The false alarm problem in the security industry
False alarms are one of the biggest problems in security technology. Studies show that up to 95 per cent of all alarm signals received by monitoring centres are false alarms – triggered by pets, draughts, defective sensors or human operator errors. The consequences are serious: police and security services are dispatched unnecessarily, resources are wasted and – most serious of all – genuine alarms are taken less seriously.
For end customers, frequent false alarms mean not only annoyance but also concrete financial burdens. In many municipalities, repeated false alarms are penalised with fines. Trust in one's own security system also declines – some users even deactivate their system entirely out of frustration. This is precisely where photo verification comes in: it makes alarms verifiable and transforms vague signals into clear, actionable information.
What is photo verification?
Photo verification (also known as visual alarm verification) refers to the automatic capture and transmission of photos or short video sequences at the moment of an alarm event. Instead of merely sending an abstract "motion detected" signal, the system provides visual evidence: a photo of the situation that triggered the alarm.
The monitoring centre operator can see immediately whether it is a genuine intrusion attempt – or whether it was merely a cat walking through the room. This simple but revolutionary change in the flow of information has far-reaching consequences for the entire security chain: faster decisions, more targeted interventions and a drastically reduced false alarm rate.
The technology is increasingly being recognised by insurers and standards bodies. The European standard EN 50131 takes alarm verification systems into account in its most recent versions, and police authorities in several European countries prioritise verified alarms in their dispatch. You can read more about relevant certifications and standards on our overview page.
How Ajax MotionCam works: PIR + camera
The Ajax MotionCam is a motion detector that combines a high-quality PIR (passive infrared) sensor with an integrated camera. Its operation is based on a two-stage process: first, the PIR sensor detects a change in temperature in the monitored area. Only once the PIR sensor has detected genuine movement is the camera activated to capture a series of images.
This two-stage approach is decisive. The camera does not run continuously – it is activated exclusively by a verified PIR event. This preserves privacy (no continuous surveillance) and maximises battery life. The MotionCam achieves battery life of up to five years in normal operation – an enormous advantage over wired camera systems.
The PIR sensor in detail
The built-in PIR sensor uses a Fresnel lens that divides the monitored area into several zones. Movement is only detected when a heat-emitting body passes through several of these zones. Ajax also uses digital temperature compensation that adapts the sensor to the ambient temperature. At an outdoor temperature of 36 degrees Celsius, the body heat of a person differs barely from the surroundings – the algorithm compensates for this automatically and maintains detection accuracy.
For households with pets, a variant with pet immunity is available. It ignores heat sources up to a certain size and height, so that pets of up to approximately 20 kg in weight and 50 cm in shoulder height do not trigger alarms.
Jeweller and Wings – the wireless protocols in detail
Ajax uses two proprietary wireless protocols optimised for different tasks:
Jeweller protocol
Jeweller is the main communication protocol of the Ajax system. It transmits alarm signals, status data and control commands between sensors and the control panel (hub). Jeweller operates in the 868 MHz frequency band (Europe) and is designed for maximum reliability and energy efficiency. Communication is bidirectional and encrypted – every message is coded with a unique key that prevents replay attacks.
Outdoor range is up to 2,000 metres, indoors typically 200 to 500 metres – depending on the building structure. Regular ping intervals (by default every 12 seconds) ensure that the control panel is informed at all times about the status of every component. If a sensor fails or is tampered with, the control panel detects this within seconds.
Wings protocol
Wings is a separate wireless protocol developed exclusively for the transmission of image data. While Jeweller transmits alarm data in the kilobyte range, Wings must transmit photo data of several hundred kilobytes reliably and quickly. Wings uses a wider frequency range and higher bandwidth than Jeweller to transport these data volumes within a few seconds.
The separation into two protocols has a decisive advantage: the transmission of photos never blocks the alarm channel. Even while a photo is being sent, all alarm sensors in the system remain fully functional and can send alerts without delay.
Transmission in 9 seconds
From the moment movement is detected to the display of the photo in the monitoring centre software, only 9 seconds elapse. This extraordinary speed is the result of a carefully designed technical architecture:
- Seconds 0–1: The PIR sensor detects movement and validates the event across several detection zones
- Seconds 1–2: The camera is activated and captures a series of photos (up to 5 images)
- Seconds 2–3: The alarm signal is sent to the control panel via Jeweller
- Seconds 3–7: The photo data is compressed and transmitted to the hub via Wings
- Seconds 7–9: The control panel forwards the alarm and photos to the monitoring centre via the internet or GSM
The result: the monitoring centre operator sees not only the alarm signal but also a current photo of the situation – all within less than 10 seconds of the event. This speed enables immediate decisions and considerably accelerates the response chain.
AI-based image analysis and scene evaluation
The latest generation of photo verification goes beyond mere image transmission. Integrated AI algorithms analyse the captured images directly on the device or in the cloud and classify the detected movement. The software distinguishes between people, animals, vehicles and inanimate objects (such as curtains or balloons).
This pre-classification has several advantages: first, the system can suppress an alarm for clearly harmless events (for example a cat on the windowsill) or categorise it as non-intrusion. Second, the monitoring centre operator receives additional context when an alarm is forwarded: "person detected" is prioritised differently from "animal detected".
The AI models are continuously improved through machine learning. With every alarm situation evaluated, the system learns and increases its classification accuracy. In practice, current systems achieve detection rates of over 98 per cent when distinguishing between humans and animals.
Up to 90% fewer false alarms – proven in practice
The reduction of false alarms is not a theoretical promise but is substantiated by extensive practical data. Monitoring centres that have switched to photo verification report a reduction in unnecessary deployments of 85 to 90 per cent. The reason is simple: a photo says more than an abstract alarm signal.
A monitoring centre in northern Germany processed around 1,200 alarm signals per month before the introduction of photo verification, of which only 60 (5%) were verified as genuine. After switching to photo-verified systems, the number of unnecessary interventions fell to below 150 per month – while response to genuine burglaries became faster.
The economic effects are considerable: fewer unnecessary call-outs mean lower costs for security services and the police. For end customers, the risk of false alarm fines decreases and trust in the security system grows. Insurers are increasingly rewarding photo-verified systems with better terms.
How photo verification changes monitoring centre workflows
Photo verification fundamentally changes the workflow in monitoring centres. In the conventional process an alarm proceeds as follows: the monitoring centre receives an abstract signal (e.g. "zone 3 – movement"), attempts to reach the customer by telephone and, if they are unreachable, decides on an intervention. This process often takes 5 to 15 minutes – valuable time a burglar can use.
With photo verification, this workflow is drastically shortened:
- Alarm and photo arrive simultaneously – the operator sees immediately what has happened
- Visual assessment in seconds: Person detected? Initiate intervention immediately. Animal or false trigger? Document and close the alarm
- Targeted information for responders: Instead of "burglary alarm in flat", the monitoring centre can report: "One person, male, dark clothing, detected in the living room – entry via patio door"
- Evidence preservation: The photos serve as documentary evidence and support subsequent criminal prosecution
For video surveillance and monitoring centre connection this means a completely new quality of alarm handling. Decision-making moves from a presumption-based to an evidence-based activity – a quantum leap for the security industry.
Comparison: conventional systems vs. photo verification
To make the advantages of photo verification tangible, we compare conventional motion detectors with modern systems with visual verification:
| Feature | Conventional PIR | PIR with photo verification |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm signal | Abstract: "motion detected" | Visual: photo + alarm signal |
| Verification time | 5–15 minutes (by phone) | Under 10 seconds (visual) |
| False alarm rate | Up to 95% | Under 10% |
| Police prioritisation | Standard | Elevated (verified alarm) |
| Evidence | None | Photo documentation |
| Insurance discount | Low to medium | High (recognised verification) |
| Quality of intervention | Non-specific | Targeted with personal description |
The comparison shows clearly: photo verification is not just a technical improvement but a paradigm shift in alarm processing. For properties that must be secured to EN 50131, visual verification provides an additional quality assurance. You can find more on the relevant norms and standards in our article on the zone protection concept.
MotionCam variants at a glance
Ajax offers various MotionCam variants optimised for different deployment scenarios. The choice of the right variant depends on factors such as location, required image quality and wireless range.
MotionCam (Standard)
The base model combines a PIR motion detector with a QVGA camera (320 × 240 pixels). On an alarm it automatically captures a series of images and transmits them to the hub via the Wings protocol. The PIR sensor has a detection range of 12 metres at 88.5 degrees. Available with a pet immunity option.
MotionCam PhOD (Photo on Demand)
This variant additionally enables manual photo requests via the app or the monitoring centre. That means: even without an active alarm, a photo of the monitored area can be requested – for example to check whether a forgotten window has been left open, or to review after an unverified event. This feature is particularly valuable for remote monitoring.
MotionCam Outdoor
Designed for outdoor use, this variant offers a weatherproof housing (IP55) and an extended detection range of up to 15 metres. The PIR sensor is optimised against environmental influences such as rain, wind and temperature fluctuations. Two Fresnel lenses analyse the infrared signal from different angles, reducing false detections caused by weather to a minimum.
MotionCam S (Superior HD)
The flagship model delivers photos in HD resolution (640 × 480 pixels) and offers significantly higher detail accuracy. Facial recognition, clothing details and carried objects are clearly recognisable in the images – a significant advantage for criminal prosecution. The HD variant uses an optimised Wings transmission that maintains the 9-second transmission time despite the larger data volume.
The standard MotionCam is suitable for most residential and commercial properties. PhOD is recommended for properties requiring remote monitoring. The outdoor variant is mandatory for perimeter protection, and the HD variant is recommended for high-security areas. Get individual advice – start your free security analysis now.
Conclusion: the future of alarm verification
Photo verification is no longer a vision of the future – it is the present of professional security technology. The combination of highly sensitive PIR detection, rapid image transmission and AI-supported analysis has in effect solved the age-old problem of false alarms. For end customers this means greater confidence in their security system, lower costs through the elimination of false alarm fines, and in an emergency a significantly faster intervention.
For monitoring centres and security services, photo verification is a leap in efficiency that raises the quality of alarm processing to a completely new level. And for society as a whole, fewer false alarms mean: more resources for genuine emergencies, less burden on the police and emergency services, and an overall higher level of security.
At Protexium Security, we consistently rely on photo-verified systems as an integral component of our security concepts. Because security does not begin with the response – it begins with the reliable recognition that a response is actually necessary.
