NEC is a pioneer in the field of face recognition technology, and recently won first prize in a program sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This technology is used in video analytic systems that analyze video in methods customized to fit the specifications of the client. The following are four of NEC's most popular video analytic systems.

• Face matching system. This system is already used by several supermarkets in Japan as a measure against shoplifting. Some have reported as much as a 50% reduction in shoplifting rates. The face sensor works in tandem with an alarm, and it also has a "black list" function: users create a list of known shoplifters that the camera can then instantly detect.
• .Motion detection. This is a high-end video behavior detection system that monitors behavior patterns and flags any actions that are predetermined as unusual. A video clip capturing the activity that triggered the alarm is instantly sent to security personnel. There is no need for guards to select cameras and search video; they can assess each alert within seconds to determine the appropriate response.
• Tracking system. This system continuously pinpoints the location of a human or object in real time and creates a flow diagram based on the locations.
• Person retrieval. This system identifies individuals in stored image data by using key words such as face, clothing, and clothing color. For example, in a case in which a child has gone missing, a user could input the words "female," "6 years old," and "yellow clothing," and the system then searches the image data until it finds a match.