Don’t let the “blue” sky fool you. Take a close look at the time stamp in the upper left. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology snapped this photo just after midnight with a AXIS Q1602-E Network Camera. See the camera live and on YouTube  http://www.AllAboutBirds.org/cams.  Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Congratulations to Axis Communications, Chelmsford, Mass., a provider of network video, on itsThe Wall Street JournalTechnology Innovation Award in the Physical Security category for its Lightfinder technology.

A quick look at past winners (see the full list of winnershere) puts this award into perspective. Previous winners have been of IBM’s Watson supercomputer, Intel’s 3D transistor and a new form of artificial hand.

As one judge,Scott Anthony, managing director of Innosight Ventures, put it, “A number of the applicants have the potential to literally change the world." That’s great company to be in.

Lightfinderis an unrivalled technology in the surveillance world that enables IP-based, digital surveillance cameras to see detail and color during difficult lighting conditions, including at night (see video). Colors are maintained in low light with no need for artificial illumination, which provides business owners, law enforcement and security personnel with key details for identification as compared to typical day/night surveillance cameras that switch to black and white video in low light.

Axis launched Lightfinder globally in 2011 with the introduction of AXIS Q1602 Network Camera, and has since rolled out the feature in its other product lines, including AXIS P33 Fixed Dome Network Camera Seriesand AXIS P13 Network Camera Series. Additionally, Axis recently combined Lightfinder with its advanced ‘dynamic capture’ wide dynamic range technology (see video) with the launch of AXIS P3384-V/-VE Fixed Dome Network Camera.
 

Axis with Lightfinder was the only winner in the Physical Security category of The Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards.

In aWall Street Journalinterview, William Webb, chief technology officer of Neul Ltd. and an Innovation Awards judge, said that Axis combined a few different ideas to put more intelligence into how the camera works – ideas that stuck out to the judge.

“We’re delighted and honored to get this award,” says Ray Mauritsson, president and CEO at Axis Communications. “It verifies our strength as an innovative company and proves that Axis is a driving force behind the shift from analog to digital video surveillance.”

A total of 536 applications from 24 countries were submitted to The Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards competition in 2012. A team of editors and reporters reviewed applications and forwarded the 172 most promising entries to an independent panel of judges from venture-capital firms, universities and companies. From that pool, the judges chose 37 winners and runners-up in 18 categories.

Other awards that Axis received for Lightfinder include the Private Security Award (2012) and ASIS Accolades (2011).