Body worn video cameras

Edesix, UK-based provider of Body Worn Cameras, announces a partnership with Environment Agency enforcement teams in the East Midlands following a successful six-month trial. The trial, which was commissioned after a growing number of abusive incidents during site inspections to waste sites, found that wearing Body Worn Cameras helped to reduce incidents of anti-social behavior, assaults and threats against Environment Agency staff. Abusive Behavior Footage captured on a bodycam in the North-East was recently used by the Environment Agency for the first time to convict an offender Enforcement officers throughout the East Midlands will now be equipped with Edesix VideoBadges on their visits. The cameras will also be used by fisheries enforcement officers during their routine activities. Footage captured on a bodycam in the North-East was recently used by the Environment Agency for the first time to convict an offender. The defendant pleaded ‘guilty' of wilfully obstructing the officers in the execution of their duty and using abusive behavior towards two officers when he knew they had video evidence. "The safety of our staff is paramount," explains Pete Haslock, Enforcement Team Leader for the Environment Agency in the East Midlands. Prevent Threatening Situations He further added, "They are well trained in dealing with hostile situations and we take any threat against them very seriously. Our preference is to prevent hostility in the first place and wearing the cameras can prevent threatening situations from escalating. We want to get on with our jobs without the threat of violence and the cameras will help to protect staff and bring obstructive individuals to justice.” Officers will switch on the cameras if and when they enter a hostile situation or where hostility may be anticipated" “Officers will switch on the cameras if and when they enter a hostile situation or where hostility may be anticipated. That could be a site where they have experienced aggressive behavior in the past or an unknown quantity, such as on a remote river bank." Richie McBride, managing director of Edesix, added: "This is another great example of a new market which can utilize Body Worn Cameras to improve security and functionality." Recent Success 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.

FLIR Systems, Inc. has announced FLIR TruWITNESS, an industry-first wearable sensor platform designed for city-level security and public safety operations. TruWITNESS combines video, audio, location data, Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, and cloud and management software in one solution, allowing organizations to reach a new level of situational awareness. FLIR TruWITNESS Wearable Sensor Platform TruWITNESS is designed for any public safety organization that requires on-scene, real-time mobile surveillance. Worn on an individual’s body or mounted inside vehicles, TruWITNESS includes visible-video, audio, global navigation satellite system (GNSS), gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer sensors. These sensors combine to send alerts and stream data to a central command center in real-time to ensure full situational awareness and global event handling. Featuring FLIR Neighbor Aware inter-device connectivity, TruWITNESS acts as an IoT device, triggering nearby TruWITNESS devices, fixed and motorized Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) security cameras, and other connected sensors to act upon an alarm event. TruWITNESS becomes a key component of FLIR Systems’ Video Management System, United VMS, which command centers use to manage video surveillance. United VMS combines video, audio, and other related data and makes it available for real-time situation management and forensic purposes. Visible And Thermal Sensors For City Surveillance FLIR offers both visible and thermal sensors for use by cities in security, traffic and public safety applications FLIR offers both visible and thermal sensors for use by cities in security, traffic and public safety applications, and FLIR United VMS integrates these devices into one comprehensive, omniscient system. Adding TruWITNESS to the system, extends the reach to virtually anywhere, providing for enhanced real-time situational awareness, informed decision making and additional opportunities to affect a positive outcome.  “The market for wearable video surveillance technology today is confined mainly to law enforcement, but we believe TruWITNESS helps extends well beyond it,” said Jim Cannon, President and CEO at FLIR. “Imagine a private security professional finds an injured pedestrian in front of a building they patrol. Equipped with a TruWITNESS platform and devices, security personnel can stream video of the situation not only to their command center, but with local law enforcement, the emergency medical personnel who are on route to the scene, or doctors in a nearby hospital. For the first time, TruWITNESS enables any public safety organization to use video to respond to complex situations and evolving threats as they occur.”

Having returned from Security Essen, Traka’s International Sales Director, Martin Woodhouse, reflects on the show and why it was so important to attend for the industry leader in innovative key and equipment management systems. Q: How was the show? Martin Woodhouse: Security Essen was great in allowing us as a global brand, and part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, to demonstrate how we are listening to our customers (new and existing) and responding with latest advances in intelligent solutions for keys, lockers, software and dedicated products. Q: Why did you think it was important to attend? Martin: Security Essen is an established exhibition for the European market but even more important for the German one. It continues to lead the way as an important global event for the world security market to come together, to tackle the latest security challenges and share new and innovative ideas. This year, particularly, concerns were cited about the impact of Brexit and its influence on the market, together with more intricate security issues such as cybersecurity and data protection. It was really important for Traka to attend, not only to display its latest solutions and services but also to be part of these important conversations, so that together as an industry, we can pull together and have the solutions and answers ready. Q: Did you pick up on any particular trends at the show? One of the main themes of the show was the focus on smart security and integration Martin: One of the main themes of the show was the focus on smart security and integration. We are increasingly living in a far more connected and online environment, where the speed of data and the cause and effect on how to manage situations is becoming faster and simpler to instantly analyze a situation, with the necessary reports required available. From a security and data perspective, both on and offline, clients expect more, they do more research and they know what they are trying to achieve. They want to choose a partner that can provide integrated, all-encompassing bespoke solutions and achieve compliance as standard. It’s something Traka certainly has focused on to deliver bespoke solutions, integrated to suit a specific customer environment. Q: Was there a specific focus for Traka at Security Essen? Martin: For Traka, Security Essen was an opportunity to demonstrate how we can help businesses operate to minimize operational costs, increase productivity and ensure the efficient use of company assets. We demonstrated how our latest solutions can make sure every part of an organization is protected, right through to critical data facilities, an increasingly integral part of any security remit in today’s world. And due to the open nature of Security Essen, it was the perfect opportunity for Traka to discuss bespoke customer requirements across a number of different vertical sectors; from education to healthcare, hospitality to transport. Finally, Security Essen was the right international platform to present our proven integrated solutions. We wanted visitors to see for themselves how easy, intuitive and comprehensive our systems are, and with full audit capabilities, how they can present an all-encompassing safe and secure solution with tangible ROI benefits. Q: Could you tell us more about the products displayed at Security Essen? Our latest Traka Web central software management was at the heart of our display as an enterprise class web-based administration software platform Martin: At Security Essen, the range of products and services on show was focused on our core capability to secure, manage and audit the use of almost any physical asset, including: premises, devices, secure areas, data centers, equipment, machinery and vehicles. Our latest Traka Web central software management was at the heart of our display as an enterprise class web-based administration software platform, enabling complete management of Traka Touch key and locker systems from any device, even remotely. We presented live demonstrations of our integrated solutions, including our popular Rack Manager, which offers electronically controlled access to every server rack door in a data centre, with the ability to scale up to suit evolving infrastructure environments. We displayed Traka’s new V-Touch compact key management system, designed to offer controlled access management for critical keys at locations where space is limited and up to 5 keys need to be managed. Q: Could you tell us more about your integration capability? Martin: At Security Essen, we were lucky enough to be able to be able to demonstrate on our stand, Traka’s integration capability with Lenel and Nedap. We are extremely proud of our track record of integrating with third party systems with such leading companies. We believe it goes a long way to ease the burden of administration for our customers and present unique opportunities for controlling critical processes. Traka International and ASSA ABLOY exhibit solutions at Security Essen The Traka integration ‘engine’ ultimately allows for real-time, two-way communication with access control platforms, HR databases, time and attendance, and many other user systems. And there are a host of further benefits: The Traka integration ‘engine’ ultimately allows for real-time, two-way communication with access control platforms User profiles and access permissions can be easily populated and managed on an existing database. Automatically enrol users and define security settings based on employee status or department assignment Custom workflows can be tailored to the needs of an organization to generate actions, notifications or access restrictions based on the status of important assets ensure valuable assets and keys don’t leave site. Q: What are your aims on an International basis for Traka? Martin: Traka was the manufacturer of one of the first electronic key management systems – and we are now considered as world leaders in innovative technology for sophisticated, intelligent key and equipment management solutions to manage and control access to important assets. Even in such an industry leading position, recognized on a global basis, in the UK and in over 40 countries worldwide, we are far from complacent. We continue to evolve our solutions and professional services and continue to not only meet but exceed the requirements of our customers. This is not only from a product perspective, but also our service capability to offer advice right from initial design and specification stages to installation, project completion, handover and ongoing maintenance, across every sector. Naturally, we want to grow and evolve into more countries and increase our network of certified channel partners; but we can only do this if we continue to listen to the demands of the different market needs. Q: And what about Traka in the UK? We believe the transition to more intelligent systems, such as Traka solutions, will be more aligned with everyday life Martin: It’s surprising how many business and commercial owners still rely on manual processes and paper recording, for key and equipment management and control. Our aim is to prove how simple measures can make a difference. It’s not only the security of a business’ assets but also to reduce the cost to an organization through accidental damage, theft, personal injury and downtime. It also helps enforce business processes and ensure health and safety compliance. Ultimately, it’s a mindset. We believe the transition to more intelligent systems, such as Traka solutions, will be more aligned with everyday life. Q: How important is it to be part of ASSA ABLOY Group? Martin: Being part of the global leader in door opening solutions is a massive advantage for Traka. ASSA ABLOY’s products and solutions serve just about every conceivable application around the globe. The real credit to the group is its ability to understand Traka is a bit unique within ASSA ABLOY, because we provide different types of solutions to its traditional core. So, we’ve continued on as a separate business both in the UK and on a global basis, and only integrating where it makes absolute sense into the larger organization. An example of this is the integration between Traka and ASSA ABLOY’s advanced security CLIQ Web Manager software solution. The result is a key management process that is proven to significantly reduce maintenance costs and save administration times. Overall, it’s been impressive with the people and the technology within the company that we are able to tap into as and when required. The ASSA ABLOY solutions brand is one we are proud to be associated; a one-stop shop for all door and hardware opening needs. The ASSA ABLOY brand will continue to grow as a leader in opening solutions and access solutions. Q: What’s next for Traka? One of the key aspects we are focusing on is the move to present solutions dedicated to each market segments from small to global companies Martin: Traka is never one to stand still. We will continue to evolve as a company and invest in research and development. One of the key aspects we are focusing on is the move to present solutions dedicated to each market segments from small to global companies. By example, most recently in the UK, we have seen success in the launch of lockers specifically designed to store body worn camera technology, primarily for the likes of prison and emergency services but also in schools and community buildings. Not only did this require a solution to ensure the equipment is safely secured, but also that it is charged and instantly ready to use whilst in storage. At the same time any solution needed to help organizations, who had invested significantly in the technology, operate a ‘pool’ system rather than having to invest in a device per member of staff. This is just one example, with a very specific product requirement that Traka was able to work closely with the sector to understand the issues and create a solution. It demonstrates a commitment to design, in how our products operate and evolve to meet market needs, both in the UK and across international markets.

Vigilant Solutions - an AI and data analytics company that provides technology to public safety - announced it has entered the body worn camera market by acquiring Edesix Ltd, a global provider of wearable security hardware and software, and the United Kingdom's number one manufacturer of body worn cameras. The acquisition strengthens Vigilant's position as a market leader in image capture solutions by adding body worn camera images via hardware and software and in-car camera technology to its existing suite of automated license plate recognition (ALPR), facial recognition, ballistics analysis and gun crime mapping hardware and software solutions. Expanding Public Safety Customer Base This acquisition puts Vigilant in the position to offer public safety a full suite of image capture solutions including the ability to integrate our suite of technologies with in-car cameras""Vigilant Solutions is excited to enter the body worn and in-car camera markets," said Shawn Smith, Founder and President of Vigilant Solutions. "This acquisition puts Vigilant in the position to offer public safety a full suite of image capture solutions - both in the U.S. and internationally - including the ability to integrate our suite of technologies with in-car cameras. Edesix has a strong global footprint, which includes more than 20,000 body camera deployments across several industries and five continents. This acquisition allows us to continue to build Vigilant's global brand. In addition, Edesix also enhances Vigilant's hardware and software engineering capabilities." With the acquisition of Edesix, Vigilant is not only entering the body worn and in-car camera markets but is also expanding its presence beyond its traditional public safety customer base and will serve a broad range of commercial industries. Video Evidence Management System Body worn camera and in-car camera footage obtained via Vigilant's hardware, is stored in VideoManager, a robust video evidence management system. VideoManager is a component of Vigilant's cloud-based investigative platform, which includes image capture data and analytics for ALPR, facial recognition, ballistics and gun crime mapping. "The Edesix team is thrilled with the acquisition by Vigilant Solutions, which has been at the forefront of machine vision and machine learning technology innovation in the public safety community for years," said Richie McBride, CEO of Edesix. "The combination of Vigilant's image analytics solutions and our body worn and in-car camera products is truly exciting. When you consider that our solutions seamlessly integrate into Vigilant's investigative platform, the global public safety community has some incredibly powerful tools to keep them and their communities safe."

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.

If you’re heading to ISC West in Las Vegas this year, it’s helpful to acknowledge immediately that there’s no way you can experience all aspects of the show. Just not enough time and too many options. Once you give up on seeing everything, you can immediately lower stress. But you also raise the stakes in terms of picking and choosing exactly what you have time for – or want to make time for. Hoping to help out as we all set our ISC West priorities, here are some ways to make the most of ISC West. Get There Early If you think the show starts on Wednesday (April 10), you have already missed the boat. Wednesday is the first day of the ISC West Exhibition, but there is a whole day of conference programming the day before – on Tuesday, the 9th. So plan to arrive early for conference sessions such as the End User Physical Security and Strategic Management tracks, a whole day of presentations by the PSA Security Network, and many other conference sessions. Learn From The Best You can also learn about Body-Worn Cameras for Government Personnel, School Safety and Private SecurityWant to hear about Taming the Surveillance Data Monster? There’s a session on Thursday. Want to learn about Establishing a Corporate Drone Program? That session is on Wednesday the 10th. They’re among the wealth of information-sharing sessions at ISC West. You can also learn about Body-Worn Cameras for Government Personnel, School Safety and Private Security; 3D Virtualization for Physical Security; and Using Enterprise Security Risk Management to Define Security's Value. Plan For The Future So much at ISC West is geared toward the future – new opportunities, tomorrow’s hot new product, and the start of business ventures that will be profitable for years to come. Some of the conference sessions are especially forward-looking, too, including a session on Thursday about the Stadium of the Future. A session called Getting Smarter and Safer: The Campuses of Tomorrow is on Wednesday, April 10. Another Wednesday session is Meet the Jetsons: Understanding the Promise and Challenges of Smart Cities. The Vision of the Future of the ISOC (Intelligent Security Operations Center) is on Thursday, as is the Smart Home of the Future session. All in all, ISC West can help you focus on the future in a big way.  Meet Someone New Programs like SIA’s New Product Showcase can help, by recognizing innovation in a variety of product categoriesISC West sometimes emits the vibe of a yearly reunion of friends (who happen to be in business together). It’s great to see old friends again, but we shouldn’t miss the chance to meet new people, too. There is a multitude of networking events related to the industry’s big spring gathering, so the opportunities to expand one’s network and meet new people are abundant. Making the most of them takes effort, and some level of strategy. And there are also other, not-so-obvious moments to make new friends and acquaintances – whether it’s sharing a taxi or waiting for the next session to start. Bring a lot of business cards Find Something New The chance to view industry innovation is a huge draw of ISC West, but it can take discipline to separate the wheat from the chaff. The latest-and-greatest could literally be anywhere on that big trade show floor. Programs like SIA’s New Product Showcase can help, by recognizing innovation in a variety of product categories. The announcements of winners will be made on April 10, and, historically, these awards have gone to some of the newest and most innovative products at ISC West. A What’s New at ISC West session on Wednesday can provide additional guidance. Do Good In Addition To Doing Well A 10-year tradition at ISC West is the Security 5K/2k Run/Walk, a charity event benefiting Mission 500’s fundraising efforts to assist children in crisisISC West is all about business, but there’s also a specific opportunity to help make the world a better place. A 10-year tradition at ISC West is the Security 5K/2k Run/Walk, a charity event benefiting Mission 500’s fundraising efforts to assist children in crisis around the world. Why not avoid a late night on April 10th and rise early on the 11th to be a part of a remarkable event that has united the security industry to provide aid for children in need? Say Thank You Showing gratitude is an under-emphasized opportunity at ISC West, where the promise of new fortunes can eclipse our successes of the past. We will all see colleagues and friends we have been doing business with for years, so what better time to express a simple ‘thank you’, buy them a drink, propose a toast, celebrate? Helping to set a tone of gratitude is the ‘Official ISC West Customer Appreciation Party’ on Thursday. Parties are one way to say thanks, and a heartfelt verbal expression is another. ISC West will provide plenty of both – and they’re not to be missed.

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.

More and more police forces in the EU are getting equipped with bodycams. Recently the State Police of Niedersachsen in Germany, the Police of Mechelen in Belgium and the Police in the Czech Republic have signed contracts for the supply of bodycams by Dutch company Zepcam. Body Worn Video (BWV) And Body Worn Cameras (BWC) Body worn video (BWV) and body worn camera’s (BWC) improve the safety of law enforcement officers Body worn video (BWV) and body worn camera’s (BWC) improve the safety of law enforcement officers, increase transparency and supply video evidence for criminal investigation purposes. Surveys in the US, where bodycams are used for years now, show that they de-escalate aggression or have a civilizing effect on police-citizen encounters, thus reducing complaints. Also, police forces want to use bodycams as a countermeasure against the public shooting more and more videos of incidents on their smartphones. Unlike public videos, footages captured by law enforcement can be admissible in court. Zepcam, Bodycams Supplier For Police Forces Globally Zepcam already supplies bodycams to police forces in 15 countries like Switzerland, Germany, Hong Kong and The Netherlands. The Dutch company is global supplier in Europe, with clients in over 40 countries. It both manufactures and supplies the camera systems and the IT structure which automatically stores and processes the captured footages. Zepcam has seen and enormous increase in the use of bodycams by law enforcement in the past five years The State Police of German State Niedersachsen has ordered 500 bodycams in a 4-year contract. Zepcam has won this tender because its cameras and software platform made the best match with requirements of field users and the central IT department. The region of Mechelen is the first police zone in Belgium to deploy bodycams on a large scale. Zepcam was selected after a test period with 7 different bodycam suppliers. Video Management Software (VMS) Integration The Czech Police in the Central Bohemian Region purchased Zepcam bodycams for law enforcement purposes. Also, the company will assist the police force to expand and integrate the new video management software in the management software that is used in over 80 locations in the Czech Republic. Zepcam has seen and enormous increase in the use of bodycams by law enforcement in the past five years. According to the company the cameras help reduce aggression and allow for better transparency. For instance, because situations tend to de-escalate when people know they are being recorded.

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."

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?