UniFi Releases Off-Cloud 'AI Key' for Local Surveillance
Ubiquiti's UniFi brand has updated its Protect surveillance platform with the AI Key, a device enabling scalable edge AI for security and access control. The system operates entirely off-cloud, keeping sensitive data local and free of subscription licenses. The approach is designed to appeal to privacy-conscious operators, including those in real estate and property management.
- The AI Key processes data locally, which reduces latency to between 10-50 milliseconds, a significant improvement over the 100-500 milliseconds common with cloud-based systems. This on-device processing also minimizes bandwidth usage, as it avoids continuously streaming raw video footage to the cloud. - It is capable of processing up to 1,000 smart detection events per hour. For environments with higher traffic, multiple AI Keys can be connected to a single console to handle the increased load. - Key features unlocked by the device for UniFi's G4 and G5 cameras include license plate recognition and real-time face enhancement. It also enables speech-to-text transcription for UniFi's AI series cameras. - The device allows for advanced search capabilities, such as using natural language queries to find specific objects or people, for example, "a person in a blue shirt". - Hardware specifications include an ARM Cortex-A78AE processor, 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, and a 256GB SSD for storage. The unit is powered via a PoE++ connection and features a 1.3" touchscreen for monitoring. - While the AI Key can process detections from G3 and third-party ONVIF-compliant cameras, it must be paired with a UniFi AI Port to do so. - The local processing approach enhances privacy and data security by keeping sensitive video information on-site, which can be crucial for compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. - The device's reliance on edge AI ensures that security systems can continue to function even with intermittent or failed internet connections.
