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Redefining BWCs

January 21, 2019

Visual Labs takes a completely different approach to body worn cameras compared to the many other "camera-only" products on the market today. The Visual Labs smartphone body camera solution represents a paradigm shift in the thinking toward body worn cameras. We believe the appropriate definition of BWC is not Body Worn Camera, but instead Body Worn Computer.

The Visual Labs solution uses a fully-functioning smartphone as the recording device and provides all the features that camera-only devices offer and much more. By harnessing both the connectivity and computational power of the smartphone, the Visual Labs solution provides many advanced features, including:

Real-Time Awareness

The Visual Labs solution can provide real-time situational awareness via a live video feed streamed to a command center which could be located anywhere in the world. Further, with appropriate authorization and control, a command center has the ability to remotely initiate a live video stream. This functionality could prove to be critical in cases where communication with an officer cannot be established, whether due to radio equipment failure or, in a worst-case scenario, due to the officer's inability to respond.

Another function of a smartphone that is inherent in the Visual Labs solution is the ability to provide real-time positional awareness via GPS and cellular triangulation, which represents a significant enhancement to officer safety. A dispatch or command center can know the location of an officer, even when the officer is away from a patrol car -- for example, in a foot pursuit. All this functionality is available without the need to pair the device with any additional hardware.

An All-in-One Solution

There is no reason to acquire a simple, camera-only device when available technology provides the option for much greater functionality.

Visual Labs offers its customers a significant opportunity for device consolidation. There is no reason to acquire a simple, camera-only device when available technology provides the option for much greater functionality. A single device can replace stand-alone body worn cameras, digital cameras and audio recorders.

Future Proof

As Visual Labs is an innovative software company, additional features and functionality are continuously being added. With the Visual Labs solution, customers are not locked in to a specific piece of proprietary hardware with a long upgrade cycle, controlled by a single hardware vendor. Customers are able to take advantage of rapid advancements in hardware and software technology with the assurance that they will always have a state-of-the-art body camera solution. Multiple mounting options are available to ensure that devices are able to be mounted in a variety of ways.

Sample mounting options for the Visual Labs system.

In summary, the Visual Labs smartphone body camera solution provides far more functionality and versatility than typical body worn camera offerings, all in a single, easy to use, durable, and efficient hardware device.

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