AXIS W800 System Controller - User manual

This is the Axis body worn solution

The Axis body worn solution
  1. Body worn solution
  2. Body worn system
  3. Content destination
  4. AXIS Body Worn Assistant
  5. AXIS Body Worn Live
  6. Body worn cameras
  7. Docking station
  8. System controller
  9. Network
  10. AXIS Body Worn Manager
  11. RFID reader (optional)
  12. AXIS Body Worn Manager Pro
  13. AXIS Body Worn TV Dashboard
The Axis body worn solution (1)
is one or more Axis body worn systems (2) connected to a content destination (3). The body worn system functions only when it’s connected to a content destination.
The Axis body worn system (2)
consists of Axis body worn cameras (6), Axis docking stations (7), Axis system controllers (8), and AXIS Body Worn Manager (10).
AXIS Body Worn Manager (10)
is the web application where you can configure and manage your body worn system.
AXIS Body Worn Manager Pro (12)
is the application where you can centrally manage several body worn systems. To learn more, go to the AXIS Body Worn Manager Pro user manual.
AXIS Body Worn Assistant (4)
is an application for mobile devices that connects directly to the body worn camera and, for instance, lets you view recorded video. For more information, see AXIS Body Worn Assistant.
AXIS Body Worn Live (5)
is a cloud solution that lets body worn camera users stream live video over Wi-Fi® or mobile networks. To learn more, go to the AXIS Body Worn Live user manual. To reach the system, click here.
An optional RFID reader (11)
can be connected to the system controller. It lets the camera user self-assign any available body worn camera, using their self-assign tag.

When you place a camera in the docking station, the docking station charges the camera’s battery, and the camera connects to the system. The system controller then seamlessly transfers all data from the camera to the content destination of your choice. The system controller also keeps the cameras up-to-date with the latest device software and settings, and monitors the health of the Axis body worn solution.

The system is supported by different types of content destinations such as evidence management systems (EMS), video management systems (VMS), and media servers. You can use the Body Worn Integration API to integrate with any third party VMS or EMS. Go to axis.com/developer-community to join the Axis Developer community, and get access to the Body Worn Integration API documentation.

What's new in the latest release?

AXIS logo in overlay

We have added the AXIS logo as an overlay for all cameras. You can turn it off in Settings > Camera > Logo in video overlay.

Adjust signal strength for wireless broadcasting

With wireless broadcast, a camera can start recordings on other cameras. You can now adjust the signal strength for the broadcasts in the camera profile.

Standby mode for W102 and W120

Now you can use standby mode on W102 and W120 as well. With standby mode, the camera automatically enters power saving mode when it’s not recording. This extends the operating time but can’t be combined with prebuffer. You turn on standby mode in the camera profile.

Get started

The recommended workflow to install and configure your system is:

  1. Install your system

  2. Open AXIS Body Worn Manager and configure system settings. See Access AXIS Body Worn Manager for the first time

  3. Add cameras

  4. Edit a camera profile

  5. Create a user

  6. If you’re using fixed camera assignment, Assign a user to a specific camera. Alternatively, if you’re using self-assign camera assignment, see Set up self-assign camera assignment.

Get started with the Axis body worn solution

You can add more than 40 cameras to your system by adding more system controllers. The extension system controllers become instances of the existing system. All settings are inherited from the system to the extension system controllers. You manage the users and cameras that are added to the extension system controller through AXIS Body Worn Manager. For information on how to extend your system by adding more system controllers, see Extend the system.

Install your system

Note

You need these hardware components to install a body worn system:

  • System controller(s)
  • Docking station(s)
  • Body worn camera(s)
  • A computer
  • Optional RFID reader for self-assign camera assignment.
  • Network cables
  • We also recommend using a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to avoid unexpected system shutdowns.
  1. Connect the system controller to your network.

  2. Connect the docking stations to the Docking stations ports on the system controller.

  3. Optionally, connect the RFID reader to the system controller USB connector.

  4. Connect a computer to the same network as the system controller.

  5. Power on the devices.

  6. Dock the cameras.

  7. Continue to Configure your system.

Configure your system

Access AXIS Body Worn Manager for the first time

Note
  • Use AXIS IP Utility version 4.14 or later. AXIS IP Utility helps you find Axis devices on your network. The device is identified by its name, IP address, and serial number.
  • Before you start, make sure you have the:
    • latest device software version available. You can download it at axis.com. To get access to device software you need a My Axis account.

    • content destination connection file available, see Content destinations.

  1. Find the system controller on your network:

    1. Go to axis.com/support/software and download AXIS IP Utility.

    2. Start AXIS IP Utility.

    3. Use the serial number to locate the system controller in the list. You can find the serial number on the underside of the system controller, or on the label on the system controller box.

    4. Access your system controller from the search result list. AXIS Body Worn Manager opens in your browser.

  2. Follow the wizard to set up the system:

    • Select Create a new system if you are configuring a single system controller setup, or if you are configuring the first system controller in a multi system controller setup. Select Extend an existing system if you want to add more system controllers to your existing system. In this step you can also choose your preferred language for the body worn system.

    • Create an administrator account. Your administrator username is root.

    • Install the latest device software version. You can download device software from axis.com. We support different AXIS OS tracks for the body worn system. This lets you choose the track best suited for your system, whether you want all the latest features from the Active track, or you prioritize stability from the Long-term support (LTS) track. For more information, see Device software.

    • Name your body worn system. This makes it easier identifying it in your content destination and in different cloud services, and when you receive email notifications about critical system events. You can change the system name under Settings in AXIS Body Worn Manager.

    • Configure network settings.

    • Date and time. Setting the time correctly is critical for several reasons. See Adjust date and time for information.

    • Cloud extensions. The body worn system comes with a set of standard features out of the box. The Cloud extensions are a set of additional cloud-based capabilities that, for example, give you improved location data performance. You can choose to enable Cloud extensions in AXIS Body Worn Manager at any time. However once enabled, Cloud extensions can't be turned off without resetting the system. See Cloud extensions for more information.

    • The connection file connects the body worn system to the content destination. The content destination is where your recordings and metadata are stored and managed. The body worn system is locked to a content destination once connected to it. To change to another content destination, you need to reset the body worn system first. See Content destinations for more information.

    • The Super admin passphrase provides extra security for the body worn system. System critical actions, for example restoring the system, require verification with the Super admin passphrase. It is also required when reestablishing the connection between the body worn system and cameras that are in safe mode. The passphrase can’t be changed.

    • The System restore key is an important security feature. The body worn system requires a System restore key for certain operations. These operations include for instance, reestablishing the connection between the body worn system and the existing cameras, after replacing a system controller that has failed. Download the System restore key to your computer and store it in a secure location.

    • Select the power line frequency that is used in your region. With the right frequency, there is less image flicker. The American regions usually use 60 Hz. The rest of the world mostly uses 50 Hz. If you're not sure of your region's power line frequency, check with the local authorities.

    • You can assign cameras to users in two ways. With Fixed camera assignment every user is manually assigned to a specific camera. With Self-assign the camera user taps a self-assign tag on an RFID reader, connected to the system, to pick up any available camera. It is not possible to switch between Fixed and Self-assign without resetting the system. With Self-assign you can assign users to cameras locally or globally in the system. This option is available under Settings once you’ve completed this setup. See Assign a user to a camera for more information.

Secure passwords

Important

Axis devices send the initially set password in clear text over the network. To protect your device after the first login, set up a secure and encrypted HTTPS connection and then change the password.

The device password is the primary protection for your data and services. Axis devices do not impose a password policy as they may be used in various types of installations.

To protect your data we strongly recommend that you:

  • Use a password with at least 8 characters, preferably created by a password generator.

  • Don’t expose the password.

  • Change the password at a recurring interval, at least once a year.

Open AXIS Body Worn Manager

  1. Open a browser and enter the IP address or host name of the system controller.

    If you do not know the IP address, see Access AXIS Body Worn Manager for the first time.

  2. Enter your username and administrator password.

    AXIS Body Worn Manager opens in your browser.

Note

The username for the default administrator account is root.

Content destinations

The content destination stores and manages your recordings and metadata. A content destination is for example an EMS (evidence management system), a VMS (video management system), or a media server. The Axis body worn solution supports a number of different content destinations.

All content destinations require a connection file to integrate with the Axis body worn system. The connection file is generated in your content destination. For information about how to generate the connection file, check the user help in your content destination.

The connection with the content destination also requires that the network communication is working properly. This can include proxy, firewall, and anti-virus configuration.

Important

The time and time zone of your body worn system must always match the time and time zone of the content destination. See Adjust date and time.

Connect to AXIS Camera Station Pro

Go to the AXIS Camera Station Pro Integrator Guide for help on how to integrate an Axis body worn system with AXIS Camera Station Pro.

Connect to AXIS Camera Station 5

Go to the AXIS Camera Station 5 Integrator Guide for help on how to integrate an Axis body worn system with AXIS Camera Station 5.

Connect to AXIS Case Insight

Go to the AXIS Case Insight System Integrator Guide for help on how to integrate an Axis body worn system with AXIS Case Insight.

Integrate with third party applications

Go to Body worn integration Genetec for help on how to integrate with Genetec Security Center, and AXIS Optimizer Body Worn Extension for help on how to integrate with Milestone XProtect®.

Note
  • The body worn system pushes changes to the content destination, for example when you add, remove, or change a user, or when you change a camera name. This type of communication is one way, which means that the content destination doesn’t push corresponding changes to the body worn system.
  • You must connect to a content destination before you can use the body worn system.
  • We recommend that you delete the connection file from your computer when you have connected to the content destination.
  • The body worn system is locked to a content destination once connected to it. To change to another content destination, you need to reset the body worn system first.
  • Never remove or reset the content destination before resetting the body worn system. Always reset the body worn system first. If you remove or reset the content destination first, recordings can remain on cameras or in the system controllers, preventing you from resetting the body worn system. This is a security feature ensuring that all evidence is uploaded to the content destination.

Associate recordings with a user in AXIS Case Insight

A recording transferred to AXIS Case Insight is associated with a user. The AXIS Case Insight user corresponds to the person wearing the camera, the camera user. The association makes it easier to search for and collect recordings made by a specific person, for example when you create a case.

See Create a user for information on how to associate recordings with a user in AXIS Case Insight.

Extend the system

  1. Connect the new system controller to the same network as the existing body worn system.

  2. Access the new system controller, see Access AXIS Body Worn Manager for the first time.

  3. Select Extend an existing system.

  4. Create an administrator password and click Okay.

  5. Type in the IP address of the system controller that you initially created the body worn system on, and click Connect.

  6. Note

    If the extension system controller has a newer device software version than the existing system, you’re asked to either upgrade the existing system, or to downgrade the extension system controller.

  7. Add the new system controller to the body worn system, see Add system controllers.

Note
  • Distributed systems require stable network connections. A bad connection can for example prevent users from self-assigning cameras.
  • The body worn system supports one time zone. The date and time of the recordings are the same regardless of the time zone in which the extension system controller and cameras are located.

Add system controllers

  1. Install the new system controller, see Extend the system

  2. Go to System controllers.

  3. In the system controller list, click New.

  4. In the Add system controllers list, select the system controller(s) you want to add and click Add.

To access the new system controller:

  1. Go to System controllers.

  2. Open the extension system controller you want to access.

  3. Open the context menu .

  4. Click Open.

Configure the system backup

The system backup saves all your settings to an extension system controller. It lets you restore the body worn system in the unlikely event that the system controller, on which the system was initially created, malfunctions. The backup includes all users, camera profiles, camera assignment, and system settings. The backup is updated automatically every 24 hours. System backup is available for systems with more than one system controller.

Axis body worn system backup and restore

To configure the system backup:

  1. Go to Settings > System > System backup.

  2. Click Configure.

  3. Select System controller backup.

  4. Select the extension system controller where you want to save the backup.

  5. Click Save.

You can manually backup the system at any time instead of waiting for the scheduled backup. This ensures that all your data and settings can be saved on demand. To manually start the backup, go to Settings > System > System backup and click Backup now.

Note
  • The backup does not include any recorded evidence.
  • We recommend that you physically label the backup system controller. This will be your way of identifying it in the unlikely event that the system controller, on which the system was initially created, malfunctions.
  • Backup requires a body worn system with multiple system controllers.

See Restore a system with more than one system controller if you want to restore a system.

You can receive a system notification If the system backup fails to synchronize. See Set up email notifications.

Add cameras

  1. Dock the cameras that you want to add to your system. Camera LEDs flash amber.

  2. Go to Cameras.

  3. In the camera list, click New.

  4. In the Add cameras list, select the cameras you want to add and click Add.

    The camera state changes from Adding to Docked or Charging when a camera has been added. It can take a couple of minutes.

Camera profiles

Use camera profiles to apply the same camera settings to a group of users. You can for example create different profiles for the day and night shifts. A default camera profile is assigned to new users.

Edit a camera profile

  1. Go to Camera profiles and select one of the pre-configured camera profiles from the drop down menu.

  2. Click to edit the selected camera profile.

  3. Edit the camera profile Name.

  4. Enter a Description for the camera profile.

  5. Select the cameras that you want to make available for camera assignment for users with this camera profile.

  6. Click Done.

  7. Expand the devices in the list to edit the Camera profile settings.

Camera profile settings

AXIS Body Worn Cameras

Support for the features and settings described in this section varies between camera models. This icon indicates that the feature or setting is available only for some camera models.

VideoImage quality
  • 720p

  • 720p high

  • 1080p. Prebuffer is limited to maximum 90 seconds.

  • 1080p high. Prebuffer is limited to maximum 60 seconds.

The high settings use less compression and increase sharpness, which results in a higher bitrate. These settings are suitable for incident based recording.

Electronic image stabilization

Minimizes the effects from shaking and vibration and makes the image more smooth and steady. 

Barrel distortion correction

Barrel distortion is a lens effect that makes the image appear curved and bent outwards. With Barrel distortion correction you get a straighter image.

Audio

Includes audio in the recording.

Optimization
  • None – No audio optimization.

  • Post-processing – Unprocessed (no automatic gain control, noise reduction) audio in stereo. Suitable for post-processing applications when you want to apply your own signal processing algorithms off-line or require audio that hasn’t been optimized in any way. Post-processing results in a higher bitrate and a much lower audio level than without optimization.

  • Voice – Isolates voices in the recording by filtering out monotonous ambient sound.

Standby mode

Puts the camera in a power saving mode when it’s not recording.

Extends the operating time.

Can’t be combined with prebuffer.

Prebuffer

Adds recording time before the recording starts, to make sure the whole event is captured.

The prebuffer has dedicated space on the camera storage. When you use the maximum resolution 1080p in complex scenes with a lot of movement, or in low light, the prebuffer memory can become full. If the memory gets full, it results in a slightly shorter prebuffer time than configured.

Length

Prebuffer length: 15, 30, 60, 90, or 120 seconds. The 120 second option is available only with the 720p image quality.

Audio

Includes audio in the prebuffer.

Postbuffer

Continues to record after the camera user has stopped the recording. The camera still indicates that the recording has been stopped.

Audio is included in the postbuffer if it’s turned on under Audio.

Length

Postbuffer length: 10, 30, or 60 seconds.

Location

Assisted GNSS (ephemeris) enabled

Stores the camera’s geographical position as coordinates.

Lower accuracy indoors than outdoors.

Shortens the operating time.

Mode
  • Start and end – Records the camera’s geographical position when a recording starts and ends.

  • Track – Continuously records the camera’s geographical position throughout the whole recording. Track mode is available only if supported by the content destination.

Overlay

Overlays are superimposed over the video stream. They are used to provide extra information in the recordings.

User name

Shows the name you entered when you created the camera user.

User ID

Shows the user ID you entered when you created the camera user.

Position

Shows the camera’s current geographical position as coordinates. Requires that Location is turned on.

Recording activationRecording button
  • Single press – Starts to record when the user presses the button once.

  • Double press – Starts to record when the user presses the button twice. This setting also applies to AXIS TW1201 Mini Cube Sensor if it’s connected to the camera.

Always record

Starts to record when the camera user undocks the camera and continues to record until they dock it again. The camera user can’t use the recording button to stop the recording. If the user turns off the camera the recording stops. When they turn on the camera, the recording automatically starts. The recording button can still be used to create bookmarks or stop a live stream.

Fall detection

Starts to record when the camera detects a fall.

Broadcast wireless signal

Makes other cameras nearby start to record when this camera starts to record. The other cameras must have Receive wireless broadcast turned on.

Signal strength

Adjusts the reach of the wireless broadcast signal. The stated distances are applicable for open, outdoor spaces without any obstructions.

  • High: Up to 100 meters (328 feet).

  • Medium: Up to 75 meters (246 feet).

  • Low: Up to 35 meters (115 feet).

Receive wireless broadcast

Starts to record on this camera when a nearby camera broadcasts a recording signal.

FeedbackFront recording indicator

The state of the indicator while the camera is recording:

  • None

  • Steady

  • Flash

When AXIS TW1201 Mini Cube Sensor is connected, the indicator behavior is applied to the sensor’s front recording indicator.

Alert

Provides camera feedback through:

  • Vibration

  • Sound

  • Sound and vibration

  • Voice

  • Voice and vibration

Periodic reminder when recording is on

The camera vibrates at regular intervals while recording. This works as a reminder as well as a confirmation that the camera is recording. This is mainly suitable for incident based recording. Select a preferred interval for the periodic reminder.

Periodic reminder when recording is off

The camera vibrates and beeps at regular intervals when recording is off. This is mainly suitable for continuous recording since it reminds the user to start recording again, for example, after taking a break. Select a preferred interval for the periodic reminder. Turn on Escalating to gradually increase the frequency of the reminders.

Low battery warning
  • The camera gives feedback when there is less than 0.5 hours battery time left.
  • Once: The camera beeps and vibrates once.

  • Periodic: The camera beeps and vibrates once every second minute.

  • Periodic reinforced: The camera beeps and vibrates three times every minute.

Camera feature accessAllow silent mode

Makes it possible for the camera user to turn off the display, the front recording indicator, and alerts.

Allow microphone mute

Makes it possible for the camera user to turn off audio recording.

AXIS TW1201 Mini Cube Sensor

Disable main camera recording button

Disables the main body worn camera's recording button (used to start and stop recordings) when the mini cube sensor is connected. Select this option if you want to use the recording button on the mini cube sensor only.

Rotate image 180 degrees

The ability to rotate the image gives you added mounting flexibility for the mini cube sensor.

AXIS Body Worn Assistant

Allow access to recordings

Choose whether the camera user is allowed to view recordings in AXIS Body Worn Assistant, or not.

AXIS Body Worn Live

Only visible when you have connected your body worn system to AXIS Body Worn Live.

Streaming

Choose whether the camera user is allowed to stream to AXIS Body Worn Live, or not. For more information, see Enable live streaming in the AXIS Body Worn Live user manual.

Create a user

A camera user in the system is the link between a recording and the person using a body worn camera.

To create a user:

  1. Go to Users.

  2. Click to add a new user.

  3. Enter user information:

    1. Name of the user (can be shown in the overlay).

    2. User's unique ID within the organization (can be shown in the overlay).

    3. Optionally, enter the AXIS Case Insight username.

    4. Note
      • This option is presented only if you’re using AXIS Case Insight.
      • When you enter a user’s email address as username, a corresponding guest user is created in AXIS Case Insight. This guest user has no access to any recorded evidence in the system. Access rights for the user are managed in AXIS Case Insight.
      • You can’t change the username for an existing user. To do this, you must remove the user and add it again.
    5. Choose a Camera profile

  4. Click Add user.

Import users

The body worn system allows you to import your camera users’ data from a CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) file. This is the most efficient way to add new users, as well as update usernames and camera profiles for existing camera users with a user ID.

You can also include RFIDs for each user. This means that if you’re using self-assign camera assignment, you can associate RFID tags with all the users at once, instead of pairing each self-assign tag individually.

If you already have users in the system that you want to update before doing the import, see Export users.

To import camera users:

  1. Go to Users.

  2. Open the context menu and click Import users.

  3. Download the CSV template, which shows you the correct format for the users, user IDs, and RFIDs.

  4. Enter the users and user IDs in the CSV file.

  5. Click Select CSV file and select the file that you created.

  6. Resolve any conflicts shown in the status window and then click Import.

Assign a user to a camera

Note
  • A camera doesn’t function unless a user is assigned to it. Camera LEDs flash red when you undock it to indicate that a user must be assigned to the camera before use.
  • You can only assign a user to a camera that supports all features in the user’s camera profile.

There are two ways to assign a user to a camera:

Fixed camera assignment

The body worn system administrator assigns the camera user to a specific camera. The camera user always uses the same body worn camera. See Assign a user to a specific camera

Assign a user to a specific camera
Note

Fixed camera assignment is selected in the system setup wizard. Changing to self–assign camera assignment requires a system reset.

  1. Go to Cameras.

  2. Open the camera you want to assign a user to.

  3. In the Assigned user list, select a user.

Self-assign camera assignment

Note

Only cameras with at least 60% battery and 60% storage levels are available for self-assignment.

The camera user taps a self-assign tag on an RFID reader connected to the system. The system then assigns the user to an available camera. LEDs on the self-assigned camera flash green to indicate that the user can undock the camera.

For some body worn systems, the hardware is installed in different locations, and for others, the entire system is in the same room. You can choose between globally self-assigning any camera available in the whole body worn system, or locally self-assigning a camera at the same location as the card reader:

Global self-assign
Using an RFID tag, the user self-assigns any available camera. Use global self-assign when all cameras and system controllers are in the same room.
Local self-assign
Using an RFID tag, the user self-assigns a camera where the card reader is located. Local self-assign still allows the user to dock the camera at any location within the system. Use local self-assign when cameras and system controllers are spread out in different locations.

For self-assign camera assignment setup, see Set up self-assign camera assignment.

Set up self-assign camera assignment
Set up self-assign camera assignment
Note
  • Self-assign camera assignment is selected in the system setup wizard. Changing to fixed camera assignment requires a system reset.
  • This setup requires RFID reader External RFID Card Reader 125kHz + 13.56MHz with NFC (USB). There are two models of this reader. The model name is printed on the product label:
    • TWN4 Multitech is supported by all device software versions.

    • TWN4 Multitech 2 LF HF requires device software version 10.12 or later.

  • It’s possible to configure the RFID reader. For instructions, see this document.

To set up self-assign camera assignment:

  1. Connect the RFID reader to the system controller. Wait for the LED on the reader to light up green, which takes about 15 seconds. The reader now has the correct device software and is ready for use.

  2. To pair each RFID tag individually, continue with next step.

    Alternatively, to associate already existing RFIDs with all users at once, see Import users.

  3. Disconnect the RFID reader from the system controller.

  4. Connect the same RFID reader to the computer that you use for accessing AXIS Body Worn Manager.

  5. Note

    Setup through remote desktop solutions isn’t supported. The RFID reader must be connected directly to the computer that you use for accessing AXIS Body Worn Manager.

  6. In AXIS Body Worn Manager, go to Users.

  7. Select the user that you want to pair the self-assign tag with.

  8. Click to pair new equipment.

  9. Click Pair (Self-assign tag).

  10. Tap the self-assign tag on the RFID reader to register it. Keep tapping until all the dots in the user interface turn yellow.

  11. Note

    Repeat steps 6–9 if you want to do more than one pairing.

  12. Disconnect the RFID reader from the computer.

  13. Connect the same RFID reader to the system controller.

Now the camera user can use the tag to self-assign a body worn camera.

Stream live video to AXIS Body Worn Live

AXIS Body Worn Live is a service that lets body worn camera users stream live video to the AXIS Body Worn Live web application.

To get started, go to the AXIS Body Worn Live user manual.

Activate recording automatically

In combination with prebuffer, automatic recording activation ensures that the whole incident is captured without the need for the camera user to manually start a recording. You can set up cameras to start recording automatically using:

Fall detection

Fall detection triggers video recording automatically when the person wearing the camera falls. In combination with prebuffer, this feature ensures that the whole incident is captured without manual activation.

To turn on fall detection:

  1. Go to Camera profiles.

  2. Open the camera profile that you want to edit.

  3. Turn on Fall detection.

Unholster detection

A holster sensor detects unholstering to automatically trigger video recording. In combination with prebuffer, this feature ensures that the whole incident is captured without manual activation. This feature requires pairing the camera user with a Yardarm holster sensor.

Note

You can combine unholster detection with wireless broadcasts. A camera that is paired with a holster sensor can receive wireless broadcasts, but it can’t broadcast signals.

Set up a holster sensor for your body worn camera

To enable unholster detection:

  1. Make sure the holster sensor is disconnected from its power supply.

  2. Go to Users and select the user that you want to pair the holster sensor with.

  3. Click to pair new equipment.

  4. Click Pair (Holster sensor).

  5. Dock the camera (do one of the following, based on camera assignment method):

    • Fixed camera assignment: Dock the camera assigned to the body worn user that you want to pair the holster sensor with.

    • Self-assign camera assignment: Make sure a camera is docked.

  6. Enter the 6-character serial number found on the holster sensor.

  7. Undock the camera (do one of the following, based on camera assignment method):

    • Fixed camera assignment: Undock the camera and wait for it to start. Status LED lights up green.

    • Self-assign camera assignment: Self-assign a camera, undock it, and wait for it to start. Status LED lights up green.

  8. Connect the power supply to the holster sensor.

  9. For AXIS W120, the holster sensor icon lights up white to show that the pairing started. For the other camera models, the Wi-Fi® connectivity LED pulses yellow. Wait for the icon or LED to light up green​​​​​​​​, which indicates a successful pairing (can take up to 20 seconds). The icon or LED lights up red​​​​​​​ if the pairing failed.

  10. Disconnect power from the holster sensor.

  11. Install the holster sensor and unholster to make sure the pairing was successful. The recording LED on the camera should light up red.

  12. Dock the camera.

After completing the pairing, check the pairing status for the holster sensor under Paired equipment. Green status shows that the pairing is registered in the body worn system.

To connect the camera to a holster sensor in the daily use, undock the camera and make sure that it’s in the holster sensor’s range within 10 minutes after undocking. Under normal circumstances the range is 5–10 m (16–33 ft.).

Wireless broadcast

Wireless broadcast allows cameras to activate recording on other cameras that belong to the same body worn system and that are located nearby.

When one camera starts recording, it broadcasts a wireless signal to other cameras. The broadcast lasts for 10 seconds. Cameras that receive the broadcast automatically start recording too.

Note
  • The possibility to detect wireless signals highly depends on the surrounding environment.
  • A camera that is paired with a holster sensor can receive a broadcast but it can’t broadcast a signal.
  1. Go to Camera profiles.

  2. Open the camera profile that you want to edit.

  3. To make the camera broadcast to other cameras, turn on Broadcast wireless signal.

  4. To configure the reach of the signal, adjust the Signal strength.

  5. To make the camera start recording when it receives a broadcast from another camera, turn on Receive wireless broadcast.

Record location

Note

Only some camera models support this feature.

You can record the geographical position of the camera. The recorded location data enables content destinations to show the camera’s movement as a track, or as a single location on a map. This information can then be used to identify where an incident took place and to get a clearer picture of the whole course of events. The feature has two modes:

Start and end
Record the geographical position of the camera when and where a recording starts and ends.
Track
Continuously record the geographical position of the camera throughout the whole recording including the prebuffer. Track mode is available only if supported by the content destination.

To include the geographical position in the recordings:

  1. Go to Camera profiles.

  2. Select a camera profile.

  3. Expand the camera model for which you want to include the geographical position in the recordings.

  4. Turn on Location.

  5. Select a Mode.

Note
  • Location uses satellites (GNSS) to get the camera’s position when used outdoors. With Cloud Extensions on, Assisted GNSS (ephemeris) improves positioning performance and decreases the time to get the first satellite fix.
  • Different content destinations can present or use location data in different ways. For example, it can be used for searching recordings, or be displayed in a map or bookmark for a recording.
  • The location feature is only for outdoor use. We recommend that you turn it off for indoor use.
  • The location feature increases battery consumption.

You can also include the continuously updated position for a recording as an overlay in the video. To turn this on, go to Overlay in the camera profile and turn on Position.

Limit access to recordings

The Allow access to recordings setting lets you decide whether the camera user can view recordings in AXIS Body Worn Assistant, or not. You can turn it on or off in the camera profile. To turn off access to recordings:

  1. Go to Camera profiles.

  2. Open the profile you want to edit.

  3. Deselect Allow access to recordings.

Save battery with standby mode

Important

You can’t use prebuffer in combination with standby mode.

To save battery, the camera can enter standby mode when it's not recording. To set it up:

  • Turn on Standby mode for the camera users through the camera profiles in AXIS Body Worn Manager. The cameras then enter standby mode by default when they’re not recording.

When you use standby mode, it takes about one second for the camera to start recording when you press the recording button.

Show or hide Axis logo overlay

By default, the Axis logo is included as an overlay in the recordings. To hide or show the overlay, go to Settings > Camera > Logo in video overlay and turn off or on Show Axis logo in video overlay.

Cloud extensions

The body worn system comes with a set of standard features out of the box. The cloud extensions are a set of additional cloud-based capabilities.

Available cloud extensions are:

Assisted GNSS (ephemeris)
Improves the location data performance, and helps decrease the time it takes to get the first fix.
Email notifications
The notifications help reduce time spent monitoring the system health. See Set up email notifications for more information.
Assisted device software upgrade
Lets you install the latest device software version without manually downloading it to your computer. It also shows you what’s new in an upgrade, directly in AXIS Body Worn Manager, before you install it. You can choose to receive email notifications when there’s a new version available.
Note
  • Once you’ve turned on cloud extensions, you can’t turn them off without resetting your body worn system.
  • To turn on cloud extensions, the system must have access to the hostnames in the table below.

To turn on cloud extensions:

  1. Go to Cloud.

  2. Select a Region.

  3. Note

    The region determines where your metadata is stored. For more information about metadata, see Evidence data and metadata in AXIS Body Worn Live user manual.

  4. Click Connect.

  5. Click Connect to confirm.

These are the hostnames that the body worn system must have access to when you set up and use cloud extensions:

Domain

Information

*.bodyworn.axis.com

Bodyworn specific APIs.

*.bodyworn.axis.cloud

Bodyworn specific APIs.

*.axis.com

Common Axis APIs.

axisbws-prod.azure-devices.net

Application communication between devices and cloud.

For a list of hostnames required for AXIS Body Worn Live Cloud, see AXIS Body Worn Live user manual.

Secure your system

Signed video

Signed video adds a cryptographic checksum into each video frame which is then signed by the Axis device ID. This allows video to be traced back to the camera it originated from, so it’s possible to verify that the recording hasn’t been tampered with after it left the camera, without proving the chain of custody of the video file. You can verify your video files using AXIS File Player, see Verify the authenticity of your recording.

Go to axis.com to find out if your camera supports Signed video.

To turn on signed video:

  1. Go to > Camera > Signed video.

  2. Turn on Signed video.

Note

This feature is available if supported by your content destination.

Verify the authenticity of your recording

Note

To be able verify the authenticity of your recording, Signed video must be on when the video is recorded, see Signed video.

  1. Export the recording that you want to verify.

  2. Use AXIS File Player (click to download) to play the recording.

    indicates that the recording hasn’t been tampered with.

Note

To show metadata, right-click the video and select Show digital signature.

Certificates

You can use certificates for authenticating devices on a network, and enable encrypted web browsing using HTTPS. We recommend that you use HTTPS to securely connect to your body worn system. See Allow HTTPS only.

To securely connect to your body worn system:

  1. Create a certificate signing request

  2. Use your CA (certificate authority) to sign the CSR (certificate signing request).

  3. Install certificate

Create a certificate signing request

  1. Go to Settings > Security > Certificates.

  2. Click Add.

  3. Select Create self-signed certificate and click Next.

  4. In Create self-signed certificate, enter your values and click Create.

  5. Open the context menu next to the new certificate.

  6. Click Create signing request.

  7. In Create certificate signing request, click Create.

  8. In the Signing request dialog, copy the whole text and paste it into a file with the file extension .csr.

Note

Alternatively, you can create a signing request for the already existing Default (self-signed) certificate.

Install certificate

Note

The installed certificate gets its name from the uploaded .crt file, minus the suffix. This name must be unique.

  1. Go to Settings > Security > Certificates.

  2. Click Add.

  3. Select Upload a CA certificate and click Next.

  4. Click Select file and locate your signed certificate with the filename <filename>.crt.

  5. Click Install.

  6. Open the context menu next to the certificate.

  7. Click Activate.

Set up 802.1x

  1. Connect the body worn system to a network without 802.1x.

  2. Go to Settings > Security > IEEE 802.1x.

  3. Click Show certificate settings.

  4. Click and create a new, or install an existing certificate.

  5. Under 802.1x select the certificate you installed.

  6. Enter EAP identity.

  7. Select Use IEEE 802.1x.

  8. Click Save.

  9. The page displays Connecting…

  10. Connect the body worn system to your 802.1x enabled network.

Allow HTTPS only

We recommend using HTTPS only to securely connect to your body worn system.

  1. Go to Settings > Security > HTTP and HTTPS.

  2. In the Allow access through drop-down menu select HTTPS only.

  3. Click Set.

Manage users

Remove a user

  1. Go to Users.

  2. Click the user you want to delete.

  3. Open the context menu .

  4. Click Remove.

Important

Never remove camera users from your content destination. Always use AXIS Body Worn Manager to remove users.

Export users

You can export data for all your camera users to a CSV file. This can be useful when you need to make changes to your system that require a system reset, but you still want to keep all the user data. After the system is reset, and all the changes are made, you can just import the user’s data back into the system again, see Import users.

To export camera users:

  • Go to Users.

  • Open the context menu .

  • Click Export users.

Monitor your system

Dashboard

The Dashboard gives you an overview of your devices and system health. It also highlights any issues that require attention. If there are any issues the page gives you easy access and help to fix the problem.

A device can have more than one issue at the same time. Hover over the icons for more details.

Camera alerts

Alert

What it means

What to do

Certificate about to expire

The camera certificate expires in less than a week if the camera isn’t docked. A camera with an expired certificate enters safe mode the next time it’s docked.

Dock the camera.

Docked with empty battery

The camera shut down due to empty battery last session.

Click the camera and go to the Battery health tab. To get an indication of the battery status, check how many times the camera has shut down in the last 30 days, and how many hours it was used in the last session.

To turn off this alert, go to Settings> Camera > Display battery warning.

Docking issue

The camera doesn’t connect properly in the docking bay.

Try the following in the stated order:

  1. Undock and dock the camera properly. If the alert remains, continue to next step.

  2. Clean the connectors on the camera and the pogo pins in the docking bay, see Cleaning in the camera’s user manual at help.axis.com. If the alert remains when you dock the camera, continue to next step.

  3. Dock the camera in another docking bay, where other cameras don’t get this alert. If the alert disappears, the original docking bay is faulty and the docking station should be replaced. If the alert remains, the camera is faulty and should be replaced.

In safe mode

The camera’s certificate isn’t valid, and for security reasons the camera has entered safe mode.

To reestablish the connection between the camera and the system, click the camera and follow the on-screen instructions. See Allow cameras back into the system.

Malfunctioning

The camera is malfunctioning.

Replace the camera.

Unable to charge

The camera doesn’t charge when docked.

Try the following in the stated order:

  1. Undock and dock the camera properly. If the alert remains, continue to next step.

  2. Clean the connectors on the camera and the pogo pins in the docking bay, see Cleaning in the camera’s user manual at help.axis.com. If the alert remains when you dock the camera, continue to next step.

  3. Dock the camera in another docking bay, where other cameras don’t get this alert. If the alert disappears, the original docking bay is faulty and the docking station should be replaced. If the alert remains, the camera is faulty and should be replaced.

Unknown camera

The camera belongs to a different system.

  1. Dock the camera in the original body worn system.

  2. Remove the camera from the original system, see Remove a camera.

  3. Undock the camera from the original system and dock it in the new system.

  4. Add the camera to the new system, see Add cameras.

System controller statuses

Status

What it means

What to do

Connection to [content destination] failed

The content destination is not accessible.

Try the following:

  • Make sure the content destination is up and running.

  • Check the network connection to the content destination.

  • In the content destination’s user documentation, check which ports need to be open. Make sure these ports are open.

Docking station connection issue at port [x]

Port numbers

The link speed between the system controller and the docking station is low. This can cause problems offloading recordings.

Try the following in the stated order:

  1. Disconnect and reconnect power to the docking station. If the message remains, continue to next step.

  2. Make sure the network cable between the docking station and the system controller is properly connected. If the message remains, continue to next step.

  3. Replace the network cable between the docking station and the system controller. If the message disappears, the cable is faulty and should be replaced. If the message remains, continue to next step.

  4. Connect a functioning docking station to the same docking station port on the system controller. If the message disappears, the original docking station is faulty and should be replaced. If the message remains, continue to next step.

  5. Restart the system controller. If the message remains, the system controller is faulty and should be replaced.

Malfunctioning

The system controller is malfunctioning.

Try the following:

  • Restart the system controller.

If the message remains, replace the system controller.

Problems transferring recordings

There are problems when trying to transfer the recordings to the content destination.

  1. Try the following:

    • Check the network connection to the content destination.

    • Make sure you have enough licenses in your content destination.

    • Make sure no body worn camera users are missing in the content destination.

    • Make sure the date and time in the content destination is synchronized with that in the body worn system.

  2. After you have addressed any of the above issues, go to System controllers , click the system controller and click Retry transfer. Don’t restart the system controller.

If the message remains, download the recordings. See Retrieve recordings from system controller.

Recordings couldn’t be transferred

The recordings couldn’t be transferred to the content destination.

Download the recordings. See Retrieve recordings from system controller.

Storage almost full

The storage is almost full.

Try the following:

  • Make sure the content destination is up and running.

  • Check the network connection to the content destination.

  • Make sure recordings transfer normally to the content destination.

  • Make sure you have enough licenses in your content destination.

  • Make sure the date and time in the content destination is synchronized with that in the body worn system.

Storage full

The storage is full.

Unavailable

The system controller is unavailable.

Try the following:

  • Make sure the system controller is turned on.

  • Check the network connection to the system controller.

Download camera usage report

The camera usage report shows information about how each user has used their assigned camera for the past 30 days. This includes, for example, start and stop recording, undock and dock, power on and off, and audio mute.

To download the camera usage report in .csv-format:

  1. Go to Users.

  2. Open the context menu .

  3. Click Camera usage report.

  4. Click Download.

Monitor system controller storage

Monitoring system controller storage can help you identify potential file transfer error.

AXIS Body Worn manager displays Storage used and Storage reserved for each system controller.

Storage used
The storage in the system controller is used as a buffer when recordings are transferred from a camera to the content destination. A continuous high level of storage used may indicate transfer error.
Storage reserved
When a camera is docked it reserves the memory needed to offload its content to the system controller. When all files are transferred to the content destination, the reservation is removed. Any remaining storage reserved may indicate transfer error.

To view storage information go to System controllers, and open the system controller that you’re interested in.

Check how long a camera has been undocked

In AXIS Body Worn Manager, you can check how long a camera has been undocked. This can, for example, give you an indication that a camera is lost or needs a device software upgrade.

To check how long a camera has been undocked, go to Cameras, and click the camera that you’re interested in.

Get an overview of cameras with expired certificates

When a camera hasn’t been docked for 8–12 weeks, the certificate eventually expires and the camera enters safe mode. An expired certificate could indicate that the camera has been misplaced.

To list all cameras with expired certificates:

  1. Go to Cameras.

  2. Click Filter and select Undocked.

  3. The cameras with the alert Certificate expired are ordered based on how long they have been undocked.

To allow cameras with expired certificates back into the system, see Allow cameras back into the system.

Set up email notifications

You can set up the body worn system to notify you by email about the following events:

  • Connection to content destination is lost

  • Connection to extension system controller is lost

  • System controller storage is low

  • System backup synchronization failed

  • New AXIS OS version available

  • Connection to cloud extensions is lost

To turn on system notifications:

  1. Go to Cloud> Cloud extensions > Email notifications.

  2. Enter your email address.

  3. Click Set.

To stop receiving the notifications, remove the email address and click Set.

Note
  • The email notifications feature requires access to cloud extensions.
  • To send email notifications to more than one person, use a mailing list.

Maintain your system

Important

Always initiate all body worn system maintenance, such as resetting the system or removing a camera, from AXIS Body Worn Manager.

Change password

  1. Go to Settings > System > Accounts.

  2. Open the context menu of the account you want to change.

  3. Click Edit.

  4. Enter your current password and your new password. The current password is only required if you’re changing the root account.

  5. Click Save.

Add an account

To add an additional account for AXIS Body Worn Manager:

  1. Go to Settings > System > Accounts.

  2. Click Add account.

  3. Select a role. Administrators have full access to all settings. Viewers can’t change any settings.

  4. Enter a username and a password.

  5. Click Save.

Download system report

You can download a system report from your body worn system. Axis support uses the system report for troubleshooting.

  1. Go to Maintenance > System report.

  2. Click System report.

  3. Send the file to Axis support.

Note
  • A system report includes all system controllers, and the cameras that are, or have been docked in the system. The latest logs from a camera are included after it's docked.
  • A system report is generated the moment you download it, as well as automatically once every day. It’s stored in the system for seven days, and is then replaced by a new one.

Transfer a camera to another body worn system

To use a body worn camera in another system, you must first remove the camera from your current system. Then you can add the camera to the new system.

To transfer a camera to another body worn system:

  1. Remove the camera from your current system, see Remove a camera.

  2. Follow the instructions in Add cameras to add the camera in the new system.

Change connection file

If the connection to the content destination is lost, a possible solution is to replace the current connection file with a new one. The connection can get lost when the content destination gets a new IP address, or when certain configurations are changed in the content destination.

  1. Go to .

  2. Click under Configuration for your content destination.

  3. Upload the new connection file.

  4. Click Save.

Note

If you want to switch to a different content destination you need to reset the system, see Reset system.

Remove hardware from the system

Remove a camera

Note

You can remove a camera both docked and when it’s in use. If you choose to remove the camera when it’s in use, all content is transferred, and the camera is removed after it’s docked. When the content transfer is complete, the camera is reset to factory default with the latest uploaded device software.

To remove a camera from the body worn system:

  1. Go to Cameras.

  2. Open the camera you want to remove.

  3. Open the context menu and click Remove.

  4. Click Remove.

Important

Never remove body worn cameras from your content destination. Always use AXIS Body Worn Manager to remove cameras.

If the camera is lost or damaged beyond repair, see Force remove camera.

Force remove camera

You can force remove a camera from the body worn system if the camera is lost or damaged beyond repair. This option is available only when the camera is in state Undocked. To force remove a camera requires access to the highest security level in the body worn system, permitted using the Super admin passphrase. To force remove a camera:

  • Go to Cameras.

  • Open the camera you want to remove.

  • Open the context menu and click Remove.

  • Click Remove.

  • Enter the Super admin passphrase.

  • Click Force remove.

Remove an extension system controller

Note
  • Always remove the extension system controller from the system in AXIS Body Worn Manager before you physically disconnect it.
  • When you remove a system controller from the body worn system, all content is transferred to the content destination, and the system controller is reset to factory default settings.

To remove an extension system controller from the body worn system:

  1. Go to System controllers.

  2. Click the system controller you want to remove.

  3. Open the context menu and click Remove.

  4. Click Remove.

If the system controller is lost or damaged beyond repair, see Force remove extension system controller.

Force remove extension system controller
Important

You can never use a force removed extension system controller again.

You can force remove an extension system controller from the body worn system if it’s lost or damaged beyond repair. This option is available only when the extension system controller is in state Unavailable. Force removing an extension system controller requires access to the highest security level in the body worn system, permitted using the Super admin passphrase. To force remove an extension system controller:

  • Remove the extension system controller that you want to force remove, see Remove an extension system controller. If the extension system controller is in state Unavailable, it stays in the device list, but is grayed-out.

  • Open the extension system controller you want to force remove again.

  • Open the context menu and click Remove.

  • Enter the Super admin passphrase.

  • Click Force remove.

Replace system hardware

You can replace cameras and system controllers in the body worn system.

Replace a camera

  1. Dock the camera that you want to replace.

  2. Open AXIS Body Worn Manager and wait for the camera to stop offloading.

  3. Remove the camera from the system, see Remove a camera.

  4. Undock the camera.

  5. Add the new camera to the system, see Add cameras.

Replace extension system controller

To replace a system controller, that is part of the extended body worn system:

  1. Remove the old system controller, see Remove an extension system controller.

  2. Add the new system controller, see Add system controllers.

Replace system controller

If the system controller that you created the system on has failed, you may need to replace the system controller and restore the system, see Restore a system with a single system controller.

Reset system or hardware

You can reset cameras, system controllers, or the entire body worn system, to factory default settings.

Reset camera

To reset a camera to factory default settings, remove it from the body worn system, see Remove a camera.

Reset extension system controller

You can reset an extension system controller to factory default settings by removing it from the body worn system, see Remove an extension system controller.

If you can’t access the body worn system through AXIS Body Worn Manager, you can reset each extension system controller by accessing them separately:

  1. Access the extension system controller.

  2. Open the context menu .

  3. Click Reset system controller

Note

The backup extension system controller can’t be reset to factory default settings.

Reset system

Important
  • Never remove or reset the content destination before resetting the body worn system. Always reset the body worn system first. If you remove or reset the content destination first, recordings can remain on cameras or in the system controllers, preventing you from resetting the body worn system. This is a security feature ensuring that all evidence is uploaded to the content destination.
  • Never remove cameras or users in the content destination before they’re removed in AXIS Body Worn Manager.

To reset the entire body worn system to factory default settings:

  1. Remove all cameras, see Remove a camera.

  2. If possible, disable the corresponding cameras in the content destination.

  3. Remove all extension system controllers, see Remove an extension system controller.

  4. Go to Maintenance > System reset and click Reset system.

Remove paired equipment

  1. Go to Users.

  2. Click the user that you want to remove a pairing from.

  3. Locate the equipment that you want to remove, and open the context menu.

  4. Click Remove.

Note

When a pairing between a camera user and AXIS Body Worn Assistant is removed from the body worn system, it still remains in AXIS Body Worn Assistant. To replace the existing pairing in AXIS Body Worn Assistant, see Remove existing pairing.

Restore system

In the unlikely event that the system controller where you initially created the system malfunctions, you can restore the system. Restoring a system with more than one system controller is different from restoring a system with a single system controller:

More than one system controller
Lets you restore the system, including all users, camera profiles, camera assignment, and system settings. When you restore the system from a backup saved on an extension system controller, that controller becomes the system controller where you access AXIS Body Worn Manager. The system restore takes about the same amount of time that it takes to restart the system. For information on how to restore the system, see Restore a system with more than one system controller.
Single system controller
Lets you replace the system controller, and reestablish the connection between the body worn system and the existing cameras. To restore the system, you need your latest System restore key, see Download System restore key. For information on how to restore the system, see Restore a system with a single system controller.

Restore a system with more than one system controller

Axis body worn system backup and restore

To be able to restore the body worn system, you must have configured the system backup first. For instructions, see Configure the system backup.

To restore the body worn system:

  1. Access the extension system controller containing the system backup (enter the IP address of the system controller in a web browser).

  2. Open the context menu .

  3. Click Restore system.

  4. Enter the Super admin passphrase.

  5. Click Restore.

  6. Reestablish the connection between the restored system and the existing extension system controllers:

    1. Reset all extension system controllers, see Reset extension system controller.

    2. Configure all extension system controllers, see Extend the system.

  7. Reestablish the connection between the body worn system and the existing cameras. see Allow cameras back into the system.

Important

Remember to re-configure the backup when the system restore is done. The previous backup system controller is now where you access AXIS Body Worn Manager. You also need to replace the malfunctioning system controller with a new one.

Restore a system with a single system controller

  1. Install a new system controller.

  2. Access the new system controller, see Access AXIS Body Worn Manager for the first time.

  3. Click Restore.

  4. Create an administrator account and click Next.

  5. Log in using your administrator account credentials. Your username is root.

  6. Install the latest device software and click Next.

  7. Click Select System restore key, then locate and open your previously downloaded System restore key.

  8. Enter your Super admin passphrase and click Next.

  9. Finish the system setup.

  10. Allow cameras back into the system.

Important
  • Restoring a system with only one system controller means reestablishing the connection between the body worn system and the existing cameras. It doesn’t restore system configurations, such as users, camera profiles, content destination, etc.
  • You can only restore a system if you have the System restore key. You may not be able to download a System restore key if the system has failed. We recommend that you download the System restore key during the initial system setup, and store it in a secure location.
Download System restore key

There are two ways to download the System restore key:

  • The System restore key is generated and downloaded during the system setup.

  • You can also download a System restore key at any time in AXIS Body Worn Manager

To download the System restore key in AXIS Body Worn Manager:

  1. Go to Maintenance > System restore key.

  2. Click System restore key.

  3. Enter the Super admin passphrase that you created in the system setup.

  4. Click Download and store the System restore key in a secure location.

Important
  • The System restore key is passphrase protected.
  • Always store the System restore key and the Super admin passphrase in a secure way.

Allow cameras back into the system

For security reasons, a camera that is undocked for eight weeks enters safe mode.

You can allow a camera, that is in safe mode, back into the system. This requires access to the highest security level in the body worn system, permitted using the Super admin passphrase.

To allow a camera to reestablish the connection to the body worn system:

  1. Go to Dashboard .

  2. Open the camera with alert In safe mode.

  3. If there is more than one camera in safe mode, select the cameras you want to allow.

  4. Click Next.

  5. Enter the Super admin passphrase.

  6. Click Allow cameras.

Recover recordings from a broken camera

If a camera gets broken or destroyed but the internal storage is undamaged, you can recover the recordings using a card reader and another camera of the same model.

Important

If the broken camera is an AXIS W110 or if you need help to recover your recordings, contact Axis support.

Prerequisites:

  • A replacement camera of the same model as the one that is broken. If the replacement camera is already added to the system, you need to unassign and remove it from the system before you start.

  • A USB microSD card reader, for example SanDisk® MobileMate® USB 3.0 microSD™ card reader.

  1. Force remove the broken camera from the body worn system. See Force remove camera.

  2. Use a T6 screwdriver to open the broken camera.

  3. Remove the rubber stopper in front of the SD card holder. Then pull the holder slightly forward, lift up, and carefully remove the microSD card from the broken camera.

  4. Dock the replacement camera in a docking station connected to the body worn system.

  5. Insert the microSD card into the card reader.

  6. Insert the card reader into the USB connector of the system controller where the replacement camera is docked.

    Recover only one microSD card at a time on the same system controller.

  7. Go to Cameras and click Recover.

  8. Select the broken camera’s serial number from the list and click Next.

  9. Select the replacement camera and click Recover.

  10. Enter the Super admin passphrase and click Confirm.

The replacement camera enters Recovering state. It can remain in this state for up to 30 minutes. The camera then reboots and starts to upload the recordings to the content destination. When the process is complete, you can assign a user to the camera, which is ready for use.

Important

If you need to repeat the procedure, remove the card reader from the system controller first.

Retrieve recordings from system controller

Content destinations normally accept recordings from camera users and cameras that have been removed from the content destination. But if this isn’t supported, and you remove users or cameras in the content destination instead of in AXIS Body Worn Manager, recordings might not be transferred from the system controller. If this happens, you can download the recordings that weren’t transferred to a USB storage device.

Note
  • To download recordings to a USB storage device requires access to the highest security level in the body worn system, permitted using the Super admin passphrase.
  • The USB storage device must be formatted with the exFAT file system. It must contain only the exFAT partition and no other partitions or file systems.
  • The USB connector can supply maximum 500 mA.

To download recordings:

  1. Go to System controllers.

  2. Open the affected system controller.

  3. Click Download recordings.

  4. Insert a USB storage device formatted with the exFAT file system into the affected system controller.

  5. Enter your Super admin passphrase.

  6. Enter an encryption passphrase for the recordings.

  7. Click Download.

Note

We recommend that you use 7-Zip, which supports AES-256 encrypted archives, to extract the downloaded recordings. Your default zip application might not support archives from the body worn system.

Adjust date and time

All body worn cameras in the body worn system get the same date and time as the system. By default, the date and time is synchronized with an NTP server provided by DHCP.

Important
  • We recommend that you synchronize the system’s date and time with an NTP server, since it ensures an accurate system time.
  • The time and time zone of your body worn system must always match the time and time zone of the content destination.
  • If the time set in the body worn system is incorrect, time difference could prevent the GPS from providing location data in the recording.
  • A correct system time is critical when using recordings as evidence material.

To change the date and time settings:

  1. Open AXIS Body Worn Manager

  2. Go to Settings > System > Date and time.

Device software

AXIS OS is the operating system for Axis edge devices, including AXIS Body Worn Manager.

We support different AXIS OS tracks for the body worn system. This lets you choose the track best suited for your system, whether you want all the latest features from the Latest (active) track, or you prioritize stability from the Long-term support (LTS) track. Through assisted device software upgrade you get notifications whenever there’s a new version on the track that you’ve chosen.

Note

To use the assisted device software upgrade, you must first turn on cloud extensions, see Cloud extensions.

To choose an AXIS OS track, go to > Device software and click Change track.

For recommendations on the most suitable track for your system, see AXIS OS lifecycle management.

Upgrade device software

The body worn system detects new device software versions when they are released. A notification appears in AXIS Body Worn Manager.

Note

Automatic detection of new device software versions requires cloud extensions and that the system has access to *.bodyworn.axis.cloud.

To install the latest device software version:

  1. Go to > Device software.

  2. Click Upgrade.

If you don’t have cloud extensions, or if you want to specify another device software version instead of the latest:

  1. Go to > Device software.

  2. Click Choose file to select a device software file on your computer.

  3. Click Upload and install.

A device software upgrade takes effect immediately. All system controllers in the system are upgraded. When the upgrade is done, the system restarts. Cameras that are in use are upgraded the next time they are docked.

Note

You can download device software at axis.com.

Downgrade device software

Note

Downgrading to an earlier device software version than the one currently installed requires a system reset.

To downgrade the body worn system to an earlier device software version:

  1. Reset system.

  2. Create a new body worn system and install the device software version you want to use.

Device software version report

The device software version report shows the current device software version for all cameras and system controllers that belong to the body worn system right now. You can choose to also get information about previous versions for all devices, including those that are no longer part of the system. This provides traceability and a historical overview of the system. It makes it possible for system administrators to keep track of the status of a device throughout its lifetime.

You can download the device software version report under > Device software.

System controller

The system controller is the central integration and management point of the body worn solution. It controls that evidence is transferred from the body worn camera to the content destination in a secure way.

Note

The system controller is not a storage device. The storage in the system controller is used as a buffer when content is transferred from a camera to the content destination. The body worn system only works when it’s connected to a content destination, where the recordings are stored.

Product overview

Number

Name

Description

1

Status LED

Green: The system controller is ready to use.

Amber: Storage warning. Less than 8% storage left.

Red: General warning. Connection with content destination failed, or storage error.

2

Power button

See Daily use.

3

Storage LED

Green: Standby

Flashing green: Accessing storage

Red: Storage error

4

USB connector
  1. Power connector
  2. Docking station ports (from left to right: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
  3. Network connector

Daily use

I want to...

Action

Information

Turn on the system controller

Press the power button.

The status LED turns amber. The status LED turns green when the system controller is ready for use.

Turn off the system controller

Press and hold the power button until the status LED turns amber.

Shut down begins when the status LED turns amber. The system controller is off when the status LED turns off.

Restart an extension system controller remotely

  1. Go to System controllers.

  2. Open the extension system controller you want to restart.

  3. Open the context menu.

  4. Click Restart.

Restarting a system controller stops all ongoing processes, and makes it temporarily inaccessible.

Axis body worn cameras

For information about daily use and troubleshooting of body worn cameras, see the user manual for each camera model:

Find information about a camera

  1. Go to Cameras.

  2. Open the camera you’re looking for.

  3. The Overview tab shows general information about the camera, for example:

    • Assigned user: the user who is assigned to the camera if the system uses fixed camera assignment.

    • Serial number: the camera’s serial number.

    • IMEI: International Mobile Equipment Identity number.

    • SIM card: information about PIN. If the SIM card is locked you can enter the PIN to unlock it.

    • State: the camera’s current state. If the camera is docked, you see at which system controller it’s docked. If the camera is undocked, you see how long it’s been undocked.

  4. Click Battery health to show information related to the camera’s battery.

AXIS Body Worn Assistant

AXIS Body Worn Assistant is a mobile application that lets you:

  • view recorded video

  • view live video

  • view location data for a recording

  • categorize and add description to recorded video if supported by your content destination

  • check the battery and storage levels of the body worn camera

  • access user help, including the Daily Use Guide

  • view bookmarks

You can download AXIS Body Worn Assistant for Android and iOS, on Google Play and App Store, respectively.

Note
  • You can’t save recorded video to your mobile device.
  • The visual watermark in the image is only visible when you view video in AXIS Body Worn Assistant. The purpose of the visual watermark is to prevent anyone from spreading video without the possibility to trace its origin.
  • You can view the recordings in AXIS Body Worn Assistant up until the moment you dock the camera. After docking, the system controller transfers the recordings to the content destination and empties the camera.

Pair a camera user with AXIS Body Worn Assistant

To start using AXIS Body Worn Assistant, you have to pair the camera user with AXIS Body Worn Assistant. You generate a QR Code® and a PIN code in AXIS Body Worn Manager, and scan and enter them in AXIS Body Worn Assistant. This results in a secure pairing.

AXIS Body Worn Manager offers two ways to pair a camera user with a mobile device:

Local pairing
You have access to the body worn user's camera and mobile device.
Remote pairing
You don't have access to the body worn user's camera and mobile device. The camera user receives a pairing request per email.
Note

To complete the pairing, the camera to pair must be assigned to the camera user.

  1. Go to Users.

  2. Click the user you want to pair with the mobile device.

  3. Click to start pairing.

  4. In the AXIS Body Worn Assistant option, click Pair.

  5. Select Local pairing or Remote pairing and click Next.

  6. If you have already paired the mobile device with one or more users:

    1. In AXIS Body Worn Assistant, tap More.

    2. Tap Paired users.

    3. Tap .

  7. Follow the on-screen instructions in AXIS Body Worn Manager and in AXIS Body Worn Assistant.

Note
  • The QR Code® and the PIN code are valid for 24 hours. You can find them by clicking the user in AXIS Body Worn Manager, open the context menu for the paired equipment, and click Details.
  • You must enter the PIN code in AXIS Body Worn Assistant within 5 minutes after you undock the body worn camera.
  • You can pair a mobile device with several camera users.
  • AXIS Body Worn Assistant is paired with the camera users. This means that you can connect any camera to AXIS Body Worn Assistant, once the camera is assigned to the paired user.
  • The pairing expires if AXIS Body Worn Assistant isn’t connected to the camera for eight weeks. To reconnect, remove the old pairing and then create a new one according to the instructions in this section.

Remove existing pairing

  1. Remove the existing pairing in AXIS Body Worn Manager, see Remove paired equipment.

  2. Open AXIS Body Worn Assistant and tap More.

  3. Tap Paired users.

  4. Tap the user you want to remove the pairing for.

  5. Tap Delete.

  6. Confirm that you want to remove the existing pairing.

Connect AXIS Body Worn Assistant to a body worn camera

Note

Before you connect AXIS Body Worn Assistant to your body worn camera for the first time, the body worn system administrator must pair your camera user with AXIS Body Worn Assistant on the mobile device.

  1. Open AXIS Body Worn Assistant on your mobile device.

  2. If your mobile device is paired with more than one camera user, select the user to connect to from the list.

  3. Tap Connect.

  4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

AXIS Body Worn Assistant user guide

I want to...

Action needed

Skip one frame forward or backward

Double-tap the right side of the video to go one frame forward. Double-tap the left side of the video to go one frame backward.

Watch recorded video in slow motion

Press and hold anywhere on the video.

Watch recorded video

Open Recordings. To view new recordings you may need to swipe down to refresh the view.

Watch live video from the camera

Open Live view.

Check the battery and storage levels of the camera

Open Camera.

Add a category to a recorded video

Open the video you want to categorize. Select one of the predefined categories. See Category and notes for more information.

Add notes to a recorded video

Open the video you want to add notes to. Add your notes. The notes are saved when you leave the Information view. See Category and notes for more information.

Category and notes

Categories and notes contain additional information about a recording. This information can for instance help investigators or evidence management systems when building a case, or when managing files. You can add a category and notes to a recording using AXIS Body Worn Assistant, while the recording is on the camera.

Note

These features are available if supported by your content destination.

Bookmarks

You can create bookmarks in a recording making it easier to find the most relevant information later. The bookmarks are shown on the timeline in AXIS Body Worn Assistant video player where you can skip back and forth between them. Bookmarks are a part of the recording’s metadata which means that they can also be used in a similar way in the content destination.

To create a bookmark you just press the recording button on the body worn camera once while recording.

Note

This feature is available if supported by your content destination.

AXIS Body Worn TV Dashboard

AXIS Body Worn TV Dashboard is an Android TV app that shows real-time status of the cameras in the body worn system. Install the app on a TV in the room where camera users pick up and return their cameras, to give them relevant and straightforward information. The app shows:

  • Docked and undocked cameras.

  • Camera battery level.

  • Cameras with errors or warnings.

  • How long a camera has been undocked.

Note

You can’t see the battery level for AXIS W100 Body Worn Cameras.

You can customize the app to, for example, show or hide user names, show warnings for cameras that have been undocked for longer than a work shift, or highlight when cameras change state between docked and undocked.

Requirements

  • A user account with viewer role for logging into the app. To create an account, see Add an account.

  • An Android TV device.

  • Internet access to download the app. Updates also require internet access. Internet access isn’t required to run the app.

  • To run the app, the TV device must be on the same network as the system controller.

Troubleshooting

Technical issues, clues, and solutions

IssueCauseSolution
GeneralCan’t remove camera.An extension system controller has been disconnected physically from the system before it was removed in AXIS Body Worn Manager. This prevents the system from verifying the transfer status.To make sure that all content has been transferred to the content destination, remove the extension system controller in AXIS Body Worn Manager before you remove it from the system physically. Then you can remove the camera.
Camera status is In safe mode.If a camera is undocked for eight weeks, for security reasons, it enters safe mode.See Allow cameras back into the system.
Camera is not discovered by the system and doesn’t appear in AXIS Body Worn Manager.The docking station is connected to the system controller through a router or switch.Enable IPv6 on the network.
Docking stationDocking station LED doesn't turn on.The docking station doesn't have power.Connect the docking station to the power supply. Docking stations can't be powered by PoE.​

Camera doesn’t charge.

The camera isn’t docked properly, or there is something wrong with the docking station.

  1. Try the following in the stated order:
  2. Undock and dock the camera properly.

  3. Clean the connectors on the camera and the pogo pins in the docking bay. For instructions, see Cleaning in the camera’s user manual at help.axis.com..

  4. Dock the camera in another docking bay, where other cameras don’t have this problem. If the camera starts to charge or offload files, the original docking bay is faulty and the docking station should be replaced.

Camera doesn’t offload files.

System controllerCan't find system controller in AXIS IP Utility​.You are using an old version of AXIS IP Utility.Upgrade to AXIS IP Utility version ​4.14 or later.
System controller is turned off.Connect the system controller to the power supply.
System controller is not connected correctly to the network.Connect the system controller to the network.
Permanently lost connection to extension system controller.Extension system controller hasn’t been connected to the system for over eight weeks resulting in expired certificates.Contact Axis support.
Content destinationRecordings don't appear in content destination.Content destination is unavailable.Check the content destination status on the Dashboard in AXIS Body Worn Manager.
Many simultaneous offloads affect transfer speed.Open the device in AXIS Body Worn Manager to check the transfer status. Wait for recordings to be transferred. Transfer status history is displayed for three days after the transfer is complete.
Camera was undocked before the transfer of the recording was completed.Open the device in AXIS Body Worn Manager to check the transfer status. Dock the camera and wait for all recordings to be transferred. Transfer status history is displayed for three days after the transfer is complete.
The time in the body worn system doesn't match the time of the content destination.Make sure that the body worn system and the content destination have matching time.

The connection between the camera and the docking station is bad. The camera is docked incorrectly. The docking connectors are dirty or worn out.

Make sure all connectors are clean, see Cleaning in the camera’s user manual at help.axis.com.

Out of licenses.Check licenses and buy additional licenses if needed.
Recordings have the wrong resolution.The image resolution setting in AXIS Body Worn Manager is wrong.Go to the camera profile in AXIS Body Worn Manager and set the correct image resolution.
Recording is deleted.Retention time of the content destination is short. For example: If the retention time on the content destination is 7 days, and the recording on the camera is 8 days old when docking, then the recording will be deleted when it reaches the content destination.Change the retention time on the content destination to a higher value.
Recording is transferred from camera to system controller, but not from the system controller to the content destination.The camera has been removed from the content destination.Rename the user that the camera is assigned to, and restart the system controller.
Content destinations normally accept recordings from camera users and cameras that have been removed from the content destination. But if this isn’t supported, and you remove users or cameras in the content destination instead of in AXIS Body Worn Manager, recordings might not be transferred from the system controller.See Retrieve recordings from system controller.
The time in the body worn system doesn't match the time of the content destination.Make sure that the body worn system and the content destination have matching time.
It took too long to offload the recordings from the camera to the system controller because the connection between the camera and the docking station is bad. The camera is docked incorrectly. The docking connectors are dirty or worn out. The pogo pins in the docking bay are dirty or worn out.Make sure all connectors are clean, see Cleaning in the camera’s user manual at help.axis.com.
Connection between the body worn system and the content destination is lost.Certain configurations, such as the IP address of the content destination were changed.Change connection file
AXIS Body Worn AssistantCan’t complete pairing.The wireless range between the mobile device and the body worn camera is limited.Keep the mobile device and the body worn camera closer together.
Can’t connect to body worn camera.
Can’t use Live view.
Can't see the full user ID in the visual watermark.Only the first 12 characters of the user ID are shown in the visual watermark.If the user ID is longer than 12 characters, we recommend including the most unique part of it first.
Can’t connect to body worn camera.The pairing is expired, or removed from the body worn system.Contact the system administrator and request a new pairing. Once you receive the information needed, open the app and follow the instructions in Remove existing pairing.
RFID readerThe LED on the reader doesn’t turn green when connecting it to the system controller.You are using an RFID reader that is not supported by the body worn system.Use External RFID Card Reader 125kHz + 13.56MHz with NFC (USB).

No camera is assigned to the user when they tap the RFID tag on the reader (using self-assign).

  • There can be different reasons:
  • The user is already assigned to an undocked camera.

  • There is currently no camera ready for use. A camera is ready for use when it has enough storage and battery, and it has the same AXIS OS version as the rest of the system.

  • The RFID tag isn’t registered in the system.

  • Dock the assigned camera.

  • Wait until a camera is ready for use.

  • Register the RFID tag in the system.

VideoNo location data in text overlay.Location data is turned off.Turn on Location data in the camera profile.
No GPS signal at the start of the recording.-
No user ID in text overlay.The camera user has no user ID.Add a user ID to the camera user.
Prebuffer video is not complete. Prebuffer time is shorter than configured in AXIS Body Worn Manager.

Recording started directly after the camera was turned on, or directly after the previous recording was ended.

Recording started directly after the previous recording was ended.

When you use the maximum resolution 1080p in very complex scenes with a lot of movement, or in low light, the prebuffer memory can get full.

Image looks foggy.

The lens is dirty.

Clean the lens, see Cleaning in the camera’s user manual at help.axis.com

The protective film is still on the lens window.

Remove the protective film.

No audio in recordings.

Audio is turned off in the camera profile.

Make sure audio is turned on in the camera profile in AXIS Body Worn Manager​.

Not recording location data.

The time it takes to receive the first GPS position after starting the camera depends on the outdoor environment. For example, tall buildings and humidity in the atmosphere can increase the time it takes to get the first GPS position.

Location data is turned off in the camera profile.

Go to the camera profile and turn on Location data. See Camera profile settings.

The body worn system time is wrong.

Set a correct system time. See Adjust date and time.

Holster sensorRecording doesn’t start when unholstering.The holster sensor is not connected to the camera.When you connect the camera to the holster sensor, make sure that it is in the camera’s range within 10 minutes after you undock the camera. Under normal circumstances the range is 5–10 m (16–33 ft).
The holster sensor is uncalibrated.Calibrate the holster sensor. See the Yardarm support page for information.
Holster sensor doesn’t pair or connect to camera.The Holster Aware Setup mobile application is connected to the holster sensor.Close the Holster Aware Setup mobile application and restart the pairing process.

General troubleshooting steps

If you’re not sure what’s causing the problem with your body worn system, one of the following actions may help:

Camera

  1. Restart the body worn camera.

    • If the camera is docked, undock the camera and dock it again.

    • If the camera is undocked, use the power button to turn it off, and then turn it back on again.

  2. Upgrade the body worn camera with the latest device software version, see Upgrade device software.

  3. Dock the camera and remove it from the system through AXIS Body Worn Manager. This resets the camera to factory default. Add the camera to the system again. See Reset camera.

System controller

  1. Restart the system controller, see System controller. Logs and recordings remain intact on the system controller storage during the restart.

  2. Upgrade the system controller with the latest device software version, see Upgrade device software.

  3. Reset the extension system controller to factory default (this doesn’t apply to the system controller that the body worn system was initially created on), using one of the following methods:

    • We recommend that you reset the extension system controller from AXIS Body Worn Manager, see Reset extension system controller.

    • When the above method is not possible, access the extension system controller and click Reset system controller.

  4. Reset the body worn system to factory default settings, see Reset system.

Also see Monitor system controller storage and Check how long a camera has been undocked for more help on how to identify potential problems.

Need more help?

Contact support

If you need more help, go to axis.com/support.

Sharing data with Axis

We collect anonymous data on how users interact with our products and how our products perform. This way we can improve our products and the user experience. We don’t collect any personal data. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for details.

To change your privacy settings, go to Settings > System > Privacy.