"It is beginning to be used for such tasks as identifying customer buying behaviour, identifying criminal behaviour before crimes take place, identifying objects left unattended in public venues, and much more."
A new ABI study forecasts a fourfold increase in revenue from video surveillance software between now and the end of 2013, rising from about US$245 million to more than US$900 million.
The report also said that surveillance software is being used beyond traditional homeland security applications.
Companies are identifying customers' "eyeball connections" with products to analyse their "retail behaviour", while casinos are using it to keep staff from restricted areas.
Surveillance software can also be used in ATMs and banks to identify known criminals before they commit a crime, which ABI acknowledges has shades of the film Minority Report.