EduAsiaNews, Kottayam — Amid ongoing debates over the effectiveness and ethics of surveillance technology, a group of researchers from Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) in Kottayam, Kerala, India, has taken a decisive step forward. The team has secured an Indian patent for a software-based system capable of automatically and real-time detecting rare and suspicious behavioral patterns in CCTV surveillance footage.
The patent, numbered 568699, was granted on 15 July 2025, one year after the application was filed. The innovation, titled Method and System for Rare Pattern Detection in Surveillance Video, and Super-Resolved Real-Time Alerts, was developed by a team from the School of Computer Sciences, MGU. The researchers include doctoral candidates Mintu Movi and Nisha Shamsudin, under the supervision of Dr. Abdul Jabbar P and Prof. (Dr.) Bindu V. R.
Unlike conventional surveillance systems that rely heavily on manual monitoring and massive data storage, this technology is designed to “understand” human behavior. Its algorithms analyze body posture, interpersonal distance, facial attributes, and situational context to distinguish between routine activities and those that are rare or potentially suspicious. As a result, event classification becomes more precise and contextually relevant.
Efficiency is the system’s key strength. According to the research team, it reduces memory usage by up to 75 percent, cuts hard disk access by 90 percent, and accelerates processing time by 83 percent, without sacrificing critical data. Previously unclear video footage—due to low-light conditions or distant camera placement—can also be enhanced using super-resolution technology.
The system does more than detect anomalies; it responds. When suspicious patterns are identified, alerts are sent instantly via WhatsApp, accompanied by enhanced visual content. This contextual alerting approach is designed to minimize false alarms, a long-standing challenge that often hampers the work of security and law enforcement personnel.
MGU’s achievement is considered exceptional. The patent is only the fifth in India to be fully based on a computer program, placing it alongside innovations by global technology giants such as Microsoft, Ericsson, and Blackberry. For MGU, it also marks the first patent to emerge from its School of Computer Sciences.
Previously, the research received the Best Research Innovative Practice Award from Mahatma Gandhi University and secured seed funding from the Research Innovation Network Kerala. University officials view the innovation not merely as an academic milestone, but as a signal of India’s growing ambition to play a larger role in the development of artificial intelligence for public security. (*)
