A SURVEILLANCE system which could one day help protect Kirklees taxi drivers has been unveiled.

Batley company Pixaya held a launch event for Survayacam, an entirely digital system that includes lightweight cameras and video-free recording.

It is hoped that one day a system like this could be used to help stamp out violence towards taxi drivers and prevent tragedies like the killing of Mohammad Parvaiz.

High-quality images, at a maximum of 30 frames a second, are streamed back from tiny cameras to a central monitoring station.

The person watching can rewind, fast-forward and zoom in or out while live images are still being recorded.

They can also, for example, draw a red box around the head of a suspect. The computer keeps this box around the moving person.

The system also has a feature which makes it easy to spot if anyone has tampered with any of the images.

But with a price of over £1,000 per unit it's unlikely to be appearing in many vehicles for some time.

The company's managing director, Stewart McLean, said: "This was built as a body-worn surveillance system for the police."

But he said that many more applications have been found.

He added: "Empty houses are a big thing, taxis are another."

He said that because the firm's system was virtually wire-less many people were finding uses for it.

He added: "Nobody else is doing this. Nobody else is recording live

"This technology isn't new. We have been working on this two years."

The launch was attended by representatives from Kirklees Council, security firms, taxi drivers and Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood.

Kirklees licensing officer Doug Holliday said: "It's an interesting new concept in surveillance."

Batley-based taxi driver Shafaat Ali said: "It's a nice system. It's expensive, but it would be very helpful."

Asked how quickly he'd like this sort of system to be installed he said: "I wish as soon as possible.

"Day after day violence is going up against taxi drivers.

"In our areas they throw eggs, stones and bottles, during the daytime.

"There are drivers refusing to go into a few areas."

Mr Ali said taxi drivers were not entering such areas as the Wilton Estate or Batley Park.

Mr Wood said: "With new technology it's always most expensive at the beginning.

"But we're looking forward to the unit costs coming down to the level where you would expect a taxi to have this kind of facility."

* Visit www.pixaya.com