Opgal Announces the First Fire Detecting Security Camera

KARMIEL, Israel, February 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

Opgal Optronic Industries, a leading global provider of innovative thermal imaging and
near infrared illumination solutions for security and safety applications, has added
long-range fire detection and fire risk assessment capabilities to certain models of its
EyeSec(TM) line of high-performance, uncooled thermal cameras. With this integrated
option, Opgal is the only camera manufacturer that delivers an application-specific
embedded fire detection video algorithm that can sense a fire and provide an automatic
safety and security notification of the event.

Available with a wide variety of lens options and an easy to integrate interface, the
EyeSec fire detection and fire risk assessment solutions offer unique value to customers.
Facilities with flammable materials, transportation tunnels, combustible storage areas,
and perimeter sites located near flammable forests and greenery are all sensitive to fire
danger. These sites can now deploy an economical automated fire detection and alert tool
that provides an additional layer of site safety integrated into a security and
surveillance system.

Fire Detection

With its flame detection capability enabled, the camera can detect a 75 cm x 75 cm
fire as far away as 840 meters within 5 seconds, with detection ranges increasing for
larger-sized fires up to 6 m x 6 m and distances up to 6.5 km, day or night.

“We see many applications for a fire-detecting security camera,” says Brendon Cowley,
Business Development Director, C3 Shared Services, South Africa. “It can be of use within
our mining industry as well as to secure residential estates, where there are also safety
concerns as the monitored areas are vast and include varied and flammable vegetation.”

Fire Risk Assessment

Setting up a temperature threshold, the camera scans the area of interest and alerts
when any object in its field of view reaches this critical temperature; for example, when
factory machinery reaches dangerous temperatures.

“Opgal EyeSec’s fire risk assessment capability addresses a whole new market that so
far had no suitable solution,” says Luca Carraro, Thermal Cameras Product Manager, CELTE
SRL, Italy. “We see a real market need for a security camera capable of identifying and
alerting when objects are about to malfunction due to overheating or at risk of catching
fire. The combination of security and safety enables customers to address both concerns
using one unified solution and one management system.”

The unique fire-detection capability of the EyeSec cameras takes advantage of Opgal’s
specialized signal and image-processing features, which observe a video scene for specific
flame and temperature patterns.

In both fire detection and fire risk assessment, much attention was given to operator
alerts. Upon determining that a fire or risk exists, the camera adds a visual alarm
overlay to the outgoing video signal, and generates an alert using a standard dry contact
relay and/or through serial or IP communication. Users can define up to five areas of
non-interest, where fires or risk are ignored.

“EyeSec cameras are known for their high-quality thermal video, produced through our
proprietary signal and image processing,” said Yair M. Sakov, Vice President Security
Business Unit, Opgal. “With fire detection and fire risk assessment as a value added,
integrated analytics option, this versatile camera family not only supports security
applications but also adds a valuable safety aspect to our customer’s deployments.”

About Opgal

Opgal delivers advanced vision and surveillance solutions enabling accurate insight
into suspicious situations in adverse and harsh visibility conditions. Using
state-of-the-art thermal and active-imaging technologies, Opgal leverages advanced
electro-optics and image processing expertise to create high performance, versatile
visualization hardware and software products for the security and safety markets. Founded
30 years ago, Opgal is a major supplier to some of the leading contractors and has
hundreds of customers in over 50 countries. Opgal is co-owned by Elbit Systems and Rafael.

http://www.opgal.com

        For more information please contact:
        Hadas Weizman
        Marketing Manager
        weizman@opgal.com
        Tel: +972-4-9953946
        Mobile: +972-54-6077622

SOURCE Opgal Optronic Industries