Tech giant FPT develops camera firmware to compete with global brands

The FPT Camera Agent (FCA) software outperformed over 3,300 initiatives at the iKhien innovation competition held by FPT on Jan. 7 to win the top prize. It also represents a breakthrough for Vietnamese camera technology development.

The FCA transforms basic cameras into smart devices, enabling them to capture video and audio, perform AI analysis, encrypt and compress data, and transmit it to cloud and management devices. Users can manage cameras across platforms, access live feeds, enable two-way communication, and store data in the cloud.

FCA development team representatives shared insights about the product at the iKhien competition on Jan. 7, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Tran Huan

While these features are standard for modern surveillance cameras, most still depend on manufacturers for core hardware and firmware, limiting innovation and posing security risks, according to Dinh Cao Son, director of FPT Life's Technology Product Center.

In November 2023, while developing cloud-based AI cameras, FPT engineers decided to create proprietary firmware. "We wanted Vietnamese cameras to be independent in firmware development, enhancing security, enabling new features and significantly reducing production costs," Son says.

Developing firmware is complex and has traditionally been dominated by a small group of around 10 global tech giants mostly in the U.S. and China, he explains.

"Developing firmware for cameras, which typically have basic processors with limited resources, is particularly challenging. We aimed to integrate advanced features like peer-to-peer streaming, end-to-end encryption and edge AI processing."

After six months of work by a team of 30 engineers and 21 iterations, the final version of FCA was commercialized in mid-2024. This marked a milestone for the company, cutting cloud camera prices from millions of VND (VND1 million = US$39.4) to less than half.

"The FCA architecture is designed to be compatible with any hardware, forcing suppliers to compete on price. This allows us to select top-quality, cost-effective producers, including those with factories in Vietnam," Son adds.

A camera utilizing the FPT Camera Agent. Photo courtesy of FPT Camera

Since its inception in 2017, the iKhien competition has attracted nearly 9,400 initiatives, many of which have been widely adopted.

These innovations have boosted FPT’s productivity by an estimated 30% and generated revenues of over VND865 billion in 2023 alone.