It was actually a proposal from a security company that led Mitsubishi Estate to learn about the existence of icetana. "We wanted to adopt something that the security guards who actually use the system thought would be good technology, so it was a welcome offer. At the time, we hadn't heard of a solution that could analyze images, so we asked them to verify that they wanted to try it out." I received it.” (Mr. Shibuya). Select a commercial facility where you want to raise the security level, and start a 7-month demonstration experiment from June 2021. Verification was conducted from the perspective of "where in the museum, which camera should be used, and what should be detected?" As a result, during the demonstration experiment, we realized the effects of preventing illegal parking of bicycles. In the following year, we decided to introduce icetana to the Marunouchi Building and the Shin-Marunouchi Building by bringing that know-how.

The Marunouchi Building has 37 floors above ground and 4 floors underground, while the Shin-Marunouchi Building has 38 floors above ground and 4 floors below ground. Furthermore, since it is a complex of offices and commerce, security hurdles are even higher than in commercial facilities. “There are a wide variety of customers, including office workers, tourists, and children in strollers. The speed of walking and the purpose of visiting the museum are different, and various problems such as falls and dangerous behavior on the escalator occur.Therefore, we used AI image analysis. I thought that the new security system would be more useful," said Shibuya.

Shibuya says that cooperation with ALSOK Tokyo Co., Ltd., the security company they collaborated with, and Macnica, which provided the solutions, was extremely important in the second demonstration experiment, which was conducted at the Maru Building and Shin-Maru Building. "For example, when the security forces on-site provide feedback on things like the frequency of detection, Macnica 's sales staff will then coordinate with icetana and improvements will be made. With constant product improvements like this, the accuracy of icetana has improved dramatically, making it easier to manage." Introducing the system isn't the end of it;
After that, I realized that deepening collaboration between companies is the most important thing in utilizing image analysis systems.

In conventional security, the physical and mental burden on the security guards was extremely heavy, such as patrol work by security guards on foot and the work of watching images from multiple surveillance cameras. Both said that the introduction of icetana, which assists operations using image analysis using AI, has reduced the workload of security guards.

In addition, by being able to detect events with surveillance cameras that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the number of incidents that can be grasped has increased overwhelmingly, contributing to the sophistication of security. “The only way to improve the quality of the security system up until now was to increase the frequency of patrols and make sure not to miss the footage from more than 100 cameras. We are seeing results in more advanced security," says Kamachi.

icetana does not set detection definitions in advance, but learns the normal state of each camera and detects differences from the usual state. Both Mr. Shibuya and Mr. Kamaji highly appreciate this. “The ability to detect 'discomfort' rather than specific actions guarantees the same level of security as the human eye, and I feel that this is an extremely superior technology,” says Mr. Kamachi. This technology makes it possible to detect unpredictable events such as illegal bicycle parking and smoking around buildings, falls inside buildings, and even crows pecking people. It seems that it also helps to improve the surrounding environment. "I think that detecting incidents that have not surfaced until now will help improve the efficiency and sophistication of facility management, as well as improve facility management.I think we have entered a process that is one step ahead of conventional security. Isn't there?" (Mr. Kamaji).

“icetana is continually being updated to reflect the voices of the security forces. The more proficient you become, the easier it is to use, so the most important point about icetana is that the security guards on the ground can master it. It will not lead to more efficient or sophisticated security," says Shibuya. "Actually, the commander of the guards said that it made his work easier. Mitsubishi Estate, which promoted the introduction of the system, is most grateful for such words," said Mr. Shibuya.

Mr. Kamachi says that both developers and security companies are keenly aware of the seriousness of the problems of rising labor costs and labor shortages. “It is important to coordinate with the entire area and nationwide, rather than individual facilities, such as utilizing the resources that have become more efficient through the introduction of icetana in other buildings and areas. We are in a phase,” said Kamachi. Mr. Shibuya added, "Mitsubishi Estate owns a variety of asset types. For example, the airport is vast, and the distance required for patrols is quite long. Robots and cameras can be installed according to the needs of each facility. In the future, it may be necessary to combine them and change the security system."

Finally, we asked Mr. Shibuya and Mr. Kamaji, who will be responsible for deepening and expanding the next-generation facility management model through the introduction and utilization of icetana, about their future prospects. “There are various solutions such as AI cameras and robots, but the introduction of technology is not the goal.What we are looking at is solving problems, increasing customer satisfaction, and maximizing facility profits. ``I want to always find the best solutions that are sustainable and grounded.'' (Mr. Kamaji) "If it contributes to safety and security in the Marunouchi area, where many people gather, it can be used not only at the Company facilities but also at facilities across the country. In other words, it has the potential to lead to solving social issues in Japan as a whole. We believe this is a major field of innovation.We would like to help solve the social issues of the world by disseminating examples of the use of new technology from Marunouchi, in front of Tokyo Station.We look forward to working with Macnica as a partner. (Mr. Shibuya). Mitsubishi Estate will continue to take on challenges in order to continue contributing to society and creating true value through urban development.