prism skylabs is a technology company headquartered in san francisco , california that connects cameras within businesses to machine learning and a.i. technology in the cloud , to transform these devices into tools for business intelligence .

prism launched as a company in 2011 at the techcrunch disrupt awards , where it was featured as a finalist in the startup battlefield competition .

prism skylabs ' technology is deployed in over 80 countries and is used by more than 300 customers around the world .

prism skylabs

a visualisation from prism skylabs showing what its software can display . photograph : prism skylabs
software from san francisco start - up , prism skylabs , uses cameras with heat mapping to provides analytics to retailers . ( prism skylabs )
owler has collected 12 screenshots of prism skylabs ' website since jul 2014 . the latest prism skylabs website design screenshot was captured in sep 2017 .
prism skylabs ' s founder & ceo , steve russell , currently has an approval rating of 88 % . prism skylabs ' s primary competitors are
prism skylabs currently has 880 fans on facebook . as of february 2015 prism skylabs had 613 fans . that ' s a 43 percent increase in 3 years
australian based company afn security – leading provider of security products , consulting & services , today announced a strategic partnership with prism skylabs™ coinciding with prism skylabs™ newest product launch at the isc west ‘international security conference expo’ , the prism skylabs™ app .
prism skylabs currently has 94 followers on twitter . as of january 2015 prism skylabs had 1 , 505 followers . that ' s a 93 percent decrease in 2 years
prism skylabs is a provider of cloud based transformation of video camera into visual merchandising , auditing and business tools . prism skylabs is a private company . steve russell is the founder & ceo of prism skylabs and has an approval rating of 88 from owler members . prism skylabs has received a total of $ 22 . 5m in funding . prism skylabs ' s top competitor is retailnext , led by alexei agratchev , who is their co - founder & ceo . prism skylabs has 352 followers on owler .
retailnext is the top competitor of prism skylabs . retailnext is a private company that was founded in san jose , california in 2007 . like prism skylabs , retailnext also operates in the internet software sector . retailnext has 30 more employees vs . prism skylabs .
since prism skylabs was founded in 07 / 2011 , it has participated in 2 rounds of funding . in total prism skylabs has raised $ 22 . 5m . prism skylabs ' last funding round was on oct 2013 for a total of $ 15 . 0m
prism skylabs blog baby boomer vs . millennial shoppers : why retailers must appeal to both
prism skylabs is a provider of cloud based transformation of video camera into visual merchandising , auditing and business tools . prism skylabs was founded in 07 / 2011 . prism skylabs ' headquarters is located in san francisco , california , usa 94103 . it . . .
press release : prism skylabs : prism skylabs and cognitive systems corp . partner to combine visual analytics with real - time rf pattern recognition for better insight into in - store customer behavior
prism skylabs’ series b funding follows the $ 7 . 5m it raised in its 2011 series a .
video surveillance and retail analytics startup prism skylabs raises $ 7 . 5m andreessen horowitz , triangle peak and others
afn security has launched prism skylabs™ cloud based technology helping businesses understand customer behaviour & product integration to australia .
a video - based software service from prism skylabs can help the business owner use cameras for busines . . .
who’s there : software from prism skylabs processes surveillance footage to show how busy a place is without compromising customers’ privacy .
video surveillance and retail analytics startup prism skylabs raises $ 7 . 5m andreessen horowitz , triangle peak and others – techcrunch
. . . more saas - oriented business , leveraging their retail analytics to create an offering along the lines of prism skylabs . 3vr ' s founder , steve russell , left the company to start prism skylabs in 2011 . . . .
. . . prism skylabs launched in 2011 as a retail analytics solution to great fanfare in silicon valley , but . . .
prism skylabs has employees and is the second highest among it ' s top 10 competitors . the top 10 competitors average 106 .
merging technologies is seen as one of prism skylabs ' s biggest rivals . merging technologies was founded in puidoux , vaud } in 1990 . merging technologies operates in the movies & entertainment industry . compared to prism skylabs , merging technologies generates $ 848k more revenue .
apogee is perceived as one of prism skylabs ' s biggest rivals . apogee was founded in 1985 , and is headquartered in santa monica , california . apogee is in the electronic equipment field . apogee generates $ 1 . 3m more revenue vs . prism skylabs .
prism in actionsee prism ' s analytics and insights in action . from : prism skylabsviews : 00 ratingstime : . . .
. . . ( version 2 . 2 ) . those looking for a new product have little options . nlss is clearly the most promising . prism skylabs - the only flashy new company launch of 2011 in all of ip video , prism skylabs , is . . .
“prism skylabs gives us the ability to remotely audit and merchandise our stores , and truly understand how customers experience our famous footwear stores . ”
“prism skylabs enables me to better manage the unique needs of my business . the analytics provide helpful insights which ultimately impact our future designs . ”
a silicon valley startup , prism skylabs , is targeting the ip video marketplace , funded by an all star lineup of investors and . . .
prism skylabs ' s revenue is the second highest among it ' s top 10 competitors . the top 10 competitors average $ 1 . 3m .
. . . prism skylabs , another silicon valley startup , backed by well - known vc ' s , that has been active in the . . .
prism skylabs has “well north of 50 customers” that include fortune 500 companies and well - known brands that fall into the category of “large distributed retail companies . ”
. . . milestone app - parking spotter pegasus , brazil prism skylabs , us qognify , israel puretech systems , us retailflux , turkey riva , . . .
prism skylabs is a technology company headquartered in san francisco , california , that designs , develops and sells business intelligence software for retailers with a consumer storefront . the prism skylabs application compiles and analyzes the video data collected by surveillance cameras at brick - and - mortar locations to understand long - term trends and improve merchandising .
with prism skylabs , businesses can measure offline conversion , understand long - term trends , and dig in to powerful analytics — from dwell to footpaths to product lift — using the cameras they already have . prism skylabs condenses customer interaction and movement into stunning imagery and reports that provide instant understanding of any moment or period of time .
prism skylabs provides businesses with visually stunning and data - rich views of any shelf , display , room , or store - in real time - by transforming existing video infrastructure into a powerful visual , analytics and security tool . how does it work ? prism skylabs automatically detects existing video infrastructure and seamlessly connects it with the cloud . from there , prism skylabs enhances typically washed - out video by using cutting - edge computational photography techniques and advanced computer vision technology . within minutes , our customers have : 24 / 7 mobile access to any place in their
employees equipped with mobile phones and laptops can use prism skylabs’ package to look at any store in a retail chain , and get on - demand visual summaries of consumer paths through the location .
prism skylabs uses data from video cameras located in shops to track the routes of users around brick - and - mortar stores , providing a physical analogue to the analytics packages used by online retailers .
today , businesses can’t do without large investments in camera infrastructure , and up until now , video surveillance has existed for the sole purpose of security . prism skylabs aims to change that . “companies around the world spend tens of billions of dollars to install millions of video cameras and surveillance networks in an attempt to understand their particular corner of the world , ” said steve russell , founder of prism skylabs .
prism skylabs has raised $ 24 million in funding since launching in 2011 . the san francisco start - up , which primarily works with retailers , installs cameras with heat mapping software and provides analytical services .
product tourwelcome to prism 2 . from : prism skylabsviews : 230 ratingstime : 02 : 20more in science & tech . . .
. . . technology / application from what we can tell , the concept is most similar to prism skylabs , with a focus on providing rich information to retailers ( people counting , dwell time , . . .
prism skylabs is the global leader in visually understanding and optimizing offline commerce . its unique cloud service transforms any video camera into a visual merchandising , auditing , and business intelligence tool that can be accessed from any device .
the company has a compelling take on customer analytics . not only does prism skylabs allow businesses to actually make sense of video data that was previously unused , but it also helps these vendors become smarter with visualizations and analytics .
prism skylabs brings physical spaces online , creating new places for people and businesses to understand and engage each other . the company is changing how businesses use video and how consumers experience physical spaces online . in the longer term , prism skylabs ' goal is to transform the world ' s multi - hundred billion - dollar camera network investments into a platform for online - to - offline commerce that creates new revenue streams and new opportunities for businesses to engage customers .
this is changing with the emergence of location analytics . take alex and ani , which designs and retails jewelry , and belk , a department store chain . both have signed on with prism skylabs , a software company , to map in - store customer behavior .
here’s how prism skylabs works : most stores and restaurants have surveillance videos running 24 - hours a day . generally , this massive amount of surveillance video is unused . businesses can download free , cloud - based software that detects cameras or video on a network , and showcases a number of images of the space to the business . similar to the way you can pull images from videos using a video editing software , prism skylabs pulls relevant images of your establishment and builds insightful visualizations from these photos , while protecting customer privacy .
. . . that is a competitive market and now 3vr even competes there with their ex - ceo ' s highly funded startup prism skylabs . when will they exit ? it is inevitable that 3vr exits , as after a dozen years , it is . . .
prism works with most existing cameras — without the need for additional software and hardware .
my background outside of prism is one of eating lots of guacamole and missing mexico .
the top 10 competitors in prism skylabs ' competitive set are retailnext , merging technologies , apogee , antelope audio , wizr , avid technology , clavis insight , steinberg , open box software and aislelabs . together they have raised over 223 . 7m between their estimated 2 . 4k employees .
everything you need to get started with prism . the starter pack includes access to prism vision , which comes with advanced video search and tagging powered by ai and machine learning .
. . . lenel , prism , us . lenel ' s new vms : prism lensec ( i ) , perspective , us logiware , go1984 , germany . logipix , . . .
montréal , march 10 , 2015 - genetec™ , a manufacturer of unified ip security solutions today announced that its flagship security platform , security center , now supports the prism analytics package from prism skylabs , to provide cloud - based , business intelligence tools for retailers . by integrating prism with security center , retailers can extend their existing video surveillance camera system to provide valuable in - store data and metrics to monitor store traffic reports , monitor customer shopping trends , and remotely inspect store merchandising and brand displays .
for example , prism skylabs can extract a visualization that will show the path that people are taking in a store ( which can help owners gain insight into the performance of design or display ) , a heatmap of bodies and high or low traffic areas , a photo without any people in the store and more .
the analytics package is intended to allow business owners to discover the information buried within their cctv footage without having to rewatch hundreds of hours of surveillance tapes . prism skylabs promises to answer questions such as whether the store was open on time , which products customers pick up the most , and how long people waiting in line .
cu saw a 2 - 3 % increase in sales in 3 months with prism — here’s how .
collaboration to leverage radio sensors alongside cameras within the prism platform ( prweb january 13 , . . .
discovery channel : prism helps retailers and protects privacythe discovery channel ' s daily planet hig . . .
summer offsitefrom : prism skylabsviews : 00 ratingstime : 02 : 30more in science & technology . . .
and the startup takes this one step further by analyzing the video data and providing summaries of customer activity , behavior and movement . prism skylabs also allows users to share and syndicate these photos directly from their platform to a business’ facebook page , twitter stream , website , yelp profile , google + profile , youtube account and picasa profile .
prism connect is a program that provides camera manufacturers with the resources to embed prism directly onto their devices . through prism connect , we add a suite of analytics and computer vision capabilities to a diverse spectrum of connected devices , ranging from simple ip cameras to more complex thermal , rf , and 3d sensors .
“prism skylabs is exactly what brick - and - mortar retailers have been looking for , ” said pacific partners co - founder gordon rubenstein in a release . “it’s a simple and scalable way to understand product lift and customer movement across thousands of sites , and to gain immediate , mobile access to views of any shelf , display or store . ”
. . . now , lenel is changing the way it does vms by introducing a new product named prism . unlike previous offerings , prism has been developed internally by lenel . at the recent asis . . .
five years ago , prism was founded with a simple yet revolutionary mission : transform enterprise video . . .
prism skylabs , a two - year - old startup founded by ron palmeri and 3vr’s steve russell today announced a $ 15 million series b funding round led by intel capital , intel corporations’ investment and m & a business . the round included investments from presidio ventures , triangle peak , data collective , expa , and some existing investors , russell told me .
prism is the most comprehensive cloud intelligence platform connecting a . i . to video . through computer vision and machine learning , prism unlocks valuable information from video that can be immediately understood , shared , and acted upon . leading companies in 80 countries around the world use prism to better understand , manage , and grow their business .
when we launched the prism vision mobile application this fall , our goal was to empower businesses ac . . .
developers are using microsoft cognitive services to apply intelligence to visual data used by customers to enhance their services . microsoft today highlighted how business intelligence company prism skylabs is using the computer vision api from cognitive services in its prism vision application to help organizations search through closed - circuit and security camera footage for specific events , items and people . businesses can now search , analyze and categorize their videos automatically with artificial intelligence , saving huge manual effort . watch the video above for more details .
and it looks great… with prism skylabs , you can add mobile access , customer heatmaps , and next generation storage to your 3vr . as long as you have a 3vr , there’s no hardware to purchase . it’s free to install . and it’s up and running in minutes . contact us for an invitation code at 3vr @ urltoken and visit urltoken / 3vr [ … ]
the huge success of online shopping and advertising—led by giants like amazon and google—is in no small part thanks to software that logs when you visit web pages and what you click on . startup prism skylabs offers brick - and - mortar businesses the equivalent—counting , logging , and tracking people in a store , coffee shop , or gym with software that works with video from security cameras .
prism now has about 30 employees and russell expects to double the size of the company within the next 12 months .
see how famous footwear uses prism to measure customer conversion , check on remote sites , and improve their bottom line .
join our growing list of prism connect partners and make your hardware smarter with the latest analytics and computer vision technology .
prism went from retail analytics , to an iot platform and now into machine vision . i believe they . . .
add prism to your offering and give customers access to the most advanced visual intelligence platform and a . i . powered tools to transform their business . deploying prism is seamless — with packages structured to generate long - term revenue for our partners .
prism and axis communications ' latest partnership brings an all - in - one iot - managed video and analytic . . .
we ' re excited to announce our upcoming addition to the prism ecosystem : radio frequency ( rf ) analytic . . .
feature focus : prism ' s dynamic search functionprism ' s search functions enable users to find in - store . . .
and while there are some privacy concerns , prism , unlike other kinds of online tracking , promises a level of anonymity .
. . .
vms prism terrible the difficulty is magnified by previous attempts to stem the bleeding . instead of . . .
prism skylabs , a cloud - based service that allows business owners to bring video feeds online , capture images from these feeds and share this data with consumers and the public , has raised $ 7 . 5 million in series a funding round led by new investors triangle peak partners and pacific partners , and joined by andreessen horowitz , idg ventures , anthem venture partners , eagle , mkii ventures , seriesg , and data collective .
prism visual access and analytics to run directly on the new axis m30 series ( prweb april 07 , 2016 ) rea . . .
prism works with more devices than any other video intelligence platform — from ordinary cameras to more advanced 3d , thermal , and rf sensors .
“prism enables me to better manage the unique needs of my business . the analytics provide helpful insights which ultimately impact our future designs . ”
. . . offerings from american dynamics and exacq , lenel offers it ' s own fully integrated , private branded nvrs and prism vms .
san francisco ( prweb ) may 24 , 2016 today prism , which turns in - store cameras into cloud - connected sen . . .
prism skylabs , based in san francisco , installs software on computers linked to existing security cameras . the program uses computational photography — sort of like the lytro light field camera — to produce images with higher resolutions than the original grainy cctv video , and then edits out people ' s identities for privacy ' s sake . humans appear as ghostly figures or are edited away completely , leaving colorful discs in their place that depict a crowd ' s size and density .
prism is always seeking innovative tools to empower our enterprise customers . our integration with cognitive systems offers a unique opportunity for retailers to collect customer shopping data on a more granular level . by leveraging cognitive systems’ hardware within the prism platform , customers will have the combined insight of prism’s powerful visual analytics with real - time rf pattern recognition . this provides a data - driven window into shoppers’ movement patterns and factors that shape their buying behavior .
security center is built on an open - platform specifically to welcome software partners like prism skylabs to extend the features and functionality of our unified ip security system ,
said jimmy palatsoukas , senior product marketing manager at genetec .
with their focus of providing insightful business analytics and intelligence tools to the retail community , we can help our customers in this vertical maximize their security investment by enabling them to optimize in - store sales , marketing , and operational activities ,
added palatsoukas .
“on the business side , it’s hard to overstate the value of having [ an investor ] like intel for a company like prism , ” russell said .
it’s more than a fully stocked kitchen and a beautiful office . working at prism means spending time with great people who care deeply about building innovative technology .
brian kneafsey to expand prism ' s iot verticals ( prweb june 24 , 2015 ) read the full story at http : / / www . . . .
if 2018 is indeed shaping up to be the year of technology as retail experts predict , then there’s no better time than now to get started with prism .
prism’s software can also be used to turn security footage into a live version of google’s street view , says ron palmeri , prism’s president and other cofounder . “we give the ability to go beyond the facades of businesses and show you the inside and even how busy it is , using very effectively privacy - protected imagery . ”
cognitive systems will be the first rf sensor supported by the prism platform as we continue to expand our ecosystem of prism - connected cameras and devices . we have a lot in store for the coming year , so keep in touch as we continue to empower businesses with data and transform how video is used around the world .
. . . prism , vivotek , acti , 3xlogic , morphean , 3vr , amietis , agent vi , envysion to list a few . i know . . .
prism helps makes sense of a visual world . its unique cloud service transforms any video camera into a business intelligence tool that can be accessed from any device . retailers large and small , as well as other customers , use prism ' s platform to remotely audit , manage , and optimize their real - world businesses . visit urltoken .
prism skylab is a cloud service that transforms any video camera “into visual merchandising , auditing and business intelligence tool that can be accessed in real time from any device . ”
prism’s software is designed to be used with existing security cameras . software installed on a computer linked to the cameras digests the raw video into a compressed form that is sent to cloud servers , where prism’s software does the hard work . it sends back the visualizations , statistics , and other data it extracts to a pc , smart phone , or tablet .
“prism’s approach to business insights and use of imagery for merchandising , store design , and other retail use cases helps axis further position itself for a growing set of retail users . ”
we understand the challenge that businesses face when balancing data collection and maintaining customer privacy . both cognitive systems and prism’s technology are built with industry - leading privacy safeguards , empowering users with detailed insight without compromising shopper identity . prism’s analytics generate anonymized summaries and visualizations of store activity while cognitive systems’ offers advanced rf privacy protection locally , collecting additional shopper data without linking to personal information .
we recently celebrated our fifth anniversary , marking just one of many milestones since our founding in 2011 . earlier this month , we commemorated prism’s growth and success with a company - wide field day in golden gate park . in our matching team - prism jerseys , everyone came together for games of bubble soccer , spikeball , volleyball , and other fun outdoor activities , in addition to enjoying some delicious food ! we are proud of our accomplishments and the team that has made them possible . we can’t wait to see what the next five years have in store for prism .
. . . on the downside , he started another analytics company , prism , that also has struggled . but , he was also friends or housemates with garrett camp who founded . . .
. . . lenel ' s newest vms is ' prism ' . on the plus side , as a major access control supplier , they can pull some deals into their own . . .
to make it easier for businesses to get started , we’ve completely revamped our pricing structure . now prism offers even more options at different price points to fit the needs of all types of businesses .
with built - in masking features that ensure shopper privacy , prism analyzes video camera data to generate visual activity patterns and maps . real - time store traffic reports are also generated by prism to help store managers determine appropriate staffing at peak periods . system - generated heat maps analyze where customers are shopping and spending most of their time to optimize shopper engagement with store merchandise and promotional activities . this helps store managers determine ideal locations of in - store displays and promotions , while mobile access to the prism web client enables retailers to remotely view stores to ensure that operational and merchandising guidelines are followed .
prism was founded by video surveillance expert steve russell and ron palmeri , the founder of mkii ventures . russell previously founded 3vr , a digital video security company and has a dozen video - related patents .
today , we’re excited to share details around our recent collaboration with microsoft . we’ve integrated their computer vision api , part of microsoft cognitive services , which brings advanced tagging and search capabilities to prism vision .
. . . avigilon pelco onssi march networks lenel ' s video support includes its own recorder and vms platform ( prism ) , with camera compatibility depending on recorder support . system administration the other . . .
at prism , every day is a new challenge , and that’s just how we like it . we’re creating technology that redefines how computer vision , big data , and video can be used to understand physical space .
. . . beyond the original oem of an oem not succeeding , lenel developed their own vms , prism , which has been widely lambasted as lacking both functionality and stability . developing one ' s . . .
“prism is the sole analytics solution deployed by the store of the future . we see tremendous value in understanding how customers move around our store , and from this data , making changes to deliver a better experience . ”
over five years , prism has attracted more than 350 retail customers in 80 countries . the company makes money by charging a licensing fee for every camera it installs . it charges extra for additional analysis of the data .
prism is always looking to attract and nurture top talent locally and globally ! summer is a great time to find the next generation of new , up - and - coming talent and boy did we score big ! elizabeth wu joined prism this summer as our design intern and hit the ground running . we caught up with liz ( by which she likes to be referred ) to get to know a little more about the person behind the talent .
prism’s software can count people that come into a business , measure the length of the line at checkout , and produce static or animated visualizations showing how people moved around a store . it is designed so that it cannot identify or track individuals . one national wireless carrier is already using prism’s technology to generate heat maps of where visitors go in their showrooms , to compare the level of interest in different devices—valuable data to them and to the device makers .
“intel capital has long been known as a hands - on investor , ” russell said . among the ways the investor will assist prism include “providing networking and matchmaking [ among ] its truly vast portfolio [ of partners ] . ”
rather than embracing the latest in technology for the sake of it , when businesses select the right technology ( like prism ) , they are able to not only survive the threat of a retail apocalypse , they’re able to thrive .
in many ways , prism is capturing the simplest aspects of shopping , aspects ecommerce websites now take for granted . “retailers want to know what parts of their store are busy , and where customers particularly shop . so , if there’s a promotion on , when do people stop there and what do they do ? ” prism can also track what happens on individual days , or over time , using a dashboard like this ( rather than reams of excel spreadsheets ) :
. . . pelco onssi march networks lenel ' s video support includes its own dvr , nvr , and vms platform ( prism ) , with camera compatibility depending on recorder support . in terms of usability , video events . . .
through our platform , we’ve created a direct connection between the video that’s collected from prism - enabled cameras , and the microsoft api , eliminating the task of manually searching through hours of video footage in order to find important visual information .
which of course brings us to prism . prism’s software harnesses the power of a . i . and machine learning — the latest in technology — to provide data that is most vital for businesses . how many customers walked into the store ? where did they go ? which products did they touch the most ? how long did they stand at that display ? all of these answers ( and more ) arm a retailer with the necessary data to stay ahead in the current environment .
in today’s retail market , unlimited options and the ability to quickly compare costs produces a highly informed consumer . physical retailers need to stay ahead of their competition , and tools like prism , can provide the insights and data to do so .
although security cameras are typically low quality , prism uses computational photography techniques to combine multiple frames to produce images with higher quality and resolution than the original video . “we can remove the ugly , grainy quality of surveillance footage , ” says russell .
we’re excited to announce our upcoming addition to the prism ecosystem : radio frequency ( rf ) analytic sensors . our new partnership with cognitive systems corp . will allow our retail customers to combine prism’s powerful visual analytics with rf source - detection , adding a deeper level of insight to customer behavior . through this new integration , customers will be able to augment their visual analytics by providing counting , dwell , traffic , heatmap and pathmap data with randomized identifiers to classify unique visitors–without infringing on privacy .
. . . however , genetec ' s foray on video management is more polished and ' open ' than either lenel ( prism ) or software house ' s ( american dynamics ) offerings , and a ' greenfield ' project requiring both . . .
what would a tech company be without a great culture ? at prism , every team member is empowered and makes decisions that impact the business . it’s our goal to dream and invent without limit , and we take the steps to help each other learn and grow .
“at this conference we are able to look at how prism might integrate with next - gen mobile devices [ as well as the possibilities , for example , of using ] new techniques in a data center that will allow us to increase our performance over 100 - fold . ”
since its launch , prism has “brought on a host of interesting first customers , the new challenge for the business is to continue to serve the large customers we’ve won already and to build out our sales and marketing team to expand [ the customer base ] even further . ”
it ' s our goal to bring next - generation analytics technology to new classes of devices ,
said prism ceo and founder steve russell .
genetec is one of the best video management systems in the world , and together we offer a powerful solution for retailers .
building a truly open platform has been integral to getting to where we are today . by partnering with 12 of the world’s leading camera manufacturers ( a list that continues to grow ) , we’ve made it possible for our customers to turn their cameras into powerful business tools . partners join prism connect to help evolve their hardware from security devices into powerful sensors for business operations , marketing and merchandising . with more partnerships in the queue , we’re bringing prism to a vast ecosystem of devices , including emerging technologies like 3d , thermal and other sensors that challenge the traditional definition of a camera .
prism , launched in mid - september at techcrunch disrupt in san francisco , is working on a cloud - based service aimed at retailers that uses the existing video infrastructure to bring new , more tangible experiences to potential customers who might be browsing various sites , such as yelp , urbanspoon , facebook and opentable . the service brings physical spaces online and enables businesses to engage with their customers in new and meaningful ways . moving beyond the standard google street view , prism allows web users to explore businesses from any web - enabled device and get the information they need prior to entering a business .
prism can also convey information on customer movements as a heat map . consider this example from alex and ani during a pilot program during last year’s holiday season , which tracked customer movement on the floor over a three - week period . the redder the location , the more frequently it was trafficked :
and when it comes to just physically walking into a store , there’s no real way for a customer to opt out of becoming a data point that , presumably , might make the shopping experience better in the future . a 2013 pew study found that 64 % of american adults cleared their cookies and browser history to become less visible online ; even prism’s cliff crosbie notes that more people are switching off their wifi in stores . while prism’s technology removes the actual images of customers – something crosbie says is “the right thing” to do – being tracked is still a hidden part of the shopping experience .
cliff crosbie , senior vice president of global retail for prism , said many retailers come with a specific problem in mind . one furniture company wanted to know how many people sat on what kind of sofas . a sportswear company was eager to learn which shoes on a wall were grabbing shopper interest .
“there’s a lot of wonderful information locked up in video , and 40 million security cameras in the u . s . collecting it , but it’s data that’s not been available , ” says steve russell , cofounder and ceo of prism , based in san francisco . “we want to free up that information . ”
video processing software is most often used for security purposes today , says jon cropley , who researches video surveillance technology at ims research . such software , for example , can alert security staff if someone climbs over a wall . other companies offer software that can count the length of a checkout line and summon staff if a new register needs to be opened . but cropley says prism’s technology stands apart . “the established way of doing video content analysis requires dedicated hardware and cameras , and prism doesn’t , ” he says . “their technology is based on the premise that security cameras are already installed in so many places . ”
already , the response from both businesses and consumers has been overwhelming . prism , operating only since early july , was named the runner - up out of 31 companies launching at the prestigious techcrunch event and is gaining momentum on its closed beta program , which has garnered hundreds of applications from businesses since the launch .
“we’ve had cameras in stores for years , ” yin reminds me . “but the nice thing about prism is that it’s anonymizing . there’s no personal data being reflected because it’s all aggregated . ” at the same time , he recognizes that “when we’re talking about location - based marketing , we’re really talking about personalization . ”
last week prism had a blast at the nrf big show where we shared our platform with global retailers and exhibited alongside some of the hottest technology providers in the space . the reception was phenomenal , and we had a great time connecting with customers and partners that we don’t get to see everyday . while at [ … ]
the goal is to monitor traffic , to shed light on how people move around a store and even to gauge the public ' s interest in certain products , by studying where people gravitate and linger in a business .
it ' s like google analytics for the real world ,
steve russell , cofounder and ceo of prism , told technology review .
we’ve been hard at work adding new a . i . - powered features that will empower retailers with even more data and visualizations to take their stores to the next level . in addition to prism’s popular features such as traffic counting , dwell , occupancy , heatmaps , pathmaps and reporting , we’ve also developed a mobile app — providing access to all of this powerful information even when on the go .
we’re proud to show off our latest video case study , which highlights our partnership with the store of the future , a retail innovation lab based in the netherlands . the store of the future selected prism as their sole analytics provider — out of 70 + technology companies that have come together to bring all of the most cutting - edge retail solutions into a single brick - and - mortar experience .
five years ago , prism was founded with a simple yet revolutionary mission : transform enterprise video into data that can make businesses smarter and more profitable . we started by carving a path to connect networks of cameras to an intelligent cloud that delivers insights about business performance . today , we’re leveraging new capabilities built from a . i , computer vision and machine learning to fully tap the hidden value within video .
prism’s technology could also help companies like groupon and google shake up advertising for brick - and - mortar businesses . online , it is easy to track whether people who click on an ad buy anything or become regular customers . offline , many small businesses have struggled to find if offering big discounts via groupon , for example , leads to more than a temporary surge of customers who will never come back .
the last five years can , in part , be measured by the tremendous effort that has gone into proving our platform within retail . we’ve paid attention as different users from ceos to store managers gravitated to specific features within the platform . these two types of users — video and data — speak to the value that prism brings throughout an organization , and inspired our latest self - service mobile applications vision and insight .
don’t waste your budget on promotions your customers won’t see . with prism , you can optimize your rollouts and campaigns based on customer data you can’t get anywhere else . use store and department traffic data by the hour , day , and week to time your marketing rollouts . measure product engagement to pinpoint hot products and perfect your campaigns . plus , never wait for market insight — get every answer you need in real - time .
we’ve worked hard to transform the role of video for businesses , but have only scratched the surface of what’s possible . with continued innovation in machine learning and a . i . , prism is uniquely positioned to unleash the value that lives within video , and make it accessible for businesses everywhere . stay tuned in the coming weeks and months as we share exciting updates about our platform , partners and what this will mean for your business .
since surveillance cameras are static , prism’s software can work out which parts of a scene are fixed in place , such as walls , flooring , and furniture . anything that moves against that background is clipped out and subjected to further processing . russell hints that he hopes to eventually offer more sophisticated analysis by taking advantage of emerging computational photography techniques—for example , lytro’s light field cameras , which produce images that can be refocused after they have been taken .
don’t waste your budget on promotions your customers won’t see . with prism , you can optimize your rollouts and campaigns based on customer data you can’t get anywhere else . use store - and department - level traffic data by the hour , day , and week to time your marketing rollouts . measure product engagement to pinpoint hot products and perfect your campaigns . plus , never wait for market insight — get every answer you need in real - time .
when we launched the prism vision mobile application this fall , our goal was to empower businesses across all industries with the ability to leverage video for smarter decision making . central to this mission has been the development of an open platform that can harness the most sophisticated a . i . and machine learning technology , and deliver it to a vast ecosystem of cameras and devices — making powerful , cutting edge capabilities accessible to a large number of users .
see when your stores are busiest and optimize staffing for every change in traffic . simply check up - to - the - minute snapshots of your stores to cut down on auditing costs and maintain the perfect store experience . instantly fix misplaced end caps , sales - floor debris , burnt - out light fixtures , or late openings . one of prism’s international clients reduced their auditing costs by upwards of $ 10 million annually — what will your team accomplish ?
get real - time , minute - by - minute video footage of every one of your stores in one , simple dashboard . jump forward and backward in time through video snapshots , navigating by minute , hour , day , or the camera view’s activity level . deep - dive into critical moments with prism’s detail lens — a visual summary that helps pinpoint criminal activity in the case of shrink — and securely share your findings with the rest of the asset protection team .
see when your stores are busiest and optimize staffing to match your traffic with the needs of your customers . simply check up - to - the - minute snapshots of your stores to cut down on auditing costs and maintain the perfect store experience . instantly fix misplaced end caps , sales - floor debris , burnt - out light fixtures , or late openings . one of prism’s international clients reduced their auditing costs by upwards of $ 10 million annually — what will your team accomplish ?
get real - time , minute - by - minute video clips from every one of your stores using one simple , intuitive interface . jump forward and backward in time through high - resolution snapshots , navigating by minute , hour , day , or the camera’s activity level . deep - dive into critical moments with prism’s detail lens — a visual summary that helps pinpoint criminal activity in the case of shrink — and securely share your findings with the rest of the asset protection team .
join our team of talented engineers and business professionals who are exploring creative ways to understand one of the most interesting and untapped sources of information on the planet : video . define , design , and deliver new features . lead by example . work independently and on action - driven teams . at prism , we’re committed to revolutionizing video , while also embracing an entrepreneurial spirit that empowers every team member to lead , be creative , and be passionate about the work we do every day .
by using a store’s existing security cameras , or installing new ones , prism ( no relation to the nsa program ) is able to track the movement of a store’s customers and identify patterns . ”we’re not really looking at any individual ; we’re looking at what a group of people over a period of time do , ” says senior vice president of managed services cliff crosbie . “that’s the really big thing : identifying what a volume of people do over a period of time , and how you read that information . ”
“we can help them understand how what’s happening in the store is related to online concepts like yelp reviews or online deals , ” says russell . “it’s like google analytics for the real world , ” he adds , referring to the most widely used software for tracking and logging how people use websites . prism can also draw on online sources of data such as facebook or foursquare check - ins to correlate online promotions or deals with real - world activity . this could tell a company if an online coupon led to more visitors to a store .
retailers currently rely on video management systems ( vms ) to mitigate theft , protect their patrons , premises and employees , and collect video evidence to resolve claims and incidents . in the past few years , new analytics tools have become available as separate systems to assist retailers in gaining new insight on shopping patterns and behaviors . when used with genetec security center , prism allows retailers to leverage the video data from their existing security cameras to generate retail analytics while ensuring the safety of their customers and premises . by leveraging a unified security platform across their operations , retailers can to improve their customers ' shopping experience , while maximizing their investment in their video surveillance system .
for example , a restaurant or bar owner can use prism to review a visual heat map of activity to help understand how yelp ratings affect restaurant traffic . for a retail shop owner , it means comparing local weather against foot traffic to explain a recent barrage of slow sales totals . on the other hand , for restaurant patrons , it may mean observing a privacy - protected view into the same space to determine how likely they are to find a seat if they stop by , reading recent reviews and checking out the daily specials , or having an opportunity to book a table . and for a shopper on a mission to find a specific item , it means the ability to see if a store has restocked it or is still awaiting shipment .
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a us firm that uses in - store cctv to provide real - world analytics to shopkeepers has raised $ 15m in series b funding .
the company also promises to protect customers’ privacy . indeed , one of the key features is the ability to remove shoppers from cctv images , “both protecting privacy and giving retailers an uninhibited view of any product , shelf , or display” .
the focus is very much on providing aggregate data for shopkeepers , and not , for the time being , tracking individual customers in the manner that some us retailers have started doing with mobile phone data .
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we’ve been deployed by hundreds of retailers in 80 countries around the world , and have tracked nearly 5 billion customer interactions . we’re also just getting started .
in short , we’ve re - defined video . through breakthroughs in video condensation technology , we’ve transformed video data from a dense and clunky medium into a low - bandwidth stream of information that can be efficiently dissected and analyzed . when combined with object stream , we’ve created an unprecedented foundation to apply neural net technology to video for smarter search and analysis .
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