v1.4.6
Forensics provides an intuitive user interface for appearance searching using accumulated video feeds and metadata from both VCAserver instances and IPAi cameras. The user interface provides a simple yet powerful search filter that users can use to search for cars, people and other objects based on colour characteristics.
This is the user guide for the Forensics and will describe the features and options within Forensics.
Forensics consists of two components
Note: Docker is required for the Forensics server to work. Please install Docker appropriate to your OS first before continuing.
For the purposes of this document, it is assumed that Forensics will be installed on a dedicated hardware platform.
The hardware specifications for a given system will depend on the intended number of video channels to be stored. Some initial guidelines are provided below:
For metadata storage requirements refer to storage estimations for guidance.
The forensics application sits as part of a wider system architecture, collecting data from VCA powered analytics devices and compatible VMS.
Note: It is important for the regional settings of the operating system to be defined correctly. Incorrect regional settings may prevent forensics from working correctly.
v2.2.0 and greaterv1.1.103 and greaterNx Witness 5.0.0Hikvision NVRCOLDSTOREDW SpectrumEMSTONEWisenet WAVEThe latest version of Forensics can be downloaded through the support portal on the VCA technology website or obtained from your local software distributor.
Note: When using the Edge browser to download the client a security message will appear.
Note: When running the installer without any commands, it will return a list of the command line options.
chmod +x ./forensics-server-installer-**VERSION_NUMBER**-linux_x86.run
sudo ./forensics-server-installer-**VERSION_NUMBER**-linux_x86.run --install
Follow the on screen instructions to complete the Forensics server installation process.
sudo apt install ./vcaforensics-client-installer-**VERSION_NUMBER**-linux_x86.deb
sudo ./forensics-server-installer-**VERSION_NUMBER**-linux_x86.run --uninstall
sudo apt remove vcaforensics
Forensics server downloads as a zip file and will need to be unzipped before installing.
When the installation is finished the client application will start.
Select Forensics Server from Apps and Features.
Select Forensics from Apps and Features.
Click uninstall.
Double-click the DMG file to mount it.
Install the application.
Note: In order to install the application on MACOS, the option to Open a Mac app from an unidentified developer will need to be enabled. Details on how to enable this option can be found here: MACOS User Guide.
Connect the client to a server.
Configure System Settings. - Time zone. - Users. - License server.
Configure VMS connections (optional).
Allocate the required number of licenses.
Add video sources and link to VMS channels, if available.
Start a search.
The Login screen is displayed when the Forensics client is not connected to a server. The Client can be connected and disconnected to a server without effecting server functions.
Address: Defines the Forensics server IP address or hostname.
Port: Defines the port to connect to the server, the default port is 8000.
User: Enter the username to access the server, the default username is admin.
Password: Enter the password to access the server, the default password is admin.
Remember Me: Check to allow the client to remember your details.
Auto Login: Check to allow the client to automatically log you in.
Sign In: Click to start the log in process.
The Forensics Server Management serves as the central hub for configuring and monitoring key server components. It includes settings related to system information, disk usage, time format configuration, and language preferences.
The System tab displays the server’s current status, including uptime, software version, search engine, and data collector service status. It also provides options to restart the server service, reset configurations and user settings, delete all data, and export logs.
Note: Forensics logs are encrypted.
The Forensics log file provides detailed information and insight into the performance and compliance of the Forensics application. The Forensics server logs contains various storage models for managing the logs and can expand to a maximum size of 1.6 GB.
The Disk tab allows you to monitor and manage the storage space used by the Forensics system. It displays the current used and free space, the reserved free space, and an option to apply changes made to the reserved free space setting.
The Time Format tab enables you to customise how time is presented throughout the Forensics platform. Adjusting this setting helps ensure that all time-related data, such as logs, events, and video timestamps are displayed in a format that aligns with your regional or organisational preferences.
Note: The correct setting on the time zone is required to ensure queries return accurate results.
The Languages tab allows you to change the language used for the Forensics system’s user interface.
In the Users menu, administrators can manage users by adding or deleting accounts, changing passwords, and setting access levels.
Note: When editing an existing user, administrators can update the access level and password. However, the username cannot be changed.
The Status menu serves a overview of all the hardware components within your computer system, providing real-time insights into the performance and health of essential hardware elements for forensics.
Detailed information on the Client and Server versions, plug-in versions, as well as the open-source software versions utilised by the application.
The search feature allows users to create queries against the recorded metadata and display images that match the search criteria. Users can create multiple searches with up to 12 tabs and have the option to bookmark results of interest and export images and data.
Tabs: Tabs are created for each search, with a maximum of 12 tabs displayed at any one time. Tabs can be selected by clicking on the required tab, new tabs can be opened by click the + and they can be closed by clicking the x in the tab header.
Save Bookmark Allows the user to save a search, the user will be prompted to enter a name for the bookmark.
Note: Only search conditions and tabs will be saved.
Bookmark Name: Enter a name for the bookmark.
Description: Enter a description for the bookmark.
Cancel: Discard and changes and return to the previous screen without saving.
Save: Save the bookmark and return to the previous screen.
Search Bookmarks: Allows the user to search for a bookmark and select a saved bookmark from the list.
Note: Bookmarks can be deleted by clicking the bin icon next to the required item. See the image below for reference.
Note: Selecting Now will automatically set the time to the last hour.
Channels: Select the channels that will be used during the search, users can select multiple channels.
Zone: Can be used to define the area of interest to search for objects.
Note: This option is not available when multiple channels are selected.
Add Nodes: Double click the edge of the zone.
Delete Nodes: Click on the node once.
Move Zones: Click and hold inside any area of the zone to drag and move.
Shape: Select a zone position from the drop-down menu
Original: Select to change the zone to the original position
Full: Select to change the zone to its full position
Configure: Save the zone configuration.
Conditions are based on two type of searches, Meta Search and Image Search.
Meta Search allows you to search for video footage based on metadata (information stored in the video files). Use Meta Search if you know when or where something happened and want to filter the footage.
Types: Defines the objects that will be included in the search, users can select multiple objects from the available list. Only objects within the database are available.
Colours: Defines the colours that will be included in the search, users can select multiple colours from the available list. Only colours within the database are available.
Note: To use the image feature, the channels image search must be enabled. in the video source menu. This will turn on additional deep learning features on the channel within the analytic server.
Note: The image search feature does operate on the cameras.
(Please refer to the Add Video Source in System Settings for more information).
Select Target: Click the drop-down menu to select a previously saved image search target from the list.
Upload Target: Click to define new images that will be uploaded in order to begin the image search targets.
Note: Temporary targets can be used for image search without having to register them.
Click on the plus sign to add an image.
*Note: Image Search is only available with persons. Upload between 1 and 5 cropped images taken from different angles.
Target Name: Enter or change a target name. A default name is automatically assigned when an image is added. This can be manually changed.*
Register Target: Defines the image to be used for future image searches or bookmarks.
Note: When a registered target is selected, the Update Target and Delete Target options become available.
Note: Temporary targets can be used for image search without having to register them.
Click on the plus sign to add an image
Note: Upload between 1 and 5 cropped images taken from different angles.
Target Name: Enter or change a target name. A default name is automatically assigned when an image is added. This can be manually changed.*
Register Target: Defines the image to be used for future image searches or bookmarks.
Note: When a registered target is selected, the Update Target and Delete Target options become available.
Target Name: Displays the names of the images that will be uploaded.
Update Target: Updates and save registered targets.
Delete Target: Removes registered targets.
Select: Start image search.
Registered images can be modified by clicking on the pencil symbol.
Annotation Colour: Select the colour used to show objects that match the search criteria in the search results.
Show Duplicates: When checked, Shows results where the same object (object ID) was tracked in different frames.
Search: Start a search using the defined criteria.
Duplicate search in new tab: Creates a new tab with the same search criteria.
Displays the results of searches and allows the users to move around the results. Users can double click an image to view details about the objects in the image and to start another search.
Navigation Control: Controls to move around the search results
Filter: Channel filtering for multiple channel search results.
Columns: Use the scroll bar to define the number of columns to display in the results grid. The default column number is set to 10
Timeline: Shows a timeline of the results and allows the users to navigate by clicking on a preferred time to snap to.
Sort By: Select the sort by order.
Sort By Time: Filters the search results by time.
Sort By Best Match: Filters the search results by best match.
Note: Sort by best match options is only available when using the image search feature.
Note: This options is only available after a search has completed.
When an image is selected from the search results, users can view more details about the objects identified in the image. Enabling a magnifying option, select other objects in the image and define new search criteria and start another search.
Object Details: Shows detailed metadata about the selected object.
Object ID: Displays the object ID for the selected object.
Type: Displays the selected object classification.
Colour: Displays the colour of the selected object.
Torso Colour: Displays the torso colour for the selected object.
Leg Colour: Displays the leg colour for the selected object.
Zoom In Magnify: Enable to allow the user to hover over the image and zoom in a specific area.
Track: Click to playback the selected object.
Note: The playback speed is set to 1 frame per second.
Move to the start: Go to the start of the video.
Go back 5 frames: Go back 5 frames.
Previous Frame: Go back to the previous frame.
Play and Pause: Play/Pause video.
Move to the end: Go to the end of the video.
Go forward 5 frames: Go forward 5 frames.
Next frame: Go forward to the next frame.
Note: User can drag the slider along the timeline to manually move through the video segment.
VMS: Click to playback the current video from the VMS.
Export Object: Saves the video clip of the current object.
Export Snapshot: Saves the snapshot image of the current object.
Back to search results: Click to go back to the search results.
Image Search: Click to displays the criteria for further image search conditions.
The search conditions are categorized into two types: Metadata Search and Image Search. These features enhance the efficiency and accuracy of video searches, making it easier to retrieve relevant footage.
Image Search allows you to identify specific objects or individuals in videos by using an image as a reference.
Select Target: Select the images that you want to use for image search.
Trace: Displays the image in a cropped view.
Cart: Displays the images in full view.
Back To Target List: Click to return to the registered target list to select a new image to search.
Apply: Apply and save changes.
Select Duration: Select the duration for the next search.
Apply: Apply and save changes.
Select Channel: Select the channel for the next search.
Metadata Search enables you to locate video footage using metadata information stored within the video files. Metadata search displays the criteria for further searches, based on the options defined. The options will change according to the object selected. Selecting a person object will allow the torso and leg colours to be defined.
Select Target:
Type: Displays the current object type.
Torso Colour: Defines the torso colour for the next search.
Leg Colour: Defines the leg colour for the next search.
Note: The torso and leg colour options are only available when a person object is selected.
Note: All other search criteria will be unchanged.
This provides the user with the option of blurring areas that are not of interest within the image or video segment to be exported. The redaction options are part of the export management process and are displayed after selecting the Export Timeline as Video or Export Snapshot.
Detailed Information: Shows date and time information for the selected object.
Automated Blurring: Add automated blurring to the selected object.
Confidence Score Threshold: Users can change the confidence threshold for object detection for the automated blurring.
*Note: User can drag the mouse over a specific area to manually create a blur mask.
Apply All: Apply the selected blur to all the other frames.
Clear All: Clear the selected blur from all the other frames.
Export Video: Saves the video clip of the current timeline.
After completing a search, you can create areas to be blurred. Redaction options become available when selecting Export video or Snapshot as part of the export management process. These options can be found in the top-right corner of the object preview window.
Click on Export Video or Export Snapshot
Choose the frame to which you want to add a blur.
Note: You have the choice of adding a blur automatically or manually.
Automated blurring blurs all objects. It does not find the same object in every frame. But users can quickly remove blurs from the object.
To add Automated Blurring
Set the Confidence Score Threshold percentage for object detection before or after adding Automated Blurring. The default is set to 30%.
Click Automated Blurring
To manually add a blur
Note: You can manually add more blurs to the automated blurs that have already been added.
Select a frame and an area within the frame to manually blur.
Drag the mouse over the specific areas to add a blur.
Note: When a blur is added, a number appears on the right side; each number represents the number of blurs added to a frame. You can clear each number, which will remove the blur it was applied to, and you can apply a number to all the other frames.
Filter the search parameters.
Define the date and time range.
Select from the available video sources.
Note: Multiple sources can be selected.
Edit the zone as required. (Only available when one channel selected)
Select any of the available objects.
Note: selecting only a person object allows separate colours for torso and legs.
Select any of the available colours relating to the object type.
Select any of the available colours for the annotation search results.
Click on search to scan results.
Users can create multiple searches.
Users can search Bookmarks
After a search is complete, a bookmark can be created to save the results and recall them at a later date.
Click Save Bookmark
Define a bookmark name.
Optionally, more details about the bookmark can be added in the description.
Click on Bookmarks to search a saved bookmark.
Type a name to search bookmarks or select a saved bookmark from the drop down list.
