AXIS Live Privacy Shield makes it easy to remotely monitor activities while safeguarding privacy. The versatile, edge-based application enables compatible cameras to dynamically mask moving objects, humans or the background in real time in live and recorded video at no extra cost. AXIS Live Privacy Shield supports two different methods of privacy protection.

Motion-based dynamic masking

For all compatible cameras, the application supports live, full frame rate motion-based masking. Any pixel changes (essentially due to moving people and objects) as compared with a set background are masked. You can define how often the background should automatically update. This functionality supports strict privacy requirements and is designed for use in indoor scenes with good, stable lighting. It’s suitable for manufacturing facilities, stores and other sites where the environmental conditions for motion-based masking are met.

AI-based dynamic masking

AI-based masking works in varying light and dark settings.

AXIS Live Privacy Shield also enables AI-based masking, which is supported in selected cameras with a deep-learning processing unit (DLPU). With AI-based masking, the application analyzes live video for human forms, and you can mask either humans (moving and stationary) or the inverse (background) instead. This functionality enables dynamic masking at 10 frames per second and is applicable for near-range indoor and outdoor scenes in places like manufacturing facilities, hospitals, elderly care homes, hotels, schools, offices and stores. While this functionality is suitable for more scenarios than the motion-based functionality, it has limitations in certain instances.

Masking type and area

AXIS Live Privacy Shield allows you to choose between color or mosaic (pixel) masking. Color masking provides the greatest privacy protection while enabling you to see movements. Mosaic masking shows moving objects or humans in very low resolutions and allows you to better distinguish forms by seeing an object’s colors.

By default, the application applies dynamic masking to the camera’s entire field of view. But you can easily define areas with no masking if that’s what you need – for example, when you use motion-based masking and want to view moving objects on a conveyer belt with a defined "exclude" area.