While the use of security cameras has increased significantly over the years, and video surveillance equipment is more advanced than ever before, security specialists are still hard at work trying to find ways to make the cameras more intelligent. The goal, essentially, is to create cameras with brains. Right now the focus is on video analytics. IP cameras and video recorders which utilize video analytics are able to spot specific predetermined activity thanks to sophisticated software algorithms. Examples include advanced motion detection, facial or behavioral recognition, people counting, and even spotting situations where an object is left behind, or a car is parked too long in a certain location.

One area that doesn't get much attention is outdoor surveillance. I'm not talking about outside the home or office, but rather, way... way outside, like in the woods, where there's no power, or protection from the elements. Such locations are trouble spots for anyone trying to employ video security for obvious reasons, and until recently, there wasn't really a reasonable way to provide it. Think about the park service, wildlife and game agencies, or ranchers as examples of potential users. There are outdoor video systems on the market, but most still require power. Recently however, Smarter Security unveiled their new Smarter DVR 100 as a way to solve this issue. The Smarter DVR 100 is a self-enclosed unit that's weatherproof and features a camera, recording device and battery power all built in.

One of the major benefits of IP-based surveillance and network cameras is digital storage. Think about a traditional CCTV system. The footage is stored on analog cassettes. To scour though analog surveillance footage for images of a specific incident isn't much different than sorting through a pile of home videos you've kept on VHS. In other words, it's not fun, and will likely result in a headache and hours of lost time. Not to mention, the quality of the images diminishes if tapes are reused. But with digital security cameras, the images are crisp, and combing through footage is usually as simple as a few mouse clicks, which is a great relief, as evidenced by this real-life example involving a convenience store in Ottawa, Kansas.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation currently maintains about 100 traffic cameras along a stretch of I-95 that runs between Greenwich and Branford. The cameras provide information on traffic accidents, congestion, and overall highway conditions. While still images from the cameras are viewable online via the DOT Web site, there are plans to allow first responders to gain access to live streaming images as a way to speed up reaction time and provide emergency personnel with a better idea of the incidents at hand.

74-year-old Jack Wilcox saw a need in his Stockton, Calif. community, and went out and did something about it. The wily elder-statesman succeeded in convincing 55 residents of his cul-de-sac on Lake Union to each contribute $49 towards seven security cameras to protect their neighborhood. Residents will be able to access the camera footage online via their personal computers. According to Wilcox, the neighborhood has experienced a number of break-ins and the time had come to up the level of safety for its residents and their property.

Apartment surveillance cameras are becoming more and more popular - property managers and landlords install cameras to protect the building from vandalism and break-in, and help keep their tenants and their belongings safe. Even better, as IP video becomes a more widespread and realistic surveillance solution, apartment surveillance systems have become more and more complex, capturing more images that were never visible before.

The United Kingdom is no stranger to security cameras. One of the first developed nations to use CCTV and video surveillance in everyday life, the UK has a staggering amount of cameras in public places - one camera for every fourteen people. Most of these cameras are stationary, on sidewalks, roadways, and in public transit stations. Police will unveil a new sort of mobile camera soon, though - one hoped to curtail a common problem.

A series of seemingly unprovoked attacks near downtown Charlottesville, Va. has prompted business owners to seek out an effective form of video security for the popular shopping area. The public's confidence in the Downtown Mall's level of safety has waned due to the widely publicized attacks, each of which featured the same group of youths assaulting innocent pedestrians. Many malls and shopping areas install security cameras to both cut down on theft and also to enhance the overall level of safety by deterring these types of assaults and criminal acts. Surveillance footage can also prove extremely valuable to investigators tracking down suspects involved in incidents after they've been reported.

Red light cameras have become a great fundraising tool for cities and municipalities everywhere. Tickets for light-runners help police forces focus on serious crimes and not minor traffic infractions. Australian police have taken this principle and expanded it to include freeways and byways in New South Wales - this time using cameras designed to capture license plate numbers.

Usually, when parking a car in a lot at a mall, you get the standard security reminder: hide your belongings, lock your car, take your valuables with you. These are thought to be the best way to prevent break-ins, car theft, and expensive repair for things like broken windows. However, a rash of unusual crimes around the Washington, D.C. metro area has made parking lot security officials think twice about the standard precautions.

A bank robber with a classic disguise discovered something last week that most of us learned from Kermit the Frog -- it's not easy being green. James Coldwell, 49, attempted to rob a Manchester bank while wearing an assortment of leafy tree branches and shrubbery duct-taped to his head and body. It's also important to note that Coldwell sports a thick moustache. While such a disguise often works in the cartoons, it failed to fool the bank's security camera system which was able to see past the branches to capture clear images of Coldwell during his sordid operation.

New York City will soon be taking strides towards emulating the vast surveillance network that currently monitors London. With both cities recognized as high-profile terrorist targets, it makes sense that comprehensive video surveillance installations would play a significant role in their security efforts. While London's expansive surveillance network has been criticized by some as a breach of privacy, it has helped to identify suspects involved in a number of terrorist plots including the London subway bombings in 2005 and last month's car bombings. The program proposed by New York's Lower Manhattan Security Initiative, when fully operational, will resemble the sweeping network of cameras and roadblocks which works to detect and track terrorist activity throughout London. It will be the first of its kind in the United States.

The Arden Fair Mall was in desperate need of an upgrade to its existing security system, which featured only 19 security cameras -- not nearly enough to cover the 77-acre mall. Their solution? A $1.5 million security overhaul that includes 128 state-of-the-art digital surveillance cameras. The expansive surveillance system provides coverage of virtually every square inch of the complex, from public areas and parking lots, to loading areas and service corridors.

It's a common problem that plagues restaurants everywhere - employees invite their friends to come in for a meal, but only charge them for half the item, or not at all. It may not seem like a huge issue - what's a sandwich or a cup of coffee here and there? However, the cash starts to add up if three employees each give away several free items a day. So what's a manager to do?

It's been a busy weekend for the Scotland Yard. Two gasoline-and-nail filled car bombs were discovered in Piccadilly Square, one of the busiest neighborhoods in central London. Thankfully the bombs were diffused before any damage was done, but officials are scrambling to find a solution, and some suspects, before the situation escalates.