One of the items brought to this year’s South African Army Exercise Vuk’uhlome Distinguished Visitors’ Day on 21 November by the defence and security industry was a smart body camera incorporating video and communications.
The body camera on display by Vision Digital (Pty) Ltd is equipped with functionality that allows for the use of either a sim card enabled by 5G capability utilising a standard commercial Mobile Operator’s network, or a Private 5G network. It can also utilise WiFi, allowing for a great deal of flexibility in the method of communications.
In addition to standard body camera functionality, the device has GPS location enabled, allowing for blue force tracking. Along with the video capability it also can transmit audio utilising voice over IP (VOIP) to and from the command centre which provides true real-time situational awareness and response.
The device also has a SOS button that activates an alarm to a monitoring centre where emergency response can be actioned depending on the situation. Apart from the security official being able to active a video recording, take pictures or communicate via audio with the command centre, the command centre can also remotely control these functionalities on each deployed device as well as have a graphical view of exactly where every security official is situated.
Vision Digital’s Vickesh Dhookie explained that the smart body camera is ideal for defence and security sectors like the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and Border Management Authority (BMA) as well as the South African Police Service (SAPS) and private security companies.
For the SANDF, Dhookie believes the new body camera would be a great improvement over its existing capabilities, as the SANDF is familiar with Tetra (terrestrial trunked radio), which is 2G and voice only, whereas the 5G-enabled body camera can do video, voice and GPS location.
In addition, advanced video analytics and artificial intelligence can be incorporated to improve the device’s capabilities.
Dhookie is currently working with the SANDF to look at rolling out Private 5G communications for the SANDF to ensure it maintains sovereignty over its communications infrastructure. This can be greatly expedited by the SANDF as ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) does provide allowance to the SANDF for the required spectrum. A private 5G network would allow security as well as a broad, fast communications network to be established and thus forming a foundational building block on the SANDF’s digital transformation journey.
