Mitsubishi Digital video recorders (DVRs)  (13)

Amongst the many negative consequences of the pandemic is a rise in violent and abusive behavior across society. Health workers have experienced it on a regular basis. So too have police officers and public transport workers. Unfortunately, violence and abuse towards shop workers is also endemic in British society. To address this problem which, in truth, has been on the rise since long before the emergence of COVID-19, we need better deterrents. The ability to prosecute these offenses is one such deterrent, but just as important is the ability to deescalate situations before they spill over into unacceptable or unlawful behavior. Major retail customers In both instances, organizations of all sizes are now recognizing that the answer could involve greater use of rapidly advancing body worn camera technology. Andy Marsh, the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, is one of the police officers responsible for introducing body worn cameras to the UK police force, where they are now in widespread use. Andy Marsh is one of the police officers responsible for introducing body worn cameras to the UK police force He explains that “The reason the majority of people don’t speed or drink-drive is that rational human beings weigh up the risk and consequences of breaking the law and getting caught. Body worn cameras help provide appropriate ‘desistance’, especially where there are forward-facing screens so the person interacting with the wearer can see themselves and their behavior.” Evidence shows that if a forward-facing camera is switched on before the intervention becomes hostile, it will generally lead to a de-escalation – as often as 90% of the time, according to one of our major retail customers. Digital evidence investigations Only a tiny handful of abusive incidents ever translate into arrests and prosecutions. A key issue is a lack of clear evidence – how to get past the usual impasse of one person’s word against the other. Body worn cameras break the deadlock and allow organizations to report incidents to the police with confidence, knowing that they will lead to action. Marsh suggests that “We usually see an earlier admission, an earlier guilty plea and a more appropriate sentence, where body worn camera footage is in play.” The technology has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. For example, it’s now possible to record high-definition footage on a lightweight device that’s barely the size of a palm. And it’s not just about the evidence organizations gather themselves. Many police forces are looking at ways to make it easier for businesses and the public to collaborate on digital evidence investigations. Body worn cameras This is good for the victims of crime because it means we get the evidence more quickly" “We’ve created an online crime portal in Avon and Somerset which people can use to pass digital evidence and material to us without an officer having to attend their premises. This is good for the victims of crime because it means we get the evidence more quickly and can take action more swiftly to resolve that issue,” adds Marsh. Our body worn cameras can now even support facial recognition thanks to new, smart AI on the devices themselves, which can scan and process faces within a three-meter distance against a pre-defined database of people (which we call a watchlist). Any matches trigger alerts or additional camera activity such as recording and streaming, while the facial recognition data of people not on the watchlist itself is not recorded or saved to assuage privacy concerns. Similar criminal behavior Where could this technology come in handy? Well, staff at gambling venues or in-store retail workers could undoubtedly benefit from the ability to quickly spot known fraudsters or addicts who have requested that venues refuse their custom. Stewards at mass sporting events could play a key role in helping to identify people who have been banned from attending. The primary reason for using body worn cameras is to increase the safety of frontline workers The primary reason for using body worn cameras is to increase the safety of frontline workers, deescalating confrontations and limiting the use of force. AI-powered facial recognition can also serve this purpose by helping them make better-informed choices about how to handle specific situations. For example, it is a massive advantage to police officers on the beat to understand that the person they are dealing with may have a history of similar criminal behavior. Facial recognition technology But it’s also an advantage within retail, where aggressive incidents are on the rise and staff need all the help they can get to determine what an appropriate response should be to a particular customer incident. In fact, extensive consultation with our retail, police, transport and gambling customers indicates that introducing facial recognition technology to body worn cameras could be instrumental, not just in helping to prevent crime, but in tracking down vulnerable and missing people too. Of course, facial recognition technology has to be balanced against the need to protect the privacy of ordinary citizens. Video recording using body worn cameras has to be done proportionately – the same is true for the use of facial recognition technology. The technology also has to be compliant with GDPR, Data Protection, the Information Commissioners recommendations and so on. Positive working environment Violent and abusive incidents affect everyone in the immediate vicinity and create a culture of fear Importantly, it should be for a specific, proportionate and justifiable reason which, of course, means it should never be used for indiscriminate mass surveillance. Every organization using this technology must remember that a facial recognition system match is not proof of someone’s identity, but rather, an indication of likelihood to help inform the user rather than dictate the course of action. Violent and abusive incidents affect everyone in the immediate vicinity and create a culture of fear and apprehension. This is why it’s so important to get on top of the problem – both on a societal and at an organizational level. Body worn cameras have a vital role to play, as an evidence-gathering tool and as a deterrent that empowers the wearer and creates a more positive working environment. Deterring unlawful behavior One of the critical roles these cameras play is in staff training, providing real-world video evidence that can be used to educate and upskill workers across a variety of industries. Society’s problem with abusive and violent behavior cannot be solved by technology alone. But with exceptional quality camera footage now a reality, and the possibility of AI technology at the device level in real-time, body worn cameras will only get better at deterring unlawful behavior and helping to protect hardworking frontline staff. Alasdair Field is CEO of video technology provider Reveal, which works with UK police forces and major brands such as Matalan, JD Sports and Boots to help them improve staff safety, deescalate confrontations and reduce violent and abusive incidents.

Human beings have a long-standing relationship with privacy and security. For centuries, we’ve locked our doors, held close our most precious possessions, and been wary of the threats posed by thieves. As time has gone on, our relationship with security has become more complicated as we’ve now got much more to be protective of. As technological advancements in security have got smarter and stronger, so have those looking to compromise it. Cybersecurity Cybersecurity, however, is still incredibly new to humans when we look at the long relationship that we have with security in general. As much as we understand the basics, such as keeping our passwords secure and storing data in safe places, our understanding of cybersecurity as a whole is complicated and so is our understanding of the threats that it protects against. However, the relationship between physical security and cybersecurity is often interlinked. Business leaders may find themselves weighing up the different risks to the physical security of their business. As a result, they implement CCTV into the office space, and alarms are placed on doors to help repel intruders. Importance of cybersecurity But what happens when the data that is collected from such security devices is also at risk of being stolen, and you don’t have to break through the front door of an office to get it? The answer is that your physical security can lose its power to keep your business safe if your cybersecurity is weak. As a result, cybersecurity is incredibly important to empower your physical security. We’ve seen the risks posed by cybersecurity hacks in recent news. Video security company Verkada recently suffered a security breach as malicious attackers obtained access to the contents of many of its live camera feeds, and a recent report by the UK government says two in five UK firms experienced cyberattacks in 2020. Cloud computing – The solution Cloud stores information in data centres located anywhere in the world, and is maintained by a third party Cloud computing offers a solution. The cloud stores your information in data centres located anywhere in the world and is maintained by a third party, such as Claranet. As the data sits on hosted servers, it’s easily accessible while not being at risk of being stolen through your physical device. Here’s why cloud computing can help to ensure that your physical security and the data it holds aren’t compromised. Cloud anxiety It’s completely normal to speculate whether your data is safe when it’s stored within a cloud infrastructure. As we are effectively outsourcing our security by storing our important files on servers we have no control over - and, in some cases, limited understanding of - it’s natural to worry about how vulnerable this is to cyber-attacks. The reality is, the data that you save on the cloud is likely to be a lot safer than that which you store on your device. Cyber hackers can try and trick you into clicking on links that deploy malware or pose as a help desk trying to fix your machine. As a result, they can access your device and if this is where you’re storing important security data, then it is vulnerable. Cloud service providers Cloud service providers offer security that is a lot stronger than the software in the personal computer Cloud service providers offer security that is a lot stronger than the software that is likely in place on your personal computer. Hyperscalers such as Microsoft and Amazon Web Service (AWS) are able to hire countless more security experts than any individual company - save the corporate behemoth - could afford. These major platform owners have culpability for thousands of customers on their cloud and are constantly working to enhance the security of their platforms. The security provided by cloud service providers such as Claranet is an extension of these capabilities. Cloud resistance Cloud servers are located in remote locations that workers don’t have access to. They are also encrypted, which is the process of converting information or data into code to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, cloud infrastructure providers like ourselves look to regularly update your security to protect against viruses and malware, leaving you free to get on with your work without any niggling worries about your data being at risk from hackers. Data centres Cloud providers provide sophisticated security measures and solutions in the form of firewalls and AI Additionally, cloud providers are also able to provide sophisticated security measures and solutions in the form of firewalls and artificial intelligence, as well as data redundancy, where the same piece of data is held within several separate data centres. This is effectively super-strong backup and recovery, meaning that if a server goes down, you can access your files from a backup server. Empowering physical security with cybersecurity By storing the data gathered by your physical security in the cloud, you're not just significantly reducing the risk of cyber-attacks, but also protecting it from physical threats such as damage in the event of a fire or flood. Rather than viewing your physical and cybersecurity as two different entities, treat them as part of one system: if one is compromised, the other is also at risk. They should work in tandem to keep your whole organization secure.

The sound of sirens in the distance is commonplace, nowadays. Whether related to a medical emergency or everyday crimes, such as theft, property crimes, and so on, we’re all accustomed to hearing these sirens by now. It is worth noting that many incidents that police respond to take place at night. According to a recent report by the Sleep Judge, more than half of murders, manslaughter, sexual assaults, robberies, aggravated assaults and motor vehicle thefts happen long after the sun has set. To anyone looking to address the round-the-clock security challenge, deploying the most comprehensive surveillance solution is a must, and this means, looking at the instrumental role illumination plays in video capture. Limitations of Traditional Video Surveillance If surveillance cameras can’t be used to prevent, detect and/or resolve crimes that occur in these areas, the entire security operation is obsolete For surveillance cameras relying on video analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver functionalities such as facial recognition, license plate reading and motion detection, nighttime crimes can pose something of a problem. Without adequate illumination, images from video cameras are grainy and unusable. Without proper lighting, potential criminals and moving objects essentially become indistinguishable, at night, thereby inhibiting even the most advanced security technologies. This limitation of traditional surveillance technology not only hinders immediate police response, but it also stops crime investigations dead in their tracks. Often, without video evidence that is clear and discernible, conviction in a court of law is next to impossible. A common response to this issue is to place security cameras near streetlights or well-lit areas. After all, according to NPR, street lights are effective in deterring crime,  as “there are people — neighbors, pedestrians or police — to actually see suspicious activity.” However, even if streetside and primary entrances are well lit, the areas that still need most to be surveilled are rear or side doorways shrouded by darkness, unlit back alleys, and so on. If surveillance cameras can’t be used to prevent, detect and resolve crimes that occur in these areas, the entire security operation is obsolete. Best-in-class security solutions must be able to see everything, day and night. A Purpose-Designed Solution to the Problem Addressing this issue is easier than you might think. Much like a human eye needs some sort of light to “see,” so does video surveillance technology. Integrating external illuminators into a security solution can optimize camera performance exponentially, expanding a camera’s video capture and coverage abilities and ensuring the operation of video analytics, day and night. Opting for an external illuminator allows system integrators to select a device that matches the exact emission range of a camera’s field of view (FOV). The result is an evenly lit visual field, where captured images are clear and effective for security purposes. The two most common options available to integrators include infrared (IR) and white light illuminators. Each technology is built to optimize particular deployments, depending on their needs. Infrared Versus White Light IR illuminators emit IR light, which is invisible to the human eye and perfect for covert surveillance operations. When cameras need to be able to detect potential threats over long distances, IR illuminators are perfect for the job as they typically have longer emission ranges. IR illuminators are optimal for surveillance operations in license plate recognition, border patrol, safe cities, theme park, and medical sleep lab applications. If an end user needs to implement full-color video analytics for identification purposes, such as facial, object and license plate recognition, white light illuminators are undoubtedly an integrator’s best bet. IR illumination and traditional thermal security cameras, after all, are only able to provide black-and-white images, whereas object recognition software often identifies objects based on their color. White light illuminators installed alongside AI-powered surveillance cameras enable enhanced video image clarity, which, optimizes video analytics performance. When customers want to physically deter suspicious activity, deploying white light illuminators is effective. A recent study out of Crime Labs New York found that businesses that deployed visible lights to deter crime “experienced crime rates that were significantly lower,” which “led to a 36 percent reduction in ‘index crimes’”. On top of all this, LED based white lights operate at low running costs and typically have long lifespans, saving end users thousands of dollars a year in energy costs without having to sacrifice surveillance optimization. External Versus Built-In Illumination Security customers looking to use lighting to deter crime and improve the performance of video surveillance may consider “all-in-one" solutions, as some cameras have LEDs (light emitting diodes) built into them. These LEDs typically encircle the lens and therefore shed light in whatever direction the camera is pointed. However convenient these may seem, built-in illumination can cause problems.Cameras deployed without proper illumination are rendered blind, especially at night First, LEDs built into cameras and next to other electronic components often cause heat to build up, which attracts insects that can trigger motion detection and obstruct a camera’s view. This heat buildup also shortens the LED lights lifespan. Built-in LEDs also tend to create “hot spots” with glare and reflection back into the camera, often because these lights only cover a 30-degree field of view (FOV), even though the average camera’s FOV is 90 degrees. This issue can severely limit a camera’s visibility, essentially rendering those remaining 60 degrees dark and unusable. All in all, when integrating lighting solutions into your security deployment, a cost-effective solution that enhances a camera’s video capture and coverage abilities, are external illuminators because they offer flexible choices of field of view and distances. Best-in-Class Solution When it comes to criminal conviction in a court of law, “seeing really is believing.” Cameras deployed without proper illumination are rendered blind, especially at night, just as any security officer would be when patrolling the same unlit area. To guarantee end users the most reliable and highest performing security solution, consider integrating best-in-class illumination into your offerings.

Radiflow, a renowned provider of cybersecurity solutions for industrial automation networks, announced significant growth in revenues and bookings following the launch of new products in 2020 and continued international expansion. “Although last year has been a challenge for many vendors due to the impact of the global pandemic reducing overall IT spending, the OT cybersecurity space has been relatively unaffected and Radiflow has experienced its best year to date,” explains Ilan Barda, CEO of Radiflow. cybersecurity space “Our critical national infrastructure (CNI) business continued its consistent growth, but the biggest growth has been within manufacturing - an area that had traditionally been less active in the cybersecurity space and has been prompted to strengthen its defences following a number of high-profile breaches during 2019/20 - today, nearly one third of our revenues come from manufacturing.” Radiflow recorded a 2x increase in sales as compared to the previous year and a 3x increase in bookings Radiflow recorded a 2x increase in sales during 2020 compared to the previous year and a 3x increase in bookings building a strong basis to continue its growth in 2021. Regionally, Europe has been the fastest growing sales territory for Radiflow including new customers in power, oil & gas and manufacturing. In parallel 2020 did also see major deals in North America and Asia Pacific including new US power utilities and national water and transportation operators in APAC. Critical business operations As of December 2020, Radiflow industrial cybersecurity solutions for critical business operations have been successfully deployed in over 5,000 sites by major utilities and industrial enterprises worldwide. Radiflow has also grown its team and partner community to meet international expansion. A major highlight is the creation of a new sales team to cover Western Europe led by the appointment of 2 new sales directors: Jesper Nilsson, Sales Director, who brings extensive experience in cybersecurity including his last role in CyberX and Katrin Rabe, Channel Director, who worked in large multi-national industrial automation vendors such as GE. Risk modeling and management On a commercial level, Radiflow expanded its network of partners especially with tier-1 system integrators that can serve the new tier-1 customers and provide the suite of services around Radiflow products. For example, Radiflow announced a collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric UK to address the needs of IEC62443 cybersecurity standards in the Critical Infrastructure and Industrial Automation markets. Radiflow will be announcing additional such partnerships with global system integrators during the first half of 2021. Part of the surge in sales in 2020 and increased pipeline for 2021 is due to the launch of Radiflow CIARA, a new platform offering Cyber Industrial Automated Risk Analysis (CIARA) to deliver emerging best practice around risk modeling and management using the ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards. Assets data collection CIARA uses automatic data-driven algorithms as a response to the growing digitisation of the production floor CIARA is the first fully automated tool for assets data collection, data-driven analysis and transparent risk metrics calculation, including risk scoring per zone and business process based on business impact. The unique platform uses automatic data-driven algorithms as a response to the growing digitization of the production floor. “CIARA delivered a number of industry firsts and addressed a significant sector wide need to streamline previously complex and time-consuming risk assessment processes,” explains Barda. “It not only solves an immediate tactical issue, but has also helped us to expand the conversation with our clients to the wider Radiflow portfolio which has led to significant sales growth.” Industrial automation networks On the technology research side, Radiflow has engaged in several joint projects including with the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation to apply advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence to cybersecurity for industrial automation networks. Radiflow was also part of a project with the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) around Cybersecurity for Distributed Energy Resources. “Our goal for 2021 is to capitalize further on the foundation we have built during the previous year,” says Barda. “We have introduced unique technologies combined with a growing partner community and the next phase is to expand our geographic reach to meet the untapped opportunity - especially in Europe.” Barda concludes.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced that the company is poised to launch a new series of silicon-carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), the N-series of 1200V SiC-MOSFETs in a TO-247-4 (4-terminal) package, which achieves 30% less switching loss compared to the existing TO-247-3 package products. N-series 1200V SiC-MOSFETs The new 4-terminal N-series 1200V SiC-MOSFETs will help to reduce the power consumption and physical size of power supply systems that require high-voltage conversion, such as electric vehicle (EV) on-board chargers and photovoltaic power systems. Sample shipments will start in November 2020. Product features include: Four-pin package helps reduce power consumption and physical size of power-supply systems - SiC-MOSFET chip with good figure of merit (FOM3) of 1,450mΩ-nC and high self-turn-on tolerance is mounted on TO-247-4 package, which is equipped with independent driver source terminal as well as conventional 3-pin package. Adopts four-pin package to reduce parasitic inductance, a problem in high-speed switching - Eliminating gate-source voltage drops due to current variations helps to reduce switching loss by approximately 30% compared with TO-247-3 products. Using a higher carrier frequency to drive the new power semiconductors helps to reduce switching-power loss, enabling smaller and simpler cooling systems, as well as smaller reactors and other peripheral components, thereby helping to reduce the power consumption and physical size of overall power-supply systems. Six models for diverse applications, including AEC-Q101 compliant models - New lineup includes models compatible with Automotive Electronics Council's AEC-Q101 standards for use not only in industrial applications, e.g. photovoltaic systems, but also EV applications. Creepage distance (shortest distance over the surface between two conductive parts) between drain terminal and source terminal made wider than in TO-247-3 package products for more flexible application, including in outdoor installations where dust and dirt easily accumulate.

Mitsubishi Electric will launch the latest version of its high-end LCD video wall system at ISE 2020. The LM55P4 is the latest iteration of Mitsubishi Electric’s flagship 55” professional-grade LCD monitor, which has been successfully employed in a wide variety of mission-critical control room installations around the world. The LM55P4 offers a significantly improved visual experience when used in video wall applications thanks to the greatly reduced bezel width compared to earlier versions. At just 0.44mm, the obtrusive gaps between individual LCD tiles are virtually eliminated to create a near-seamless display. LM55P4 provides an attractive, high-specification and cost-effective alternative to DLP video walls where installation space is limited. Designed and built in Japan to the same exacting standards as its DLP rear projection systems, the LM55P4 is aimed at the most demanding applications where long-term reliability and low maintenance are key considerations. Built-in dynamic brightness controls The LM55P4 offers Full HD (1920x1080 pixel) performance and is rated for 100,000 hours operation. High brightness and contrast, together with an anti-glare screen surface makes it an excellent choice for small control rooms, breakout suites or meeting rooms. Built-in dynamic brightness controls ensure screens are always perfectly colour-balanced and tiling compensation ensures accurate screen geometry is maintained. LM55P4 is equipped with an OPS slot for extended functionality and features DisplayPort (1.2a), HDMI (HDR supported), DVID (with HDCP) and analog video inputs. Monitors can be daisy-chained together via DisplayPort to create simple video wall applications with no external controller required. Visitors to ISE 2020 will be able to see the new LM55P4 along with an extensive range of rear projection and flat panel displays, including a new 1.25mm direct view LED screen designed specifically for control room use.