bonk, McVicker and Richardson, 2011). This innovation was unmatched until the time Thermal Imaging Radar LLC came up with its next generation thermal imaging radar that is capable of providing 360 degree infrared coverage. Given the fact that this system came with several features that were not present in any of the devices made previously, it itself became a sustainable source of competitive advantage for the company, regardless of the fact that it is not powered by solar energy. Nonetheless, according to the claims made by the company the thermal imaging radar is expected to consume as little as 6 Watts of power. This claim has not been tested yet since the device is not available in the market. In-spite of that a claim as attractive as the one made above is sure that grab attentions of corporations who seek to enhance their security measures. Till date there is no perceived impact of this technological invention on people’s welfare. The technology was invented only to enhance the safety and security of public in general as the device is equipped with detecting unauthorized perimeter breach. Given the fact that the device has huge prospects of development there was no problem for the company to meet the current laws and regulations while designing the product. If this technology ends up n wrong hands then it can be severely abused. For example wrongdoers might develop a technology that may prevent the device from detecting unauthorized perimeter breaches. This in turn makes it easy for trespassers or wrongdoers to enter into a restricted property. Market Attractiveness Provided that each and every individual value their security a lot, there is a huge degree of market attractiveness for this product developed by Thermal Imaging Radar LLC. The company has considered pitching its product to corporations in the initial phase of the product launch as the latter have become increasingly concerned about securing their perimeter to prevent activities as severe as corporate espionage (Williams, 2010). In the latter phase they will be targeting middle to higher income households in order to widen their base of customers. Given the fact that the installation of a complete unit of thermal imaging radar costs only $16,000 as opposed to some of its contemporaries which costs nearly $100,000, this devices is sure to grab the attention of its target market (Popular Science, 2014). The distribution points will be increased gradually with the increasing base of customers. The company expects to pitch their product to ministry of defence of various counties in order to have a sustainable source of profit. Provided that they become successful in widening their customer base to such an extent, this venture will prove to be extremely cost efficient thereby giving the company giving the company diverse source of revenue. As such the potential to develop a profitable business out of this product will increase to an unprecedented level. The size and dynamics of the potential market for the company is huge. This is precisely because of the fact the device is associated with various upgraded features which makes it look attractive to everyone given that each and every individual value their own safety and security. Therefore, this fact provides ample opportunities for Thermal Imaging Radar LLC to target individuals, corporations as well as defence sector of various countries. If the company is able to attain such a customer base then it will provide the managers with a sustainable source of revenue. As far as barriers to acceptance are concerned, there are no particular reasons which may prompt individuals to reject this product. Given the fact that the product has been designed with a sole motive of enhancing the security of people in general with interfering with their privacy, there is no possible factor that may prove to be a barrier towards the development and subsequent distribution of this product. Business Strategy As far as the nature of this product is concerned the most feasible and appropriate business model for this product would be a direct sales model. Direct sales model involves marketing and selling products directly to the consumer (Petryni, 2014; Mitchell and Coles, 2003). This will allow the company to demonstrate the aspects of its product in person to the consumers (corporations, security agencies and individuals) thereby providing them with the opportunity to convince the latter (Chesbrough and Rosenbloom, 2002). This increases their chances to make sure that a potential customer becomes an actual customer. Moreover, direct sales model will also allow the company to establish proper contact with the customers thereby allowing the former to make sure that appropriate post sales services are provided to the customers (Chesbrough, 2010; Amit, Zott and Pearson, 2012). In addition, application of the direct sales model will allow the company to establish and manage its own personal relationship with the customers (Johnson, Christensen and Kagermann, 2008; Riehle, 2012). Alongside that Thermal Imaging Radar LLC will also be able to have a stronger control over its pricing and distribution by the application of this business mode (Morris, Schindehutte and Allen, 2005; Teece, 2010). Given the fact that this product has a huge potential market, a new venture will always be appropriate regardless of whether the venture is through sole proprietorship or partnership. The new company has to make sure that they have proper facility that allows for continuous development of the product since there is always scope for improvement. Moreover rival companies will also try and imitate the product by developing one of their own and launching the same at a reduced price in order to expand their customer base. Therefore, in order to stay ahead in the competition, the new venturing company has to make sure that they have workforce with high expertise who are capable of upgrading the technology continuously over time. As far as distributing this innovation is concerned, it has to be done through the implementation of appropriate marketing and promotional strategies. Conclusion and Recommendation Technology has scaled new heights over the last few years and the 360 degree thermal imaging radar is one such step forward into the future that takes technology into an all new level. The product designed by Thermal Imaging Radar LLC has not only garnered worldwide acclaim but also has placed the company amongst the leaders in the field of security systems and services. The company amidst equivalent degree of ease and difficulty has been successful in developing a product that is being regarded by some as the ultimate detector of abnormalities. Nonetheless the degree to which this product succeeds once it is launched in the market depends largely upon the business model that is implemented. Therefore as a recommendation it can be said that Thermal Imaging Radar LLC should have highly skilled sales team who are able to provide good demonstration of their prototypes and have the capability of convincing their lead customers. The company needs to provide additional training to its workforce in order to make sure there are no loose ends while the idea is pitched in front of the consumers. The company has to establish robust network of distributors who will be primarily responsible for expanding the company’s reach throughout the country and even outside its borders. Reference List Amit, R., Zott, C. and Pearson, A., 2012. Creating value through business model innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53. Bonk, A., McVicker, B. and Richardson, J., 2011. Wireless Solar-Powered Thermal Imaging Camera. [pdf] Digital Commons. Available at: [Accessed 14 October 2014]. Castro, J. L., Delgado, M., Medina, J. and Ruiz-Lozano, M. D., 2011. Intelligent surveillance system with integration of heterogeneous information for intrusion detection. Expert Systems with Applications, 38(9), pp. 11182-11192. Chesbrough, H. and Rosenbloom, R. S., 2002. The role of the business model in capturing value from innovation: evidence from Xerox Corporations technology spin‐off companies. Industrial and corporate change, 11(3), pp. 529-555. Chesbrough, H., 2010. 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