Biometric Security

Secure Logiq is joining forces with 360 Vision Technology, AMG Systems, Cortech Developments, Harper Chalice and Suprema, to present a free webinar dedicated to Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) security technologies. CNI security technologies webinar The 1-hour session will take place on Wednesday 28th July at 10am BST (05.00 EDT, 09.00 UTC, 11.00 CEST, 13.00 GST 17.00 SGT) and has been created to offer practical support for those responsible for safety and/or security in the utilities, power, prisons and nuclear CNI sectors, including consultants and installers. The security of Critical National Infrastructure has never been more important or more under threat" “The security of Critical National Infrastructure has never been more important or more under threat,” said Secure Logiq’s Robin Hughes, adding “By partnering with these like-minded manufacturers who offer complementing solutions in the CNI space we will use this webinar to deliver a complete system overview. Our hope is to provide an informative and entertaining discussion around the subject with expert insights from across the solutions space.” Covering asset protection and risk management Named CNI Security Technologies - Optimising Risk Management and Asset Protection in the CNI sector, the webinar will cover how effective risk management and mitigation, asset protection, regulatory compliance and cost reduction can be achieved, via the use of innovative technologies. Thanks to the combined expertise of the manufacturers involved, a state-of-the-art, end-to-end solution, which is specifically designed for CNI security applications, will be presented to attendees. cyber secure optical, thermal, and radar camera systems Topics being covered will include cyber secure optical, thermal, and radar camera systems, effective and innovative perimeter detection (PIDS), secure network backbone design for large infrastructures, flexible biometric access control with multi-factor and differentiating authentication, and optimized server and storage solutions that can provide a modular and scalable core platform for unrivaled interoperability of third-party security systems, via a centralized single platform hub. “Our aim is for this webinar to be an educational experience for professionals in the CNI sector,” concludes Robin Hughes, adding “We want to create an open discussion around cutting edge technology for Critical National Infrastructure rather than just a dry presentation, and with the additional Q&A session, we want to make this as interactive as possible.”

ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland has welcomed the new Building Safety Bill, which will drastically overhaul building regulations in England and Wales. Introduced in the House of Commons on 5 July, the bill is the next step in ground-breaking reforms that will create lasting generational change and set out a clear pathway for how high-rise residential buildings should be constructed, maintained and made safe. Considerations such as inclusive design and fire door safety maintenance will come to the fore as part of the new bill, which are issues that ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland has always passionately advocated for. Managing safety risks                     The safety measures outlined in the new bill address the concerns raised in the Hackitt Report, in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.  Building owners will be required to manage safety risks, with clear lines of responsibility for safety during design, construction, completion, and occupation of high-rise buildings. They will also need to demonstrate that they have effective, proportionate measures in place to manage safety risks. Those who do not meet these obligations may face criminal charges. Building safety Regulator  A new Building Safety Regulator will oversee a new, stricter safety regime for high-rise residential homes Under the bill, a new Building Safety Regulator will oversee a new, stricter safety regime for high-rise residential homes. These developments will require Principal Designers and Principal Contractors responsible for safety, as well as ‘gateway points’ when risks to health and safety will be considered. The bill will now have to pass through the House of Commons and House of Lords to pass into law. Safety standards  Eryl Jones, Managing Director of the ASSA ABLOY Door Hardware Group, said, “This bill marks an important step in ensuring building regulations are right for the future while establishing new safety standards for the built environment.” “ The correct specification of door hardware, which meets essential health and safety demands, should be a non-negotiable. We are pleased that the new bill will help shine a light on some of these key issues.” Fire safety measures  “First of all, while fire safety has always been critical, incidents such as the Grenfell tragedy have highlighted how this issue can no longer afford to be an afterthought. Fire doors are one of the most important safety features in a building, and regular inspections and maintenance regimes are critical.” “Secondly, inclusive design and accessibility is an issue that we feel incredibly passionate about. Building owners and developers should be demanding solutions, including door opening products, that meet these needs every single time.” “People must be able to access, use, and exit buildings easily and independently, and those designing, constructing, specifying products for, and maintaining these buildings have a duty of care to make sure this is the case.” Educating the stakeholders  One measure we have taken to help educate key stakeholders in the supply chain is a comprehensive white paper “One measure we have taken to help educate key stakeholders in the supply chain is a comprehensive white paper, demystifying what the guidelines governing inclusive design state while making clear why this is an issue that building owners and developers should care about.” “It also covers how decision-makers can ensure products that meet the necessary fire safety standards are specified too.” “We believe the Building Safety Bill will play a landmark role in changing building regulations for high-rise structures for the better, placing health and safety at the heart of these environments. Furthermore, we’d hope that these changes and focus filters throughout the construction industry as a whole, making all buildings safer.”

Existing CCTV and video monitoring systems are already working well to reduce retail shrinkage and are now being extended to help keep stores ‘COVID Safe’, found a new retail sector study of 111 high street retailers based in the UK, US, Sweden, and Norway, carried out by Video Security as a Service (VSaaS) provider AVA Security in March 2021. An array of insights into what value physical retailers’ existing video security systems are detailed in the 15 pages Ava Security retail sector video security trends report 2021, published this week. Video security systems The research revealed that the biggest loss prevention gains from the use of video monitoring in stores were in shoplifting where 58% of retail sector security decision-makers recorded significant reductions in losses from shoplifting as a result of video security and 9% went further to reveal that their video security systems had completely eliminated shoplifting. Nearly half (46%) of retailers reported major reductions in losses linked to vandalism of property Over half (54%) confirmed that their video systems were significantly reducing theft or fraud by staff and contractors. Exactly half reported that in-store CCTV systems were significantly reducing losses from slip and fall insurance claims and 13% confirmed that their video systems had eliminated losses from fraudulent slip and fall claims. Nearly half (46%) of retailers reported major reductions in losses linked to vandalism of property had been achieved through the use of video monitoring and recording. Video security systems One in six retailers (17%) believed that vandalism of their property had been completely eliminated through the use of CCTV. And 41% recorded that ‘damage to goods by our staff’ had been reduced significantly through the use of video security. 39% of retailers reported it takes too long and proves too difficult to find relevant video sequences having uncovered a loss incident. The next most significant factor preventing further loss prevention in this study was the poor performance of their surveillance cameras in low or no light conditions. This was preventing 34% of retailers from reducing shrinkage further. Nearly a third (32%) of retailers’ claimed the fact that their video security systems’ did not offer early warning functionality (which can be provided by good quality audio analytics or video motion detection) was preventing them from reducing shrinkage further. Video monitoring systems The retail sector has been turning to video analytics to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission Over a quarter (26%) of retailers admitted that their video monitoring systems don’t work well for loss prevention because the cameras that were installed on-site were originally put in for a different purpose such as remote management of visual merchandising or footfall analysis. The retail sector has been turning to video analytics to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission as they open up to more customers. A total of 87% of retail sector decision-makers questioned by Ava Security saw a clear role for their video monitoring systems in supporting safe re-opening of their doors to staff and customers. Nearly half of this group (48%) had already put their existing video monitoring systems to work to help reinforce social distancing measures. A further 39% anticipated doing so over the next 12 months. This means ‘net deployment’ for this purpose was 88%. Onsite video cameras Not far behind was the use of thermal camera-based analytics to help run temperature checks on visitors: 39% of retailers across the four countries in the Ava study had already deployed this capability, while a further 38% predicted to do so in the next 12 months. Only 22% of retail sector respondents had no plans to deploy temperature checking Despite some concerns about the accuracy of these solutions, only 22% of retail sector respondents had no plans to deploy temperature checking via onsite video cameras. The US proved to be the main adopter of temperature checking in retail – with deployment levels almost three times higher than in the UK. Video systems have been adapted to help monitor shopper density levels in high footfall areas within stores. 47% of retailers have already installed this analytics capability, while a further 38% plan to do so within the next 12 months. Facial recognition analytics Despite the controversy associated with the deployment of facial recognition, some 30% of retailers have already deployed facial recognition analytics at the entrances to staff-only areas to enable contactless access control and a further 34% plan to do so over the next 12 months. For the 79% of all retail sector are actively considering Video Security as a Service (VSaaS) options right now. There were many criteria determining provider selection: 91% net considering VSaaS right now agreed with the statement ‘it (the VSaaS provider selected) must allow us to continue using our existing third-party cameras which we have already installed, we don’t want to rip & replace any equipment.’ The desire to hold onto existing security cameras and other equipment through the migration to VSaaS was considered a very important consideration in provider selection by 43% of retail respondents. Video analytics capabilities Not wasting prior investment in on-premise security systems is key to VSaaS provider success Net 90% of retailers considering VSaaS confirmed, ‘It must allow us to view their directly attached cloud cameras alongside our third-party cameras on the same interface.’ The fact that these two factors are so important confirms that not wasting prior investment in on-premise security systems is key to VSaaS provider success. Net 86% of retailers regarded it as important that the VSaaS it selected ‘must enable us to run the latest video analytics capabilities such as occupancy levels for social distance management (in a room), noise analytics (e.g., breaking glass, screaming, yelling, etc.), people and vehicle search, object searching and color searching.’ The fourth most important factor was the cyber security credentials of the selected VSaaS provider, a net of 84% confirmed that its VSaaS ‘must have very strong cyber security, including end-to-end encryption from the camera to the cloud.’ Cyber security credentials Only marginally behind cyber security credentials came to Video Management Software functionality continuity - a net 83% of retailers specified that their selected VSaaS ‘must allow us to use our existing Video Management Software (VMS) or provide the same functionality as we get from our VMS.’ A net 82% insisted their VSaaS ‘must allow us to continue existing integration with other physical security and safety systems. The Ava Security Retail Sector Video Security Trends Report 2021 provides a wealth of data, graphs, and insight linked to how Operations, Facilities Management, Security and IT directors and managers within the retail sector in the US, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, are adapting their video security systems in the wake of the pandemic. Increased operational efficiencies It also provides insight into how they are now preparing for the easing of lockdown restrictions It also provides insight into how they are now preparing for the easing of lockdown restrictions. Most states across the USA have already reopened their shops but mask-wearing and social distancing recommendations are still being encouraged in stores across the US and Europe. Vegard Aas, Head of Online Business at Ava Security, commented: “Our findings indicate that retailers, which have been enthusiastic adopters of video security to reduce well-known shrinkage sources and deliver increased operational efficiencies through remote monitoring for example, are now upgrading these systems by adding new video analytics to reduce losses further and promote COVID Safety in stores.” Video security systems “We are also seeing a strong interest from this sector for moving video security systems into the cloud. It makes sense because many retailers have multiple shops which their managers monitor remotely using the in-store cameras.” “Moving video recording and management into the cloud using a VSaaS system could help ensure more efficient access and storage of key video sequences and cut capital expenditure as dedicated PCs running VMSs locally should no longer be needed in each shop in a VSaaS scenario. There are significant savings to be had and efficiencies to be derived if cloud migrations are managed correctly.”

Earning the international praise from high-level visitors and exhibitors alike, the first edition of the prestigious defense exhibition, DEFEA 2021 was completed in total success, presenting 315 renowned exhibiting defense industries from 22 countries and visited by 45 official national delegations, represented at political and military level, from 36 countries. From 13th to 15th of July, 2021, Metropolitan Expo, the largest and most advanced exhibition centre in Southeast Europe, hosted highly specialized visitors from 53 countries, representing the most important private and state-owned companies in the world, offering top-tier services and facilitations. DEFEA 2021 event DEFEA 2021 event was globally the first COVID-free defense exhibition that took place in total compliance with all safety measures and health protocols, creating efficiently through excellent organization and planning a safe environment for networking and cooperation. Inaugurating DEFEA 2021, the Greek Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos underlined that the exhibition ‘is a platform for international contacts, industrial cooperation and exchange of information on modern technological developments’. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos said, “There is no doubt that the exhibition will present the most advanced systems that global defense market can provide, proving once again that the evolution of defense systems is a 'driving force' for technology.” Latest technologies and defense systems exhibited The largest and most prominent defense industries around the world participated as exhibitors The largest and most prominent defense industries around the world participated as exhibitors, showcasing their latest technologies and the defense systems that will prevail in the future. Impressive national pavilions with state-of-the-art products and equipment, and private companies with the most advanced solutions in every category of the defense and security sector covered the halls of the exhibition center, offering to visitors and officials an integrated view of the capabilities of modern military technology. Political and military leaders in attendance The official delegations that visited DEFEA were comprised of political and military leaders of the highest level, invited by the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence. The countries that were represented through official presence were: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States of America. Round-table discussion During the exhibition, leaders of the delegations had important meetings with the Greek hosting Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, and the Hellenic military leadership led by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros. A round-table discussion about the European Defense was carried out, in which the Ministers of Defense of Slovenia, Mr. Matej Tonin, of Portugal, Mr. Joao Gomes Cravinho, and of Cyprus, Mr. Charambos Petrides stated their views. The discussion was coordinated by the Executive Director of European Defence Agency (EDA), Mr. Jiri Sedivy, while the Commissioner of Internal Market, Mr. Thierry Breton greeted through video message. Event streamlined live The event was streamed live through the official channel of Hellenic Ministry of Defense and the social media The event was streamed live through the official channel of Hellenic Ministry of Defence and the social media, with the presence of the Greek Deputy Minister of National Defence, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff and the Chiefs of the three branches of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The procurement program of the Hellenic Navy of 4 new frigates, as well as the parallel solution and the upgrade of in-service frigates was again at the center of general interest. New frigates purchased by Hellenic Navy Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, referred to the program, stated “We are going to purchase four frigates that we believe it is necessary some of these ships to be built in Greek shipyards and we must work for that. Not only to have them built in our shipyards, but to have more defense industries that will take part in their construction.” Nikolaos adds, “One of the two shipyards, the ‘Hellenic Shipyards’ of Skaramagas, was acquired by a group of businessmen, led by a Greek shipowner. I think this will give a boost to the domestic shipbuilding industry, beyond the problems of the past.” Airport static display Regarding the development of Greek shipbuilding industry, the Greek Minister of Development and Investments spoke in a related conference in front of an international specialized audience. In parallel with the exhibition, an impressive static display was organized at the nearby international airport of Athens, in a specially designed area. The airport static display was comprised of multi-role aircrafts and helicopters, with highlights an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, a S70 Aegean Hawk naval multi-mission helicopter, a tactical transport NH90 helicopter and an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter for armed reconnaissance. All participants expressed their satisfaction with every detail of the exhibition and they also emphasized on their return to the event in the two years’ time, when it will be held next. The next edition of DEFEA – Defence Exhibition Athens will take place on 9th-11th of May, 2023, at Metropolitan Expo, in Athens, Greece.

PROMISE Technology, an enterprise storage solutions provider, is forecasting massive growth for large data storage, green technology and data compliance following surveillance trends unveiled at the International Security Conference (ISC West) 2021, held in Las Vegas recently. At ISC West, PROMISE Technology noted that the focus was very much on Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence, mainly as a result of the ‘new norm’ brought along by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has brought into focus the necessity for security and video surveillance amid the ‘new norm’ - be it for tracking close contacts, containing new clusters and mutations, or vaccine passports. Access control products In tandem with this increased digitization, many ISC West participants are offering products that cater to governments and property developers speeding up and reactivate pending smart city projects as economies around the globe recover. This contactless multimodal biometric access control products, touchscreen panels that offers unified home automation and security monitoring and space management systems. The integration of AIoT allows autonomy while increasing efficiency, foresee challenges and opportunities With an increase of smart cities, some ISC exhibitors focused on helping systems run smoothly with Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) which is a key component in businesses to streamline decision making processes with the aid of gathering, analyzing and interpreting data without the need of costly and significant system resources. The integration of AIoT allows autonomy while increasing efficiency, foresee challenges and opportunities, and scale proportionately according to the devices connected. Global surveillance industry The large amount of data emerging from the predicted increased surveillance results in a surge of data and requires efficient and large storage solutions to ensure a high efficacy rate. To address the demand for both larger storage and offer enhanced integration, PROMISE Technology converges physical security systems to leverage the accumulating amounts of data being produced. “PROMISE Technology has seen and supported first-hand major changes in the global surveillance industry over the last decade from traditional CVR all the way to AVR (Analytic Video Recorder). We will continue to converge physical security systems to leverage the accumulating amounts of data being produced. For example, our patented SMARTBOOST software provides optimized software features and FRU hardware design to eliminate storage equipment bottlenecks,” said Alice Chang, Chief Sales Officer of PROMISE Technology. Daily business operations PROMISE Technology has also dedicated an entire R&D team over the last 30 years to develop RAID solutionsPROMISE Technology has also dedicated an entire R&D team over the last 30 years to further develop Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) solutions to improve efficiency for daily business operations which provides a solid engine to handle complicated data management requirements in the surveillance industry. This effort is coupled with PROMISE’s focus on eco-friendliness. Noting that incredible amounts of power is necessary to back the new trends, brands are expected to put extra emphasis on green technologies to conserve energy, save costs and keep enterprises as environmentally conscious as possible. PROMISE is also predicting that with AI and IoT devices creating large troves of personal data, the focus on cyberthreats as well as to protect privacy concerns has never been higher. Video surveillance products Thus, there is now a growing concern among manufacturers to provide National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)-compliant video surveillance products. “PROMISE Technology has made persistent endeavors in green production and compliance with government regulations, resulting in solid business results over the past 30 years. We consistently offer high-quality, reliable government-compliant solutions. By putting customer data protection and security first, we hope to bring peace of mind to our customers and partners worldwide,” said Chang. Large data storage solutions along with ‘green’ technology and strict compliance are only some of PROMISE’s solutions for the global audience. With expected surveillance industry boom in the ‘new norm,’ PROMISE is keeping a close eye on developments to ensure its solutions are in line with different local demands and evolving requirements to provide surveillance companies with tools to tackle new challenges.

Mouser Electronics, Inc., the industry's New Product Introduction (NPI) distributor with the widest selection of semiconductors and electronic components, stocks a wide selection of automotive motor control solutions from Infineon Technologies. Suitable for environmental requirements Products in Infineon's array of automotive motor control solutions are suitable for the environment and application requirements of the automotive industry. The requirements have influenced the replacement of mechanical solutions with electrical motors. High-priority factors, such as CO2 reduction, have increased the need for smart, electrically controlled motors. The number of electrical motors in cars is growing steadily for classical combustion engines and electrical cars.  Infineon is constantly expanding its portfolio of semiconductors for smart, state-of-the-art DC and brushless DC (BLDC) motor control applications. This broad portfolio of intelligent motor control ICs is complemented by microcontrollers, sensors, transceivers, and supply products for end-to-end solutions. Certified products As a global authorized distributor, Mouser offers the world's widest selection of the newest semiconductors and electronic components in stock and ready to ship. Mouser's customers can expect 100% certified, genuine products that are fully traceable from each of its manufacturer partners. To help speed up the design process for customers, Mouser's website hosts an extensive library of technical resources, including a Technical Resource Center, along with product data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, engineering tools, and other helpful information.

In daily work and life, various locks have always played the role of protecting asset safety. In different usage scenarios, the most appropriate lock must be selected to maximize benefits. In the past applications, the difficulties encountered by managers are as follows. Unlocking authority is difficult to control, unclear access records, emergency unlocking, and troublesome upgrade and installation. Through the following points, how the key-centric access management system solves such problems. Access management system The key-centric access management system, also known as intelligent passive electronic lock system, which is based on three elements: electronic keys, electronic cylinders and management software, can provide powerful and traceable access control. Each smart key is unique and cannot be copied, and in the event of loss or theft, these keys can be quickly disabled. Each smart key is unique and cannot be copied, and in the event of loss or theft, these keys can be disabledIn the process of using traditional mechanical locks, it is not difficult to find that it is quite complex to realize the access control of unlocking. The difficulty is that the keys can be copied at will, the use records are not clear, and the credibility of employees cannot be guaranteed... etc. For managers, this is a safety issue that cannot be ignored. Mechanical lock system And through the key-centric access management system, we can accurately assign access authority for each user, and set different access authority for locks in different areas. For example, we can set the XX user to have access to the archive room (A) from 10:00 on May 1, 2021 to 17:00 on June 1, 2021, within this time range. Outside this time range, there will be no unlock authority. The flexibility of the traditional mechanical lock system is insufficient. There is no clear record to determine who entered the area. It is usually a simple paper record that records the unlocking records of the employees. The authenticity and validity of the system need to be examined. In the key-centric access management system, when an employee unlocks the lock, the unlock record will be synchronized to the management terminal. Remote authorized unlocking With the key-centric access management system, remote authorized unlocking can be realized Through secondary records, managers can easily track employees and supervise employees' visits to each area. In daily work, there are often emergencies that require temporary visits to certain specific areas. If you encounter a situation where the distance is extremely long, and you don’t have the key to that area, you can imagine how bad this is. The process of fetching the keys back and forth is time-consuming and laborious. With the key-centric access management system, remote authorized unlocking can be realized. You can apply for the unlocking authority through the mobile APP, or you can temporarily issue the unlocking authority for the area on the management terminal, which saves time and effort. When faced with the failure of ordinary mechanical locks to meet management needs, some managers can already think of upgrading their management system, that is, the intelligent access control system. Passive electronic locks But before making this decision, the manager will inevitably consider the various costs brought about by the upgrade, including installation costs (cable cost), learning costs, and maintenance costs. Since most of the universal intelligent access control systems on the market require wiring and power supply, the cost of transformation and upgrading is quite high for managers who have such a huge amount of engineering. The key-centric access management system is the ‘gospel’ for managers. Since passive electronic locks and ordinary mechanical locks have the same size, they can be directly retrofitted to existing hardware, and they can be replaced step by step simply and easily. At present, the key-centric access management system is being known and applied by more and more managers and enterprises. Application industries include, such as power utilities, water utilities, public security, telecommunication industry, transportation, etc.

Perimeter security is by no means a new concept. A phrase used to describe solutions with the primary purpose of limiting access to any area that is prohibited to the public at large, perimeter security has been prevalent for millennia. From Hadrian’s Wall that was built by the Roman Empire in Britain back in AD 122 to the Great Wall of China that winds almost 22,000 kilometers through the Asian country’s eastern regions, it is a concept that remains a fundamental part of global societies today. Fast forward to today and no longer are we reliant on 50-foot-high, 20-foot-thick stone blockades to protect our safety. Perimeter security has evolved over the centuries moving from empires and structures to products and cutting-edge technology and continues to grow today. In fact, in 2020 Perimeter Security was a $61.3 billion industry as more businesses and industries have the need to protect against modern-day threats. This colossal and growing market is powered by industry innovators that are providing advanced solutions that are reliable, integrated, and cost-effective. Layered Perimeter Security Defense The number of perimeter intrusions is a large reason behind the continued surge in security investment, propelled by increasing urbanization, a growing terror threat, and a plethora of other concerning factors. Most organizations are better equipped to protect people and assets today, yet there is still a need for solutions that can grow with our future needs and the unforeseen challenges ahead. For many, this means moving beyond siloed solutions into a multi-layered, integrated physical security strategy – one that provides the best security posture possible. There are a variety of innovative technologies that can create a holistic perimeter security solution that will transform the defences of any organization. The question is, what are the technologies and trends shaping perimeter security in 2021 and beyond? Next-Generation Video Surveillance By combining two powerful visualization technologies in a single form factor, rich data can be captured and deliver more accurate awareness and better application of deterrence measures in real-time, versus the evidentiary use of cameras today. In today’s surveillance market, cameras and video management systems are nothing like those that were available a mere half-decade ago. Cameras now readily feature ultra-HD and 4K resolution that provide an extremely high level of detail, enhancing security teams’ ability to capture evidence and identify perpetrators. This enhanced detail bolsters not only investigation sequences but equally transforms video analytics capabilities, like facial recognition that unlock additional business benefits. Where are cameras heading in the future? Let’s look at Oyla’s cameras as an example. These cameras fuse together artificial intelligence (AI), video, and 3D data, offering a depth camera that can be used to define very accurate intrusion detection perimeters. Its advanced motion detection activates an alert when a user-defined perimeter has been crossed, or if there is a presence in a user-defined area or volume space. By combining two powerful visualization technologies in a single form factor, rich data can be captured and deliver more accurate awareness and better application of deterrence measures in real-time, versus the evidentiary use of cameras today. Thermal Cameras Thermal cameras are a relatively novel yet growing security phenomenon, having come to the forefront during the pandemic. Where such technology was once a novelty, their widespread application in detecting raised temperatures which might indicate a COVID-19-related fever has seen them become increasingly applied to a broader market in the past 18 months. Not only are these cameras now more accessible, but they have also advanced from a technical perspective. Modern thermal cameras now offer a more accurate thermal resolution, longer detection ranges, ONVIF compliance and edge-based analytics for the benefit of VMS solutions. They are also a useful technology for solving visibility challenges in complete darkness. Radar Radar is a technology that’s increasingly being used in physical perimeter security applications. Capable of conducting 360-degree scans of a property on a continual basis every couple of seconds, it is an extremely powerful intrusion detection technology. Radars stand up better than other technologies in difficult conditions such as smoke and fog. When paired with other sensors, false alarms can also be reduced in these conditions – something that is a major challenge more broadly. While law enforcement responds to millions of security alarms every year, a study from the United States Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services previously showed that between 94 and 98 percent of these turn out to be false, costing as much as $1.8 billion a year in wasted police time and resources. LiDAR What is LiDAR? LiDAR has been around since the 1960s, with one of LiDAR’s first use cases was being attached to aircraft to emit laser light towards the surface of the earth to provide distance readings. Spurred by its necessity for the coming autonomous driving revolution, today, the application of LiDAR technology has become more widespread. According to research by Fortune Business Insights, the size of the global LiDAR market is set to surpass $6.7 billion by 2026, a monumental increase on the $1.32 billion spent on LiDAR in 2018. In the security space, LiDAR technology is already proving it carries a string of benefits and upgrades on what is currently available on the video surveillance market. The major upside of LiDAR is that like video, it brings a high level of detail to a physical environment that other sensors simply cannot provide. Pairing Lidar with video, machine learning, AI, and other advanced sensor technologies can help validate alarm accuracy. Indeed, it is technologies such as these, designed to reduce the burden of security personnel by conducting the heavy lifting in alarm validation, that we can expect to become increasingly prevalent soon. Drones It is technologies such as these, designed to reduce the burden of security personnel by conducting the heavy lifting in alarm validation Often referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones are another technology that is becoming both more accessible and more capable from a security perspective. In sizable areas of land or hard-to-reach critical infrastructure sites, drones can be dispatched instead of security personnel as a means of first response to an intrusion alert. They can also work in tandem with thermal imaging, radar, lidar, and next-generation video surveillance technologies, either incorporating them onboard directly or supporting them in wider, integrated security infrastructures. Developing the Right Multi-Layered Perimeter Security Strategy These are just a handful of some of the more progressive perimeter security-centric technologies on the market today. The challenge for many organizations is knowing which solutions will suit their needs and address the challenges of tomorrow. Take the time to understand what you need to protect. Is it people, data, or assets? Where do you feel your potential vulnerabilities may lie? By assessing your risks, you will better understand potential target areas and address them accordingly. For perimeter security, a multi-layered solution will likely be the most secure approach. From basic needs to the more advanced, there are a broad variety of possible solutions available. Yet taking the time to understand which solutions are the most successful, cost-effective, and relevant to your business will yield the best results.

It is a truism that in the physical security industry your workforce and your reputation are the business’s largest and most important assets. Managing your workforce with empathy to ensure happy, engaged employees can be a balancing act. However, providing flexible working practices that are still profitable for your business is achievable, and something that every security business should be aiming for. SmartTask CEO, Paul Ridden discusses the hidden benefits of an engaged workforce and the role that good workforce management has to play. The importance of an engaged workforce can’t be stressed enough because motivated employees are what makes a business successful. Highly engaged staff According to Gallup, disengaged employees are a drain on any business. On average, they have 37% higher absenteeism, 18% lower productivity and 15% lower profitability. When the impact to the bottom line is calculated, you're looking at the cost of 34% of a disengaged employee's annual salary. Conversely, highly engaged staff show a 40% reduction in absenteeism, and almost 60% less turnover. Engaged employees show up every day with enthusiasm and purpose Engaged employees show up every day with enthusiasm and purpose. They tend to work harder, treat customers well (leading to more business), and, are more likely to remain with the company. Employee engagement is determined by factors such as feeling clear about your role at work, and having the right tools to enable you to do your job to the best of your ability. Being recognized for your hard work and diligence is also a key factor. Enabling security businesses Workforce management, when done well, can make a significant difference to all of these factors, and therefore help to foster an engaged workforce, which is good for business. Traditionally, workforce management and time & attendance (clocking on and off) systems may have seemed a bit ‘big brother’, however, this is no longer the case. In a world where almost everyone carries a smartphone, people are quite used to the idea of constant connectivity. This can be harnessed to enable security businesses to run more smoothly and efficiently, benefitting everyone. Indeed, being able to prove that a contracted service has been delivered is not only good for customer service, and invoicing, it is also provides recognition for hardworking staff. Workforce management solution Staff that feel empowered in such a way are more likely to feel happy and engaged Providing Flexibility and Work/life Balance - While we all know that contracts are contracts, and security businesses must deliver, ditching paper based systems in favor of an electronic workforce management solution, can provide additional flexibility to workers, supporting work/life balance. For example, shifts and rosters, which can be designed in a fraction of the time with a purpose-built solution, can be published further in advance, giving employees enough notice of work patterns to plan their lives around their shifts. People are more easily able to swap shifts or sign up for additional work, and the control room still has oversight to see exactly who is working where and when. In addition, staff can see their accrued holiday entitlement more easily, and request leave from their smartphones. Staff feel more in control of their lives when they can discuss their work patterns and holidays with family while at home simply by referring to an app on their device. Staff that feel empowered in such a way are more likely to feel happy and engaged with the business. Delivering work schedules Task lists for completion while onsite sent directly to their mobile device is convenient for all Convenience and Duty of Care - Using an app to deliver work schedules and assignment instructions provides your employees with the tools and information they need to do their job while removing the stress of dealing with paper-based forms. Task lists for completion while onsite sent directly to their mobile device is convenient for all, and helps to prove compliance with any regulatory requirements, including Duty of Care. Check calls are part of daily life for security workers. Remembering to make them can be cumbersome, but with an app, they can be built into the employee’s Actions for the day/shift, with an automated prompt to make the call. Managing finances better Payroll Visibility and additional Services for Staff - With an online time & attendance solution where people clock in and out electronically, they are able to check their hours accrued and see what their salary will be. If a shift is missed, for example, they are able to query with the payroll department much sooner, leading to more accurate and timely pay. Additional services can be provided, such as ‘pay in advance’ schemes, where workers are able to draw down a percentage of their earned salary before payday. This enables staff to manage their finances better and avoid taking payday loans. Keeping electronic records The benefits to the business of a workforce management solution are many The benefits to the business of a workforce management solution are many. Saving time on back office processes such as designing rosters, managing shifts/attendance/service delivery, holidays and absence. Reducing reliance on manual systems, keeping electronic records provides audit trails, proves compliance and streamlines invoices for all work completed. Having detailed records also means better analysis of the business. Managing rosters and schedules is one thing, ensuring that every shift is profitable is much more complex. However, with electronic workforce management all the variables, fixed costs, recurring costs, salaried people, hourly people and the cost of equipment required, that go into costing a shift can be analyzed to ensure every shift is profitable. Providing better safeguards In a post-COVID world, people have embraced technology at a pace not previously imagined. Technology has enabled us to keep in contact with loved ones, enabled those that can to work remotely, and provides better safeguards to key workers that cannot work remotely. In a post-COVID world, people have embraced technology at a pace not previously imagined Providing people with the right tools to do their job is a major step forward in empowering your workforce to do well. Electronic systems that reduce paperwork, also reduce the drudgery of form filling. At head office that frees people up for more proactive, strategic and customer facing work, that really makes a difference to your business. Affordable software solutions Out in the field, electronic systems keep people safer, more informed and helps them to manage their work/life balance. A winning combination for everyone. Paul has spent most of his working life in the computer industry, with the last ten years spent focusing on software solutions for the security, cleaning, FM and logistics sectors. Part of Paul’s role is to use his passion and entrepreneurial approach to build a technology team that can develop and deliver affordable software solutions that take advantage of the latest technologies and help deliver value to all SmartTask users, large and small.

A new generation of video cameras is poised to boost capabilities dramatically at the edge of the IP network, including more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and higher resolutions, and paving the way for new applications that would have previously been too expensive or complex. Technologies at the heart of the coming new generation of video cameras are Ambarella’s newest systems on chips (SoCs). Ambarella’s CV5S and CV52S product families are bringing a new level of on-camera AI performance and integration to multi-imager and single-imager IP cameras. Both of these SoCs are manufactured in the ‘5 nm’ manufacturing process, bringing performance improvements and power savings, compared to the previous generation of SoCs manufactured at ‘10nm’. CV5S and CV52S AI-powered SoCs The CV5S, designed for multi-imager cameras, is able to process, encode and perform advanced AI on up to four imagers at 4Kp30 resolution, simultaneously and at less than 5 watts. This enables multi-headed camera designs with up to four 4K imagers looking at different portions of a scene, as well as very high-resolution, single-imager cameras of up to 32 MP resolution and beyond. The CV52S, designed for single-imager cameras with very powerful onboard AI, is the next-generation of the company’s successful CV22S mainstream 4K camera AI chip. This new SoC family quadruples the AI processing performance, while keeping the same low power consumption of less than 3 watts for 4Kp60 encoding with advanced AI processing. Faster and ubiquitous AI capabilities Ambarella’s newest AI vision SoCs for security, the CV5S and CV52S, are competitive solutions" “Security system designers desire higher resolutions, increasing channel counts, and ever faster and more ubiquitous AI capabilities,” explains John Lorenz, Senior Technology and Market Analyst, Computing, at Yole Développement (Yole), a French market research firm. John Lorenz adds, “Ambarella’s newest AI vision SoCs for security, the CV5S and CV52S, are competitive solutions for meeting the growing demands of the security IC (integrated circuit) sector, which our latest report forecasts to exceed US$ 4 billion by 2025, with two-thirds of that being chips with AI capabilities.” Edge AI vision processors Ambarella’s new CV5S and CV52S edge AI vision processors enable new classes of cameras that would not have been possible in the past, with a single SoC architecture. For example, implementing a 4x 4K multi-imager with AI would have traditionally required at least two SoCs (at least one for encoding and one for AI), and the overall power consumption would have made those designs bulky and prohibitively expensive. By reducing the number of required SoCs, the CV5S enables advanced camera designs such as AI-enabled 4x 4K imagers at price points much lower than would have previously been possible. “What we are usually trying to do with our SoCs is to keep the price points similar to the previous generations, given that camera retail prices tend to be fairly fixed,” said Jerome Gigot, Ambarella's Senior Director of Marketing. 4K multi-imager cameras “However, higher-end 4K multi-imager cameras tend to retail for thousands of dollars, and so even though there will be a small premium on the SoC for the 2X improvement in performance, this will not make a significant impact to the final MSRP of the camera,” adds Jerome Gigot. In addition, the overall system cost might go down, Gigot notes, compared to what could be built today because there is no longer a need for external chips to perform AI, or extra components for power dissipation. The new chips will be available in the second half of 2021, and it typically takes about 12 to 18 months for Ambarella’s customers (camera manufacturers) to produce final cameras. Therefore, the first cameras, based on these new SoCs, should hit the market sometime in the second half of 2022. Reference boards for camera manufacturers The software on these new SoCs is an evolution of our unified Linux SDK" As with Ambarella’s previous generations of edge AI vision SoCs for security, the company will make available reference boards to camera manufacturers soon, allowing them to develop their cameras based on the new CV5S and CV52S SoC families. “The software on these new SoCs is an evolution of our unified Linux SDK that is already available on our previous generations SoCs, which makes the transition easy for our customers,” said Jerome Gigot. Better crime detection Detecting criminals in a crowd, using face recognition and/or license plate recognition, has been a daunting challenge for security, and one the new chips will help to address. “Actually, these applications are one of the main reasons why Ambarella is introducing these two new SoC families,” said Jerome Gigot. Typically, resolutions of 4K and higher have been a smaller portion of the security market, given that they came at a premium price tag for the high-end optics, image sensor and SoC. Also, the cost and extra bandwidth of storing and streaming 4K video were not always worth it for the benefit of just viewing video at higher resolution. 4K AI processing on-camera The advent of on-camera AI at 4K changes the paradigm. By enabling 4K AI processing on-camera, smaller objects at longer distances can now be detected and analyzed without having to go to a server, and with much higher detail and accuracy compared to what can be done on a 2 MP or 5 MP cameras. This means that fewer false alarms will be generated, and each camera will now be able to cover a longer distance and wider area, offering more meaningful insights without necessarily having to stream and store that 4K video to a back-end server. “This is valuable, for example, for traffic cameras mounted on top of high poles, which need to be able to see very far out and identify cars and license plates that are hundreds of meters away,” said Jerome Gigot. The advent of on-camera AI at 4K changes the paradigm Enhanced video analytics and wider coverage “Ambarella’s new CV5S and CV52S SoCs truly allow the industry to take advantage of higher resolution on-camera for better analytics and wider coverage, but without all the costs typically incurred by having to stream high-quality 4K video out 24/7 to a remote server for offline analytics,” said Jerome Gigot. He adds, “So, next-generation cameras will now be able to identify more criminals, faces and license plates, at longer distances, for an overall lower cost and with faster response times by doing it all locally on-camera.” Deployment in retail applications Retail environments can be some of the toughest, as the cameras may be looking at hundreds of people at once Retail applications are another big selling point. Retail environments can be some of the toughest, as the cameras may be looking at hundreds of people at once (e.g., in a mall), to provide not only security features, but also other business analytics, such as foot traffic and occupancy maps that can be used later to improve product placement. The higher resolution and higher AI performance, enabled by the new Ambarella SoCs, provide a leap forward in addressing those scenarios. In a store setup, a ceiling-mounted camera with four 4K imagers can simultaneously look at the cashier line on one side of the store, sending alerts when a line is getting too long and a new cashier needs to be deployed, while at the same time looking at the entrance on the other side of the store, to count the people coming in and out. This leaves two additional 4K imagers for monitoring specific product aisles and generating real-time business analytics. Use in cashier-less stores Another retail application is a cashier-less store. Here, a CV5S or CV52S-based camera mounted on the ceiling will have enough resolution and AI performance to track goods, while the customer grabs them and puts them in their cart, as well as to automatically track which customer is purchasing which item. In a warehouse scenario, items and boxes moving across the floor could also be followed locally, on a single ceiling-mounted camera that covers a wide area of the warehouse. Additionally, these items and boxes could be tracked across the different imagers in a multi-headed camera setup, without the video having to be sent to a server to perform the tracking. Updating on-camera AI networks Another feature of Ambarella’s SoCs is that their on-camera AI networks can be updated on-the-fly, without having to stop the video recording and without losing any video frames. So, for example in the case of a search for a missing vehicle, the characteristics of that missing vehicle (make, model, color, license plate) can be sent to a cluster of cameras in the general area, where the vehicle is thought to be missing, and all those cameras can be automatically updated to run a live search on that specific vehicle. If any of the cameras gets a match, a remote operator can be notified and receive a picture, or even a live video feed of the scene. Efficient traffic management With the CV52S edge AI vision SoC, those decisions can be made locally at each intersection by the camera itself Relating to traffic congestion, most big cities have thousands of intersections that they need to monitor and manage. Trying to do this from one central location is costly and difficult, as there is so much video data to process and analyze, in order to make those traffic decisions (to control the traffic lights, reverse lanes, etc.). With the CV52S edge AI vision SoC, those decisions can be made locally at each intersection by the camera itself. The camera would then take actions autonomously (for example, adjust traffic-light timing) and only report a status update to the main traffic control center. So now, instead of having one central location trying to manage 1,000 intersections, a city can have 1,000 smart AI cameras, each managing its own location and providing updates and metadata to a central server. Superior privacy Privacy is always a concern with video. In this case, doing AI on-camera is inherently more private than streaming the video to a server for analysis. Less data transmission means fewer points of entry for a hacker trying to access the video. On Ambarella’s CV5S and CV52S SoCs, the video can be analyzed locally and then discarded, with just a signature or metadata of the face being used to find a match. No actual video needs to be stored or transmitted, which ensures total privacy. In addition, the chips contain a very secure hardware cyber security block, including OTP memory, Arm TrustZones, DRAM scrambling and I/O virtualization. This makes it very difficult for a hacker to replace the firmware on the camera, providing another level of security and privacy at the system level. Privacy Masking Another privacy feature is the concept of privacy masking. This feature enables portions of the video (say a door or a window) to be blocked out, before being encoded in the video stream. The blocked portions of the scene are not present in the recorded video, thus providing a privacy option for cameras that are facing private areas. “With on-camera AI, each device becomes its own smart endpoint, and can be reconfigured at will to serve the specific physical security needs of its installation,” said Jerome Gigot, adding “The possibilities are endless, and our mission as an SoC maker is really to provide a powerful and easy-to-use platform, complete with computer-vision tools, that enable our customers and their partners to easily deploy their own AI software on-camera.” Physical security in parking lots With a CV5S or CV52S AI-enabled camera, the camera will be able to cover a much wider portion of the parking lot One example is physical security in a parking lot. A camera today might be used to just record part of the parking lot, so that an operator can go back and look at the video if a car were broken into or some other incident occurred. With a CV5S or CV52S AI-enabled camera, first of all, the camera will be able to cover a much wider portion of the parking lot. Additionally, it will be able to detect the license plates of all the cars going in and out, to automatically bill the owners. If there is a special event, the camera can be reprogrammed to identify VIP vehicles and automatically redirect them to the VIP portion of the lot, while reporting to the entrance station or sign how many parking spots are available. It can even tell the cars approaching the lot where to go. Advantages of using edge AI vision SoCs Jerome Gigot said, “The possibilities are endless and they span across many verticals. The market is primed to embrace these new capabilities. Recent advances in edge AI vision SoCs have brought about a period of change in the physical security space. Companies that would have, historically, only provided security cameras, are now getting into adjacent verticals such as smart retail, smart cities and smart buildings.” He adds, “These changes are providing a great opportunity for all the camera makers and software providers to really differentiate themselves by providing full systems that offer a new level of insights and efficiencies to, not only the physical security manager, but now also the store owner and the building manager.” He adds, “All of these new applications are extremely healthy for the industry, as they are growing the available market for cameras, while also increasing their value and the economies of scale they can provide. Ambarella is looking forward to seeing all the innovative products that our customers will build with this new generation of SoCs.”

The city of Baltimore has banned the use of facial recognition systems by residents, businesses and the city government (except for police). The criminalization in a major U.S. city of an important emerging technology in the physical security industry is an extreme example of the continuing backlash against facial recognition throughout the United States. Facial recognition technology ban Several localities – from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco, from Oakland, California, to Boston – have moved to limit use of the technology, and privacy groups have even proposed a national moratorium on use of facial recognition. The physical security industry, led by the Security Industry Association (SIA), vigorously opposed the ban in Baltimore, urging a measured approach and ‘more rational policymaking’ that preserve the technology’s value while managing any privacy or other concerns. Physical security industry opposes ban In such cases, it is local businesses and residents who stand to lose the most" “Unfortunately, an outright ban on facial recognition continues a distressing pattern in which the clear value of this technology is ignored,” said SIA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Don Erickson, adding “In such cases, it is local businesses and residents who stand to lose the most.” At the national level, a letter to US President Biden from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Coalition asserts the need for a national dialog over the appropriate use of facial recognition technology and expresses concern about ‘a blanket moratorium on federal government use and procurement of the technology’. (The coalition includes Security Industry Association (SIA) and other industry groups.) The negativity comes at a peak moment for facial recognition and other biometric technologies, which saw an increase of interest for a variety of public and business applications, during the COVID-19 pandemic’s prioritization to improve public health hygiene and to promote ‘contactless’ technologies. Prohibition on banks, retailers and online sellers The ordinance in Baltimore prohibits banks from using facial recognition to enhance consumer security in financial transactions. It prevents retailers from accelerating checkout lines with contactless payment and prohibits remote online identity document verification, which is needed by online sellers or gig economy workers, according to the Security Industry Association (SIA). At a human level, SIA points out that the prohibition of facial recognition undermines the use of customized accessibility tools for disabled persons, including those suffering with blindness, memory loss or prosopagnosia (face blindness). Ban out of line with current state of facial recognition Addressing the Baltimore prohibition, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reacted to the measure as ‘shockingly out of line with the current state of facial recognition technology and its growing adoption in many sectors of the economy’. Before Baltimore’s decision to target facial recognition, Portland, Oregon, had perhaps the strictest ban, prohibiting city government agencies and private businesses from using the technology on the city’s grounds. San Francisco was the first U.S. city to ban the technology, with Boston, Oakland; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Berkeley, California, among others, following suit. Police and federal units can use biometrics Unlike other bans, the Baltimore moratorium does not apply to police uses Unlike other bans, the Baltimore moratorium does not apply to police uses, but targets private uses of the technology. It also includes a one-year ‘sunset’ clause that requires city council approval for an extension. The measure carves out an exemption for use of biometrics in access control systems. However, violations of the measure are punishable by 12 months in jail. The law also establishes a task force to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of surveillance tools. Transparency in public sector use of facial recognition Currently, the state of Maryland controls the Baltimore Police Department, so the city council does not have authority to ban police use of facial recognition, which has been a human rights concern driving the bans in other jurisdictions. A measure to return local control of police to the city could pass before the year lapses. SIA advocates transparency in public-sector applications of facial recognition in identity verification, security and law enforcement investigative applications. SIA’s CEO, Don Erickson stated, “As public sector uses are more likely to be part of processes with consequential outcomes, it is especially important for transparency and sound policies to accompany government applications.”

For more than 22 years, Open Options, Addison, Texas, has developed access control solutions that connect to leading security technologies to deliver a full-scale solution based on each customer’s unique needs. In 2018, Open Options was acquired by ACRE, which already owned the Vanderbilt and ComNet brands. To find out the latest, we interviewed Chuck O’Leary, President of Open Options. Q: It has been two and a half years since Open Options was acquired by ACRE. Briefly describe that transition and how the company is stronger today because of it. O’Leary: The ACRE transition really focused on integrating our access control solution, DNA Fusion, with Vanderbilt Industries technologies in order to further our reach in the market and enhance our portfolios. With their support, we have been able to accelerate innovations and expand our global reach. Overall, it has been a great experience to be a part of the ACRE organization, and it has opened the doors to new opportunities for us both here in the states and globally.  Q: What is "Connect Care" and how does it benefit integrators and/or end user customers? O’Leary: For those unfamiliar with the world of access control, it can often be a little overwhelming when first introduced; however, we strive to make our products as easy to use and intuitive as possible, with Connect Care being no different. Connect Care is a system that has been specifically designed to create the most connected experience in the security market Connect Care is a system that has been specifically designed to create the most connected experience in the security market. It serves as a 24/7 bridge from our customers to services like technical support, platform support, professional services, and training. By providing these options for our customers, we can better empower them with the knowledge and expertise of our DNA Fusion access control system and ensure their success with the product.  Q: Who are the new customers entering the market for access control systems in the wake of the pandemic, and how should they be approached/managed differently? O’Leary: Over the last year, there has been a huge demand for access control systems as remote work increased due to COVID-19, and even now, as employees and students are heading back into the offices and schools. Organizations are realizing that having an outdated security system is no longer robust enough for the rapid advancement of technology that we witnessed over the course of the pandemic, and really the past few years. For those who are just dipping their toe into a new access control deployment, the most important thing they can do is to search for a provider who has a solution that is easily integrated, scalable, and provides excellent training and resources. Q: Define the term "touchless access control" and explain why it is gaining a higher profile in the post-pandemic world. O’Leary: The interesting thing about access control is that it has almost always been touchless. Many organizations are looking for robust solutions that are touchless and can be utilized remotely, and it's fairly easy to understand why a solution like this would become widely popular because of COVID-19. Integrators are searching for access control systems that will serve as a proper solution for organizationsThe process of using access control to streamline security infrastructures is not a new concept by any means, but due to the rapid development in technology over the past few years, more integrators are searching for access control systems that will serve as a proper solution for organizations, while still supplying the touchless and remote-based features. Q: What do you see as the future course of the changing technology trends we see in today's market (such as mobile credentials, cloud-based systems, cybersecurity, etc.)? O’Leary: As we continue to tread through the different technological developments in the market today, we are noticing that mobile credentials and biometrics are becoming increasingly popular. As cybersecurity and mobility continue to become more important, we are also seeing the rapid jump to the cloud. By utilizing cloud-based systems, an organization is not hindered by a lack of storage or old software and gains the flexibility to scale their security system as their business grows. Q: How will the access control market look different five years from now versus today? What about 10 years from now? O’Leary: Within the next five years, I suspect that access control will continue to make the move towards cloud-based systems and utilize mobile credentials and biometrics. In 10 years, I think all access control will be open platform and many more organizations will embrace cloud solutions for increased functionality. Also, innovations will continue to be the drivers behind new deployments with some installations being biometrics only and include recognizing fingerprints, retina scans, facial recognition, and voice. Q: What is the biggest challenge currently facing the access control market, and how should manufacturers (including Open Options) be addressing the challenge? O’Leary: One of the biggest challenges facing the physical access control market is organizations actually making the shift to more up-to-date access control systems. Organizations are looking to adopt more digital-focused access control experiencesOrganizations are looking to adopt more digital-focused access control experiences — ones that are focused on integration, newer features, cybersecurity, and ease of monitoring. Access control manufacturers should be addressing this challenge by creating integratable, scalable systems that are easily managed and provide a structured, streamlined approach for an organization’s security infrastructure. Q: What is the biggest misconception about access control? O’Leary: Access control is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and some organizations might have different standards or assets that need protection. This is why it's vital to know the risks your organization faces when speaking with access control providers — to ensure the best possible outcome for your specific needs. It's important to remember that whatever access control system is chosen should proactively mitigate any risks, be easily taught to and successfully used by employees, and be scalable with your organization. No matter the line of work, a proper access control system should streamline the security infrastructure and lessen stress on the security team and employees.

Right from the era of Kingdoms in Indonesia, financial management has existed. The Ministry of Finance is an institution under the Indonesian Government, which has an important role in conducting economic development. In Indonesia, the important role of the Ministry of Finance is managing the state's finances and assisting the leader in the state's finance and asset. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance can be considered as the guard of state finance. Addressing challenges faced by Ministry After having a word with Ministry officials, Matrix got to know that the organization faced many issues when the users had to place their palms on the surface of the palm geometry reader. This resulted in making devices dirty. Moreover, such devices were not able to reflect real-time attendance in the system. Hence, they were not getting correct time-attendance data for timely and accurate salary payments. To resolve all the above challenges, they wanted the latest contactless technology for a centralized time-attendance solution, which can connect its 141 locations with the head office in Indonesia. Furthermore, they needed a solution that can be easily integrated with their own time-attendance and payroll software. Centralized mobility solution User credentials will be transferred automatically to every device connected with the COSEC CENTRA server With extensive study of the existing system and client requirements, Matrix gave a comprehensive People Mobility Solution to the Ministry of Finance, Indonesia that took care of all their business challenges. Matrix provided a centralized solution, which connects 141 different locations with the COSEC CENTRA server to their corporate head office located in Jakarta. Attendance of each employee can be marked from any location as all the terminals are interconnected with each other and with the central server through a VPN network. User credentials will be transferred automatically to every device connected with the COSEC CENTRA server. It will prevent users to enroll at every location. Furthermore, Matrix provided COSEC DOOR PVR, which is a contactless technology that reads the internal vascular pattern of the palm and gives accurate results to provide utmost security and hygiene. These palm patterns are unique to each individual and exist underneath the skin layer so they cannot be faked, thereby making it more secure than any other biometric technology. Results observed  Reduced salary calculation time by 80% Improved productivity Error-free time-attendance data for salary Faster decision making with the help of informative reports Products offered COSEC DOOR PVR - Biometric Palm Vein based Door Controller COSEC ENROLL PALM - Palm Vein Enrollment Station COSEC LE CENTRA - Web-based Application Software Platform

Reliable contactless attendance control with accurate and fast recognition to avoid delay in punching during peak hours. Proactively engaging with clients to get their exact requirements as well as understand their expectations to replace the whole existing solution with Anviz devices and software along with customization of the software within a limited period. Time attendance solution Existing software only supported limited options for time attendance solutions and hence the most important part of this project was to personalize the time attendance reports and arrange training on how to use the CrossChex system. Anviz won the project for three very important aspects: Facial algorithm, product design and product quality Harness of connections with the possibility of integration to their fire system User-friendly software and solutions free of cost

Hyde Park is a premium residential complex of BI Group, a renowned construction holding company in Kazakhstan. This high-end project is located in one of the elite and ecologically safe neighborhoods of Almaty, combining modern solutions and quality services with elegant British architecture. In addition to the traditional British mansion features, one of the main attractive qualities of this residential complex is its high level of security, thanks to a range of modern and smart solutions made by Yasar LLP (Yasar Group), which includes the intelligent residential solution from Dahua Technology. Dahua Intelligent Residential Solution The Dahua Intelligent Residential Solution provides an interconnected platform for property managers While bringing high-quality living experience to residents, the Dahua Intelligent Residential Solution provides an interconnected platform for property managers, to simplify operations and improve management efficiency in a visual way. To help Yasar LLP achieve their tasks, which include ensuring the safety of the residents, keeping the property of the apartment owners safe, as well as home owners’ requests for visual intercom with visitors, the project must be able to provide a video intercom system that supports both audio and video, integrates with third-party smart home apps, supports IP camera integration and preview, and allows several door opening methods, etc. Video intercom system with two-way audio support It required high-performance products with modern video technologies and quality services, which were successfully fulfilled and accomplished by Dahua products and solutions. Based on the client’s requirements, the Dahua team customized a complete solution including the successful development of a 10-inch Android indoor monitor that supports two-way audio intercom, video recording, remote door opening, message features, as well as installation and access to third-party smart home apps. Android indoor monitor installed This indoor monitor offers high brightness, high contrast and high sound intensity. It can provide a clear display interface, even in a strong-light environment and transmit clear two-way intercom sound, despite noise interference. In addition, the indoor monitor is equipped with dual network cards that can work at the same time. The wired network card is used to access the video intercom system, while the wireless network card is for third-party smart home systems. Flexible door opening options In the Hyde Park residential area, two different parking areas are provided for residents and their guests In order to bring modern and high-tech living experience to home owners, the solution provides flexible door opening options, including cards, fingerprint recognition, password, etc., in case they forgot to bring their key or access card. Alternatively, they can also open the door remotely using the mobile app or enter via facial recognition. In the Hyde Park residential area, two different parking areas are provided for residents and their guests. These parking areas are both under constant round-the-clock monitoring using the Dahua ANPR camera. At the same time, the camera’s real-time recognition algorithm allows vehicles to enter and exit automatically, without stopping and waiting, greatly improving traffic efficiency. 24/7 uninterrupted video surveillance Public areas and common spaces are comprehensively protected by a combination of 2 MP IR Mini Dome Network Camera, 2 MP WDR IR Mini Bullet Network Camera, 4MP IR Mini Dome Network Camera and other equipment. At the same time, the Dahua DSS platform was selected for centralized management, operation, and maintenance. The Dahua Intelligent Residential Solution provides a highly secured and comfortable community for Hyde Park residential complex. It has 24/7 uninterrupted video surveillance, covering the whole residential area, including public areas, playground, and lobbies. The Dahua Intelligent Residential Solution provides a highly secured community for Hyde Park residential complex It enables the communication between the residents and security system operators, as well as touchless access control to parking lots and residential buildings in addition to card, password, and a physical lock. Advanced AI technology Now, residents can enjoy a smart and convenient living experience brought by advanced AI technology, make video conversations with guests, call security personnel for help, or manage all smart home control systems remotely. The Dahua indoor monitor integrates a visual intercom system and smart home system, which simplifies the tedious configuration process and saves input costs for integrators. Remote and visual management of properties Security guards at the entrance are not needed anymore, to manage entering and exiting vehicles, which saves labor costs, reduces the waiting time, and improves traffic efficiency. Moreover, it assists remote and visual management of properties, and improves the services and facilities offered in the residential community. “Thanks to smart residential solution of Dahua Technology, the safety and functionality of this residential complex has become more efficient. The cameras of the entire residential complex meet the latest innovations and instantly transmit data to the central observation point,” said Bagdan, a Yasar LLP Executive Employee.

When Care Protect wanted to upscale its operations in healthcare safety and monitoring services to a large private provider, it turned to Hikvision’s HikCentral video management software, in combination with offsite cloud video storage from Manything Pro. Care Protect is an innovative organization. It was created to promote excellent, sustainable and consistent care delivery in health and social care settings. That innovation is reflected in the way the company integrates technology into the very heart of its care provision services. It uses the latest camera and audio technology, alongside the latest secure cloud-based video storage services, with a team of health and social care professionals reviewing and assessing around the clock. Social care environments Because of this diligence in monitoring, high levels of independent scrutiny can be guaranteed. The result is that through this transparency, reassurance is available for residents and their families, knowing that vulnerable adults and children are better safeguarded and protected. In all cases, system use is with the prior consent of residents and relatives or next of kin only. Care Protect was established to help address public concerns over incidents of poor care or malpractice Care Protect’s independent monitors are very well qualified, with years of relevant health and social care experience, together with all necessary Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensing. Collectively they offer a high level of sector knowledge and expertise essential to assist and advise those with responsibility for safeguarding and quality and clinical governance. One of the key reasons that Care Protect was established to help address public concerns over incidents of poor care or malpractice in health and social care environments, some of which have seen wide media coverage. Private healthcare provider As a result, sound and motion detection alarms and infrared filming is utilized so immediate alerts can be raised if an incident is seen or heard or there is a connectivity or maintenance issue. Video recordings also include the use of privacy settings to block any agreed zones or areas of view as required. With video footage playing such a crucial role in Care Protect’s service, it is of pivotal importance that the system in place to manage the viewing of that video is stable, reliable and effective. One of Care Protect’s clients is a large private healthcare provider, for which Care Protect monitors bedrooms and communal areas of child and adult wards in hospitals nationwide throughout England. Care Protect also monitors elderly care homes for several different providers. Offsite video storage Care Protect also monitors elderly care homes for several different providers Care Protect’s IT & Systems Director, Andy Johnson, said Care Protect Directors have a background in the care industry, which has informed the monitoring system the company utilizes. “We’ve developed a system based on the reviewing of recorded footage by social workers and nurses to advise, initially, on the quality of practice,” Johnson explains. “The contract with the large private healthcare company saw our operation change to caring for patients who pose a high risk to themselves for self-harm. Because of the importance of this monitoring in ensuring the patients’ wellbeing, it was critical that we were able to efficiently manage that video, both in terms of live monitoring and offsite video storage.” Cloud video storage The new focus required an upscaling of Care Protect’s operational office in Belfast (the company’s head office is in Yarm, Cleveland). A key element of this upscaling was the use of Hikvision’s HikCentral video management software, which needed to be able to deliver high quality images to a Samsung multi-screen video wall for real-time monitoring. Resident and patient rights to privacy remain at the core of Care Protect’s operations Video management via HikCentral at Belfast is critical, as is the offsite cloud video storage provided by Manything Pro, as Care Protect is careful to ensure there is no local recording of video onsite at the customer’s facilities so that it cannot be tampered with. Resident and patient rights to privacy remain at the core of Care Protect’s operations, and they ensure they comply with and exceed all relevant legislation and guidelines, including the Data Privacy Act and Surveillance Camera Code of Practise. Intelligent surveillance platform HikCentral is a comprehensive, intelligent surveillance platform. The newly improved HikCentral delivers data and intelligence via a pre-installed VMS on standard, off-the-shelf servers, and contains advanced functions including advanced live view and playback, thermal imaging, queue detection, low bandwidth adaptability, video linkage with access control, enhanced alarm management and smart wall operation – as in use at Care Protect. HikCentral manages the cameras, the smart wall monitors, and the video decoders that drive the images to the multiple screens in the Belfast hub. These screens cover 21 separate hospital sites for Care Protect’s private health provider customer. “One of the key features of HikCentral for us was the new smart wall functionality,” Johnson says, “Allowing us to manage multiple screens from the one place, rather than having software to run an application to then put it on the screens.” Network mini domes We use Smart Maps within HikCentral for interactive floor plans for the hospitals we monitor" Care Protect also makes good use of HikCentral’s Smart Maps function. “We use Smart Maps within HikCentral for interactive floor plans for the hospitals we monitor,” Johnson explains. “We have a selection of the communal cameras live on the maps, and our reviewers can click into the relevant area and get an overview without having to further interrogate those floor plans.” The appeal of this VMS, he says, was down to both the newly mature and advanced functions of the latest version of HikCentral, as well as its very competitive pricing compared to its rivals. Care Protect uses 500 HikCentral licenses and a variety of Hikvision cameras are deployed across the customer’s facilities, predominantly unobtrusive 4MP and 6MP high resolution network mini domes. Hikvision Smart functionality on those cameras also proves extremely useful, Johnson says. Smart camera functions “The use of Hikvision Smart events on the cameras helps our reviewers to know how many people are in a room or a designated zone at a particular time,” he says. “These sorts of Smart features can greatly assist our reviewers, allowing us to be more efficient and effective in responding to the needs of patients.” Those in-built Smart camera functions are complemented by the use of audio analytics Those in-built Smart camera functions are complemented by the use of audio analytics. In some cases this audio software is used to trigger cameras so that potential incidents can be automatically viewed and assessed by a Care Protect reviewer. The results of utilizing this technology, according to Johnson, have been highly successful. “We have been able to upscale our operation to 27 screens, to accommodate 21 hospital sites for our biggest customer, to great satisfaction from their end as it is safeguarding the vulnerable patients that they care for,” he says. Poor network conditions In addition to monitoring the live streams for certain hospitals, Care Protect’s independent monitors are tasked with reviewing all recorded video to ensure that the quality of care provided meets the required standards. For this they utilize the services of Hikvision cloud video technology partner, Manything Pro. Care Protect have almost 3,000 cameras recording video to the Manything Pro platform. All video is stored offsite in the secure Manything Pro cloud and can be accessed via the Manything Pro app and website. Manything Pro software runs on Hikvision cameras and is constantly monitoring the bandwidth conditions on each site. If necessary, the software will dynamically adjust the video bit rate to ensure recorded events are sent to the cloud even in poor network conditions. “We use Manything Pro for our cloud storage, so any recorded footage goes up to them, and we review through their website,” he says. “Some providers that we work with aren’t part of the live streaming through HikCentral in our Belfast monitoring center. For these sites we also use the Manything Pro app and website to view the camera live streams.”

Collins Aerospace has completed deployment of its ARINC SelfPassTM biometrics solution at Haneda Airport, one of the busiest airports in Asia, streamlining passenger processing through reduced physical interactions and bottlenecks at multiple passenger touchpoints. Collins Aerospace is a Raytheon Technologies business. “Our ‘Face Express’ system will allow passengers to efficiently proceed through procedures at the airport (baggage drop, security checkpoint entrance, boarding gate) utilizing facial recognition, eliminating the hassle of showing their passport and boarding pass,” said Shoichi Ohashi, Tokyo International Air Terminal Corporation’s senior manager for the Facility Department. “We worked closely with Collins Aerospace to achieve this and enhance passenger convenience at Tokyo Haneda airport.” SelfPass biometrics solution Rakan Khaled, vice president, Airport Systems for Collins said, “Our ARINC SelfPass biometrics solution at Tokyo Haneda Airport streamlines passenger processing while improving airport efficiency and security. Despite the challenging pandemic environment, we were able to manage staffing and suppliers to ensure smooth delivery of the solution.” This project includes the installation of 98 Self-Service Check-In Kiosks, 30 biometric enrollment kiosks, 104 biometric devices for Self-Bag Drop, 17 biometric Automated Security Gates, and 42 biometric Automated Self-Boarding Gates.

Exeter Science Park is a business park developed by the Exeter Science Park Company, a partnership between Devon County Council, the University of Exeter, the Exeter City Council, and the East Devon District Council. It is a 26-hectare site located on the outskirts of the city of Exeter next to junction 29 of the M5 freeway. Sustainable solution The site has 2 entry lanes and 3 exit lanes. A vehicle access control solution was required to resolve problems at these entry and exit points. It was necessary to reduce staff involvement in barrier control, relieve congestion at the barriers, and improve reporting data using a sustainable solution that has low maintenance costs. Long-range tag reader Upon approach to the entry barrier, the uPass reader senses the RFID tag Each entry and exit lane has been fitted with a barrier, an HD ANPR camera, and an uPass long-range tag reader. The tag reader is used as the primary method of access control. Staff members will attach their RFID tags to their windscreens. Upon approach to the entry barrier, the uPass reader senses the RFID tag. The uPass Reader passes the information the barrier control, which opens the barrier. The whole process takes approximately 3 seconds. The same procedure is used on the exit barriers. HD ANPR cameras For staff that don’t have RFID tags and visitors, a secondary system using HD ANPR cameras provides access control. This removes the need for any ticket issue/chip coin at entry, avoiding human involvement and resulting in a faster throughput on entry and exit. Further staff and tenants can be added to a limitless categorized white list using the vehicle license plate as the ID. The white list can be used to allow automatic entry of visitors without the driver having to press the intercom button. Benefits Cost-effective and reliable hands-free access control Windshield tags are read at up to 5 meters Prevents unauthorized vehicle access Allows vehicles to be tracked “The uPass long-range tag reader has allowed a quicker throughput through the barrier while improving security on vehicle access. We are extremely happy with the positive impact the product has had on our client,” said Mustafe Omar, Business Development Manager, Newpark Solutions.

The idea of touchless systems has gained new levels of prominence during the last year, driven by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Contactless systems have been part of the industry’s toolbox for decades, while technologies like facial and iris recognition are finding new uses every day. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Which security markets are embracing touchless, contactless systems and why? 

Adoption of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the European Union in 2016 set a new standard for data privacy. But adherence to GDPR is only one element, among many privacy concerns sweeping the global security community and leaving almost no product category untouched, from access control to video to biometrics. Because privacy concerns are more prevalent than ever, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the impact on the physical security market?

Many of us take critical infrastructure for granted in our everyday lives. We turn on a tap, flip a switch, push a button, and water, light, and heat are all readily available. But it is important to remember that computerized systems manage critical infrastructure facilities, making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The recent ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline is an example of the new types of threats. In addition, any number of physical attacks is also possibilities. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of protecting critical infrastructure?