What happens when security cameras hit the right note?

What is a range of apparently random articles – a cup of coffee, a tennis ball, a fire extinguisher – have in common? What can they say such objects, if they could speak or even sing?

A technological demo with an unusual touch by AXIS Communications, a Swedish company, better known as a world leader in industry within video surveillance, offers a answer to this curious question. To show its cameras and analysis software fueled by AI – which can be trained to recognize almost all objects and trigger instant answers – the company has organized a blow to transform banal objects into musical signals.

The object detection orchestra shows cameras and analysis software powered by AI out of the axis.
Credit: AXIS communications

The resulting performance is a moving interpretation of Richard Strauss Also Sprach Zarathoustrathe same poignant piece that accompanied the dawn of humanity 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is an appropriate score for our new era of intelligent technology.

The project, nicknamed the object detection orchestra, mixes advanced monitoring technology with a creative expression. It is a daring way to show that modern cameras can do much more than passively recordings; They can interpret, react and, yes, even play.

Transform the cameras into playable music instruments

In experience, objectives have become instruments and everyday objects have become notes. To transform the cameras into “playable” instruments, the field of vision of each device was divided into “zones” linked to a specific musical note. When the AI ​​detected an object – say, a tennis ball moving into the right square – the system sent an MQTT signal to a MIDI controller, which then triggered the corresponding sound.

Multiply this configuration on four cameras inhabited by artists, add a live mixer and that’s it: you have a fully functional orchestra based on sensors.

Any household item could reach the magnitude of the object detection orchestra.
Credit: AXIS communications

To organize the unconventional ensemble, Axis brought in the Swedish music producer Jonas Au, whose credits include Kylie Minogue and without any doubt. To master performance mechanics, musicians had to “play” invisible instruments in the air; They carefully moved objects through the areas of the camera to locate the notes with a split timing.

From Strauss to intelligent cities

For decades, the cameras have been mainly reactive – tools to watch and record. But Axis’ experience points to a larger change: surveillance devices are evolving in smart sensors. The object detection orchestra shows that the same AI -centered capacities for performance could just as easily feed an intelligent city system or automate processes in a factory.

Think of an intersection of the city where the cameras do not only record traffic but automatically detect congestion and adjust the signals. Or, a retail environment where the cameras double as operational tools, the identification of empty shelves or long lines and the triggering of alerts.

The axis technology supports these types of integration exactly. The same MQTT signaling in real time which transformed tennis balls into stamps could just as easily trigger an automated door or redirect a delivery drone. It is a jump in the observation of what has already happened, to actively shape what is happening next.

The axis camera technology can be integrated into many industries.
Credit: AXIS communications

Axis is considering applications for its camera technology in a large band of industries, in particular:

• Urban infrastructure and intelligent cities: Cameras that automatically manage traffic flow, detect dangers or coordinate with public security systems.

• Manufacturing and logistics: Real -time monitoring of mounting chains or warehouses, with cameras reporting bottlenecks before undergoing expensive delays.

• Health: Intelligent detection which helps ensure patient safety or rationalize the operations of the installations.

• Retail: Cameras that do not just prevent theft but also follow the flow of customers and improve the experiences of buyers.

The AXIS object detection orchestra is an appropriate metaphor for the AI ​​and advanced equipment. The cameras that were once sitting quietly in the area are now interactive, programmable and capable of transforming raw video into usual intelligence.

Of course, it is unlikely that the orchestra infused to replace your local symphony as soon as it is. But the idea that a cup of coffee can indicate an explosion of trumpet – and that the same system could one day help manage a city block – points to a greater truth: our tools are as limited as our imagination.

To find out more about the Communications Axis Objects detection orchestra, go to the website.