Body worn video cameras

Edesix, a provider of Body Worn Cameras (BWC), announces that it has teamed up with retailer Asda to enhance in-store security. After a successful trial, which began in 2016, there are now over 900 Edesix VideoBadges being utilized in over 250 sites nationwide, with more growth expected in the near future. Edesix collaborated with CBES, Asda's preferred security installer, to design and install a tailored wearable CCTV deployment system perfectly suited to the retail giant's needs. Edesix and CBES worked closely at Asda's national security center and across four store deployments to provide them with the knowledge and expertise so the cameras could be rolled out in the remaining stores with minimum impact on store efficiency. Improved Colleague Security Asda has been able to improve colleague security, diffuse aggressive and volatile situations and reduce valued investigation time This system, which is intuitive to use and requires minimum training, has enabled staff to integrate the cameras into their daily working processes with minimal fuss. As a result of this partnering strategy, which relied on both the innovative nature of Edesix's technology and communication between all parties, Asda has been able to improve colleague security, diffuse aggressive and volatile situations and reduce valued investigation time, thus reducing costs. Since the deployment, Asda has proven the viability of these cameras by securing numerous convictions relating to theft and violence against staff. Confrontation preventer Richie McBride, managing director of Edesix, explains: "Asda, along with CBES, identified the need to re-think its key security policy around challenging aggressive behavior towards staff. In searching for a technology partner, CBES chose Edesix as their BWC provider, to deploy initially to the most affected stores, eventually rolling out to over 250 sites across the UK. The aim was to improve the safety of colleagues in public facing roles and shoppers within the stores, while producing compelling evidence when needed." The Body Worn Cameras act as a confrontation preventer, as it is proven that members of the public are far less aggressive to staff members" McBride adds: "The Body Worn Cameras act as a confrontation preventer, as it is proven that members of the public are far less aggressive to staff members if they know they are being filmed." Winning major contracts Edesix, which was recently acquired by US-based security specialists Vigilant Solutions, has enjoyed a great deal of success lately, ranging from winning some major contracts with the likes of UK prisons, Scotrail and South Australian Police, to being named in the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 league table. Edesix currently supplies markets across the globe, through direct sales and international partners, to geographies including the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, the Middle East and Australasia.

At GSX 2018 on booth # 2951, Genetec Inc. (‘Genetec’), a technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, will demonstrate how true unification enables organizations to deploy a single platform that enhances situational awareness, streamlines and simplifies the operator experience, and reduces total cost of ownership. Specifically, Genetec will showcase the latest version of Security Center -- the company’s unified platform that merges IP security systems within a single platform -- as well as Mission Control, a collaborative decision management software, and Clearance, a digital evidence management system. With Security Center 5.7, users can augment their cyber resilience with cybersecurity features, and benefit from new enterprise functionalities for their access control system Automating Security With Embedded Analytics Visitors to the Genetec booth will be able to see the latest version of Security Center which lets users further automate their security and privacy protection through several embedded analytics and privacy modules. Visual reports that include dynamic charts and graphs deliver new insights and simplify the day-to-day activities of security professionals. They not only better understand their data but can also respond more effectively. With Security Center 5.7, users can augment their cyber resilience with cybersecurity features, and benefit from new enterprise functionalities for their access control system. Genetec will also introduce additional Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management Architecture (FICAM) approved solutions for US Federal entities through close collaboration with technology partners like Mercury Security and HID Global. Enhanced Situational Awareness And Operational Efficiency “Unified is a word that often gets misused or misinterpreted within the security industry. Typically, when vendors talk about unification, they refer to the clunky integration of independent products or the simple exchange of data between two or more security applications. These approaches don’t fully grasp the essence a unified platform, and end users unfortunately don’t realize the full benefits of a comprehensive security strategy. Mission Control enables organizations to manage the entire lifecycle of incidents and situations, from monitoring incoming sensor data and detecting incidents, to resolution and auditing “Genetec Security Center allows you to monitor video and access, track vehicles through ALPR, communicate with SIP-based devices, and act using one platform, through a single interface. It delivers enhanced situational awareness, improved operational efficiency, and increased productivity by showing you the bigger picture,” says Jimmy Palatsoukas, Director of Product Marketing at Genetec. Monitoring Sensor Data And Detecting Incidents At GSX, Genetec will showcase solutions that allow customers to collaborate across functions including security, operations and maintenance. Designed to work seamlessly with Security Center, Mission Control, the company’s decision management solution, gives security personnel a holistic, unified, and map-centric view of their entire security and operational infrastructure so they make the right decision when faced with routine tasks or unanticipated situations by ensuring a timely flow of information. Mission Control enables organizations to better manage the entire lifecycle of incidents and situations, from monitoring incoming sensor data and detecting incidents, all the way through to resolution and auditing. By collecting and qualifying data from thousands of sensors and security devices managed by Security Center, and spotting the most complex situations and incidents, Mission Control guides security teams in their response, following organization-specific processes and compliancy requirements. Clearance allows police officers, investigators, and security managers to gather digital evidence from a variety of sources such as Security Center, body-worn devices and cell-phone footage Gathering Digital Evidence From Different Sources Genetec will also demonstrate the latest version of Clearance, a digital evidence management system designed to speed up investigations by allowing different organizations to collect, manage and share evidence and other relevant case information. Genetec Clearance allows police officers, investigators, and security managers to gather digital evidence from a variety of sources (such as Security Center and other video management systems, body-worn devices, in-car systems and cell-phone footage from bystanders and witnesses), and easily store, manage, review and share it from within a single application. 

Edesix, provider of the provision of Body Worn Cameras (BWC), has opened an office in the USA. Edesix's new US base is in New Jersey and will house both US and UK staff. The UK-based wearable camera expert is primarily focused on supporting its new Video Management Systems (VMS) integration and associated partners in the US. Edesix recently launched ONStream which enables seamless Body Worn Camera integration with existing Video Management Systems (VMS) traditionally used for viewing footage from fixed IP cameras. This new software enables ONVIF compliant VMSs to be compatible with wearable cameras. Cameras integrate seamlessly with VideoManager and leading CCTV Video Management Systems, meaning captured footage can be instantly shared and viewed by security staff. By integrating wearable cameras, it gives security teams the ability to view unparalleled detail of incidents as they unfold"Unified Security And Monitoring System "The US is a key target market for us, and as such we felt we needed a full-time presence there," explains Richie McBride, managing director of Edesix. "Our main US focus will be on promoting our current VMS integrated solutions, along with associated partners. One of the most important recent innovations from Edesix has been the ability to integrate the cameras with existing VMSs, enabling organizations to unify a site's security and monitoring system, and create mobile and first-person viewpoints and add contextual detail to footage. Recording Live Streams For Evidence "Fixed security cameras connected to a VMS are a powerful tool for monitoring and securing many different environments, from retail floors to distribution centers. By integrating wearable cameras, it gives security teams the ability to view unparalleled detail of incidents as they unfold. Our software furthers the potential of a VMS, protects valued staff, and captures concrete and secure footage for future review. “It enables immediate response by control rooms and later review by supervisors. It also means live streams can be recorded as evidence, which can then be securely shared with third parties, including the police. The service is fully encrypted with audit trails to protect the evidential quality of footage stored." Edesix recently opened a new office in the Middle East, where it already supplies VideoBadges to the Abu Dhabi police force Global Supplier Of Body Worn Cameras McBride adds: "The US body worn camera market is primarily dominated by law enforcement. We hope that having a full-time presence there can facilitate a change in this, as we see huge US potential in other sectors such as construction, parking, transport, retail and the emergency services." Edesix recently opened a new office in the Middle East, where it already supplies VideoBadges to the Abu Dhabi police force. Edesix also supplies other key markets across the globe, through direct sales and international partners, to geographies including the UK, Europe, Canada, and Australasia.

Axon, the global provider of connected law enforcement technologies, announced a strategic partnership with Milestone Systems, a world-leading open platform IP video management software provider. Today, law enforcement agencies receive data from a multitude of digital video providers, which they then need to analyze and store across various platforms. The Axon and Milestone partnership allows agencies to ingest all that digital data, including data captured on non-Axon devices, into Evidence.com, providing one integrated solution for an efficient, unified workflow. The Milestone data is ingested into the Axon Network so customers can apply the same tools to all camera footage for the combined video evidence Combined Review Of Evidence With the Axon Network, customers can securely and efficiently analyze photo and video footage captured on the Axon Capture smartphone app, body-worn, in-car and interview room cameras. The partnership with Milestone brings data from more than 6,000 models of cameras from 150 manufacturers, including CCTV footage, into that Axon ecosystem allowing for a combined holistic review of all evidence. The Milestone data is ingested into the Axon Network so customers can apply the same tools to all camera footage for the combined video evidence. This provides the ability to view and analyze video footage, redact in one single tool and quickly share case files with prosecutors. This partnership will deliver great value to our joint customers by giving them a unified overview of digital evidence and evidence handling" Enhanced Safety And Security “We're excited to partner with Axon as an early adopter of our new video streaming interface,” says Brad Eck, Strategic Alliances Program Owner, Milestone Systems Americas. “This partnership will deliver great value to our joint customers by giving them a unified overview of digital evidence and evidence handling. This illustrates the value of the open platform community to join forces for improving safety and security.” “This partnership with Milestone will provide an invaluable service to our customers as it helps streamline the entire evidence analysis process,” says Axon CEO and founder Rick Smith. “Milestone is a market leader in the video management software space. Law enforcement agencies will have the ability to ingest data from many more sources into the Axon Network, accelerating the capture-to-courtroom workflow.”

Facial recognition has a long history dating back to the 1800s. To track down criminals, such as infamous bandits Jesse Woodson James and Billy the Kid, law enforcement would place “Wanted Alive or Dead” posters advertising bounties and soliciting public cooperation to help locate and even apprehend the alleged criminals. In addition to the bounty, these posters would include a photo and brief description of the crime, which would then be circulated to law enforcement agencies around the country and displayed in every US Post Office to speed up apprehension. Facial Recognition Advancements in artificial intelligence and biometric technology have led to the widespread use of computerised facial recognitionToday, technology such as social media, television and other more specialized communication networks play a more influential role in the recognition process. Advancements in artificial intelligence and biometric technology, including the development of Machine Learning capabilities, have led to increased accuracy, accessibility and the widespread use of computerized facial recognition. The significance of this means that facial recognition can occur on an even larger scale and in more challenging environments. This article will explore key milestones and technological advances that have resulted in the modern incarnation of facial recognition, before discussing the capabilities of cutting-edge “one-to-many” technology which is increasingly being used by counter-terror defense, police and security forces around the world. Technology Inception And Developments The technology was able to match 40 faces an hour, which was considered very impressive at the time The 1960s marked the start of computerized facial recognition, when Woodrow Wilson (Woody) Bledsoe developed a way to classify faces using gridlines. Bledsoe’s facial recognition still required a large amount of human involvement because a person had to extract the co-ordinates of the face’s features from a photograph and enter this information into a computer. The technology was able to match 40 faces an hour (each face took approximately 90 seconds to be matched) which was considered very impressive at the time. By the end of the 1960s, facial recognition had seen further development at the Stanford Research Institute where the technology proved to outperform humans in terms of accuracy of recognition (humans are notoriously bad at recognizing people they don’t know). By the end of the century, the leading player in the field was a solution that came out of the University of Bochum in Germany – and the accuracy of this technology was such that it was even sold on to bank and airport customers. From this stage on, the facial recognition market began to blossom, with error rates of automatic facial recognition systems decreasing by a factor of 272 from 1993 to 2010 according to US Government-sponsored evaluations. The aim for facial technology is to achieve successful and accurate recognition on commonly available hardware like live CCTV feeds and standard computing hardware Modern Usage Of Facial Recognition Fast-forward to the modern day and facial recognition has become a familiar technology when using applications such as the iPhone X’s Face ID capability or MasterCard Identity Check, passport e-gates at airports and other security and access control points. These solutions implement a consensual form of identity verification, as the user has a vested interest in being identified. This is a “one-to-one” facial recognition event, one person in front of the camera being compared to one identity either on a passport or the app. In these scenarios, the hardware is specifically developed for the application at hand, therefore technically much easier to accomplish. Facial recognition can now be used in a variety of governmental and commercial environments The safety and security world brings a much more complex problem to solve – how to pick out a face in a moving and changing environment and compare it to several faces of interest. “One-to-many” facial recognition is a much harder problem to solve. It’s even more challenging when the aim is to achieve successful and accurate recognition on commonly available hardware like live CCTV feeds and standard computing hardware. And unlike in the 1960’s where identifying a face every 90 seconds was acceptable; the safety and security market requires near instant feedback on who a person matched against a watchlist is. Security And Safety Applications The idea behind all facial recognition technologies is broadly the same: you start with an image of a person’s face (ideally a high quality one, although machine learning means that to a point we can now even use video without reducing accuracy). A fully front facing image is best, think a passport photo, but machine learning and new software has made this more flexible. An algorithm converts this image into a numeric template, which cannot be converted back to an image and so represents a secure one way system. Every numeric template is different, even if it started out as an image of the same person, although templates from the same person are more similar than templates from different people. The accuracy of facial recognition continues to increase alongside deployments in more challenging and complex environments What happens next sounds simple although the technology is extremely complex: templates of people’s faces are taken in real time and compared to those in the database. The technology identifies individuals by matching the numeric template of their face with all the templates saved in a database in a matter of seconds or milliseconds. To put this into perspective, imagine you are at the turnstiles of a busy train station looking for a person on the run. Today’s facial recognition technology would be able to identify that person should they pass in view of a CCTV camera, as well as notify the police of any additional persons of interest, whether they are a known terrorist or missing vulnerable person on an entirely separate watch list. Because of technical progression, facial recognition can now be used in a variety of governmental and commercial environments, from identifying barred hooligans attempting entry at a football stadium or helping self-excluded gamblers at casino to overcome addiction. Real-Time Assessments The latest evolution of facial recognition pits the technology against an even more challenging application – directly matching individuals from body worn cameras for real time recognition for police officers on the beat. This capability equips first responders with the ability to detect a person from a photo and verify their identity with assurance. The broader implication for this means that every interaction, such as stop and search or arrest, can be supported by real-time facial recognition which will see cases of mistaken identity driven down on the streets. First responders can now for the first time be deployed and furnished with the ability to identify wider groups of people of interest with a degree of accuracy that previously relied only on the fallible human memory. As the accuracy of the technology continues to increase alongside deployments in more challenging and complex environments, its ability to support government initiatives and law enforcement means the debate about the lawful and appropriate use of facial recognition must be addressed. Facial recognition should not be everywhere looking for everyone, but when used properly it has the potential to improve public safety and we should make the most of its potential.

By 2020, video surveillance using fixed, body and mobile cameras is expected to capture an astounding 859 PB of video daily. Increasing retention regulations and higher resolution cameras, are forcing the video surveillance industry to reassess its approach to data storage. Large capacity primary storage tends to be expensive to procure and costly to implement – especially without a sound architecture that can balance storage performance levels with the speed of access needed to recall video footage. Active Archive Strategy These challenges are thrusting storage tiers to the forefront of system design. Storage tiers in video surveillance had previously meant simply using a separate archive or attaching add-on capacity directly to network video recorders. Many of the new storage options designed for video surveillance are pulling together different storage tiers into a single storage architecture Many of the new storage options designed for video surveillance are pulling together different storage tiers (and in some cases storage media) into a single storage architecture, such as an active archive solution. This balance can be achieved with an active archive strategy that automates migration of data between different storage types, to ensure the data is on the correct storage type at the correct time to meet performance and retention requirements without blowing the budget. This approach also ensures ease of access while automatically moving content from more expensive tiers of storage to more cost-effective long-term tiers of storage. This allows for greater efficiencies in how recorded footage is treated throughout its lifecycle. In some cases, it includes moving data from edge devices to centralized storage, and then to the public cloud. Scalable Video Storage Solutions As storage demands have increased, video management vendors have turned to storage specialists for solutions that can accommodate large numbers of high-resolution video files, metadata associated with the footage for easy searching, along with much needed scalable solutions. In terms of video management software, this means the integration of video content from different storage types, tiers and physical locations is required, and which considers the performance profile of each storage type. With an active archive solution, video content is searchable and accessible directly by the end users regardless of where it is stored. Deploying an active archive solution enables surveillance users to reduce the complexity and costs of managing data for long term retention As seen in many product categories, camera and storage vendors continue to provide extremely competitive offerings. But, storage-specific solutions for video surveillance have lagged behind the roadmaps for video equipment and, as more and more cameras have entered the market, less attention has been placed on video storage capacities. Tiered Storage Strategy The surveillance industry has evolved considerably from the days of the 8mm video recorder; however, enterprise storage solutions will be forced to evolve further to cope with changing storage retention requirements. Video storage is quickly becoming one of the most expensive parts in a surveillance solution, but there is hope. Deploying an active archive solution will enable surveillance users to reduce the complexity and costs of managing from terabytes to petabytes of data for long term retention. By finding a storage solution that delivers the ability to implement a tiered storage strategy, users can adhere to regulation requirements to retain video footage and meet their safety and security objectives, while also significantly reducing storage costs and operational expenses.

Video surveillance across the world is growing exponentially and its major application is in both public safety and law enforcement. Traditionally, it has been fixed surveillance where cameras provide live streams from fixed cameras situated in what is considered strategic locations. But they are limited in what they can see given by their very definition of being “fixed”. The future of video surveillance includes the deployment of more mobile video surveillance with the benefits it offers. Instead of fixed cameras, this is the ability to live stream from mobile devices on the move such as body-worn cams, drones, motorbikes, cars, helicopters and in some cases, even dogs!Sending drones into the air, for example for missing people or rescue missions, is much more cost-effective than deploying helicopters Advantages Of Mobile Surveillance The advantage of mobile surveillance is that the camera can go to where the action is, rather than relying on the action going to where the camera is. Also, sending drones into the air, for example for missing people or rescue missions, is much more cost-effective than deploying helicopters. The ability to live stream video from cars and helicopters in high-speed pursuits can be used to take some of the operational issues from the first responders on the ground and share that “life and death” responsibility with the operational team leaders back in the command center. This allows the first responders in the pursuit vehicle to focus on minimizing risk while staying in close proximity of the fleeing vehicle, with direction from a higher authority who can see for themselves in real time the issues that are being experienced, and direct accordingly. In addition to showing video live stream from a pursuit car or motorcycle, by using inbuilt GPS tracking, the video can be displayed on a map in real time, allowing a command chief to better utilize additional resource and where to deploy them, through the use of displaying mapping information with real time video feed. It allows police chiefs to make better informed decisions in highly-charged environments. The 4G phone network can now be used with compressed video to live stream cost effectively Application in emergency situations The same is true of first responders in many different emergency situations. Mobile surveillance opens up a new area of efficiencies that previously was impossible to achieve. For example, special operations can wear action body-worn cameras when doing raids, fire departments can live stream from emergency situations with both thermal and daylight cameras, and paramedics can send video streams back to hospitals allowing doctors to remotely diagnose and prepare themselves for when patients arrive at the hospital. How can special operations and emergency first responders live stream video from a mobile camera with the issues of weight, reliability and picture-quality being considered? H265 Mobile Video Compression Law enforcement insists on secure transmissions, and it is possible to encrypt video to the highest level of security available in the public domain The 4G phone network can now be used with compressed video to live stream cost effectively. The issue of course is that 4G is not always reliable. Soliton Systems has mitigated this risk of low mobile quality in certain areas, by building an H265 mobile video compression device that can use multiple SIM cards from different cellular providers simultaneously. H265 is the latest compression technique for video, that is 50% more effective than conventional H264, and coupling this with using multiple “bonded” SIM cards provides a highly reliable connection for live-streaming high-quality HD video. The 400-gram device with an internal battery can be connected to a small action cam, and can live-stream simultaneously over at least three different cellular providers, back to a command center. Latency is typically less than a second, and new advance improvements are looking to reduce that latency further. Encrypted Video Transmission What about security? Law enforcement insists on secure transmissions, and it is possible to encrypt video to the highest level of security available in the public domain, i.e. AES256.What about integration into existing video infrastructure at the command center? It is not untypical for a police force to have an existing video management system (VMS) at their command center such as Milestone System’s Xprotect. The Soliton range of products are ONVIF-compliant, a standard used by video surveillance cameras for interoperability, allowing cameras and video devices that are ONVIF-compliant to simply “plug&play” into existing video management systems. These mobile transmitters are deployed with law enforcement and first responders across the globe. Their ability to provide secure, full HD quality and highly-reliable video streaming within a small unit, and to enable it to be integrated into the current eco-system that is already installed at the receiving end, has made them a favorite choice with many companies and government agencies.

Activity slowed on the last day of ISC West in Las Vegas, but there was plenty of momentum remaining and plenty more to see. In the end, Reed Exhibitions declared 2018 the biggest and most successful year to date for the show. There were an additional 4,000 square feet of exhibit space compared to last year and a 6 percent growth in overall attendance, according to Reed.  The cloud, biometrics, deep learning and other technologies were among the big topics at the show, and even smaller exhibitors were pleased with the results. In particular, emerging technologies were successfully highlighted. Cloud-based Video Systems Cloud video company Eagle Eye Networks announced multiple new offerings at ISC West. One was the first cloud-based video system that accommodates HD-over-coax cameras using the HD-TVI protocol to operate over existing coaxial cabling. In effect, cameras connect with an HD-TVI recorder, which plugs into Eagle Eye Networks’ on-site hardware “bridge” connecting to the Internet. Eagle Eye Networks has also integrated Hikvision body-worn cameras into their cloud system; transmitting video using the Eagle Eye Bridge ensures end-to-end encryption and the evidentiary integrity of the video. Analytics in the cloud can be turned on and off at will for each camera, and could be deployed over a weekend and switched off the following week “A few years ago, fewer customers were ready to adopt the cloud,” says Ken Francis, President of Eagle Eye Networks. “Now market adoption is changing, and customers don’t want on-site hardware. End-users are driving the move to cloud systems.” He estimates the evolution is about halfway complete, and Eagle Eye Networks continues to sign up new dealers every month because their customers are asking for the cloud. Eagle Eye Networks’ third new offering at ISC West is “analytics in the cloud,” including familiar analytics such as intrusion, people counting and loitering. Francis says the economics of the cloud make implementation of analytics much more affordable – about $4 per camera. The economics of the cloud make implementation of analytics much more affordable Augmented Identity: Biometrics In Security Analytics in the cloud can be turned on and off at will for each camera. For example, analytics could be deployed over a weekend and then switched off the following week. “It’s a far more economically attractive and cost-effective service than on-site,” says Francis. Biometrics continue to make their way into the mainstream of the security market, and IDEMIA brought its message of “augmented identity” to ISC West. IDEMIA (formerly OT-Morpho) provides systems to the largest biometrics users in the world, including big customers such as the FBI and Interpol, and large-scale government projects around the globe. “If you can handle projects that big, enterprise applications are no problem,” says Gary Jones, Vice President, Global Channel & Marketing, Biometric Access & Time Solutions. He says that the company’s technologies apply to any vertical market, and they are especially common in major airports and big financial institutions, in addition to government. The company’s MorphoWave product allows users to wave their hand, and the system captures a three-dimensional shape of fingerprints. The touchless system is also “frictionless” -- it enables fast decision-making that promotes high throughput rates. Artificial Intelligence Applications AI and deep learning have been big topics of conversation at ISC West, and I saw a company on the last day of the show with a different take on the subject. BrainChip uses a type of AI called “spiking neural networking” that models the operation of neurons in the human brain - in contrast to “convolutional neural networks,” which use a series of math functions to train from pre-labelled data sets. The BrainChip Studio software can search vast amounts of video footage rapidly to identify either faces, patterns or objects. Applications are in law enforcement, counter-terrorism and intelligence agencies.The BrainChip Studio software can search vast amounts of video footage rapidly to identify either faces, patterns or objects “We search for specific things,” said Bob Beachler, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Business Development. The software can search hundreds of live or recorded camera feeds for a unique graphic pattern on an item of clothing or on a bag carried by a person, for example. The technology only requires modest processing power and consumes little energy, so it can be used with legacy systems without requiring hardware or infrastructure upgrades.  Emerging Technology Zone A new Emerging Technology Zone at ISC West included participation by around 40 companies that are startups and/or new to the security industry. The section opened an hour before the main show floor and was located near the registration area, which increased traffic. “Generally speaking some people said it was hard to find, but I think it’s better for us as someone new to the market, rather than being on the main floor where you can get lost in the shuffle,” said Jeffrey Weiner, Vice President, Networks & Business Solutions, at Mersoft. “It was really smart that they opened this an hour earlier.” Mersoft, one of the Emerging Technology Zone exhibitors, has developed a software product to help the security industry do a better job of streaming live video. The software eliminates the startup delay and lag in live video. With dedicated software, video can be consumed by a browser or mobile app more easily Live Video Streaming “We accomplish that in two ways,” says Weiner. “One, we don’t trans-code the video into another format. Instead, we convert a security camera’s video from RTSP (real time streaming protocol) to WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication), an open-source technology that has been used extensively in video conferencing, but not so much in security. The video can be consumed by a browser or mobile app more easily, and we don’t need a player on the client, which is another way we reduce lag.” Another advantage is that WebRTC is natively encrypted; every packet is encrypted. In contrast, applications that transmit RTSP have to be wrapped in a VPN (virtual private network) tunnel, which takes some effort to maintain and is a battery hog on a mobile device. Also, multi-casting of video is easier, even using streams of various resolutions. Mersoft works through partnerships, offering a cloud-hosted service on Amazon and a version that can be installed on a local server. They have worked with several DIY camera sellers (who use cloud services), and with some major commercial service providers. “A new partnership strategy we are exploring is with systems integrators, who can incorporate Mersoft and provide a differentiator by improving their video performance,” says Weiner. The 22-year-old company is new to security, and ISC West provides opportunities for in-depth conversations preparing for a future in the security sector. Customizable Turnstile Solutions Delta highlighted their new designer series turnstiles, whose colorful appearance led booth visitors to ask about customization Even the smaller companies, located toward the back of the hall, were enthusiastic about ISC West this year. “The show has been great,” says Vanessa Howell, project manager of Delta Turnstiles. “We did get a lot of traffic. I am a niche product, so it’s not so much about quantity as quality [of leads]. I had great quality at the show.” Being away from competitors, which are grouped next to each other in the front of the hall, was an upside of the turnstile company’s booth location toward the back. Delta highlighted their new designer series turnstiles, whose colorful appearance led booth visitors to ask about customization. “They ask: ‘Why are turnstiles only sold in basic models?’” says Howell. “’Why can’t they look like a piece of art since they are the first thing people see when they enter a building?’ People are very open to making them prettier.”  Delta Turnstiles has been coming to ISC West since 2006. “I have manufacturer’s reps, and this is one of two times I get to see them in one place, and they bring a lot of customers to me at the booth,” says Howell. “This is my only face-to-face meetings with some customers. I speak mostly over the phone.” Valuable face-to-face engagement was a benefit of ISC West, and many of those meetings will likely set the stage for continuing successes in our vibrant market. Until next year. 

Security solutions today do more than merely observe and prevent criminal activity. Systems are increasingly tasked with making sense of the world around us. At Intersec 2018, which took place January 21 – 23 in Dubai,  manufacturers set out to show how predictive analytics and artificial intelligence are already being used in real world applications: predicting criminal behaviour, managing traffic, and streamlining smart city operations. Dubai Smart City Initiatives Dubai is a particularly appropriate location to showcase how artificial intelligence and smart city projects have become intrinsically linked. Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, authorities in Dubai have set out to “make Dubai the happiest city on Earth” by adopting cutting-edge smart city initiatives. Dubai Police, a longstanding partner of Intersec, has launched a range of public safety initiatives including Smart Police IOS apps, traffic accident and location systems, and SOS apps for wearable devices. At the show, Dubai Police showcased how artificial intelligence can power new Robocop prototypes – unarmed, life-sized patrolling robots carrying facial recognition software and automatic license plate recognition (ALPR)Dubai Police, a longstanding partner of Intersec, has launched a range of public safety initiatives including Smart Police IOS apps Hikvision AI+ Forum At the busy Hikvision stand, visitors were presented with the company’s latest AI-powered products, including DeepinView Series IP cameras and DeepinMind Series NVRs. Hikvision demonstrated its commitment to artificial intelligence with the global launch of its AI+ strategy, giving partners an exclusive insight into the company’s latest solutions. The event proved popular, with over 250 guests showing an interest in the latest surveillance applications for deep learning technology. Key figures in attendance were Hikvision President Mr. Yangzhong Hu, and Hikvision General Manager of MENA Mr. Binson Xu, who outlined how the company is leveraging AI and cloud technology to move beyond traditional surveillance systems and make sense of video data. Hikvision compounded its commitment to artificial intelligence with the global launch of its AI+ strategy Artificial Intelligence At The Edge The key question, according to Hikvision, is whether cloud-based AI is the ultimate solution, and how we can solve the intrinsic problems of cloud-based analytics. For Hikvision, the answer is a multi-layered solution bringing AI-powered analytics from the cloud to the edge device. In the AI-Cloud framework, data is collected and analyzed at the edge using deep learning technology, before target information is transmitted to the network and ultimately deployed to the cloud. According to Hikvision, the system classifies and recognises features more accurately than traditional analytics, making it perfect for facial recognition, people counting and traffic management. This is because raw data is analyzed before compression occurs, preventing data loss and providing more essential detail. The framework ultimately reduces the burden placed on the data center, as only relevant target information is transmitted via the network.The framework ultimately reduces the burden placed on the data center, as only relevant target information is transmitted The Chinese manufacturer was keen to stress that Hikvision’s AI technology is already proving effective in real-world applications, citing use cases in law enforcement, traffic management and smart cities. The AI+ cloud solution takes this technology to the next stage. Video Data For Smarter Cities Hikvision was not the only video manufacturer to focus on intelligent city surveillance. For Stuart Rawling, Pelco’s Director of Global Business Development, the big question for smart cities is how we can capture as much data as possible – from weather information to traffic data – to provide wholistic surveillance that allows for truly actionable insights. Pelco’s stand demonstrated how this vision is fast becoming a reality. The IP video manufacturer showcased its latest Optera™ Panoramic multi-sensor camera offering, targeting large outdoor areas such as parks and traffic intersections. According to Rawling, the solution is already improving response times for police departments in cities like Fresno, California, where 24/7 real-time monitoring and event management have contributed to increased public and officer safety. Genetec Security Center integrates video surveillance footage, ALPR data, record management systems and gunshot detection Automated Intelligence For Law Enforcement Genetec placed a similar emphasis on actionable video intelligence. Genetec's intelligent automation means moving beyond image capture to make sense of video data and provide critical insights to security professionals.Genetec’s Citigraf technology has already been deployed by Chicago Police Department to predict potential criminal activity Key technologies on display included the latest version of Genetec Security Center. The solution integrates video surveillance footage, ALPR data, record management systems and gunshot detection to provide actionable insights to law enforcement professionals. Genetec’s Citigraf technology, built on the Security Center interface, has already been deployed by Chicago Police Department to predict potential criminal activity, improving response times and reducing gun crime in the city. Intersec 2018 was an opportunity for manufacturers and authorities to demonstrate that intelligent analytics and AI can no longer be considered concepts for the distant future: In the Middle East and globally, public safety is getting smarter.

In 2017, SecurityInformed.com covered topics from all corners of the physical security industry - from video surveillance, to access control, to intrusion detection and beyond. But just how much have you been paying attention to the industry this past year? Does your knowledge of the cloud soar high above your colleagues and security friends? Can you recall your facts faster than 60-fps? Are you hooked into the mainframe with your expertise in cybersecurity? Now you can find out. We have launched our SecurityInformed.com Best of the Year Quiz 2017, and this is your opportunity to prove just how much you remembered in this eventful year of security. Compiled by Editor Larry Anderson, our questions span topics as diverse as millennials, body-worn-cameras and security trade shows.  So, what are you waiting for? Are you ready to prove your knowledge? Are you the champion of the security trade? Take our SourceSecurity.com Best of the Year Quiz 2017 now, and be the envy of the industry!

Edesix, a provider of Body Worn Cameras (BWC), announces that it has teamed up with retailer Asda to enhance in-store security. After a successful trial, which began in 2016, there are now over 900 Edesix VideoBadges being utilized in over 250 sites nationwide, with more growth expected in the near future. Edesix collaborated with CBES, Asda's preferred security installer, to design and install a tailored wearable CCTV deployment system perfectly suited to the retail giant's needs. Edesix and CBES worked closely at Asda's national security center and across four store deployments to provide them with the knowledge and expertise so the cameras could be rolled out in the remaining stores with minimum impact on store efficiency. Improved Colleague Security Asda has been able to improve colleague security, diffuse aggressive and volatile situations and reduce valued investigation time This system, which is intuitive to use and requires minimum training, has enabled staff to integrate the cameras into their daily working processes with minimal fuss. As a result of this partnering strategy, which relied on both the innovative nature of Edesix's technology and communication between all parties, Asda has been able to improve colleague security, diffuse aggressive and volatile situations and reduce valued investigation time, thus reducing costs. Since the deployment, Asda has proven the viability of these cameras by securing numerous convictions relating to theft and violence against staff. Confrontation preventer Richie McBride, managing director of Edesix, explains: "Asda, along with CBES, identified the need to re-think its key security policy around challenging aggressive behavior towards staff. In searching for a technology partner, CBES chose Edesix as their BWC provider, to deploy initially to the most affected stores, eventually rolling out to over 250 sites across the UK. The aim was to improve the safety of colleagues in public facing roles and shoppers within the stores, while producing compelling evidence when needed." The Body Worn Cameras act as a confrontation preventer, as it is proven that members of the public are far less aggressive to staff members" McBride adds: "The Body Worn Cameras act as a confrontation preventer, as it is proven that members of the public are far less aggressive to staff members if they know they are being filmed." Winning major contracts Edesix, which was recently acquired by US-based security specialists Vigilant Solutions, has enjoyed a great deal of success lately, ranging from winning some major contracts with the likes of UK prisons, Scotrail and South Australian Police, to being named in the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 league table. Edesix currently supplies markets across the globe, through direct sales and international partners, to geographies including the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, the Middle East and Australasia.

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) is the first Ambulance Service to trial body worn video cameras in a scheme that launches this week. Approximately 40 of the Trust’s frontline staff will be trying out the use of body cameras in a bid to offer them greater support against the rise of incidents of violence and aggression. Alan Gallagher, Head of Risk, said: “The health, safety and welfare of our staff are of utmost importance. We want to take every precaution possible to ensure that our employees are safe whilst at work.” NEAS staff Adorn Body Worn Cameras “Our staff are reporting more incidents of this nature and we are working closely with the police and other partners to respond to those perpetrators with warning letters and, where necessary, criminal action. From previous reports, we know that most of these circumstances happen away from CCTV covered areas so using body worn video cameras will mean that our staff can record evidence of abuse or assaults when they happen, such as when they are in a residential property attending to a patient." We will continue to work on measures to reduce assaults and liaise with police colleagues" "This move is designed to help us bring more prosecutions against people who put our staff at risk and reduce the assaults and abuse they are currently facing in the line of their work. There really is nothing more disheartening than being hurt by someone that you’ve gone to help, particularly when they already work in such challenging circumstances.” Fighting Crime “We will continue to work on measures to reduce assaults and liaise with police colleagues to ensure action is taken following any criminal acts against staff or the Trust. We encourage all valuable NHS colleagues not to tolerate such behaviour.” The number of reported physical assaults on NEAS staff has increased by 23% compared to last year. The numbers of addresses across the North East flagged for the potential caution or violence has also increased. This sits against a backdrop of more than 350 prosecutions that have been brought for attacks on ambulance staff over the last year nationally. The scale of the problem is believed to be much greater. Emergency Workers’ Safety This follows a new law that was recently introduced, the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill, in which individuals who assault, or attack emergency workers will face longer jail terms if found guilty. The Bill was designed to recognise the debt of gratitude the public feels towards emergency services, and for the courage, commitment and dedication they show every day in carrying out their duties. Footage will be admissible as evidence in the court of law utilizing Edesix VideoManager software platform Mr. Gallagher continued, “We welcome anything that will help to deter people from abusing or assaulting our staff and we hope that by reporting incidents and providing credible evidence where we can, courts might be able to be much tougher when sentencing those found guilty of assaulting and threatening our staff, prosecuting those people to the full extent of the law.” Edesix VideoManager Software Footage obtained in the event of an assault or abuse will be admissible as evidence in the court of law utilizing the features available in the Edesix VideoManager software platform. It will only be used for the purposes of providing evidence to the Police in any enquiry intended for the health, safety and protection of staff. The tamper proof cameras, software and support for the three-month trial have been provided free by Edesix. Richie McBride, Chief Executive Officer of Edesix commented, "We're pleased to provide the North East Ambulance Service with our cameras to enhance the protection of staff and to deter any aggressive behaviour towards NEAS workers."

For the first time in Europe, bodycams have been deployed in public transport on a nationwide level. Dutch railway company NS has equipped 700 safety and service employees with Zepcam bodycams that they can use in unsafe situations to increase safety and prevent escalation of violence and aggression. Large Scale Bodycam Deployment Body worn video is mostly used by police, other law enforcement and first responders. However, there is a growing demand for this technology to be used in other sectors like public transport, in order to increase the safety of employees and passengers. In the Netherlands for instance, the number of people who are victims of an annoying violent incident in public transport has increased from 13.5 percent in 2016 to 15.5 percent last year, according to research center CROW. It’s the first time a public transportation organisation deploys bodycams on such a large scale within the EU Dutch Railways (NS) approached Dutch tech company Zepcam to develop bodycam solutions for its safety and service employees. These workers monitor the train stations and approach people who are for instance dodging the fare, behaving aggressively or otherwise causing problems. Thanks to the bodycams, they now can record situations for further investigation and prosecution purposes. Zepcam has over 400 customers in 45 countries, including the police forces of Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore, and already supplies mobile video and bodycam solutions to local public transport companies like Movia in Denmark, SBB in Switzerland, SNCF and Veolia in France and Arriva in the UK. At Dutch Railways, it’s the first time a public transportation organization deploys bodycams on such a large scale within the EU. Benefits Of Bodycam Solutions According to Marjolein Maasland, representative of Dutch Railways, the new bodycams are comfortable to wear and easy to use. "I believe that the bodycam can help employees positively influence an escalating situation and possibly even prevent an incident," she states. CEO Bart van der Aa of Zepcam: "We are very proud to be the ones helping Dutch Railways’ safety and service personnel and their passengers decrease violence and prevent escalations. A growing number of organizations is discovering the benefits of our bodycam solutions for application in busses and subway trains and stations. We aim to make public transport safer all over Europe."

Video surveillance has begun offering healthcare providers more than just security; video analytics are now allowing hospitals and clinics to achieve their business goals. Improving patient satisfaction is supported by staff reminders when a patient has been left alone for too long. Even more, an alert can be given to staff members when a patient arrives that needs assistance. This reduces wait times, improves service, and gives patients better outcomes.  However, healthcare costs are rising throughout the world. In the US, spending is expected to reach 19.3% of GDP by 2023; whereas the European Union, with more moderate spending, will reach 10% of GDP by 2060. Managing costs has never been more important.  While the benefits of a video surveillance system help healthcare providers to manage their costs by enabling them to achieve their business goals, storing large amounts of video can pose a problem. With many hospitals recording 24/7 and long government mandated retention times, bandwidth and storage space can quickly evaporate.  SAS Drives Provide Reliable System Scalability The SuperNova Series uses SAS technology to improve performance over SATA drives. This is an evolution of the parallel SCSI into point-to- point serial peripheral interface in which the controllers link directly to the disk drives. With up to 224TB storage on SAS hard drives, superior bi-directional data transfer and high availability support up to 1000 camerasm one SuperNova Server offers scalability at an extraordinary level for mission-critical security applications.  Moreover, by supporting a variety of surveillance cameras, encoders and applications, SuperNova Servers allow customers to build high-quality surveillance systems lowering cost, raising performance, and maximizing capability. The SuperNova Series’ scalability and bandwidth for up to 1000 cameras make expansion efforts easy while maintaining complete failover redundancy.  All SuperNova Servers can come preloaded with the VMS of the integrator’s choice. This makes them well-suited for enterprise IP video surveillance applications. They can be used as a unified security solution or as a stand-alone platform for video storage, access control, or license plate recognition.

Among its many uses and benefits, technology is a handy tool in the fantasy world of movie and television thrillers. We all know the scene: a vital plot point depends on having just the right super-duper gadget to locate a suspect or to get past a locked door. In movies and TV, face recognition is more a super power than a technical function. Video footage can be magically enhanced to provide a perfect image of a license plate number. We have all shaken our heads in disbelief, and yet, our industry’s technical capabilities are improving every day. Are we approaching a day when the “enhanced” view of technology in movies and TV is closer to the truth? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How much has the gap closed between the reality of security system capabilities and what you see on TV (or at the movies)?

Body-worn cameras are becoming more common every day, driven both by needs of the marketplace and technology developments. However, questions remain about the usefulness of the devices, and their future role in promoting safety and security. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the challenges of body-worn cameras for the security industry?