14 I ICT TODAY
A typical LiDAR sensor’s price is currently around
$5,000 and can generally protect an area and recognize
objects visualized by several pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ)
and fixed cameras. LiDAR’s dropping prices are primarily
driven by competition in the autonomous vehicle, rail
safety, and aerial mapping markets (Figure 6) while
delivering greater capabilities. This means security
assessments are easier, faster and more accurate.
The low price and deployment specialization make
LiDAR solutions a profitable opportunity for security
and ICT systems integrators.
Surprisingly, the software that renders the objects
and even colorizes the scenes is generally open source
software; this minimizes the software licensing that
the security industry is accustomed to paying video
management and analytics software providers throughout
the life of a project. AI-based analytics have truly
become a significant challenge to traditional
video analytics.
FIGURE 6: A 3D LiDAR rendering of Washington, D.C.
Thus, a smart city can improve safety significantly
at a vehicle intersection using both AI and LiDAR.1
According to Michael Sherwood, the Las Vegas director
of information technology,“The issue was, we didn’t
have enough data to know ‘OK, so there’s a few
accidents.’ How many times are people going through
that one-way that we don’t know about? Now, with
LiDAR, we’re able to see cars coming in the wrong way.
We’re able to have display signs in as the LiDAR sees it
and automatically say, Wrong way. Turn around. Stop
the car.”
Las Vegas is also practicing some smart budgetary
strategies. The continuous “cyber scrutiny” of security
products often erroneously shifts technology funds
away from ICT and to IT “hardening” solutions.
Las Vegas’ chief information officer (CIO) consolidates
cybersecurity costs in an AI-based intrusion system,
rather than increase the cost of every IoT device
in its smart city applications.