Proxim Wireless Video Surveillance software  (3)

James Twigg is the Managing Director of Total Integrated Solutions (TIS), an independent life safety, security and communication systems integrator, specializing in design & consultancy, technology and regulatory compliance. Total Integrated Solutions work primarily with retirement villages, helping to ensure the safety of residents in numerous retirement villages across the country. In this opinion piece, James shares how smart technology is helping security teams and care staff alike in ensuring the safety and security of their spaces, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Impact of smart technology Smart technology is having an impact on pretty much every aspect of our lives Smart technology is having an impact on pretty much every aspect of our lives. From how we travel, to how we work, to how we run our homes. It’s not unusual to have Alexa waking us up and ordering our groceries or Nest to be regulating the temperature and energy in our homes. And while there’s a popular misconception that people in their later years are allergic to technology, retirement villages and care homes are experiencing significant innovation too. And the result is not only improved quality of life for residents, but also improved safety and security systems for management teams. Switching to converged IP systems I’ve been working in the life safety and security industry for over fifteen years. When I first joined TIS, much of the sector was still very analog, in terms of the technology being installed and maintained. Slowly but surely, we’ve been consulting and advising customers on how to design, install and maintain converged IP systems that all talk to each other and work in tandem. I'm excited to say retirement villages are some of the top spaces leading the way, in terms of technological advancement. Improving the quality of life for residents A move into a retirement village can be daunting and one of the key concerns that we hear about is the loss of independence. No one wants to feel like they are being monitored or to have someone constantly hovering over them. One of the ways we’ve used smart technology to maintain residents' independence is through devices, such as health monitors and motion sensors. For example, instead of having a member of staff check-in on residents every morning, to ensure they are well, sensors and analytics can automatically detect changes in routine and alert staff to possible problems. Similarly, wearable tech, such as smart watches give residents a chance to let staff know they are okay, without having to tell them face-to-face. As our retirement village customers have told us, a simple ‘I’m okay’ command can be the difference between someone feeling independent versus someone feeling monitored. Simplifying and improving security systems Smart technology gives care staff and security oversight of the needs of residents For the teams responsible for the safety of the people, places and spaces within retirement villages, smart technology is helping to improve and simplify their jobs. Smart technology gives care staff and security oversight of the needs of residents, and ensures rapid response if notified by an emergency alert, ensuring they know the exact location of the resident in need. And without the need to go and physically check-in on every resident, staff and management can ensure staff time is being used effectively. Resources can be distributed where they are needed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those residents who need extra consideration. 24/7 surveillance When planning the safety and security for retirement villages, and other residential spaces, it’s no use having traditional systems that only work effectively for 12 hours a day or need to update during the evening. Surveillance needs to be 24/7 and smart technology allows that without the physical intrusion into people’s spaces and daily lives. Smart technology ensures that systems speak to each other and are easily and effectively managed on one integrated system. This includes video surveillance, which has also become much more effective as a result of advanced video analytics, which automatically warn staff of suspicious behavior. Securing spaces amid COVID-19 This year has, of course, brought new challenges for safety. COVID-19 hit the retirement and residential care sectors hard, first with the initial wave of infections in mid-2020 and then, with the subsequent loneliness caused by the necessary separation of families. As essential workers, we worked closely with our customers to make sure they had everything they needed As essential workers, we worked closely with our customers to make sure they had everything they needed during this time, equipping residents with tablet devices to ensure they could stay connected with their families and friends. It allowed residents to keep in touch without risking transferring the virus. Thermal cameras and mask detection And now that we’re emerging out of COVID-19 restrictions and most residents can see their families again, we’re installing systems like thermal cameras and mask detection, so as to ensure that security will be alerted to anyone in the space experiencing a high temperature or not wearing proper PPE. Such steps give staff and families alike, the peace-of-mind that operational teams will be alerted at the earliest possible moment, should a COVID-19 risk appear. Thinking ahead to the next fifteen years, I’m excited at the prospect of further technological advancements in this space. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about how complex your security system is or how you compete in the industry. It’s about helping teams to protect the people, spaces and places that matter. I see smart technology playing a huge role in that for years to come.

As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes and sporting venues open-up to full capacity, a new disturbing trend has hit the headlines - poor fan behavior. Five NBA teams have issued indefinite bans on fans, who crossed the line of unacceptable behavior, during the NBA playoffs. Major League Baseball stadiums have a recurring problem with divisive political banners being strewn over walls, as part of an organized campaign, requiring fan ejections. There was a brawl between Clippers and Suns fans after Game 1 of their playoff series. And, the U.S. vs. Mexico Nations League soccer game over the Fourth of July weekend had to be halted, due to fans throwing objects at players and screaming offensive chants. Cracking down on poor fan behavior Security directors are consistently reporting a disturbing uptick in poor fan attitude and behavior With players across all major sports leagues commanding more power than ever before, they are demanding that sports venues crack down on poor fan behavior, particularly when they are the targets of that behavior. Whether it’s an extension of the social-media divisiveness that’s gripped society, or people unleashing pent up negative energy, following 15 months of social isolation, during the COVID-19 global pandemic, security directors are consistently reporting a disturbing uptick in poor fan attitude and behavior. They’re also reporting a chronic security guard shortage, like many businesses that rely on relatively low-cost labor, finding candidates to fill open positions has been incredibly difficult. Low police morale To add the third component to this perfect storm, many police departments are struggling with morale issues and officers are less likely to put themselves into positions, where they could wind up in a viral video. According to the Police Executive Research Forum, police officer retirements in the U.S. were up 45% in the April 2020 - April 2021 period, when compared to the previous year. Resignations were up 18%. In this environment, officers may be less likely to undertake fan intervention unless it’s absolutely necessary. This can seem like the worst of times for venue security directors, as they need more staff to handle increasingly unruly patrons, but that staff simply isn’t available. And, because the security guard staffing industry is a commoditized business, companies compete almost solely on price, which requires that they keep salaries as low as possible, which perpetuates the lack of interest in people participating in the profession. Digital Transformation There is only one way out of this conundrum and that is to make security personnel more efficient and effective. Other industries have solved similar staffing and cost challenges through digital transformation. For example, only a small percentage of the total population of restaurants in the U.S. used to offer home delivery, due to cost and staffing challenges of hiring dedicated delivery personnel. Advent of digital efficiency tools But with the advent of digital efficiency tools, now virtually all restaurants can offer delivery But with the advent of digital efficiency tools, such as UberEATS and DoorDash, now virtually all restaurants can offer delivery. Likewise, field-service personnel are digitally connected, so when new jobs arise, they can be notified and routed to the location. Compare this to the old paper-based days, when they wouldn’t know about any new jobs until they picked up their work schedule at the office, the next day and you can see how digital transformation makes each worker significantly more efficient. Security guards and manned guarding The security guard business has never undergone this kind of digital transformation. The state-of-the-art ‘technology’ has never changed - human eyes and ears. Yes, there are video cameras all over stadiums and other venues, but behind the scenes is a guard staring at a bunch of monitors, hoping to identify incidents that need attention. Meanwhile, there are other guards stationed around the stadium, spending most of their time watching people who are doing nothing wrong. Think about all the wasted time involved with these activities – not to mention the relentless boredom and ‘alert fatigue’ from false-positive incident reporting and you understand the fundamental inefficiencies of this labor-based approach to security. Now think about a world where there’s ubiquitous video surveillance and guards are automatically and pre-emptively notified and briefed, when situations arise. The fundamental nature of the security guards profession changes. Instead of being low paid ‘watchers’, they instead become digitally-empowered preventers. AI-based screening and monitoring technology This world is happening today, through Artificial Intelligence-based screening and monitoring technology. AI-powered weapons-detection gateways inform guards, when a patron entering the venue is carrying a gun, knife or other forbidden item. Instead of patting down every patron with metal in their pockets, which has been the standard practise since walk-through metal detectors were mandated by sports leagues following 9/11, guards can now target only those who are carrying these specific items. Video surveillance and AI-based analytics integration Combining surveillance video with AI-based advanced analytics can automatically identify fan disturbances Combining surveillance video with AI-based advanced analytics can automatically identify fan disturbances or other operational issues, and notify guards in real time, eliminating the need to have large numbers of guards monitoring video feeds and patrons. The business benefits of digitally transformed guards are compelling. A National Hockey League security director says he used to have 300 guards manning 100 walk-through metal detectors. By moving to AI solutions, he can significantly reduce the number of scanning portals and guards, and most importantly redeploy and gain further operational efficiencies with his overall operational strategy. Changing staffing strategy This changes the staffing strategy significantly and elevates the roles of guards. Suddenly, a US$ 20-per-hour ‘job’ becomes a US$ 40-per-hour profession, with guards transformed into digital knowledge workers delivering better outcomes with digitally enabled staffs. Beyond that, these digitally transformed guards can spend a much higher percentage of their time focused on tasks that impact the fan experience – whether it’s keeping weapons out of the building, pro-actively dealing with unruly fans before a broader disruption occurs, or managing business operations that positively impact fan patron experience. Digitally transforming security guards Perhaps most important, digitally transforming security guards elevates the profession to a more strategic level, which means better pay for the guards, better service for clients of guard services, and an overall better experience for fans. That’s a perfect storm of goodness for everyone.

Prices and delivery times for essential components in video surveillance systems are being driven up as demand soars from other industries. Secure Logiq’s Robin Hughes explains the current state of the market. Challenges Component shortages and supply chain challenges are a hot topic in just about every industry based on semi-conductors and silicon chips right now, and security is no exception. It’s common knowledge that the global Covid lockdown caused a shutdown in the mining of silicon and spherites as large industries such as motor manufacturing canceled or postponed their chip orders – this has caused a supply gap that every industry is feeling. However, there is a second challenge that is hitting the security sector particularly hard, and it may not be one you are expecting – cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies and security When people discuss cryptocurrencies and security, thoughts often turn to cybersecurity and ransomware payment tracking. But the issue for the majority of the security industry comes from crypto mining. When it comes to cryptocurrencies, GPUs are intrinsic for ‘proof of work’ mining GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) are a key component in video surveillance, they decode images and display them onto screens. With the increase of video analytics, these have also become key to running the complicated algorithms required for creating the metadata and presenting it in a meaningful way for end-users. However, when it comes to cryptocurrencies, GPUs are intrinsic for ‘proof of work’ mining. Demand for GPUs When Bitcoin prices were relatively low, it was hard to justify the cost of a GPU and the associated power consumption for Bitcoin mining applications. But as the price of Bitcoin has increased exponentially, demand for GPUs to do the number-crunching has grown dramatically causing a major shortage and huge price hikes. This rise in prices is not correlated with an increase in technological performance on the new GPUs, it is entirely a case of demand outstripping supply and a resulting bidding war. To put this in context, cards are currently going new for around twice the original price and manufacturers simply cannot keep up with the demand. Chia On top of this, there is a new cryptocurrency creating a new threat to a different part of the video surveillance industry. A new ‘environmental’ cryptocurrency called Chia has dispensed with the processing power and electricity demands of traditional GPU mining, instead of utilizing the spare storage space on hard drives (HDD) to verify blockchain transactions (‘proof of space’). The demand for this particular cryptocurrency has to date called on 30 Exabytes of storage since May this year – that’s 30 Billion Gigabytes of data, and it’s not just HDDs, high-capacity SSDs are also in demand. This is causing massive hard drive supply issues globally, thus rocketing prices for those that are available. HDD consumption The security industry sits comfortably in the ‘Big data’ category and with storage retention times running from 30 days to 6 months Of course, this has a particularly large knock-on for the video surveillance market. There is nothing more data-intensive than video, other than multiple streams of HD video. With this in mind, the security industry sits comfortably in the ‘Big data’ category and with storage retention times running from 30 days typically up to 6 months and longer in some regions/applications, the video surveillance market consumes more HDDs than many other markets. Growth of data centers While you would think that this would make security an important area for HDD manufacturers, our market is a relatively small player. IT vendors will always focus on their core customers, and the rise of the gaming market, as well as the growth of data centers due to remote working in the pandemic, has created a more important sector to serve – and these customers will always come first. Imagine the daily storage space required if 5 Billion people uploaded just one image a day to ‘the cloud’! Component manufacturers These factors combined with the lack of raw materials leading to longer lead times for component manufacturers mean that the prices for hard drives and GPUs are likely to remain inflated well into 2022 while factories play catch up on the backlog. The market for IT hardware is currently strong enough to continue even with the increase in component prices and the extended lead times for products. If you can get your hands on any HDDs, the delivery times from most distributors are around 6-8 weeks. Increased delivery times All of this has had a serious impact on the security industry. Video surveillance projects are now facing the combined issue of increased delivery times and higher costs. Many manufacturers, integrators, and distributors are doing their best to absorb the price increases where they can, but this is unsustainable over the long term. So what can be done? Second-hand applications Some people are getting more creative by purchasing from the second-hand market Some people are getting more creative by purchasing from the second-hand market. However, it is unlikely that commercial applications will be willing to risk potential downtime or data losses by using second-hand components that have been pushed hard for months on end mining cryptocurrencies. Making early purchases While I can’t comment on what other manufacturers have done, at Secure Logiq we have been watching this market trend closely. We always try to keep a close eye on anything that has the potential to significantly impact our manufacturing capabilities and try to offset any potential challenges with early purchases before the impact is fully felt. As such, we have been able to secure enough products to continue manufacturing as normal for more than six months. Increased demand as a challenge While we have this existing stock to meet current and anticipated orders, we continue to scour the market for any available stock to make sure we are at the top of the list when any fresh products come on the market. This has meant that throughout our 10-year history we have never failed to deliver a customer order within 7-10 working days. The delays with component manufacture and the ongoing increased demand will continue to present a huge challenge to the video surveillance and wider security industry. However, good planning and intelligent design will allow projects to remain on track. Security technology manufacturers are not alone in this challenge, but the dual-threat is perhaps unique. It will take a while for this threat to be overcome, but with robust planning and by paying close attention to the market forward-thinking video surveillance manufacturers can still deliver projects for their clients.

Offered at a price that continues to push the cost/performance metric, the Tsunami 10100L is a leader in the carrier class wireless infrastructure market in $/bit Proxim Wireless Corporation, a provider of point to point (PtP) and point to multipoint (PtMP) wireless systems and advanced Wi-Fi, announced the worldwide availability of its Tsunami 10100L series supporting up to 400Mbps data rate and upgradeable to 866Mbps. Carrier Class Wireless Infrastructure With the Tsunami 10100L product line, Proxim continues to offer more for less. Operating at 256QAM in a 40Mhz channel, combined with our WORP protocol, means end users will see 300Mbps of useable data in a 40MHz channel. Offered at a price that continues to push the cost/performance metric, the Tsunami 10100L is a leader in the carrier class wireless infrastructure market in $/bit. Proxim Clear Connect The 10100L is based on the same hardware platform as the Tsunami 10100 series, meaning customers get the features they have come to expect from Proxim – a rugged IP67 design, PoE out, Proxim Clear Connect, Fast Connect and more. The 10100L series includes several product variants including– BSU, SUA, SUR, and QBs. This provides customers with a wide variety of applications and deployment options across the series. In addition, as always with Proxim products, Proxim maintains two generations of backwards compatibility Software Upgrade And Interoperate Capabilities With the ability to software upgrade the 10100L to a full 10100 series, customers can “pay as they grow” by deploying the less expensive 10100L product, and upgrading to the full 866Mbps capacity when needed for a small upgrade fee. In addition, as always with Proxim products, Proxim maintains two generations of backwards compatibility. This means the 10100L, as well as the 10100, can interoperate with the Tsunami 800 and 8200 series products. Mixed networks are supported allowing existing networks to add the additional capacity supported by the 10k series when needed, or to start with a 10100 BSU and deploy the lower capacity, more cost effective 800 series products as subscriber units. High Performance Solutions “The Tsunami 10100L has been designed for markets that are looking for carrier class communications but with moderate bandwidth requirements. This series makes our high performance solutions now more affordable with no compromises on quality” said Greg Marzullo, CEO and President, Proxim Wireless.

With the new LKL version a 28 dBi high gain integrated antenna allows links in excess of 35 km to be deployed with a low-profile, integrated solution Proxim Wireless Corporation announced a long range version of its carrier class Tsunami QuickBridge® backhaul product - the new Tsunami® QB-10150-LKL. With the newly introduced LKL version, a 28 dBi high gain integrated antenna allows links in excess of 35 km to be deployed with a low-profile, integrated solution. Shorter range connections will also benefit from the higher modulation rates and resulting higher data rates enabled by this powerful product over competitive products with lower antenna gain. Features The LKL version continues to support key features that have made the QB 10100 series successful such as: High Capacity - this product supports a useable throughput of 650 Mbps Frequency Agile - customers can select a wide frequency range from 5.15 to 5.85 GHz in a single model Carrier Class - Supporting standard Telco temperature ranges from -40 to +60 C, and contained in an IP67 rated enclosure these products are made to last in the most harsh environments. In addition the QB-10150-LKL supports IEEE 1588 pass through and Jumbo Frames, which are common carrier requirements. New Simply Powerful GUI - The QB-10150-LKL sports the newly released "Simply Powerful GUI" that is present in all 10100 products. RF Robustness - The QB-10150-LKL, like all Proxim Tsunami radio products implements Proxim ClearConnect™ ensuring the radio is able to withstand all but the most hostile RF environments. WORP® - Proxim's proprietary WORP software provides efficiency and QoS over the link allowing multiple traffic streams with varying QoS needs to be bundled into one link. Ideal For Small Cell Backhaul With high bandwidth, QoS, and RF robustness and now long range coverage, the QB-10150-LKL is ideal for small cell backhaul, video security backhaul, and enterprise connectivity applications. "The release of the QB-10150-LKL PtP product represents Proxim's continued leadership in delivering what customers need in this market - highly cost effective PtP links with an extended range for those challenging deployments," said Greg Marzullo, President and CEO of Proxim Wireless. "With a greater than 35 km range, the LKL product will enable simple, rapid installation of carrier class, high-capacity PTP links our customers demand."

Proxim Wireless Corporation, a pioneer and global leader in advanced Wi-Fi, point to point (PtP), and point to multipoint (PtMP) wireless systems, is introducing the carrier-class, very high capacity Tsunami Quickbridge® 10100 series of products. Tsunami Quickbridge Delivers Industry-Leading 73% Efficiency The QB-10100 series represents Proxim’s highest speed PTP products, supporting up to 633 Mbps of data throughput. The useable throughput is achieved with a mere 866 Mbps of RF data rate, delivering an industry-leading 73% efficiency. With the recent release of the QB-835 at the low end of the PTP portfolio, with throughputs as low as 25 Mbps, Proxim has expanded its PTP offerings dramatically. Supporting 80 MHz channels, the QB-10100 benefits from Proxim ClearConnect™ and Proxim’s advanced built-in spectrum analyser providing customers the best possible chance of finding a useable 80 MHz channel. As with all Tsunami products, the QB-10100 products are powered by WORP®, Proxim’s proprietary software suite, delivering not only 75% efficiencies but also advanced QoS support for mixed traffic to provide proper prioritisation to the voice, video, and other data traffic. IP67-Rated Outdoor Enclosure As the highest capacity product in Proxim’s QuickBridge portfolio, the QB-10100 units come in a carrier-class ruggedised outdoor enclosure, with an IP67 rating, and are able to operate in the harshest environments with a -40 to 60 °C temperature range. Carrier-class construction coupled with the high power radio and 2x2 MIMO make these products ideal for near line-of-sight and long range connections. With the high bandwidth, QoS and RF robustness the QB-10100 products are ideal for small cell backhaul, video surveillance backhaul, enterprise connectivity and video surveillance applications. “The QB-10100 series of PTP products continues Proxim’s leadership in this market, providing over half a gigabit of useable bandwidth,” said Greg Marzullo, President and CEO of Proxim Wireless. “Our customers rely on our quality, durability and reliability, and the QB-10100 continues that tradition while delivering exceptional throughput.”