South Africa News

Jeff Burgess’ career has spanned nearly 40 years in various segments of the computer industry, getting his start as a company shipper and working his way up to Vice President of Sales seven years later, within that same organization. He founded Burgess Computer Decisions, Inc., (BCD) in 1999, building high-availability servers for Fortune 500 companies. Burgess has been married for 33 years to Joanne, and has three children, one daughter-in-law, and two dogs. How did you come to work in t...

Dahua Technology, a solutions provider in the global video surveillance industry, presented “AI Creates Value” during the International Security Conference and Expo (ISC West) to security professionals on Wednesday afternoon. Keynote speech Dahua President Ke Li opened the keynote speech by expressing gratitude to all guests as well as to Dahua’s global network of partners and customers. James Wang, deputy general manager of Dahua overseas business, and Adam Burns, general ma...

More crowded aisles and productive conversations continued to set the tone on the second day of ISC West in Las Vegas. No big technology breakthroughs have surfaced, but there is plenty of interest, and some degree of curiosity, about whether (and when) the recent hype about artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning will translate into usable products. Vertical Market Solutions “Yesterday we saw a tremendous amount of traffic in the booth, and today is more of the same,” said...

Small business owners work hard. They are often the first ones there in the morning and the last to leave at night. Even then, they likely bring their work home with them. During that time, everything they do is aimed at making their business as successful as possible. Because of this, many business owners don’t take vacations, and if they do, they spend a lot of time worrying about their business while they’re away. In both cases, the potential for burnout is tremendously high. Th...

ISC West in Las Vegas kicked off with a bang on Wednesday, reflecting a healthy physical security industry with an overall upbeat outlook on the future. Driving the optimism is a pending new wave of product innovation, propelled largely by developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning. Some of that new wave is evident at ISC West, but much of the talk still centers on what’s to come. Attendees flocked to the first day of the show to check out the newest technologies, and t...

HID Global®, a worldwide provider in trusted identity solutions, announced that the company’s iCLASS SE® RB25F fingerprint reader is a winner in the Security Industry Association (SIA) New Product Showcase (NPS) program, announced annually during the ISC West Conference. Recognized in the user authentication, identification, credentialing and management category, HID Global’s fingerprint reader is designed to help fuel broad adoption of biometrics at the door through its comb...

As ISC West opens today in Las Vegas, many companies will be introducing new products. But the announcements today from Arecont Vision will have a larger impact, and they involve much more than new products. In fact, the megapixel camera company is staking a claim to a broader slice of the market, and expanding its go-to-market strategy in the process. “The industry has changed, and the amount of competition out there today is significantly different and more pervasive,” says Raul C...

The residential/smart home market is undergoing revolutionary transformation, with a flood of new products and technologies helping to make our homes more connected, easier to manage and, yes, smarter. These massive steps forward provide challenges, and also opportunities, for the security industry, which has played a major role in protecting homes and residents for decades. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How are changes in the residential/smart home market impacting securit...

The President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, led a delegation from Zimbabwe to visit Dahua Technology headquarters. Dahua Technology Chairman, Fu Liquan, as well as Dahua Technology VP, General Manager of Dahua Overseas Business, Michael Chen warmly received their guests. Invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Mnangagwa engaged in his first foreign affairs visit to a country outside of Africa since taking office in November 2017. Zimbabwe is an important birthplace of civilization...

A few friends from the security industry will gather this April to see, hear and touch the latest technologies to make the world a safer place. Actually, more than a few: there will be more than 30,000 security professionals gathering at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas April 11-13 for the International Security Conference and Exposition, usually known as ISC West. Many of the attendees will be returning to what has become a yearly ritual. The site, the players, the pace and even atmosphere of ISC...

Mike Taylor has been involved in security industry sales for more than 20 years, on the front line of industry changes and watching how they impact customers. Among the changes is a shift in the nature of the sales function itself. As Director of Sales, Americas, for Milestone Systems, Mike Taylor currently oversees a team that brings to market the full suite of Milestone open platform solutions. We sat down at Milestone Community Days (MIPS) earlier this year to discuss the technologies and tr...

President Trump has recently proposed a series of tariffs that could disrupt global trade and impact the global physical security market, among many others. He first proposed tariffs targeting aluminum and steel imports; in effect, the proposal would place a 25 percent tax on steel and a 10 percent tax on aluminum entering the United States. Rising Prices, Rising Tariffs The resulting higher prices of imported aluminum and steel could raise the costs of a range of goods manufactured in the Uni...

Despite the huge amount of video data collected, statistics show that only 10 percent of data is ever used and most loses its value within seconds of being generated. Why use such a limited amount of data? Many security organizations are focused on delivering the right information in case of an emergency or providing the correct evidence after a criminal act. Yet the fact is, a new video security system can be a large investment. Together with the service, maintenance and management costs assoc...

The challenge for a National Retail Banking Franchise was a problem with intruders cutting a hole in the roof during work hours when the security system deactivated. The intruders would come back the next morning when the security systems were deactivated from the night time security schedule to gain entrance to the facility and steal assets. With hundreds of facilities across the United States, this was a real challenge to overcome because each facility had varying security systems. The buildi...

Banks and financial institutions have more complex and diverse requirements for video surveillance technology than most other organizations. From corporate buildings, to branch offices, data centers, ATMs and cash depots. Several European Banks benefit from using Mirasys Video Management Software (VMS), which provides high privacy protection and robust technology. Networking the video management system of the bank’s branch offices provides users a single logical system that can be us...

A big trade show, such as the upcoming ISC West, has a lot to offer for attendees. How can attendees maximize the value they get out of ISC West? For advice, we go to our Expert Panel Roundtable, all seasoned veterans of many big trade shows. Specifically, we asked the panel: How can attendees get the most out of a big trade show like ISC West?

Until recently, the convenience and security of “smart” electronic locks have been exclusively enjoyed by owners of homes, with renters largely being left out in the cold. Locked out by the temporary nature of their living arrangement, and not allowed to make structural changes to their temporary abodes, these renters have been unable to enjoy the many benefits of these connected devices. But today, smart lock capabilities are becoming available to renters and rental property owners...

At the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, Userful, a provider of video wall software, has launched Userful Cloud, a powerful solution giving customers complete centralized remote control and automation of their video walls. One can now manage a multi-location deployment as a single system. Userful’s new cloud management allows remote operators to take control of the keyboard and mouse of that video wall just using their browser. They can also centrally manage content, schedule preset chan...

When asked about what the market should be thinking about in 2018, I am left offering an answer that serves as an urgent call to action: Prepare yourself for change! The security industry is soon likely to see a dramatic shift from the traditional segmentation of commercial and residential security. Smart phones, mobile technologies, cloud computing, and having everything provided ‘as a service’ in peoples’ lives means users of buildings have a new set of expectations. In many...

The year 2017 saw some of the worst natural disasters in North America, with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma wreaking havoc on Houston, Texas, and the Caribbean with force of which we haven’t seen before. While many people chose to evacuate these areas, many were left to deal with the devastation and first responders had the difficult job of assessing the damage, rescuing trapped victims and delivering food and supplies. AI-Enabled Drones And Robotics To Assess Damage In addition, more than 1...

The term ‘marine’ comes from the Latin mare, meaning sea or ocean, and marine habitats can be divided into two categories: coastal and open ocean. Video surveillance (VS) applications can cover both types of marine environment with system for ships, maritime ports, onshore and offshore installations, etc. We should want to further analyze VS for ships and try to explain the types of ships on which it can be used, the ways in which VS can be used on ships, the typical certificat...

Open architecture in physical access control is built around Mercury Security’s access control panels, the de facto standard embraced by more than two dozen access control original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Mercury and several of its OEMs teamed up March 3-4 to present MercTech4, a conference in Miami aimed at updating security consultants about the latest developments related to the Mercury platform. MercTech4 highlighted a new generation of access control products, which are incre...

Video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) is not just for commercial organisations. Federal, state and local governments can also realize benefits from the technology—and use it to deliver an integrated video surveillance system that addresses some of their unique security needs. Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) What is VSaaS? Simply stated, it’s a cloud-based video surveillance solution that is packaged and delivered as a service over the internet. The price varies depending...

Throughout the UK there are many examples of smart city transformation, with key industries including transport, energy, water and waste becoming increasingly ‘smart’. A smart city is a one that uses information and communication technologies to increase operational efficiency, share information with the public and improve both the quality of government services and resident welfare. Smart access is an important step forward in providing technologically advanced security manag...

Cloud computing has been around since the turn of the millennium. Over the years, the concept of storing and accessing programs over the Internet (instead of using an on-premises computer system) has grown in almost every realm of business. Some might say the physical security industry has come late to the party, delayed in some instances by (misguided?) concerns about cybersecurity of cloud systems. The bandwidth needed to transfer video to the cloud has also been a challenge. We asked this wee...

Advance Security Group believes Harriet, New Zealand’s first security robot, will change the security industry as the first employee, who never needs a holiday, doesn’t need sick days and can work 24 hours a day. Security robot - Harriet The security robot, Harriet is capable of seeing obstacles, recognizing license plates, uniforms and faces. Mike Marr of Advance Security Group, said “It won’t mean people lose their jobs but rather, offer up new opportunities. What it...

Most cities have at very least a plan and in most cases an existing program to make themselves safe cities. Increasingly, cities around the world are transitioning to become smart cities: urban areas where security solutions work in unison with other systems, extending the benefits of technology beyond security and into other city operations. While this transformation has yet to become a widespread the next crucial transition—from smart city to cognitive city—is already appearing o...

The large crowds that regularly flock to downtown Houston, Texas, known as GreenStreet, call for heightened security measures. However, the 570,000-square-foot mixed-use center needed to balance a high level of security while maintaining an open and inviting environment that accommodates numerous businesses, delivery drivers, service providers and others who need open access to the property.  With an eye towards improving both security and efficiency, the property’s owners decided it...

SMP Robotics announces that jointly with its US-Canada Master distributor company Robotics Assistance Device (RAD), carried out an deployment of autonomous security robot S5.1 on the territory of the logistics center in Nevada. The security robot S5.1 patrols the route along with the warehouses and parking lot with cargo trailers. The robot drives daily from 9 pm to 6 am, its task is to stop at specified points along the route and observe what is happening around. The length of the patrolled ro...

With a history dating back to the 1850s, the Sioux City Public Museum has evolved from its original focus on natural science to a broader emphasis on preserving the area’s heritage, offering a variety of educational programmes, events, and historical exhibitions valued at more than $2 million. Having outgrown its former location in a prominent Victorian-era mansion, the museum moved to a new downtown site in April 2011—a modern, open-concept building that has become known as one of t...