The 28-strong group, including the editors of Security Installer, SMT and info4security, toured the two control rooms which oversee Vatican City State and the Vatican Museum. The tour was part of a European press event in Rome organised by Panasonic System Solutions Europe, which supplies the Vatican with CCTV. Editors toured both the Vatican Gendarmerie and Vatican Museum control rooms from where 556 Panasonic cameras are controlled, using a mix of exterior and interior dome and fixed cameras – the largest European Panasonic system.
The Vatican first had a small number of CCTV cameras installed in 1973. The current system, installed by the Gendarmerie, runs on a fibre optic network using more than 30 screens to monitor the Vatican site. Officers, linked by three-way radio, have their prime focus on crowd control at the location, which is visited by 40,000 people daily. Panasonic also supplies four giant Astrovision LCD screens placed in St Peter’s Square where thousands congregate for the Pope’s weekly appearances.
In the Vatican Museum control room, 70 screens monitor visitors to the priceless antiquities and works of art. Operators can follow visitors from room to room and control numbers for safety. Panasonic advanced video analytics are also used to alert operators to unusual movements or events and images are recorded on 20 Panasonic HD500s.
Among cameras used are Panasonic WV-CW950 and 960 domes. Currently being trialed is the latest WV-CW970 intelligent exterior dome Super D III camera which is weatherproof and vandal resistant. Auto tracking memorises the characteristics of moving subjects, including colours, shape and contrast and a tracking lock can be applied by the Vatican operators. Domes are painted to blend in with the historic architecture.
Panasonic, which has supplied the Vatican Museum for a number of years, won the Vatican City contract before the Millennium, when millions made the pilgrimage to Rome, said MD, Simon Wright.
The editors also heard a presentation from Rob Healey, European head of marketing, about the company’s plans since re-organising its European business, including quicker and localised decision making bringing benefits to customers and the same Europe-wide service levels.
Products would also be launched at the same time throughout Europe and a partnering scheme would enable Panasonic to oversee work and increase customer support.
Presenting the I-pro camera range and stating Panasonic’s aim to be leader in the IP market, Healey announced plans for web-based installer and integrator training.
Justin Harrison, project engineer, took editors for a tour through the current product line-up of advanced technologies including mega pixel technology, video analytics and “snail trails”, object removal and object left behind, audio recording and GUI software for quicker navigation by operators.
Said Security Installer editor, Alan Hyder: “The incredible visitor levels and the priceless works of art at the Vatican present a unique challenge to the operators and the equipment. While not apparent to the visitor, there is a highly efficient security operation taking place behind the scenes”.
