Now, Longwatch, a Boston-area video technology startup, has launched Video Historian. This module can be added to a Longwatch Video Surveillance System via download. It enables users to acquire and store video clips linked with process and manufacturing variables such as time of day, camera number, batch step, machine ID and other tags.
The company states the resulting video archives document procedures in batch applications, provide visual proof of regulatory compliance, monitor machinery, observe operator actions to help improve quality, reduce downtime and avoid losses.
The video historian interfaces with "almost all" HMI/SCADA systems. Commands to archive video data can be entered into an ISA88 batch recipe using OPC commands or other scripts.
Longwatch's unique point is the ability to send video from remote locations over low-speed networking.