Video analytics company Azena, which until this month went by the name of Security and Safety Things GmbH, announced a new partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins as well as plans to further expand in the region with the launch of its new development center in the Strip District.
As part of the new partnership, Azena said the Penguins will be able to use the applications on Azena's platform to improve the fan experience at PPG Paints Arena once the company's cameras are installed on-site. These cameras can then be equipped to analyze or perform nearly 100 different tasks, like identifying queue lengths and notifying which building entries could better handle flow to making sure fans are wearing proper face coverings before entry.
"Basically you can monitor different entrances simultaneously and then get an alert automatically if one line is way longer than the other and automatically alert staff to go direct people to use a different entrance," said Adam Wynne, the director of the Azena Innovation Accelerator facility in the Strip District. "That way people can get seated more quickly."
Wynne said this is work the cameras will do automatically. The goal, he said, is for Azena to provide a service to its customers without the need to hire additional staffing. It has accomplished similar tasks with the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, the home of the Dutch national soccer team and Ajax professional soccer team.
“The Pittsburgh Penguins are excited to partner with Azena,” said Erik Watts, chief technology officer for the Penguins, in a prepared statement. “Innovation is in our DNA, and partnering with organizations like Azena are a perfect catalyst to continue to enhance our fan experience.”
Azena also celebrated the opening of its new technology and development center on Robotics Row in the Strip on Sept. 23. The company said it plans to further build out its AI video analytics technology in Pittsburgh.
The Robert Bosch GmbH group launched Azena in 2018 and it operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bosh. In addition to its Munich, Germany headquarters, the startup maintains offices in the Netherlands and runs its Innovation Accelerator facility in the Strip District. It employs 120 globally.
