Remote surveillance made possible.

Nortronics, the security integrator servicing clients across the New York metro area, has launched an advanced surveillance and security system called NetImage XSO.

NetImage XSO (the XSO stands for extra security observation) is designed to allow a single security professional to monitor numerous surveillance cameras from a remote location over the Internet.

Even from a great distance, the professional can direct the cameras to zoom in on a suspicious scene or to view the entire scene, as well as review stored digital images.

The XSO system also uses newly developed behavioral intelligence software to analyze what the cameras see and alert its human operators when something suspicious is detected. The software can warn of movement within a restricted area, a person leaving a bag unattended in a public place or traffic moving the wrong way down a street.

Relying on this software enables a single person to be responsible for multiple facilities, covered by tens or hundreds of cameras. The operator only needs to look at those images that the software has determined may show a problem or a threat.

NetImage XSO is one product within a category known as CCTV over IP, or closed circuit television Internet protocol. Other CCTV IP systems are already in use within the education, law enforcement, real estate and transportation sectors.

"We expect this kind of technology to be integrated into plans for almost every significant new development project in the New York area going forward," said Maria Gonzalez, vice president of Nortronics. "It fills a growing need for protection."

Additional features of CCTV over IP include: Newly developed behavioral software that analyzes captured images;

Internet-enabled network of cameras;

Internet-accessible surveillance images, allowing for remote viewing;

Cameras positioned to pan or zoom via Internet from any location;

Images which can be downloaded and stored on a computer hard drive.