ObjectVideo's border contract grows

The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in the Homeland Security Department has expanded its contract to purchase an enterprisewide license from ObjectVideo, a maker of video surveillance software.

Now worth more than $4 million, the expanded contract allows the customs bureau to use the company's remote video surveillance product at all borders and points of entry, including seaports, airports and international locations.

"We decided to expand our agreement based on the impressive deployment of ObjectVideo's technology across the Canadian border — the longest contiguous border in the world — and continued success in southern installations," said Bill Anthony, spokesman for the bureau.

The customs bureau since June has been using ObjectVideo's technology along the Canadian border, and currently the software is being installed along the Mexican border as well. There have been some arrests using the technology, but Anthony declined to comment on them.

"This type of product certainly helps us do our job," Anthony said.

ObjectVideo's software lets border agents "see" what is going on along the border without having to station personnel every few feet. It combines the use of artificial intelligence with surveillance cameras to detect any unusual movements or anomalies along the borders.

In addition to the border deal, ObjectVideo has contracts with the Defense Department, Energy Department, Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.