Article Details
  • Published Online:
    February  2026
  • Product Name:
    The IUP Journal of Telecommunications
  • Product Type:
    Article
  • Product Code:
    IJTC030226
  • DOI:
    10.71329/IUPJTC/2026.18.2.62-81
  • Author Name:
    Saurav Chaudhari
  • Availability:
    YES
  • Subject/Domain:
    Engineering
  • Download Format:
    PDF
  • Pages:
    62-81
Volume 18, Issue 1 & 2, January-March & April-June 2026
Beyond Cameras: An Economic and Privacy Analysis of Wi-Fi CSI-Based Security Systems for Smart Buildings
Abstract

The paper develops an integrated economic and risk-modeling framework that decomposes the total cost of ownership of camera-centric and Channel State Information (CSI)-centric security systems and couples it with annualized-loss-expectancy risk modeling and discounted-cash-flow valuation. The framework is applied to three stylized but representative case studies—mid-size office, 150-bed elderly-care facility, and 40-property real-estate portfolio—and is stress-tested through sensitivity, break-even, and scenario analysis over the most uncertain parameters. The results indicate that CSI-centric and hybrid configurations reduce lifecycle security cost by roughly 55-80% and improve net present value in most scenarios, with the largest gains where Wi-Fi coverage already exists and regulatory exposure to visual data is high. The findings give property managers, security architects, and regulators a transparent basis for evaluating privacy-preserving sensing, while underscoring the need for empirical field validation.

Introduction

Physical security in the built environment has, for decades, been organized around visual surveillance: closed-circuit television (CCTV), network (IP) cameras, and, more recently, video analytics and facial recognition. Cameras deliver strong forensic evidence and intuitive situational awareness, and they remain the default sensing modality for offices, retail, healthcare, and multifamily residential assets. However, the same properties that make cameras useful—high-resolution, identifiable imagery retained over long periods—also make them costly to own and legally-sensitive to operate.