Artificial intelligence (AI)

Mikrotron, globally renowned groundbreaking high-speed machine vision systems provider, announced that it will introduce a suite of new cameras at the SPIE Photonics West, taking place from February 5-7, 2019, in San Francisco, CA, at the Moscone Center. SPIE Photonics West is the world's largest photonics technologies event, consisting of three conferences and two world-class exhibitions. Mikrotron will be in booth #5672. "At SPIE Photonics West, we look forward to engaging with system integrators and OEMs to showcase how Mikrotron continues to bring to market the world's most advanced imaging solutions at lower cost with 100% reliability," said Mike Scholz, Strategical Marketing Manager at Mikrotron. "As a premier imaging event, we have chosen SPIE Photonics West to launch three breakthrough cameras that are certain to grab the attention of machine vision professionals." EoSens 1.1CXP2 Camera Taking center stage for Mikrotron will be its EoSens 1.1CXP2 camera based on the new, faster CoaXPress V2.0 interfaceTaking center stage for Mikrotron will be its EoSens 1.1CXP2 camera based on the new, faster CoaXPress V2.0 interface. Capable of delivering up to 3,600 fps at 1.1-megapixel resolution, the camera transmits approximately 30 Gbit/s over 4 channels with 12 Gbit/s each, making it the ideal imaging solution for demanding applications including ball grid inspection, robotics, microscopy, PIV measurements and melt pool monitoring, among others. It is contained in a rugged metal housing that measures a mere 80mm x 80mm x 53mm with an advanced feature set highlighted by gamma and FPN correction, noise reduction, sequencer and GPID for unmatched performance. In addition, its extreme sensitivity of 20V/lux@550nm achieves high-contrast, detailed images in industrial areas where lighting is limited. EoSens FIBER Megapixel Cameras With fiber-based cameras finding their way into applications requiring extended cable lengths and resistance to EMI, Mikrotron plans to showcase its new EoSens 3FIBER (3MP) and EoSens 4FIBER (4MP) cameras at SPIE Photonics West. Equipped with fiber optical interfaces, both cameras allow for fast transmission up to 300 meters (985 feet) to offer a cost-effective solution for applications with high interference potential or longer transmission distances. EoSens FIBER cameras are relatively inexpensive due to reduced cable prices per meter"An exclusive benefit of the new cameras is a compact and robust MTP/MPO fiber connector that ensures that they do not disconnect even during the fast or sudden movements often experienced in industrial, transportation, military or surveillance environments. "Compared to the cost of copper-based solutions, EoSens FIBER cameras are relatively inexpensive due to reduced cable prices per meter and because the fiber interface is integrated into the frame grabber and the camera," noted Scholz. "This solution is especially cost-effective where several cameras are needed to operate synchronously over long distances." EoSens Quad 1.1 Recording Camera Boasting mechanical shock resistance of 100g, the next-generation EoSens Quad 1.1 high-speed recording camera from Mikrotron is designed to operate in intense shock and vibration environments, for example, automotive crash testing and manufacturing troubleshooting. The Quad 1.1 has a 14.9μm 10-bit pixel resulting in high sensitivity for both mono and color models. Two analog and four digital I/O inputs enable recording video and sensor data in total sync. The new camera is available in both C-Mount and Nikon FG-Mount giving users more lens choices. VisualMARC, the included control and player software, has all basic and extended functions required to set up Quad 1.1 cameras for recording and exporting videos.

Pivot3, a provider of intelligent infrastructure solutions, announces that it has named Rance Poehler as vice president of global sales and chief revenue officer. In this role, Poehler will be responsible for Pivot3’s global sales organization and executing on the company’s growth strategy and talent acquisition. Poehler joins Pivot3 from Dell Technologies where he served as vice president of worldwide sales for its cloud client computing team, an $800 million line of business that represents a full suite of cloud and desktop virtualisation solutions. Mission-Critical Environments At Toshiba and IBM, Poehler held progressively senior roles selling into corporate data centers During his tenure as president of Panasonic System Communications Company, he led a $1.1 billion business-to-business North American division, delivering integrated Internet of Things solutions that helped Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies achieve competitive advantage and improve outcomes in mission-critical environments. At Toshiba and IBM, Poehler held progressively senior roles selling into corporate data centers. “Rance has extensive experience building and expanding medium- and large-scale B2B organizations while creating a culture that motivates team members to contribute to their potential,” said Ron Nash, CEO at Pivot3. Positive Impact “He has consistently delivered margin and market share growth in complex organizations. We are thrilled to add this level of talent to our already strong group of sales leaders as we continue to create a formidable and highly experienced enterprise sales organization at Pivot3. Rance knows our segments and our technology so he’ll have an immediate positive impact.” I am thrilled to work with Pivot3’s world-class sales organisation" With more than 25 years of experience addressing cloud computing, security, Internet of Things (IoT) and video surveillance solutions in unique vertical markets and with a broad ecosystem of partners, Poehler has managed sales and marketing, engineering and technology development and overall business operations. Truly Intelligent Platform As leader of global sales for Pivot3, he will build on the momentum of regional sales and channel teams, both in the U.S. and internationally, and will direct and execute growth strategies across Pivot3’s federal and global major accounts teams. “Organizations are looking for solutions that automate the exploding complexity and reduce the costs of delivering IT business services, from the core, the cloud and to the edge. Pivot3 has developed a truly intelligent platform that helps enterprises navigate those challenges with solutions that are secure, resilient and manageable at enterprise scale,” said Poehler. “I am thrilled to work with Pivot3’s world-class sales organization to help further our innovation, market growth and customer success.”

Milestone Systems, the pioneer in open platform IP video management software, will host its annual industry event in the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions. Milestone Systems invites partners, customers and influencers to explore how disrupting innovation and blending human and machine intelligence is rapidly pushing the limits of the video technology industry. During MIPS 2019, Milestone Systems will take a deep dive into how the power of the platform economy is a game-changer for players building intelligent solutions in the video technology and security industry. Innovating And Building Intelligent Solutions Milestone Systems is making it easier to access, combine and integrate video solutions and add value to customers"“Milestone Systems has had an open platform-approach since day one, enabling us and our partners to reach customers and scale the services and products we, as an industry, offer. But we can do so much more by innovating together and building intelligent solutions on aggregated data that is already available. “Milestone Systems, as an orchestrator of the video technology platform, is making it easier to access, combine and integrate video solutions and add value to customers,” says Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Kenneth Hune Petersen, Milestone Systems. Launch Of Milestone Marketplace During the MIPS event in Nashville, Milestone Systems will launch a new, global digital platform, Milestone Marketplace, which will dramatically increase the availability of community-created software applications, hardware, and services that integrators and installers use when designing intelligent customer solutions. Milestone Systems has high expectations to the network effect of its platform business model: “With the launch of Milestone Marketplace, we help unleash the innovation power of our partners and make it easier for them to explore new business opportunities outside their existing partner network and customer base. Marketplace will support the co-creation of solutions, allowing our community to give the market’s best match to a variety of customer needs and expanding market reach,” says Kenneth Hune Petersen. Coherent Search Experience For Operators The search framework enables operators to find video recordings and to extend search functionality using new data sources and customized visualizationOne of the technological innovations presented at MIPS 2019 is a new search framework, which will provide a coherent search experience for Smart Client operators. It enables operators to find video recordings and to extend search functionality using new data sources and customized visualization and easily retrieve metadata such as object type, size or color from video recordings. It provides one single place to search and discover video recordings, while making the recordings actionable for fast decision-making across a range of rich third-party applications. Other Highlights Of MIPS 2019 Include: A presentation of updates to Milestone Systems’ XProtect video management software, performance improvements, security, privacy protection, encryption of data and other new functionalities Overview of new additions to the MIP SDK (Milestone Integration Platform Software Development Kit used by community partners to build or extend functionality) Insight into how computer vision and machine learning can provide automation within the platform Insight into how Cloud and AI will bring new opportunities for Milestone Systems’ customers and partners “We are very excited about MIPS 2019 and continuing our quest to explore the intelligent world. As a true market leader, our open platform enables our community of partners to pursue new opportunities in the market and create even better and more intelligent solutions,” says Kenneth Hune Petersen.

Matrix Comsec, global manufacturer and provider of Security and Telecom solutions, is participating in IT EXPO 2019 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida to be held from 30th Jan to 1st Feb 2019. Matrix will be showcasing its comprehensive range of people mobility management, IP video surveillance and unified communication solutions at the event. Matrix is known for its customer centric, innovative range of solutions for unified communications, IP video surveillance, access control and time-attendance applications catering to diverse and complex deployments especially for the SMB, SME and large enterprises. SPARSH VP710 Video And COSEC ARGO Door Controller Enterprise video collaboration solution, SPARSH VP710 that sets a new benchmark by offering enhanced video and voice capabilities. SMB IP-PBX, SPARK100, an all-in-one communication solution with enterprise-grade unified communication and collaboration. Next generation door controller, COSEC ARGO for the access control market. The new door controller is equipped with features like 3.5” IPS touchscreen LCD with Gorilla Glass, powerful processor for ultra-fast user identification, intuitive user experience, vandal resistant (IK08). Matrix IP Video - Access Control Integration Matrix will also be demonstrating seamless integration between Matrix IP video surveillance, access control and unified communications solutions, along with Matrix video management and device management software suite. Additionally, at this event, Matrix will exhibit its range of Gateways. These gateways allow easy integration with most of IP-PBX, TDM PBX, Softswitch and hosted solutions. Award-winning series of Matrix Gateways are perfect for enterprise and carrier-class solutions for multi-site connectivity and remote survivability while offering superior voice quality and state of the art routing features.

The past decade has seen unprecedented growth in data creation and management. The products and services that consumers use every day – and the systems businesses, large and small, rely on – all revolve around data. The increasing frequency of high-profile data breaches and hacks should be alarming to anyone, and there’s a danger data security could worsen in the coming years. According to DataAge 2025, a report by IDC and Seagate, by 2025, almost 90% of all data created in the global datasphere will require some level of security, but less than half of it will actually be secured. Nuanced Approach To Data Security Security is a circle, not a line. Every actor involved in the handling and processing of data has responsibility for ensuring its securityThe rapid proliferation of embedded systems, IoT, real-time data and AI-powered cognitive systems – as well as new legislation like the European Union’s GDPR – means that data security has to be a priority for businesses like never before. With data used, stored and analyzed at both the hardware and software level, we need a new and more nuanced approach to data security. Security is a circle, not a line. Every actor involved in the handling and processing of data has responsibility for ensuring its security. What this means in practice is renewed focus on areas of hardware and software protection that have previously not been top of mind or received large amounts of investment from businesses, with security at the drive level being a prime example. The Importance Of Data-At-Rest Encryption In a world where data is everywhere, businesses need always-on protection. Data-at-rest encryption helps to ensure that data is secure right down to the storage medium in which it is held in a number of ways. Hardware-level encryption, firmware protection for the hard drive, and instant, secure erasing technology allow devices to be retired with minimal risk of data misuse. Data-at-rest encryption helps to ensure that data is secure right down to the storage medium in which it is held in a number of ways A recent report from Thales Data Threat found that data-at-rest security tools can be a great way to help protect your data. However, it’s important to note that this must be used in conjunction with other security measures to ensure that those that fraudulently gain access to your key management system can’t access your data. Ensuring Drives To Be Common Criteria Compliant One straightforward test any business can do to ensure its storage is as secure as possible is to check whether the drives are Common Criteria compliantDespite the clear benefits, this kind of encryption lags behind other areas, such as network and endpoint security, in terms of the investment it currently receives. The same Thales Data Threat report found that data-at-rest security was receiving some of the lowest levels of spending increases in 2016 (44%), versus a 62% increase for network and a 56% increase for endpoint security. One straightforward test any business can do to ensure its storage is as secure as possible is to check whether the drives are Common Criteria compliant. Common Criteria is an international standard for computer security certification, and drives that meet this standard have a foundational level of protection which users can build on. Providing An Additional Layer Of Security The retail industry has seen a spate of security breaches recently, with several major US brands suffering attacks over the busy Easter weekend this year. As frequent handlers of consumer card information, retailers are particularly vulnerable to attack. Data-at-rest encryption could enhance security in these instances, providing an additional layer of security between customer records and the attacker The advanced threats retailers face can often evade security defences without detection. Such a breach could grant attackers unrestricted access to sensitive information for possibly months – some breaches are known to have been detected only after consumer payment details appeared on the dark web. These types of undetected attacks are highly dangerous for retailers, which are relatively helpless to protect consumer information once their defences have been compromised. Data-at-rest encryption could significantly enhance security in these instances, providing an additional layer of security between customer records and the attacker which has the potential to make the stolen data valueless to cyber criminals. Industries In Need Of Data-At-Rest Encryption Healthcare organizations, which hold highly sensitive customer and patient information, have a strong use case for data-at-rest encryption. With the widespread adoption of electronic patient health records, that data is increasingly more vulnerable to attack. Recent research from the American Medical Association and Accenture revealed that 74% of physicians are concerned over future attacks that may compromise patient records. With the widespread adoption of electronic patient health records, that data is increasingly more vulnerable to attack The financial sector would also benefit from further investment in data-at-rest encryption, given 78% of financial services firms globally are planning on increasing their spending on critical data, according to Thales’ Data Threat Report. It’s helpful to view security as a circle in which every piece of hardware and software handling the data plays its partSMEs and enterprises are not immune to security threats either – with growing numbers of people traveling for work or working remotely, the risk of sensitive business data becoming exposed via device theft is heightened. Usernames and passwords have little use if thieves can simply remove unencrypted hard drives and copy data across. Securing Every Hardware And Software Technology vendors often focus on aspects of hardware and application security that are within their control. This is understandable, but it risks proliferating a siloed approach to data security. There is no single line for data security -- rather, it’s helpful to view it as a circle in which every piece of hardware and software handling the data plays its part. There’s a clear need for more industry dialog and collaboration to ensure data security is effectively deployed and connected throughout the security circle and across the value chain.

According to the reports of not-for-profit organization Gun Violence Archive, the year 2018 has seen 323 mass shooting incidents as of November 28 in the United States. This number is 346 for the year 2017 and 382 for 2016 (more statistics are available here), with “mass shooting” defined as cases where four or more people are shot or killed in the same time period and location. While definitions of mass shooting vary with organizations in the US, the count of over 300 incidents per year, or about once per day on average, is simply alarming. It raises public safety concerns, ignites debates and protests, which in turn lead to public unrest and potentially more violence, and increases costs for governments from the regional to federal level. Most importantly, the loss of lives demands not only improvement in post-incident handling and investigation, but also new prevention technologies. Gunshot Detection Solutions AI weapon detection offers a more efficient alternative to prevent active shooting There are several gunshot detection solutions in the security market, commonly used by law enforcement agencies to detect and locate gun fires. These systems function based on acoustic recordings and analyses and often in combination with signals detected by sensors of the optical flash and shockwave when a gun is fired. However, gunshot detection by nature dictates that the law enforcement can only react to a shooting incident that has occurred. With fast action, law enforcement can prevent the incident from escalating, but lives that are lost cannot be recovered. With the development of artificial intelligence in object recognition, AI weapon detection offers a more efficient alternative to prevent active shooting: AI can visually detect guns based on their shapes before they are fired. The AI is trained to recognize firearms in different shapes, sizes, colors, and at different angles in videos, so that the AI weapon detector can be deployed with existing cameras systems, analyze the video feeds, and instantly notify security staff when a gun is spotted. Comparison of the advantages for law enforcement and public security agencies Legacy gunshot detection using sensors AI weapon detection Reactive measure: detect after guns have been fired Proactive measure: detect before guns are fired Time to action: within 1 second Time to action: within 1 second Unable to provide visual data about shooter(s) Can provide data about shooter(s) based on the camera recording: clothing, luggage (backpack, handbag, etc.), facial features, vehicle Unable to track the location of the shooter(s) before and after shooting because of the lack of sound Can track the shooter(s) using AI Person & Vehicle Tracking, AI Face Recognition, and AI License Plate Recognition False detection caused by similar sound such as fireworks and cars backfiring Minimal to no false detection, as AI can distinguish different types of handguns and rifles from normal objects (umbrella, cellphone, etc.) Require physical deployment of gunshot detection sensors Can be used with existing camera systems, do not require special hardware Complicated to deploy, require highly trained professional Easy to deploy as an add-on to existing video surveillance system - Can integrate with gun-shot detection to create a “double knock” audio and video active shooter alert system Gun-Shot Detection Advantages In addition to advantages for law enforcement and public security agencies, this type of visual-based pre-incident detector has three-fold advantages for the public: Save lives by spotting the shooter before the shooting event. Minimize the chaos entailing an incident: panic and chaos caused by a shooting incident often adds to injury, as people run, fall, trample on others… With an AI weapon detector, when a gun is spotted, the system sends an alert to security staff, who can quickly control the situation in an organized manner and apprehend the intending shooter. Can be added as a SaaS (Security as a Service) component to small business and home surveillance systems, e.g., intrusion detection alerts (home invasion incidents with firearms number over 2500 per year nationwide). For a complete active shooter detection system, video-based AI detector can operate in conjunction with gunshot detectors for enhanced security. Traditional X-ray based weapon detection or metal detection entrance systems are complicated and expensive; with AI video technology, active shooter detection system can be cost-effective, and after all, what price tag can one put on a life? Written by Paul Sun and Mai Truong, IronYun

In my coverage of China Tariffs impacting the security industry over four recent articles, products on the tariff schedules routinely integrated into security solutions included burglar and fire alarm control and transmission panels, video surveillance lenses, HDTV cameras used for broadcast use cases and fiber optic media converters. The general ‘callout’ of ADP (Automatic Data Processing) devices and peripherals technically includes servers, workstations and microcomputers, all of which are commonly used to support security solutions. The underperformance, from June 15 to August 24, of U.S. stocks with high revenue-exposure to China, and that of Chinese stocks with high revenue-exposure to the United States was significant and almost identical at 3.2%, significant losses to some investors already involved in security industry M&A activity. Significant Public Safety Facial Recognition (FR) vendors leveraging AI expanded their market focus to retail and public safety While it was not apparent that practitioners’ security program budgets kept pace with the growth of the more popular solution providers like video surveillance and cyber security, the ICT industries supporting the security economy continued to expand, especially in wireless and wired infrastructure, including preparations for 5G wireless rollouts. These omnipresent technologies drove significant public safety, smart city and public venue projects in 2018. Facial Recognition (FR) vendors leveraging AI expanded their market focus to retail and public safety. In 2018, virtually every public presentation, webinar and published Q&A on social media monitoring and facial recognition technologies I worked on, involved significant pushback from privacy advocates, almost to the point of alarmism. Massive Risk Reduction Several solution providers in these areas have made significant strides on data protection, accuracy, powered by AI and documented crime reduction cases; however, this real news is quickly shadowed by privacy advocates, seemingly ignoring massive risk reduction, especially in the case of active assailants and gang-related crime. Will FR become mainstream? The cautious security industry may take a cue from the maverick retail industry, sports venue and VIP verification solution providers that grew in 2018. 2019 trends: presupposition or repudiation; winners and losers. Chinese tariffs have had a huge impact on the security industry, which can be seen from changes to U.S and Chinese stocks  Although technology adoption forecasting is inexact, there are definitive opportunities in the security industry born on necessity. With the widespread problem of false alarm transmission and inability for first responders to ‘be everywhere,’ developers of solutions that provide automated verification and alternative security incident detection are expected to become mainstream. Promising Detection Systems The use of AI, NLP, LiDAR, UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles aka drones) with surveillance and thermal imaging will grow, mostly due to higher acceptance in other industries like autonomous vehicles, rail safety, terrain and post devastation mapping/rescue. However, legacy ‘listing’ or certification organizations will be forced to make an important decision for their own survival: work toward integrating these promising detection systems into acceptance by insurance, licensing and standards development organizations. 2019’s ‘true’ Industrial Philanthropists will be needed to fund early warning tech for firefighters and the presence of active assailants 2019’s ‘true’ industrial philanthropists will be needed to fund early warning tech for firefighters and the presence of active assailants. For these use cases, 5G infrastructure rollouts, FR acceptance, lower cost perimeter detection and long range object and fire recognition by LiDAR and Thermal imaging will all be watched closely by investors. Should public agencies and philanthropical solution providers in the security industry cross paths, we may just yet see a successful, lifesaving impact. Cyber Risk Profile The ‘Digital twin’ refers to a digital replica of physical assets (physical twin), processes, people, places, systems and devices that can be used for various purposes. Your ‘Security Digital Twin’ has a similar physical and cyber risk profile, either through common threats, similar assets or both. Good news: managing your risk, protecting assets and securing your facilities in 2019 will get easier as security digital twin profiles will grow in maturity, while keeping their data sources private. This will be accelerated by the maturity of AI-based, auto-generated visualizations and image recognition, that happens to also drive the FR solutions. The 5G wireless infrastructure market is emerging as far more of a quantum leap in connectivity, like ‘wireless fiber optics’ performance, than an upgrade to 4G LTE. The 5G infrastructure market will be worth $2.86 billion by 2020 and $33.72 billion by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 50.9%. Intelligent Applications The explosion of ingested voice, video, and meta-data, the interconnectivity of devices, people and places, and the integration of intelligent applications into expanding ecosystems all require faster communications. To be more accurate, 5G rollouts will accelerate in 2019; however, current project funding will include and be impacted by future enterprise security connectivity: 5G and FWA (Fixed Wireless Access). 5G rollouts will accelerate in 2019; however, current project funding will include and be impacted by future enterprise security connectivity Quite simply put, larger solution providers are gently coaxing practitioners into seemingly ‘open systems;’ the negative discovery during an M&A process, audit or integration with a smart city’s public/private partnerships will continue to be revealed, and related industries will force reform. Autonomous things will be enabled by AI and image recognition. With few affordable rollouts of security robots and outdoor unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) that leveraged platforms popular with research and even NASA, the autonomous security robot was mostly MIA from a security practitioner’s program in 2018. Perimeter Intrusion Detection One platform was even accused of intimidating homeless people in a public place, at a major city. Industries mutually beneficial are often unaware of each other; this will change gradually: one major domestic airport is currently evaluating a UGV platform performing perimeter intrusion detection, runway weather conditions and potential aircraft taxiing dangers. The platform is being used largely in transportation research, yet offers significant opportunities to the security industry. Research firm Gartner estimates that 70% of today’s technology products and services can be enhanced with ‘multi-experience’-based VR/AR/MR The ‘immersive experience’ of virtually any security or threat detection is a twist on virtual/augmented/mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) with additional sensory features. Although VR/AR/MR is well underway in other industries, there are several companies with solutions like VR-based active assailant training that could provide a fighting chance for practitioners, employees, visitors, faculty and children. Research firm Gartner estimates that 70% of today’s technology products and services can be enhanced with ‘multi-experience’-based VR/AR/MR. Security Ecosystem Members Not necessarily MIA, but of special mention is the need of security and safety practitioners to prioritize communications systems over ‘nice to have’ expansive video surveillance systems for mass casualty threats. This will eventually improve with 5G for Enterprise solution rollouts. At the past GSX and upcoming CES Technology trade shows, a new roundup of technologies is discovered: a wider diversity of protection promise to save ASIS members on their technical security program is realized. With each of the ‘winners,’ (5G, AI, NLP, LiDAR, UAS [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles aka drones], thermal imaging, digital security twins and smart-city-friendly technologies) it is both exciting and challenging work for both security practitioners and solution providers. All things equal and with the necessary technology acceptance testing processes, this is a truly great time for security ecosystem members.

AI Is currently a buzzword in the physical security industry, and it is also a force that has the potential to transform the industry. Following are the basics of AI (and the related term “deep learning") in part one of our AI series. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the broad computing category referring to intelligence that is displayed by a machine, as opposed to a living creature. Informally, AI refers to machines that mimic the cognitive functions we associate with living creatures, such as learning and problem-solving. Trends Driving Growth In AI Three trends in the computer industry are driving rapid growth in artificial intelligence. The trends are: Data capture form to appear here! Video surveillance data makes up 60 percent of Big Data, and the amount is rising 20 percent annually Emergence of computer hardware capable of solving complex calculations, specifically graphics processing units (GPUs, which use “parallel processing” instead of “serial processing” used by familiar central processing units [CPUs]). Multiple computations are carried out simultaneously, in parallel rather than in a series. It’s a more scalable approach: Large problems are divided into lots of smaller problems that can be solved at the same time. Development of programming approaches to “train” systems more effectively, specifically neural networks, which work in conjunction with the parallel processing of GPUs. A neural network is a computing system made up of numerous simple, highly interconnected processing elements, typically organized in layers, with each layer made up of interconnected nodes. As each layer computes a result, that result determines the input for the next layer. There may be more than a hundred layers, which enables processing of large amounts of data into complex classifications. A proliferation of sensors (including video cameras) that produce a large enough mass of data to enable systems to be “trained” effectively (a.k.a., “Big Data”). The proliferation of “Big Data” ensures there is plenty of data for training. Video surveillance data makes up 60 percent of Big Data, and the amount is rising 20 percent annually. This proliferation of data feeds artificial intelligence and increases capabilities for a range of systems. Training Of An AI-Powered System In a neural network operating on a GPU, learning rules modify the weights (importance) of connections; each layer has a different “weighting” that reflects on what was learned at the previous layer. When presented with a data pattern (such as a video image), the neural network analyzes what the pattern might be. Deep learning involves use of large amounts of data from which the system can “learn” in a neural network Training involves determining how far the initial answer is from the actual one and making appropriate adjustment in the connection weights. In highly simplified terms, that’s how the system “learns.” There are multiple stages of classification, almost like filters, with each guiding the path to a correct analysis. Deep learning is part of a broader family of machine learning methods and the concept that is most relevant to the video market. Deep learning involves use of large amounts of data (for example, video images) from which the system can “learn” in a neural network. Deep Learning In Video Surveillance Systems By being exposed to many instances of data, deep learning systems discern patterns and begin to generalizeThe interconnected processing elements of a neural network, working in parallel on a graphics processing unit (GPU) to solve a problem, are designed to mimic the human brain and its billions of interconnected neurons. This aspect of artificial intelligence, known as deep learning, is the basis for a new family of video surveillance systems offering superior performance to historic systems. This approach is poised to transform the effectiveness of video surveillance systems. Historically, computers have been programmed using video analytics algorithms. In contrast, deep learning systems are “trained.” If you want to identify a cat, you provide lots of images of cats, data which the system breaks down into smaller components and looks for commonalities. It then “learns” the common characteristics among the examples. To maximize training, the more data a system is presented, the more refined it becomes – i.e., the more it “learns.” By being exposed to many instances of data, deep learning systems discern patterns and begin to generalize. From Training To Inference Deep learning can achieve super-human pattern recognition accuracy, resist interference, and classify and recognize thousands of featuresWhile a computer programmer might spend months writing instructions to tell a computer what a car looks like, a neural network can “learn” by being exposed to many examples – no additional programming involved. But training a neural network is also time-consuming; it might take hours or days to complete. Training is also computationally intensive. However, once a neural network has been trained, it can be used to “infer,” for example, to decide whether a new image is a cat. Inference is less computationally intensive, which enables deployment of trained systems on devices such as network video recorders (NVRs) or even in video cameras at the network edge. Deep learning can achieve super-human pattern recognition accuracy, resist interference, and classify and recognize thousands of features. Those qualities make it especially useful for video analytics applications. Part two coming soon.

A rapid string of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions as 2018 passed into 2019 suggests the physical security industry may be on the verge of a busy year of companies buying other companies. Observers have noted a large amount of investment capital currently available to be invested in security M&A, and plenty of entrepreneurial companies are looking to be acquired. Joe Grillo, CEO of ACRE, previously hinted at upcoming M&A activity for his company by the end of 2018, foreshadowing ACRE’s late-year announcement to acquire access control company Open Options, Addison, Texas.The VaaS cloud-based image capture platform includes fixed and mobile license plate reader cameras driven by machine learning Just days later, in the midst of the holiday season, Qognify announced its plan to acquire On-Net Surveillance Systems Inc. (OnSSI) and sister company SeeTec GmbH. Then came an even larger announcement: Motorola has acquired VaaS International Holdings Inc., a data and image analytics company for $445 million. The VaaS cloud-based image capture and analysis platform includes fixed and mobile license plate reader cameras driven by machine learning and artificial intelligence. Most recently, ADT announced yet another acquisition, Advanced Cabling Systems, a technology integration company in the South, thus continuing consolidation on the integration side of the business. There are likely to be further mergers and acquisitions in the video surveillance supply base in 2019 Continuation Of The Trend In the case of the Qognify and Motorola deals, Jon Cropley, Principal Analyst, Video Surveillance & Security Services, IHS Global Limited, sees them as the next chapter in an M&A trend going back several years. “I think this is a continuation of what we have been seeing in recent years of video surveillance software vendors being acquired,” he says.In the face of intense price competition, vendors have found it increasingly difficult to compete based on hardware features" “In the face of intense price competition, vendors have found it increasingly difficult to compete based on hardware features and are looking at software to offer unique competitive advantages.” In short, he sees it as a continuation of a trend that previously saw Canon acquiring Milestone Systems and Briefcam, Panasonic acquiring Video Insight and Tyco acquiring Exacq. “There are likely to be further mergers and acquisitions in the video surveillance supply base in 2019,” adds Cropley. “However, a spree of large-scale mergers and acquisitions is not expected.” Memoori, another market research firm, forecasts that the value of acquisitions could actually decline marginally in 2019 in value terms but increase in number. This observation is based on Memoori’s charting of physical security deals over the last 18 years. Jim McHale, Managing Director of Memoori, says there have been four cycles of increase and decline in activity, often exaggerated by billion dollar deals in one year such as the merger of Johnson Controls and Tyco of $165Bn in 2016. Access control when combined with identity management is punching well above its weight, and this trend has continued Access Control To Open Systems Only time will tell whether the new year pattern of M&A activity is a coincidence or a harbinger of a busy M&A year ahead“It may be too early to make judgements on the future based on the last four weeks, but there are some interesting points that can be made when compared with our 2018 analysis,” says McHale. “Access control when combined with identity management is punching well above its weight, and this trend has continued. "Acre has been a major contributor and has completed some 10 acquisitions. In general, the access control business has been slow to move to open systems, and hopefully we can expect this trend toward openness to continue as it will give additional growth to the business.” For more commentary from Memoori, see their report “Major Trends in the Global Access Control Market 2018”. Only time will tell whether the new year pattern of M&A activity is a coincidence or a harbinger of a busy M&A year ahead. While past trends may provide a glimpse of what’s coming, there are always new variables. It’s a sure bet the overall trend toward consolidation will continue but predicting the pace and timing of individual transactions is almost impossible. In any case, it will be interesting to watch how 2019 unfolds on the M&A front, among other factors in a changing industry.

Security is among the defining topics at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 this week in Las Vegas. More than 4,500 exhibiting companies are participating, including some 1,200 startups, highlighting the next wave of innovation in consumer electronics – and security. Twenty-four product categories at CES feature solutions to transform how consumers live, work and play. Technologies being highlighted include 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality, smart homes, smart cities, and machine intelligence. Video is an important element at CES. This year, the focus is on intelligent video. For example, Eyecloud.ai, Santa Clara, Calif., is displaying a home security camera with on-device face recognition that uses AI. Powered by a 12-core Intel Movidius VPU (video processing unit), the camera combines AI-on-the-edge with easy setup and wirefree operation for up to six months per battery charge. On-Device Artificial Intelligence On-device AI is the next big trend in smart home surveillance, and deep neural networks will drive the future of do-it-yourself home automation SimCam, an Intel partner, demonstrates how the Intel Movidius VPU can turn a security camera into ‘the ultimate vision-based sensor’. On-device AI is the next big trend in smart home surveillance, and deep neural networks will drive the future of do-it-yourself home automation. A variety of other residential video systems are also on display at CES. For example, Swann Security is displaying 4K wired security systems featuring Google integration, a wireless smart security camera with True Detect heat-based PIR (photo infrared) motion detection, a video doorbell and chime with two-way talk, and indoor and outdoor wi-fi cameras with Alexa integrations. Intelligent Automotive Solutions Camera system-on-chip (SoC) company Ambarella is introducing the new CV25 camera SoC at CES. It combines advanced image processing, high-resolution video encoding and CVflow computer vision (video analytics) processing in a single, extremely low-power design. The CVflow architecture provides Deep Neural Network (DNN) processing required for a new generation of affordable and intelligent home monitoring, professional surveillance and aftermarket automotive solutions. CV25 offers half the performance of Ambarella’s previously released CV22 chip, but the new chip’s lower cost will bring intelligent cameras to a price point desirable for home systems. All Ambarella’s chips have hardware-based cybersecurity. A suite of advanced cybersecurity features protects against hacking, including secure boot, TrustZone, and I/O virtualization. Based on 10nm ultra-low power processing technology, the CV25 chip is optimized for wirefree cameras applications that require long battery life and small form factors. Camera system-on-chip (SoC) company Ambarella is introducing the new CV25 camera SoC at CES Virtual Security Guards Elsewhere, the Deep Sentinel home security system applies video and AI to predict residential break-ins ‘before they happen’. The Pleasanton, Calif.-based tech startup uses ‘AI-infused security cameras’ to keep an eye on your home. Three wireless 1080p full HD cameras provide night vision and PIR motion sensing, connected by a smart hub. Using proprietary artificial intelligence, the cameras act as virtual guards, watching activity around a house and providing alerts to situations that may lead to burglaries, break-ins, package thefts and other dangers. My Safe Patrol is an AI-driven platform that analyses data aggregated from security personnel, citizen alert systems and IoT smart devices, and responds with geolocated alerts in real-time. My Safe Patrol effectively supports the security/safety ecosystem of a building, a campus, a city or a district through a dynamic dashboard that helps command and control operations manage and deploy security plans. AI-Integrated Devices Showcased solutions include Smart Living integration of video surveillance applications to enable real-time two-way audio and video streaming simultaneously MicroVision, Redmond, Wash., showcases an interactive display engine for AI-connected devices, providing an integrated solution for projected display and interactivity through multi-point touch and air gestures. MicroVision’s new consumer 3D LiDAR engine provides high-fidelity spatial awareness to smart home hubs, for input to smart devices such as lighting, security, entertainment, and thermostats. The Internet of Things (IoT) is another big topic at CES, and ThroughTek Co., Ltd., Taiwan, demonstrates IoT developments to transmit voice, video and data over both wide- and narrow-band channels in smart home applications. Showcased solutions include Smart Living integration of video surveillance applications combined with voice assistant to companion robots, wireless doorbells, and battery cameras to enable real-time two-way audio and video streaming simultaneously. Advanced Capacitive Touchscreen Decayeux Group, a European manufacturer of mailboxes and high security doors, is displaying MyColisBox, a secure and connected parcel box delivery system designed to provide online shoppers a secure pickup point accessible by a PIN code sent via SMS message to a smartphone. Walter is the new mobile app for MyColisBox. Kwikset, a division of Spectrum Brands, showcases its smart lock portfolio – including three new smart locks – in the CES Smart Home Marketplace. Kwikset is showing the SmartCode 888, Kwikset Convert, Obsidian, and new designs of the SmartCode 914 and SmartCode 916, as well as a new wi-fi lock. Baldwin, Kwikset’s ‘luxury lock’ sister company, is offering a preview of its new TouchScreen Collection, launching this summer, available in five styles and featuring Advanced Capacitive Touchscreen technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) is another big topic at CES, with many companies demonstrating IoT developments Cyber Security Standards Privacy is increasingly a concern in the consumer space, and Private Discuss, from PIMAN Security, is a premium, secure, white label communication solution. Their active AI-powered defense architecture provides encrypted audio and video calls, messaging and file sharing. It renders a confidential, secure messaging platform that adheres to the highest standards of cybersecurity. FLIR provides virtual reality demonstrations at their CES booth, allowing attendees to put on a virtual fire helmet and try out a FLIR camera in a real-world residential fire response scenario. Participants may also use a FLIR optical gas imaging camera virtually to stop fugitive emissions in a natural gas refinery. Booth visitors may also take “thermal selfies” to post on social media.

Exabeam, the next-gen SIEM company, announces that NTT DATA Corporation (NTT DATA), its partner and one of the providers of technology and services for government and business, has chosen to secure its global operations using Exabeam’s Security Management Platform (SMP), which provides unlimited data collection, machine learning and analytics for modern cyber threat detection and response. NTT DATA’s internal system is used throughout more than 50 countries and regions, 210 cities and by 34,500 employees in Japan and 75,500 employees overseas. It is a fast-moving company that has acquired many businesses over the last five to 10 years, resulting in the inheritance of a number of different legacy SIEM platforms. However, these solutions were lacking, and NTT Data wasn’t obtaining the visibility it needed to keep pace with modern cyberthreats.   Disparate Legacy Systems Exabeam was already our valued partner, and we were so confident in the company’s security solution" “Exabeam was already our valued partner, and we were so confident in the company’s security solution, we decided to use it ourselves, to remove complexity and unify our disparate legacy systems that were ineffective at protecting against modern threats,” said Hiroshi Honjo, head of Cyber Security and Governance at NTT DATA. “Having Exabeam’s unlimited data lake and attractive pricing model made the difference for our large organization.” Exabeam’s SMP provides NTT DATA with scalable, behavioral modeling, machine learning, and advanced analytics for comprehensive insider and entity threat detection throughout Japan, APAC, North America, and Europe. This functionality was vital to the NTT DATA team because they required greater visibility into potential cyberthreats throughout the organization and in all locations around the world. Automated Incident Response “NTT DATA’s journey was a unique one, since they had multiple legacy logging platforms in use globally. Exabeam was able to replace or consolidate each system using our next generation platform, and we accomplished the initial rollout in a matter of months,” said Nir Polak, CEO, Exabeam. “The swiftness of that transition is critical to maintaining secure operations, especially when dealing with such a geographically dispersed enterprise.” Automated incident response allows teams to respond to security incidents rapidly and with less effort Automated incident response allows teams to respond to security incidents rapidly and with less effort. At the SMP’s foundation is the Exabeam security data lake, designed to store all event logs at a predictable and flat price. This frees the NTT DATA security team from manually analyzing data logs – and instead they can focus on quickly identifying and responding to security threats. SIEM Solution According to Honjo, “The second phase of our project will be to look at use cases and fine tune the SIEM solution to work for our business needs. Overall, we are very happy with how well Exabeam met our stated deadlines and how quickly we are able to realize value from the product. We look forward to introducing Exabeam to our global customers.” Recently, Exabeam was identified by Gartner, Inc. in the 2018 Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management. The company was positioned as a Leader based on completeness of vision and ability to execute.

Knightscope, Inc., a developer of advanced physical security technologies focused on enhancing U.S. security operations, announced that it is has taken a major step in its commitment to help better secure schools across the country by selecting Clovis Unified School District in California as its beta testing location for a suite of new technologies under development. The Company had prior announced this effort earlier this year when it solicited students to get involved and submit essays on how Knightscope’s fully autonomous security robots could help in a school setting. Security Robots To Monitor School Safety “With over 100,000 schools in the country, we need to develop a new set of tools and technologies as a critical part of our long-term mission to better secure the United States of America,” said William Santana Li, chairman and chief executive officer, Knightscope, Inc. Knightscope’s robots will provide the authoritative presence needed on a school campus and provide actual intelligence by filling in the blind spots" “Being able to utilize a real-world environment to test, sample, and iterate on new capabilities while inspiring students to pursue STEM careers is certainly a winning combination,” continued Li. “As a teacher of thirty years, my philosophy has always been to be proactive instead of reactive, and the idea of security robots monitoring a school is definitely a proactive approach to school safety. Knightscope’s robots will provide the authoritative presence needed on a school campus and provide actual intelligence by filling in the blind spots with their ‘eyes and ears,’” said Clifford A. Nitschke, Jr., AP United States Government and Politics Instructor, Clovis North High School. Trialling A New Technology In School Safety Mr. Nitschke’s class submitted the winning proposal to Knightscope. “We are honored to be chosen by Knightscope and to be given the opportunity to pilot a new and exciting technology in the field of school safety.” The Clovis United Unified School District Governing Board is scheduled to meet on January 16, 2019 to formally accept the beta testing program by Knightscope. The meeting is planned to occur at 6:30pm at the Clovis Unified Professional Development Building, 1680 David E Cook Way, Clovis, CA 93611. Assuming an approval by the Board, the parties will determine implementation timing thereafter.

According to Save The Rhino statistics, over 1000 rhinos are killed annually in South Africa. These harrowing poaching statistics display a gloomy future for survival of this beautiful species. While many attempts have been undertaken over the past ten years to combat the devastating results of poaching, the country has not yet seen a steady decline in numbers year-on-year. It is with this knowledge that AxxonSoft’s Global Marketing Director, Colleen Glaeser, who is based in South Africa, decided to create a strategical and proactive anti-poaching approach, utilising the tools at her disposal, assisting a country in dire need of assistance. While Deep Learning, using Artificial Intelligence and neural network analytics in its algorithm, is not new to the security and surveillance industry, Colleen and the team at AxxonSoft global took the technology a step further, developing and implementing the software to help differentiate between humans and animals. Identifying Actual Poaching Threats AxxonSoft’s surveillance software, which leverages Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning technology now alerts the operators in the control room to an immediate poaching threat The implementation of this technology in game reserves and parks across South Africa has certainly been a game-changer regarding the war against poaching. For two reasons namely; this neural network solution can identify actual poaching threats (distinguishing poachers from their prey) while providing a proactive surveillance solution as opposed to a reactive one. Predominately utilised for face and license plate recognition, Deep Learning technology has never been adapted to tell the difference between humans and animals. Prior to the incorporation of Deep Learning in anti-poaching surveillance, software often failed control rooms and response units in that false alarms were on many occasions, set off by animals, insects and weather. Control rooms were not able to tell the difference between an actual threat and a false alarm, which often resulted in exhausting resources as teams were dispatched for animals who had touched the fence while grazing in their natural habitat. AxxonSoft’s leading surveillance software, which leverages Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning technology now alerts the operators in the control room to an immediate poaching threat as poachers try and breach the fence perimeter to enter the reserve or park. Proactive Surveillance Solution AxxonSoft’s Deep Learning technology provides a proactive solution to surveillance whereas previous systems were somewhat archaic and reactive in their response to real threats Global Marketing Director for AxxonSoft, Colleen Glaeser says, “Our Deep Learning technology has been extremely successful thus far in telling the difference between animals and humans as the neural network algorithm can identify, through certain indicators, whether a human or animal has set off the alarm. If the software detects a human, the operations team is immediately notified and a dispatch team is sent to the scene in question.” Furthermore, AxxonSoft’s Deep Learning technology provides a proactive solution to surveillance whereas previous systems were somewhat archaic and reactive in their response to real threats. Due to expansive terrain and limited resources, rangers and antipoaching units often get to the scene of the crime too late. With the AxxonSoft technology, as soon as the breach occurs, cameras will identify if the breach has been caused by an animal or human, and the control room is immediately notified as to where the occurrence has taken place in the reserve or park. The dispatch team is given the necessary information and they head to the site where the occurrence has taken place. Real-Time Identification Of Threats By utilising this technology, we have been able to take a proactive approach, identifying the threat in a real time situation" The beauty about Deep Learning and Neural Network analysis is in its ability to learn and understand the conditions which lead up to an event, and that ultimately allows us to prepare for threats or potential breaches when the known conditions are met. “AxxonSoft’s technology has proved very successful in preventing killings as the team is able to get to the scene of the crime quickly. “By utilising this technology, we have been able to take a proactive approach, identifying the threat in a real time situation. The AxxonSoft team and I really believe this anti-poaching solution can aid in the war against poaching and drastically bring down the upsetting statistics. I can attest to the fact that we have seen great success in curbing poaching,” concludes Glaeser.

For more than seven decades, the name Porsche has been synonymous with quality and performance in automobiles. In 2018, the German automaker’s position and recognition around the world is unparalleled among luxury car brands, engendering consumer passion and loyalty that runs from admirers through collectors. Such qualities are proudly shared and returned around by those who represent the brand around the world, emblematic of the brand’s commitment to providing a sales and service experience as effortlessly exceptional as the vehicles themselves. Such commitment is the order of the day in Chandler, Arizona, where the family-owned and locally operated Porsche Chandler serves brand enthusiasts daily, showcasing a select range of new, certified and pre-owned Porsche models in a 36,500-square-foot facility, beautifully designed to feature both the majesty of the Porsche brand and the surrounding Arizona landscape. Camera Surveillance Solutions New and existing camera installations integrated seamlessly via IDIS’s DirectIP line of true plug-and-play network video recorders Porsche Chandler is known throughout Arizona for providing exceptional customer experiences, on behalf of a brand known globally for effortless, high-quality performance Scottsdalebased SARC Monitoring designed a security solution to match. Crafting and implementing an innovative virtual guarding solution that brought together powerful military, intelligence, and law enforcement expertise (and best practices) with equally powerful, next-generation surveillance technologies, SARC worked closely with dealership security personnel to comprehensively secure the full dealership space, including all personnel, visitors, around the clock, beyond the reach and capability of traditional manned guarding, video verification, and camera surveillance solutions. At the heart of SARC’s solution is IDIS technology. New and existing camera installations integrated seamlessly via IDIS’s DirectIP line of true plug-and-play network video recorders. Minimizing Downtime IDIS NVRs, designed to eliminate device compatibility issues through the support of multiple industry standards and 3rd party protocols, avoid the most common integration, compatibility, and installation challenges, preventing delays and minimizing downtime. Multiple IDIS DR-8364(F) NVRs provide Porsche Chandler signature high-performance, and a user-friendly surveillance system that fully supports their existing IP camera infrastructure. The combination of cameras and recorders are installed, integrated with the dealership’s low-profile speaker system, and used by on-site personnel and SARC’s highly trained rapidresponse team of remote monitors to provide edge-to-edge comprehensive surveillance in support of security, analytics, and even business intelligence, including after hours. Situational Awareness The presence of multiple security guards, large visible camera installations, at the levels required to cover the nearly 36,500 square foot indoor/outdoor In keeping with the tradition of effortless luxury experiences for Porsche customers, the sales environment is designed to facilitate a stress-free browsing, sales, and customer service experience for guests, seeking to offer a perfect balance of staff support for questions and transactions, with space to move and explore inventory and consider options without crowding, hassle, or pressure. The presence of multiple security guards, large visible camera installations, at the levels required to cover the nearly 36,500 square foot indoor/outdoor, multi-level and multi-purpose complex, would not ideally serve the dealership’s commitment to a seamless, low hassle, pleasant, and stress-free sales and customer-service environment. Porsche Chandler required a next-generation security and surveillance solution that would provide maximum visibility and facilitate full situational awareness by dealership management and security staff, comprehensively protecting both people and property, without unnecessary intrusion. Law Enforcement Fields SARC Monitoring’s unique and innovative virtual guarding model—which goes beyond traditional remote monitoring and video verification models by leveraging experienced personnel and best practices from the military and law enforcement fields, and incorporates latest-generation, feature-rich video surveillance technologies—now delivers round-the-clock coverage of Porsche Chandler’s sprawling indoor/outdoor complex, exceeding the typical capabilities of traditional security approaches to such spaces, while doing so at a significantly lower cost. Features enhancing the value and utility of the IDIS DR-8364(F) NVRs toward meeting Porsche Chandler’s security requirements and the needs of SARC Monitoring’s team of 24/7 remote monitoring and rapid response personnel, include the the DR-8364(F)’s support for 64 IP channels of 4K UHD (with a maximum incoming throughput of 900Mbps), meaning that fewer NVRs are needed to support large numbers of cameras now (and as added in the future). Ensuring Data Integrity Fewer devices mean less time spent on maintenance tasks and reduced complexity of the surveillance system. Support for H.265 with IDIS Intelligent Codec and Motion Adaptive Transmission (MAT) further reduces the need for additional bandwidth and storage upgrades, providing up to a 90% reduction in both bandwidth and storage utilization, meaning more data can be transferred on existing cabling and saved in existing storage space. IDIS’s Critical Failover suite of features includes features such as RAID 5 storage redundancy, dual power supply redundancy, and NVR failover The included IDIS’s Critical Failover suite of features includes features such as RAID 5 storage redundancy, dual power supply redundancy, and NVR failover (which provides support for a standby NVR that continually monitors the primary NVR, taking over recording if the primary hardware fails), ensuring data integrity and system operation are automatically monitored and maintained, simplifying system support and maintenance tasks. Optimized Security Posture And the intuitive DR-8364(F) NVR interface, common to all IDIS products, minimised installation, training, and transition costs. IDIS’s unusual license-free software model, compatibility guarantees, and industry-leading warranty further minimizes total costs for Porsche Chandler. “The comprehensive virtual guarding solution helps Porsche Chandler to achieve better security outcomes, keeping the people and property in our care safer than ever while still providing a seamless and non-intrusive customer experience. Our ability to achieve an optimized security posture at a lower total cost than traditional approaches means our dealership can keep security overhead low and invest as much as possible in both the customer experience and making great deals. It’s security as forward-thinking and high performance as our brand.”

The new year 2019 is brimming with possibilities for the physical security industry, but will those possibilities prove to be good news or bad news for our market? Inevitably, it will be a combination of good and bad, but how much good and how bad? We wanted to check the temperature of the industry as it relates to expectations for the new year, so we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How optimistic is your outlook for the physical security industry in 2019? Why?

In many regards, 2018 was a turbulent year for the physical security marketplace, driven by evolving technologies and changing customer needs, among other factors. Year-end is a great time to reflect, so we asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What caused the most disruption in the physical security marketplace in 2018? 

The concept of how security systems can contribute to the broader business goals of a company is not new. It seems we have been talking about benefits of security systems beyond “just” security for more than a decade. Given the expanding role of technologies in the market, including video and access control, at what point is the term “security” too restrictive to accurately describe what our industry does? We asked the Expert Panel Roundtable for their responses to this premise: Is the description “security technology” too narrow given the broader application possibilities of today’s systems? Why?