We are living in the technology age. But sometimes it is nice to pause and remember that our drowning detection system was just a concept ten years ago. Fast forward to the present day and the technology is now seriously recognized to improve public swimming pool safety, thanks to the publication of the International Standard ISO 20380.
The Standard has validated automated camera technology on the world stage and provided a benchmark for the sector. It also indicates that our role, “helping to improve public swimming pool safety,” is here to stay.
Put quite simply, the Standard provides a minimum performance requirement for all camera-based drowning detection systems. This is the performance level we must provide to our clients. Conversely, the Standard also indicates the limitations of camera vision systems. At SwimEye, we have identified these limitations as opportunities for improvement.
SwimEye is leading the industry
Research, development and improvement of the technology have always been central to our mission. This includes adopting new technologies as they evolve. By using this approach, we aim to bring innovation to our clients. At the same time, we aim to continually increase the effectiveness of our object recognition technology.
With this primary mission, we have been able to achieve very-high detection coverage our swimming pools. We now present SwimEye as the world’s best practice in this sector and flexible to achieve detection in any pool.
“Small pools and large pools, shallow pools and deep pools, typical rectangle shapes and un-usual curved pools.”
We have also demonstrated to the industry that we are serious about raising the performance levels of computer vision detection systems for swimming pools. We believe detection rates can be increased beyond 90-95% for conventional pools.
The first revision of the 2017 Standard
As a by-product of our mission, we provide leadership within the competitive landscape. As such, we have been proactively involved in the development and implementation of the ISO Standard.
In 2019, the first revision of the 2017 Standard is due. We will do our utmost to support and persuade ISO/TC 83 (Standard review working group) to get a user-friendly and transparent standard.
SwimEye will champion the argument for an improved Standard including, specifically, improvement of the technical study, the false alarm rate and the non-detection test. We believe it is essential that the Standard follows advancements in technology at every opportunity.
Just as other industries evolve following technological improvements, for example, automation of motor vehicle safety vision systems, our sector must acknowledge any improvements and define standardized guidelines.
This means that innovations are verified and compared on a level playing field. As a result, the minimum standard of the industry will be continually improved; and so too, the level of security that is provided to our swimming pools will also be improved.
The inclusion of other technologies into the Standard
Digital security solutions now play an active role in many aspects of the leisure industry. This includes duress alarms for facilities like saunas, change rooms and bathrooms. Digital securities are now coming in many different shapes and sizes.
One example is the wristband pool safety technology. Wristbands are now being marketed in the same space as underwater cameras systems. While wristbands can be useful in some swimming pool environments, they operate with a different set of parameters (when compared to a computer vision detection system).
SwimEye believes that it is appropriate to standardize all automated systems including wristband technology. However, standardization must be separated from systems with underwater cameras and guided by specific, individual performance criteria. It is good the remember the old analogy of:
“comparing apples with apples and not apples with bananas”.
It is crucial that customers, facility owners, architects and all other industry stakeholders understand the performance and limitations of each technology. By doing so, stakeholders can decide on the risk profile they are willing to accept with each technology, using a clear, standardized set of considerations.
Standardization important for the future
Soon, SwimEye will begin to implement additional, new, innovations that have been developed in-house.
Remote quality monitoring and automated computer learning are just two product innovations to be launched shortly. These innovations will continue to push SwimEye further out in front of the competitive market.
They are also new performance advancements that we will provide to our customers, above and beyond the ISO Standard. Innovation, advanced performance and high levels of customer care will continue to be hallmarks of our mission. And we will advocate for innovations to be considered within the 2019 ISO Standard review.
If you would like to discuss the ISO Standard review or raise any points for discussion, please contact SwimEye today.