Foxwoods Casino Resort in Ledyard, Connecticut will be a testing ground for a new handheld device that receives streaming video.  This will enable casino security to respond quicker to medical emergencies and security issues.

          Tim Bohr, surveillance director for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation's Foxwoods told Security Director News, "We were looking for a way to transmit video in a secured fashion to handheld units on the floor to give us a little bit of edge when we are approaching someone or a situation."  Bohr said, "It enables our team to pull up live video in the handheld, even move the cameras on the floor from it.  We basically have a little mobile unit that creates a safer environment."

          The new device is from AirVisual and is called IntelliViewer.  Some other partners who have utilized the IntelliViewer include, Chicago and Haverhill, Massachusetts’ Police Departments.

The device makes video accessible to personnel on foot and behind the wheel using conventional mobile devices.   
          In addition, the device, at a casino, enables security to quickly show video to law enforcement that arrives at the property after a problem escalates.  In the past, police officers would be provided with a radio and would have to track an individual to get to the surveillance area.

          Foxwoods has five casinos in operation, including the new MGM Grand in Mashantucket, Connecticut.  Casino management says they operate one of the largest surveillance departments in the industry.

• On the consumer level, there are similar devices in concept and on a much smaller scale. 

They include:

The PDR50M – Mini Portable DVR with Built-In LCD:  This portable device can capture real time MPEG-4 video by the push of a button or by motion detection.  This tiny DVR is perfect for undercover surveillance operations where you need a discreet camera and recording device.  The package includes a 1GB SD flash memory card and you can record clear video and audio up to 390 minutes.

GX5204 – SVAT Wireless Handheld Color Pinhole Camera System:  This wireless color camera system can be hidden for undercover indoor use.  The camera is tiny, but just as powerful as most full size cameras with an incredible 360 lines of resolution.