Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1132978
14 I ICT TODAY A typical LiDAR sensor's price is currently around $5,000 and can generally protect an area and recognize objects visualized by several pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) and fixed cameras. LiDAR's dropping prices are primarily driven by competition in the autonomous vehicle, rail safety, and aerial mapping markets (Figure 6) while delivering greater capabilities. This means security assessments are easier, faster and more accurate. The low price and deployment specialization make LiDAR solutions a profitable opportunity for security and ICT systems integrators. Surprisingly, the software that renders the objects and even colorizes the scenes is generally open source software; this minimizes the software licensing that the security industry is accustomed to paying video management and analytics software providers through- out the life of a project. AI-based analytics have truly become a significant challenge to traditional video analytics. FIGURE 6: A 3D LiDAR rendering of Washington, D.C. Thus, a smart city can improve safety significantly at a vehicle intersection using both AI and LiDAR. 1 According to Michael Sherwood, the Las Vegas director of information technology,"The issue was, we didn't have enough data to know 'OK, so there's a few accidents.' How many times are people going through that one-way that we don't know about? Now, with LiDAR, we're able to see cars coming in the wrong way. We're able to have display signs in as the LiDAR sees it and automatically say, Wrong way. Turn around. Stop the car." Las Vegas is also practicing some smart budgetary strategies. The continuous "cyber scrutiny" of security products often erroneously shifts technology funds away from ICT and to IT "hardening" solutions. Las Vegas' chief information officer (CIO) consolidates cybersecurity costs in an AI-based intrusion system, rather than increase the cost of every IoT device in its smart city applications.