Human identification system

EyeLock LLC, the provider of iris-based identity authentication solutions, announces the release of its highly anticipated EyeLock ID® logical access system for connected workers. Recognizing that passwords and usernames are things of the past, EyeLock ID combines its myris® iris authentication device and an easy-to-use software application to enable individuals to securely logon to computers, networks, and apps. myris is handheld, USB connected, and the ideal biometric solution to facilitate trouble-free, secure access to networks and corporate applications for remote and on-site workers. myris has been an EyeLock workhorse and is the core technology of the EyeLock ID system. Biometric authentication solutions The software application within EyeLock ID was co-developed by New Jersey-based Integral Biometrics, formerly Integral Technology Solutions, and leverages Integral's extensive experience developing and deploying integrated biometric authentication solutions to top tier global corporations. Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies around the world have enabled their employees to work from home. Many will not return to the office due to the freedom and flexibility working from home provides. With that said, it comes as no surprise that corporations feel uneasy with the lack of data security for computers being used outside of the organization. Most have policies to limit who has access to devices, apps and networks but these policies are tough to enforce. Identity management tool EyeLock ID includes one myris sensor and an annual software subscription EyeLock ID requires remote employees to logon to the computer and corporate applications using their irises to automate and simplify credential-based logins. "The EyeLock ID logical access solution ensures greater data security for businesses and requires additional accountability by their employees when working from home. With this easy-to-use and affordable identity management tool, EyeLock ID should go home with every corporate computer and be used on every office workstation," said Jeff Carter, CEO of EyeLock. EyeLock ID includes one myris sensor and an annual software subscription. The solution provides biometric login support for Microsoft Windows® via Active Directory accounts, application-specific automated access to numerous corporate systems such as SAP®, Citrix® and other key corporate applications. Multi-Factor authentication It also provides single sign-on (SSO) solutions with multi-factor authentication (MFA) options. EyeLock ID takes just a few minutes to install. Marc Diament, CEO of Integral Biometrics, added, "The Integral team is excited to partner with EyeLock to help businesses become more comfortable with remote and on-premise network access by their employees, and EyeLock ID is the best product on the market to achieve this objective. With the current changes and challenges faced in a swiftly morphing workplace, every opportunity to achieve greater security while eliminating complexity is a welcome transformation that we are eager to help deliver."

LexisNexis® Risk Solutions releases its biannual Cybercrime Report, which tracks global cybercrime activity from January 2020 through June 2020. The report dives deep into how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global digital economy, regional economies, industries, businesses and consumer behavior. The period has seen strong transaction volume growth compared to 2019 but an overall decline in global attack volume. This is likely linked to growth in genuine customer activity due to changing consumer habits. Mobile device transactions The LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report analyzes data from more than 22.5 billion transactions processed by the LexisNexis® Digital Identity Network®, a 37% growth year over year. Mobile device transactions also continue to rise, with 66% of all transactions coming from mobile devices in the first half of 2020, up from 20% in early 2015. The Digital Identity Network® also notes an uptick in transactions from new devices and new digital identities. They attribute this to many new-to-digital consumers moving online to procure goods and services that were no longer available in person or harder to access via a physical store, during the pandemic. The Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA) saw lower overall attack rates in comparison to most other global regions from January through June 2020. This is due to a high volume of trusted login transactions across relatively mature mobile apps. Financial services organizations The attack patterns in EMEA were also more benign and had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates The attack patterns in EMEA were also more benign and had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates. However, there are some notable exceptions. Desktop transactions conducted from EMEA had a higher attack rate than the global average and automated bot attack volume grew 45% year over year. The United Kingdom (U.K.) is also a particular pain point. The U.K. originates the highest volume of human-initiated cyber-attacks in EMEA, with Germany and France second and third in the region. The U.K. is also the second largest contributor to global bot attacks behind the U.S. One example of a U.K. banking fraud network saw more than $17 million USD exposed to fraud across 10 financial services organizations. This network alone consisted of 7,800 devices, 5,200 email addresses and 1,000 telephone numbers. Human-Initiated attack rate Additional Key Findings from the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report: Decline in attack rate – The overall human-initiated attack rate across the Digital Identity Network fell through the first half of 2020, showing a 33% decline year over year. The breakdown by sector shows a 23% decline in financial services and a 55% decline in e-commerce attack rates. Latin America experienced the highest attack rates of all regions globally and realized consistent growth in attack rates from March to June 2020. The attack patterns in North America and EMEA had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates from the six-month period observed. Providing additional context Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks Attack Vector Global View - Media is the only industry that recorded an overall year over year growth in human-initiated cyber-attacks. The Digital Identity Network recorded the 3% increase solely across mobile browser transactions. Globally, automated bots remain a key attack vector in the Digital Identity Network. Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks and continue to experience more bot attacks than any other industry. Across the Customer Journey - New account creations see attacks at a higher rate than any other transaction type in the online customer journey. However, the largest volume of attacks targets online payments. Login transactions have seen the biggest drop in attack rate in comparison to other use cases. Analysis across new customer touchpoints in the online journey is included in this report for the first time, providing additional context on key points of risk such as money transfers and password resets. Changing geographical footprint During COVID-19 - All industries have felt the impact of COVID-19. There are clear peaks and troughs in transaction volumes coinciding with global lockdown periods. Financial services organizations realized a growth in new-to-digital banking users, a changing geographical footprint from previously well-traveled consumers and a reduction in the number of devices used per customer. There have also been several attacks targeting banks offering COVID-19-related loans. E-commerce merchants have seen an increase in digital payments and several other key attack typologies that coincide with the lockdown period. These included account takeover attacks using identity spoofing and more first-party chargeback fraud. Detecting the full spectrum The move to digital, for both businesses and consumers, has been significant" “This is the first LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report to include data on the new reality of conducting business during a pandemic,” said Rebekah Moody, director of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “The move to digital, for both businesses and consumers, has been significant. Yet with this change comes opportunity for exploitation. Fraudsters look for easy targets: whether government support packages, new lines of credit or media companies with fewer barriers to entry.” “We need to ensure that all consumers, especially those who might be new to digital, are protected. Businesses must arm themselves with a layered defense that can detect the full spectrum of possible attacks and is future-proofed against evolving threats.” Global digital economy “While the face of cybercrime will continue to re-shape to fit the growing global digital economy, the ability for businesses to reliably recognize good, trusted customers must remain constant,” added Dr. Stephen Topliss, vice president of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “We must identify and block fraudsters – whether opportunists or highly networked fraud rings – the moment they transact and knowledge sharing must be as pivotal to global businesses as it is to the cybercriminals that attack them.”

Blaine Fredrick has joined Alcatraz as Vice President of Product to lead the technology startup in product development as it delivers its secure, autonomous access control platform. As VP of Product, Frederick serves as a liaison between business, technology and user experience. He manages all components of the Alcatraz Rock product from strategic planning to tactical activities. He connects internal resources with the needs of the addressable market and guides the development of product requirements including features, pricing, and positioning. He also works closely with engineering during development to maintain alignment with product requirements. Autonomous access control “As we pioneer a new sector of the security industry – autonomous access control – Blaine will play a critical role to bring the Alcatraz Rock platform to market,” said Alcatraz Chief Revenue Officer Tina D’Agostin. “Blaine’s impressive experience as a security consultant and in product management and engineering roles with some of the leading names in biometrics and physical security is a great asset to Alcatraz.” Frederick joins Alcatraz from BDIS Group, a physical security consulting firm where he served as Principal. Prior to founding BDIS, he served as VP of Product Management for biometrics security firm EyeLock and as Product Manager, Software Team Leader, and Senior Engineer for global security integrator STANLEY Security. Verifying identities and detecting tailgating Frederick earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University Frederick earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University. “I joined Alcatraz because I believe that we have the team and the technology necessary to fundamentally change the way people view and use access control,” said Frederick. “Alcatraz looks at the problem of access control differently – instead of thinking about biometrics as solely a means to replace a traditional credential, we are looking at how we can improve the experience of not only the user, but also the business manager, the system administrator, and the installer. By creating a device that can autonomously make complex, real-time decisions – including verifying identities and detecting tailgating – we change the entire access control paradigm.” Facial authentication solution Alcatraz has changed the way that companies leverage access control systems by providing a facial authentication solution that leverages 3D, artificial intelligence, and analytics to modernize existing access control technology. Enterprises are choosing to deploy the Alcatraz Rock as their first line of defense against unauthorized access to deliver effective and secure autonomous access control. Because Alcatraz's platform also detects masks, it has become the perfect COVID-era solution for businesses that want to deliver touchless security in their buildings, while observing state and local mask mandates.

FelenaSoft announced the release of Xeoma software version capable of detecting people that are or are not wearing protective facial masks. With the start of the pandemic a facial mask has become an essential part of the everyday life and an integral element of the safety rules in many governments. Thanks to current technological advances, cutting-edge solutions like Xeoma can aid humanity in the struggle. Xeoma’s Mask Detector is a fully automated, artificial intelligence-powered feature designed to detect people who are not wearing facial masks and who are thus putting surrounding people at risk. It can also work in reverse order (detect people in masks) - for example, for statistics purposes. The authorized personnel will be automatically notified (via email/SMS) upon detection of people who do not have facial masks on, which allows to react promptly to the threat of spreading the virus. Neural network mechanisms Features like Mask Detector alone can significantly reduce the number of cases of non-compliance Moreover, video and photo evidence of all detected cases of disobedience to government safety rules will be retained for the specified amount of time on- or off-premises, or even mailed to the authorized official. Using artificial intelligence and neural network mechanisms for face recognition, the module cannot just spot, but also identify the offender. Connected to fine-imposing systems, it can be a part of a complex solution that helps detect, identify and punish the rule-breaker. The inevitability of punishment has accumulative snowballing effect slowly turning the system's type from “post-incident” into “proactive”. Features like Mask Detector alone can significantly reduce the number of cases of non-compliance to safety rules and restrain the spread of COVID-19. But Xeoma has a lot more to offer. Ensure compliance with safety regulations The onset of the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in enforcing the law regarding the allowed number of people staying within a confined area. Xeoma’s Visitors Counter module helps automatically count the number of people leaving or entering the monitored area. Xeoma's AI-powered Color Recognition module can be used as a Fever Detector and greatly facilitate the process of spotting people with elevated body temperature or even mild fever. No need to have a staff member standing at the entrance with a thermometer gun, risking their lives every day, every hour any more. Allow the tireless machine vision do the job. Also, this module can be used alongside thermal cameras that enhances fever detection even more. During the pandemic the feature of recognizing people using Face Recognition is especially demanded to detect ones flouting safety regulations. Video surveillance solutions The solution encompasses many of the required tools and features to ensure safety during this challenging time Xeoma offers a digital solution to this request: its Face Recognition module uses artificial intelligence and neural networks to identify the person in sight with better accuracy. Social distancing has been proven to be one of the simplest and most effective precaution measures standing in the way of spreading the virus. Xeoma's Social Distance module is coming soon to detect the break of the allowed physical distancing between people. With Xeoma, the users don’t need to buy a lot of separate devices or solutions. The solution encompasses many of the required tools and features to ensure health and safety during this challenging time. Video surveillance means safety. Safety means life. Powerful video analytics that video surveillance solutions like Xeoma can provide are a sign that video surveillance systems have jumped from simple camera feed storing utilities to effective tools in marketing, business, policing, and process automation. AI-Powered Video Analytics Xeoma’s module emotions detector recognises eight emotional states (sadness, joy, surprise, disgust, fear, anger, neutral) which helps business owners know customers better and tailor the offers to meet the needs of target audience. More information can be known from the Age and Gender Recognizers to get demographic statistics in reports or in real time. These modules will help to create a perfect advertising strategy that hits the target. Detection of helmets automatically carries out an estimation of whether or not the necessary safety gear elements are present at a construction site. Reduce the number of accidents, protect the workers by helping them comply with safety regulations - simply, fully automated, affordably. Automatize routine processes Developed for over 10 years now, Xeoma is the front-liner software for video surveillance Detection of forgotten or missing objects can be of use in safe storage to trigger alarms in case valuables are approached to or missing; or in stations (railroad, sea, airports) for the system to automatically detect an unattended item even in spite of the constant flow of people around. Xeoma has over 100 of features, including over 30 modules that provide intelligent and flexible video analytics. It can help automatize routine processes, save on staff, reduce losses and increase profits. More features are added regularly. Developed for over 10 years now, Xeoma is the front-liner software for video surveillance. Responding to needs and challenges of users from all around the globe, it is compatible with nearly all camera models and operating systems. 3D multimedia spheres The solution offers simple interface, affordable pricing policy with no hidden costs, flexible setup to adjust to the user’s goals, coupled with advanced analytics and fast high-quality support team. With over 15 years of experience in video surveillance, video editing, 3D multimedia spheres, Felenasoft has developed trendsetting solutions for various industries, from retail to governmental organizations. Xeoma can be synchronized with access control systems, security systems and alarms, smart home devices and smart traffic management, and it is not even its full potential. All of the user’s needs can be met in Xeoma, whether they only opt for simple recording or they are willing to build their own cloud service.

Dahua Technology, a globally renowned video-centric smart IoT solution and service provider, made new breakthroughs in the field of AI technology recently. Various indicators of its Gait Recognition Technology have once again broken the record of CASIA-B gait dataset: the average accuracy of Rank1 for NM (normal walking), BG (with a bag) and CL (in a coat) reached 97.4%, 94.0%, and 87.0% respectively, hitting another historical heights and maintaining its pioneering position. Gait recognition uses body shape and walking posture to identify a person, even if his/her face is occluded. It is one of the biometric recognition technologies with the greatest potential for long distance recognition scenarios. Gait recognition analysis Aiming to address the technical difficulties of gait recognition in clothing changing search, carrying changing search and cross-view search, Dahua Technology integrates innovation and application of multi-modal gait algorithms, local gait feature extraction, and spatio-temporal gait feature extraction technologies. Dahua Technology has been cultivating and innovating in the field of AI technology Combined with powerful model training and object recognition, it greatly improves the algorithm's robustness in special scene applications such as clothing changing, similar clothing, facial occlusion, and facial disguise, and thus making the gait recognition analysis more accurate and efficient. In recent years, Dahua Technology has been cultivating and innovating in the field of AI technology, and has continuously improved its core competencies that include algorithms and computing power. Fundamental AI capabilities So far, Dahua Technology has received numerous first-place recognitions in various global AI ranking categories including Scene Parsing, Binocular Stereo Matching, Remote Sensing Image Analysis, Person Re-identification and Visual Target Tracking Algorithms. It has accelerated the transformation of its AI technology achievements into real and actual production, maintaining its pioneering edge in the industry. Based on the construction of its fundamental AI capabilities and resources, Dahua Technology has released its new generation AI platform. It integrates computing centers, data centers and training centers in order to build its sustainable capabilities in the fully linked development of AI, including data management, algorithm training, cross-hardware platform optimization, integrated deployment, and automated testing. Intelligent business applications Dahua Technology combines industry development and diversified needs of users It provides guarantees for algorithm research and application, improves efficiency of AI research and development, and helps users build intelligent business applications and accelerate end-to-end AI industrialization. At the same time, Dahua Technology combines industry development and diversified needs of users, focusing on AI technology fields such as smart transportation, smart travel, behavior analysis, item analysis, navigation and positioning, multi-dimensional sensing, as well as smart coding and decoding. Digital and intelligent transformation It has accelerated the development and upgrade of its algorithms for application scenarios, quickly realizing the commercial coverage of smart products and solutions in the whole system, and empowering customers to innovate in a wide range of applications. These include public security, transportation, finance, communities, energy, education, manufacturing, construction sites and other industries, thus assisting users in achieving their digital and intelligent transformation. In the future, Dahua Technology will continuously adhere to the concept of "Empowering industries with AI" in promoting the in-depth integration of AI technology and various industry scenarios, fully utilizing the support and leading role of technological innovation in the sustainable development of hundreds of industries. The company will advocate popularization and application of AI and other new generation technologies in order to empower the digital transformation and upgrading of all industries.

CertiPath, an innovator in high-assurance identity, credential and access management services for highly regulated environments, launches an advanced visitor management solution within its TrustVisitor™ platform. The first of its kind to seamlessly and securely manage the complete lifecycle of a visit, TrustVisitor, which both secures and expedites visitor processing, meets the demands of all organizations that use high-assurance credentials (i.e. smart cards) including government, energy, banking, healthcare, critical infrastructure and Fortune 1000 companies. And, now, the need for sophisticated visitor pre-screening is at an all-time high with COVID-19 disrupting most aspects of everyday life. Maximum amount of intelligence TrustVisitor’s two-factor authentication process utilizes pre-registration to ensure expedited lobby experiences, and obtains the maximum amount of intelligence about visitors prior to arrival on site. It distinguishes between visitor types and visit categories, validating credentials, establishing visitors’ wellness and automatically provisions access. Employees create meetings and events via their email calendaring tool Employees create meetings and events via their email calendaring tool, inviting visitors – internal or external – to the organization. When a visitor registers for an event, providing all required information, event approvers receive emails with all details, and decisions can be made immediately regarding who is permitted to enter the facility. Visitor management solutions “CertiPath has been developing visitor management solutions for the past five years. From the very beginning, we emphasized the importance of vetting visitors before they arrive, as the only way to successfully achieve a faster and more secure lobby experience,” said Jeff Nigriny, President and Founder of CertiPath. “COVID-19 illustrates this point perfectly. In the past, we were concerned with establishing the identity of a visitor to ensure they were who they said they were and to be confident in that identity while they were onsite,” continued Nigriny. “So, suitability of visitors, up until now, has been focused on who they claim to be. Now, COVID-19 adds another aspect to suitability – wellness --which needs to be enforced for every visitor on a daily basis for the foreseeable future.” Adopting CDC guidelines With CertiPath’s TrustVisitor solution, visitor pre-registration is accomplished by using a valid smart card “The majority of organizations with which we are familiar have adopted CDC guidelines to ask a set of questions to anyone wishing to come back to a facility. This is the best practice we have, and it can be effective if people do not fatigue of it. However, far fewer organizations have conceived of a means to ask these same questions before they arrive,” states Nigriny. With CertiPath’s TrustVisitor solution, visitor pre-registration is accomplished by using a valid smart card (e.g., Personal Identity Verification [PIV], Common Access Card [CAC] Personal Identity Verification – Interoperable [PIV-I] or Commercial Identity Verification [CIV]). Validating electronic credentials Alternatively, visitors can pre-register with valid government-issued identification and receive a temporary CIV upon arrival. TrustVisitor then continuously validates electronic credentials and automatically facilitates access to the appropriate locations – for the duration of the visit. CertiPath’s TrustVisitor is the only fully US Federal compliant visitor management system available, originally developed for and used by federal agencies for high assurance credentialing needs. It is the only visitor management platform to implement the NIST SP 800-116-1.

Tragically, in the world we now live, mass shootings and gun violence are epic concerns not only in schools, but Big Box retail, hospitals, municipal buildings, festivals, sporting events, concert venues, and just about anywhere crowds gather or work. The number of incidents is not acceptable and is truly startling. There are many societal and mental health issues that can cause these events and their importance in solving this issue is critical. However, this article will be focussed on the technology side of preventing mass shooting events. Going beyond metal detectors The best way to eliminate mass shootings is to detect weapons before they ever enter, or as they enter, a building. Metal detectors have been effectively dispatched and used to identify weapons on a person entering a building. The major drawbacks of metal detectors are the cost to operate them, several security guards per machine, and the resultant bottlenecks which cause limited throughput at the entrances. The technology eliminates the need to empty pockets and allows backpacks, luggage bags, and purses to be scanned New technology on the market uses millimeter wave detection to quickly scan someone walking through a portal. The technology eliminates the need to empty pockets and allows backpacks, luggage bags, and purses to be scanned at the same time as the person. People can walk through the portals side by side to reduce bottlenecks. Additionally, the technology reduces the number of guards needed, reducing overall costs.  Taking out the human element The first step in surviving a mass shooting is being situationally aware. Immediately accepting and understanding the sounds as gunshots is paramount. Just a few seconds can mean the difference between life and death during an active shooter situation. Gunshot detection can eliminate the fear factor, which in many cases temporarily paralyzes those involved and causes precious seconds to pass before action is taken. By using a trusted, effective gunshot detection solution properly partnered with a monitoring system can eliminate the human factor of indecision and delay. Further, coupled with a VMS camera system, it can visually verify the situation as an emergency, identify the shooter, and provide valuable, accurate information to First Responders—all within just a few seconds. The state of gunshot detection technology Gunshot detection technology has been explored and developed by the military since WWI, but commercially it has only been around for a few years. Such detection systems range from wide area coverage to room-to-room coverage. Most are acoustic based (using microphones) to listen for the sound of a gunshot, record the sound, then analyze it with sophisticated software to determine if it is, indeed, a gunshot. Many years have been invested fine-tuning the software to differentiate between a gunshot and other loud noises. Eliminating ambient noise is very difficult during this process. The locations and venues mentioned at the outset of this article inherently have loud, ambient noise. This, in most cases, causes systems to give a false-positive or to even fail to detect the gunshot. In turn, it can send unverified or wrong information to First Responders and Security and cause havoc of unwarranted fear and actions. To help increase the accuracy of the detection of an actual gunshot, many systems have added infrared sensors. Many systems use backroom or cloud servers to run the necessary analysis In addition to the challenge of false positives, many systems use backroom or cloud servers to run the necessary analysis. This not only increases the cost of the system but may increase the notification time of the actual gunshot. Integration of this data to alarm, notification, and camera systems is difficult and costly. And experts say none of these systems are yet 100 percent effective. Enter ultrasonic sensor technology Fortunately, new technology is emerging in the industry. Technology which can eliminate the false-positives and reduce the cost by doing away with the expensive software, servers, cloud servers, and human intervention. This technology uses non-acoustical ultrasonic sensors to detect the frequency of a gunshot concussive wave created by a bullet, leaving the chamber along with the explosion wave force. Because these sensors are not acoustic (microphone), they will not pick up the ambient noise like other systems. In addition, the ultrasonic sensors only detect the gunshot concussive wave within the determined frequency. This also helps eliminate confusion caused by loud noises such as thunder, cars backfiring, large boxes being dropped, etc. An added bonus is ultrasonic sensors are not acoustic, therefore they are never listening or recording, the sensors only operate when there is an actual gunshot; hence, they’re completely non-invasive. The ultrasonic sensors only detect the gunshot concussive wave within the determined frequency Finally, these non-acoustic sensors do much of the work through an onboard processor, no backroom or cloud servers are needed. Integration to systems such as VMS, Access Control, Alarm Panels, etc. requires minimal effort. This allows existing security systems to be integrated with gunshot detection, creating a low-cost, highly effective overall solution. Protecting our children, loved ones, employees, and customers is a monumental challenge for any security professional. Using newly available technology, combined with existing security infrastructure, we have the ability to add on layers of safety to help reduce the tragedy of gun violence and mass shootings. This article was co-written by Brad McMullen, General Manager at 3xLOGIC, and Brad Jarrett, CTO at Active Guardian.

Artificial Intelligence. You’ve heard the words in just about every facet of our lives, just two words, and they’re quite possibly the most moving, life-changing words employed in everyday conversations. So what exactly is AI, who currently uses it and should be using it? What Is AI? AI is a powerful way of collecting, qualifying and quantifying data toward a meaningful conclusion to help us reach decisions more quickly or automate processes which could be considered mundane or repetitive. AI in its previous state was known as “machine learning” or “machine processing” which has evolved into “deep learning” or, here in the present, Artificial Intelligence. AI as it applies to the security and surveillance industry provides us the ability to discover and process meaningful information more quickly than at any other time in modern history. Flashback - VCR tapes, blurred images, fast-forward, rewind and repeat. This process became digital, though continued to be very time-consuming. Today’s surveillance video management systems have automated many of these processes with features like “museum search” seeking an object removed from a camera view or “motion detection” to create alerts when objects move through a selected viewpoint. These features are often confused with AI, and are really supportive analytics of the Artificial Intelligence, not AI themselves. Machine Learning Fully appreciating AI means employment of a machine or series of machines to collect, process and produce information obtained from basic video features or analytics. What the machines learn depends on what is asked of them. The truth is, the only way the AI can become meaningful is if there is enough information learned to provide the results desired. If there isn’t enough info, then we must dig deeper for information or learn more, properly described as “deep-learning” AI. Translated, this means that we need to learn more on a deeper level in order to obtain the collaborative combined information necessary to produce the desired result. Deep Learning AI Deep learning AI can afford us the ability to understand more about person characteristic traits & behaviors. Applying this information can then further be applied to understand how to interpret patterns of behavior with the end goal of predictable behavior. This prediction requires some degree of human interpretation so that we are able to position ourselves to disrupt patterns of negative behavior or simply look for persons of interest based on these patterns of behavior. These same patterns evolve into intelligence which over time increases the machine’s ability to more accurately predict patterns that could allow for actions to be taken as a result. This intelligence which is now actionable could translate to life safety such as stopping a production manufacturing process, if a person were to move into an area where they shouldn’t be which might put them in danger. Useful Applications Of Intelligence  Informative knowledge or intelligence gathered could be useful in retail applications as well by simply collecting traffic patterns as patrons enter a showroom. This is often displayed in the form of heat mapping of the most commonly traveled paths or determining choke points that detract from a shopper’s experience within the retail establishment. It could also mean relocating signage to more heavily traveled foot-paths to gain the highest possible exposure to communicating a sale or similar notice, perhaps lending itself to driving higher interest to a sale or product capability. Some of this signage or direction could even translate to increased revenues by realigning the customer engagement and purchasing points. Actionable Intelligence From a surveillance perspective, AI could be retranslated to actionable intelligence by providing behavioral data to allow law enforcement to engage individuals with malicious intent earlier, thus preventing crimes in whole or in part based on previously learned data. The data collection points now begin to depart from a more benign, passive role into an actionable role. As a result, new questions are being asked regarding the cameras intended purpose or role of its viewpoint such as detection, observation, recognition or identification. Detecting Human Presence By way of example, a camera or data collector may need to detect human presence, as well as positively identify who the person is. So the analytic trip line is crossed or motion box activated or counter-flow is detected which then creates an alert for a guard or observer to take action. Further up the food chain, a supervisor is also notified and the facial characteristics are captured. These remain camera analytics, but now we feed this collected facial information to a graphic processing unit (GPU) which could be employed to compare captured characteristics with pre-loaded facial characteristics. When the two sources are compared and a match produced, an alert could be generated which results in an intervention or other similar action with the effort of preventing a further action. This process- detect, disrupt, deter or detain could be considered life-saving by predictably displaying possible outcomes in advance of the intended actions. The next level is deep-learning AI which employs the same characteristics to determine where else within the CCTV ecosystem the individual may have been previously by comparatively analyzing other collected video data. This becomes deep-learning AI when the GPU machine is able to learn from user-tagged positive identification, which the machine learns and begins to further reprocess its own data to further understand where else the person of interest (POI) may have existed on the ecosystem and more correctly improve its own predictive capabilities, thus becoming faster at displaying alerts and better at the discovery of previously archived video data. The Future In conclusion, the future of these “predictables” wholly rests in the hands of the purchasing end-user. Our job is to help everyone understand the capabilities and theirs is to continue to make the investment so that the research perpetuates upon itself. Just think where we’d be if purchasers didn’t invest in the smartphone?    

Many industries are, to a greater or lesser extent, in the throes of digital transformation. As with any change program, digital transformation efforts often under-perform against expectations. Yet, the number of digital transformation programs continue to increase, as commercial pressures intensify. As security professionals we need to embrace our role in digital transformation, as security is everybody’s business. For all those people weary of hearing about digital transformation and believe it’s a business fad, consider your own behaviours. If you use a smartphone to search, find, order, buy, message, watch, learn, play, bank, pay, enter, exit, navigate, communicate and more then you are part of the reason that digital transformation is a commercial necessity. The way we live our lives has changed significantly over the past twenty years and this needs to be reflected into how we rethink the way we do business. Digital transformation is about more than technology, it allows people to solve their traditional problems in new and better ways than before. Better can mean faster, at lower cost, using fewer resources, easier to maintain, more compliant and/or easier to report insights. IoT, criminal activity and security  The number of internet connected devices worldwide is increasing at an exponential rate; by the end of 2025 there are expected to be 75.44 billion. Internet of Things (IoT) means digital transformation converges physical and digital for security professionals. Criminals use smarter digital tools such as malware, drones, key cloners, signal readers and more, which impact both physical and cybersecurity. To counter this, digital transformation provides security professionals with As security professionals we need to embrace our role in digital transformation, as security is everybody’s businessaccess to valuable actionable insights to identify and deter threats to people and assets. All transformation starts with an idea generated by people and ends with people experiencing the output. Therefore, digital transformation starts and ends with people. To ensure a solid foundation to any digital transformation agenda, people need to have a clear purpose to engage. This is where security leaders can inspire their colleagues with a laudable purpose of embracing disruption at the same time as focusing on safeguarding people and assets. Non-security colleagues should understand that security risks are advancing at a faster pace than enterprises can adapt. As a security leader, you are advocating a movement where your colleagues adopt relevant enterprise security risk management practices in their daily thinking and working. The message is clear that digital transformation presents abundant opportunities and these need to be evaluated alongside the proliferating security threats that can become a business continuity failure. Security professionals and digital influence  The number of internet connected devices worldwide is increasing at an exponential rate; by the end of 2025 there are expected to be 75.44 billionSecurity professionals can influence digital transformation success by translating an enterprise’s strategy into secure operational reality. The security narrative should emphasize the people side of digital transformation and how technology can act as an enabler of a safe and secure experience, both for employees and customers. Operationally, digital transformation is about agility, adaptability and navigating uncertainty. Old ways of thinking and working will be blockers to transformation, so security leaders ought to identify the rapid enablers of a ‘secure’ digital transformation. Better people, processes and overall technology People generally don’t want more in their lives, they want better. Better people. Better data. Better technology. Better processes. Digital transformation creates significant ‘better’ benefits for security: For example, connected (IoT) sensors, video analytics at the edge and machine learning identify threats faster; workflow technologies and automation detect, investigate and remediate routine responses; cloud provides many benefits such as agility, scale and mobility; and, smartphones/digital devices provide real-time communication and collaboration. Tackling all the ‘better’ needs within a security approach is necessary – focusing on the prioritised commercial needs first. Think about how to drive radical simplification into digital transformation agendas to ensure complexity doesn’t create too many unmanageable risks. Designing enterprise security risk management into the business operating model will facilitate colleagues to be empowered for safe and secure change. Communicating security successes and breaches with commercial impact insights in a timely and concise manner across the enterprise will prove the value of active security engagement throughout digital transformation programs. Transforming the world Digital technology is transforming the world around us, in a way that impacts every area of security. Security professionals are now businesspeople and technologists, in addition to their traditional security remits. Embracing this impacts security recruitment, training and employee engagement, within the security team and with non-security colleagues. Without a doubt, security professionals are integral to digital transformation programs.

Facial recognition continues to be a political football and a target of privacy activists in the United States. For example, San Diego has suspended its use of facial recognition scanners by law enforcement after a campaign by civil rights groups. The San Diego Tactical Identification System (TACIDS) program included a database of facial recognition scans shared by 30 local, state and federal agencies. A California law, passed in the fall, puts a three-year moratorium on law enforcement use of face recognition technology. A proposal in Congress would prohibit use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), thus protecting the more than two million public housing residents nationwide from being “over-surveilled.” The “No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act” is supported by the NAACP, the National Housing Law Project, National Low-Income Housing Coalition, National Action Network, Color of Change, and the Project on Government Oversight. The problems of Facial Recognition "Studies that show that facial recognition systems may misidentify many individuals including women and people of colour" A letter from seven members of Congress to HUD Secretary Ben Carson questioned the use of facial recognition in federally assisted housing because it “could be used to enable invasive, unnecessary and harmful government surveillance of…residents.” The letter cites studies that show that facial recognition systems may misidentify many individuals including women and people of color, thus “exacerbating vulnerabilities that marginalized groups already face in life.” In June, Somerville, Mass., became the second U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces. The first was San Francisco. A coalition of organizations and trade associations has issued a letter to Congress outlining concerns with “blanket prohibitions” or moratoriums on facial recognition technology and listing beneficial uses for public safety, national security and fighting fraud. The Security Industry Association (SIA) is part of the coalition, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. A letter from seven members of Congress to HUD Secretary Ben Carson questioned the use of facial recognition in federally assisted housing   Facial recognition technology has benefited Americans in many ways, such as helping to thwart identity thieves" The letter says: “While polls consistently show that Americans trust law enforcement to use facial recognition technology responsibly, some groups have called for lawmakers to enact bans on [the] technology. While we agree that it is important to have effective oversight and accountability of these tools to uphold and protect civil liberties, we disagree that a ban is the best option.” Development and guidance  As alternatives to outright bans, the letter proposes expanded testing and performance standards, develop of best practices and guidance for law enforcement, and additional training for different uses of the technology. “Facial recognition technology has benefited Americans in many ways, such as helping to fight human trafficking, thwart identity thieves and improve passenger facilitation at airports and enhance aviation security,” says Don Erickson, CEO of SIA. “SIA believes this advanced technology should be used in a safe, accurate and effective way, and look forward to working with Congress to help the U.S. set the example on how to ethically and responsibly govern this technology.” SIA has produced a document called “Face Facts: Dispelling Common Myths Associated with Facial Recognition Technology.”

GSX 2019 got off to a jaunty start Tuesday. The show was humming with activity much of the day, and most exhibitors said they were pleased with the numbers and types of potential customers visiting their booths. There seemed to be less emphasis on product introductions than at the ISC West show in the spring (although there is much that is on the new side), while the trend toward system sales is continuing. Here's a review of Day 1 from the show floor. Dahua continues to educate market  “Traffic-wise, the show is better than last year,” observed Tim Shen, Director of Marketing at Dahua Technology USA, at midday on Tuesday. “We met more people from Latin America,” he added. Shen theorized that Chicago is at the center of a larger territory of customers than last year’s location (Las Vegas).Dahua’s presence at the show makes a statement: “We’re still here" Dahua has faced some negative publicity in the last year since they were banned from procurement by U.S. government customers by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Dahua’s presence at the show makes a statement, says Shen. The statement is “We’re still here.” Shen said only one visitor to the Dahua booth even mentioned the NDAA on the first day of the show, and the visitor was misinformed about the provisions and implications of the law. “There is a lot of misinformation,” he says. “We need to continue to educate the market.” Facial recognition, video metadata, and people counting New at the show is the Dahua Analytics+ line of cameras that feature more in-depth analysis of data such as facial attributes, video metadata, and people counting. For example, the cameras can identify 128 points in a face, with an additional 256 attributes analyzed by the back-end recorder. Analysis can provide information such as age and gender, which can help a retailer analyze the demographics of their customers, for instance. Dahua is also adopting some of its consumer line of products for sale through the commercial channel. These include a flood light camera, a 2-megapixel WiFi camera and a doorbell camera. The products might be used outside of a retail store, for example, to complement Dahua commercial cameras that are used inside the store, says Shen. Dahua previewed a new multi-sensor camera that also includes a speed dome. The multi-sensor component combines eight views, each 2 megapixels, for a total of 16 megapixels. Below the multi-sensor camera is mounted a speed dome that can zoom in on regions of interest in the larger multisensor view. The camera will be launched in the fourth quarter. The show was humming with activity much of the day, and most exhibitors said they were pleased with the numbers and types of potential customers visiting their exhibits ACRE reports continued North American growth “The industry’s momentum will continue to grow,” predicted Joe Grillo, Principal of ACRE. New areas such as cloud and mobile credentialing have the fastest growth rate, but are starting from a much smaller base, he said, so momentum in those categories will take time.ACRE sees continued rapid growth with no slowdown in the North American market Grillo noticed the first morning of GSX was busy, although there was a bit of a lull at midday. In terms of the business outlook, Grillo sees continued rapid growth with no slowdown in the North American market, although there have been some negative elements creeping into the outlook in Europe. Cybersecurity concerns in access control I caught up with Grillo at the booth promoting RS2, a Munster, Ind., access control company that Acre acquired last May. It is the only Acre company that is exhibiting at GSX. RS2 is one of two access control companies acquired by Acre in the last year — the other was Open Options, Addison, Texas. Grillo said the two acquired companies are complementary, especially in terms of their sales channels and geographic strengths. Although both are national companies, RS2 tends to be stronger in the Midwest, while Open Options sales emphasis is centered in Texas and emanates to the rest of the country. Concerns about vulnerabilities are a growing issue in access control, said Grillo, and more large endusers are conducting penetration testing of systems. The industry should welcome the scrutiny, he added. Cybersecurity also represents an business opportunity in access control, noted Grillo. Concerns about the vulnerabilities of legacy technologies such as 125Khz proximity cards and the Wiegand protocol will likely accelerate the pace of companies upgrading their access control systems There seemed to be less emphasis on product introductions than at the ISC West show in the spring (although there is much that is on the new side) Eagle Eye Networks and cloud-based VMS Ken Francis of Eagle Eye Networks had already realized some new client opportunities during the first day of the show, although he was not optimistic at the outset. In contacting potential clients to meet at the show, he had heard that many were not attending. Among Eagle Eye Networks’ news at the show is full integration of body-cams into their cloud-based video management system. “It’s the most unique thing happening from a video management perspective,” Francis said. Previously, if someone needed a video clip from a body cam, they had to use a separate software system. Five years from now, at least 80 percent of all VMS systems will be cloud-managed" Francis continues to be bullish on the subject of cloud adoption of video management and made a bold prediction: “Five years from now, at least 80 percent of all VMS systems will be cloud-managed.” Eagle Eye Networks is doing its part with “rocket growth” that is reflected in an increase of company employees from 27 to 165 or so. Economies of scale have enabled Eagle Eye Networks to lower subscription prices by up to 45 percent. Genetec's release self-service PIAM system Many of the “new” products at GSX 2019 are slight variations on what was introduced at ISC West last spring. An exception is Genetec’s introduction of ClearID, a self-service physical identity and access management (PIAM) system that enforces security policies while improving the flow of people within the organization. The new system is integrated with the Genetec's Security Center Synergis access control system. PIAM systems have historically been customizable, complex to install and costly, which is why a lot of companies have not used a system. Genetec’s differentiator is that it is an off-the-shelf, out-of-the-box solution for a broader base of customers. “We scanned the market and found a lack of off-the-shelf identity management systems,” said Derek Arcuri, Product Marketing Manager, Genetec. “Targeting the mid-market, we are providing an accessible, ready-to-go cloud-based system that is ‘baked’ for the average company but can be integrated and expanded to include other systems.” The trend toward system sales at the show is continuing ClearID will simplify operation for the security department, which was previously tasked with a lot of administrative work in response to various departments. ClearID “pushes down” the authority to use the system to stakeholders (such as IT and/or facilities directors) and provides  a system they can use themselves without involving security. “It empowers stakeholders and employees to work directly through the system rather than going through security,” says Arcuri. “It gives employees access based on stakeholder policies and improves the flow of people through an organization. The security director is relieved of administrative work and can work on ‘real’ security.” I saw some other things today, too, which I will share in a future GSX article... And more about the show tomorrow.

Gunshot detection today is part of more physical security systems than ever before, and many manufacturers are developing interfaces to the latest gunshot detection technologies. Genetec has integrated ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology into its unified IP security platform, Security Center. Thanks to this integration, police departments and security professionals will be able to receive more actionable information, gain rapid access and detailed location insights when a gunshot situation occurs.   Cloud-Based Analysis Software ShotSpotter uses wide-area acoustic surveillance that automatically gets activated when gunfire occurs, providing comprehensive outdoor coverage on campuses and in complex urban geographies. ShotSpotter sensors and cloud-based analysis software triangulate and pinpoint the precise location of each round fired within seconds, the number of shots fired and provide an immediate gunfire alert with an audio clip. Detailed incident data is immediately sent to SST’s Incident Review Center (IRC), a secure data processing and alert validation facility, where acoustics experts analyze the data and qualify the incident in real-time 24/7. Once validated, an alert is sent directly into Genetec’s Security Center, all in under a minute. Once the alarm is triggered within Security Center upon gunshot detection, operators can quickly access video and other related data surrounding the location of a gunshot alert, and immediately visualize it on Security Center maps, leveraging the dynamic visualization capabilities of the Security Center Plan Manager. Genetec has integrated ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology into its unified IP security platform Gunshot Identification Software Stanley Security has announced a partnership with Shooter Detection Systems LLC (SDS), gunshot detection solutions provider. As an authorized dealer, STANLEY Security is now certified to sell, install and service SDS products and services. SDS’s Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System combines acoustic gunshot identification software with infrared gunfire flash detection for a fully automated gunshot detection and alerting solution. The Guardian System immediately detects gunshots and simultaneously alerts building occupants The Guardian System immediately detects gunshots and simultaneously alerts building occupants and first responders within one second and with zero false alerts. Johnson Controls has announced that its exacqVision video management system now integrates with Databuoy Corp.’s ShotPoint acoustic gunshot detection and localization system to speed response time and heighten the decision-making process for local responders during active shooter situations. Integrated Security Systems Johnson Controls has also released the Detect360 Active Shooter Response (ASR) system, combining reliable gunshot detection with notification technology to provide immediate warning when a gunshot is fired within a building. By providing early notification and precise location of the shooter, the ASR system gives occupants time to find safety and allows police and security personnel to mitigate the threat up to 60 percent faster. Detect360 ASR gives first responders information as it develops at the scene, including shot location, number of shots, location of the shooter in near real-time and the ability to remotely monitor the situation through integrated security systems. It also collects forensic information that can later be used by law enforcement. The system supports multiple integration options, including video feeds from existing CCTV and intrusion systems, mass notification systems, access control systems and panic button/manual initiation systems. Public Safety Access Points Listed as one of the most important new technologies debuted at CES 2019 by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News, Safe Zone also showcased its Safe Zone Gunfire Detector (GFD) at ISC West 2019. Priced at $149 per unit, the Safe Zone Gunfire Detector combines infrared and sound detection technologies with immediate cloud-based data analysis that can analyze more than 3,000 data points of each loud noise that exceeds ambient levels by a certain threshold. Utilizing the data from multiple detectors simultaneously, the system determines the location of shots fired, the number of shots, and the type and caliber of gun being used. Within 10 seconds of the trigger pull, an alert is sent to Public Safety Access Points in the appropriate dispatch center, giving local 911 dispatchers all critical information on their computers. Reseller Recruitment Program Shot Tracer has launched a reseller recruitment program with a highly attractive on-boarding proposition for qualified dealers. Qualifying resellers can receive a Gunshot Simulator Kit valued at $1,000 when they commit to becoming a Shot Tracer dealer. Shot Tracer’s Eagle Gunshot Detection System easily integrates with virtually any security, alarm, surveillance and access system via contact closure – or wirelessly via IP integration. The system determines the location of shots fired, the number of shots, and the type In fact, Shot Tracer gunshot detection sensors are as easy to install as a smoke detector, so there’s virtually no learning curve for installing dealers. The new Shot Tracer Reseller Recruitment Program includes an exclusive offer for installing dealers to receive a free Gunshot Simulator Kit, valued at over $1000, which is essential for demonstrating Shot Tracer Eagle Gunshot Detection sensors. Terms and conditions apply for qualifying resellers.

Lufthansa Technik operates in a special division of the aviation industry, and security is a top priority to safeguard its people, planes and facilities. Over the years, the need to control access to its premises - particularly when it comes to external visitors - has become increasingly more important. A key challenge, however, is that Lufthansa Technik wants to maintain an inviting environment that feels free from restrictions, while also ensuring the highest security standards. Although Lufthansa Technik wants to prevent unauthorized access, it doesn’t want to hinder employees as they go about their day. It’s really important to the business to find the right balance between security and convenience, so people can feel secure but also free as they move around. And employees have a dynamic work environment that supports them in performing to the best of their ability. Unified access control Another key objective for Lufthansa Technik’s new access control system was unification. It has more than 35 locations and 100,000 employees worldwide and, in the past, each site was responsible for its own security. This would sometimes involve hiring specialists to solve the same problems at different locations. Lufthansa Technik’s ultimate goal is for all its sites to share the same access control system Lufthansa Technik wanted to avoid this and ensure not just consistent security standards but a culture of great connection where people can easily network and collaborate wherever they’re based. As a result, Lufthansa Technik’s ultimate goal is for all its sites to share the same access control system and follow the same standardized security policy. Access control system It also wants all employees to be able to use one single Lufthansa Technik badge to access all the locations they’re authorized to access - both locally and internationally. It was a big challenge to begin tackling, particularly when considering the IT challenges of implementing a unified access control system in multiple locations around the world. Lufthansa Technik began its search to find the right access control system by thoroughly researching the market and issuing an in-depth tender to a variety of suppliers. After detailed comparison, it chose Nedap. Melf Westphal, Head of Security Solutions at Lufthansa Technik, explains: “We were really impressed with Nedap’s entrepreneurial culture, hands-on mentality and personal approach. They were really reaching out to us, determined to find out exactly what we need. So we decided to implement Nedap’s AEOS system, which has helped us tremendously in meeting our requirements and creating a single system.” Security with convenience People set free to perform at their best Lufthansa Technik’s goals for its access control also align with Nedap’s people-first approach to providing ‘Security for life’. Nedap believes that a security system should be designed around the people using it, rather than the technology driving it. This ‘Security for life’ concept underline’s Nedap’s desire to free people’s minds from security so they can make the most of each day. Initially, Lufthansa Technik began with a pilot project to implement AEOS in Hamburg Which, in turn, mirror’s Lufthansa Technik’s desire to balance security with convenience. Initially, Lufthansa Technik began with a pilot project to implement AEOS in Hamburg, where it has 10,000 employees, followed by four affiliate locations. Melf says: “We weren’t sure at first how to go about it. But we got a lot of help from Nedap and their excellent partners, who were a great help to us during the implementation phase." Create tailormade solutions "The pilot project enabled us to overcome two major challenges: how to implement AEOS access control in our IT infrastructure and how to involve our employees. In both areas, Nedap and their partners did a wonderful job,”  he continues. “It wasn’t only the really good products they presented to us. With their support, and that of their dedicated partners, they helped us solve all the operational issues." "And through their partner network, they enabled us to create tailormade solutions by offering third party integrations that matched our security demands. It’s meant that instead of barricading ourselves in we have relative freedom of movement. I feel very secure but I can use my badge to go anywhere. We have fantastic solutions and, importantly, the same Lufthansa Technik ID badge connects all of us – no matter where we’re based.” Third-party integrations The AEOS access control system that Lufthansa Technik implemented goes beyond just securing doors; they installed additional components such as key cabinets and visitor management. Melf says: “AEOS was a great help in this respect - it enabled us to bring in third-party providers. As Nedap has an ethos of working closely with third-party technology partners, and AEOS integrates easily with other systems, it means we weren’t restricted to just one solution." "We had the flexibility to create exactly what we wanted. I have a slogan when it comes to our security: ‘We open doors rather than close them.’ That’s really important to me,”  Melf Westphal, Head of Security Solutions at Lufthansa Technik. For Lufthansa Technik, a key aspect of the pilot project and subsequent rollout is getting employees on board with the new access control system. Significant investment in training Each Lufthansa Technik employee is now incited to feel a shared responsibility for creating a secure work environment It believes that even the best access control system loses its value if the people working with it don’t have the right mindset. For this reason, Lufthansa Technik made a significant investment in training, communication and awareness campaigns. These focused first on letting employees know how valuable they are, how important security is and why the security changes are being implemented. They’ve also made employees aware of the importance of anticipating security risks and of their own role in Lufthansa Technik’s security management system. Each Lufthansa Technik employee is now incited to feel a shared responsibility for creating a secure work environment. And they’re all trained in how to respond to a security alert and address someone if they see them in a place they’re not supposed to be. New security system Importantly, Lufthansa Technik employees understand that their AEOS access control system is as much about preserving their freedom as it is about locking down their safety. The next steps for Lufthansa Technik are to continue rolling AEOS out worldwide. Melf explains: “The success of our new security system hasn’t gone unnoticed. Other Lufthansa Technik facilities have seen that AEOS has proved itself in practice in Hamburg, in a facility with 10,000 employees." "And we’ve seen an increase in requests for similar systems from facilities all over the world. Our goal now is to implement AEOS in all our locations worldwide, so we can truly build a unified security system that connects the entire Lufthansa Technik family. A security system that allows us to open doors, not close them.”

Installation company Nessence recently integrated Vanderbilt’s ACT365 cloud-based access control and video management system with Mobile BankID in Sweden. Mobile BankID is a citizen identification solution that allows companies, banks, and government agencies to authenticate and conclude agreements with individuals over the internet. The integration with ACT365 comes together to solve a brief put forward by the supermarket chain, ICA Sweden. Web API for integration Tobias Olofsson, Project Sales Manager at Vanderbilt, explains that ICA Sweden is a retailer with a focus on food and health, and they wanted to be open earlier in the morning and later in the evening. “It would be too expensive to hire staff to stay open during these times in smaller locations. This is because the number of customers shopping early in the morning or late at night is minimal. But the store wants to be able to provide its customers with this value-added service,” says Olofsson. ACT365 was the perfect solution for this project due to its easy deployment, easy operation To solve this, the supermarket wanted to open unmanned and needed a solution to allow customers to enter the store in a functioning and approved manner by the insurance company. In Olofsson’s opinion, ACT365 was the perfect solution for this project due to its easy deployment, easy operation, and a smooth web API for integration. Increased accessibility and convenience “The success of this project means it is now possible for shoppers to open the supermarket’s entrance door by digitally signing into the Mobile BankID on their phone and presenting it to the ACT365 reader located on the outside of the door,” states Olofsson. Moreover, good accessibility is maintained as all customers do not need to have specific cards or tags for the access system to be able to enter the supermarket. “A new modern solution has been developed to facilitate trade for private individuals, especially in smaller towns where food stores do not tend to stay open for as long as in the big cities. This project has resulted in increased profits for the supermarket, as well as increased accessibility and convenience for its customers,” concludes Olofsson.

Protecting commercial properties is complicated and goes beyond safeguarding people and property. Security professionals respond to the needs of the business, staff, contractors, and visitors and deal with the realities of property damage, theft, and disgruntled employees. Ava helps the team react to anomalies and policy enforcement in real-time. Instead of merely investigating incidents, organizations can take the necessary steps to prevent them. Spotlight brings relevant feeds to the operator’s attention and triggers real-time alerts to address threats before they escalate. Leverage integrated video and audio analytics to give an enhanced understanding of the camera feeds. Respond to loitering challenges, access anomalies, theft incidents, fires, and more. Identifying suspicious people Smart Search allows operators to search by appearance, events, objects, similarity, or image. Recovering lost or stolen objects, identifying suspicious people like unescorted visitors, investigating health incidents or damage to the property, performing cleaning crew inspections now take minutes instead of hours. Combine with access control to identify tailgating or fire or active shooter scenarios To gain occupancy insights, operators can leverage Ava Aware’s unique Map view with Smart Presence. By adding floor plans and maps of premises, people and vehicles appear as dots in their precise on-site locations. Operators can see live footage as they move on the cameras’ fields of view. Combine with access control to identify tailgating or fire or active shooter scenarios. Connect Ava Aware to the cloud to achieve easy and simple deployment and access from anywhere in the world. Share links of recorded video with team members, claim investigators, and law enforcement, regardless of whether they have admin access to Aware or not. Get a secure download of video files in a standard mp4 format with digital watermarking for authenticity. Key benefits delivered are as follows: Integrate with existing cameras Hundreds of hours saved in forensic searches Add access control to extend capabilities Video & metadata storage remain on-premises Full site survivability and local access Increase operational productivity and reduce facility costs Distribute heat and cooling efficiently, optimize cleaning and workplace productivity through hot-desking insights Use people flow insights to manage people and vehicle queues efficiently Automatically decrease storage demands from all the recordings Reduce bandwidth consumption on critical links with AI-based optimization Pay for what is needed, when it is needed, without the hassle of complicated licensing Up to 200 cameras per Ava appliance— small footprint support for larger facilities One-click Ava Dome and Ava 360 camera configuration Encrypted media at rest and in transit Automatic firmware updates Digital watermarking to prevent tampering Simple subscription model without hidden costs or analytics add-ons With a simple licensing model, Vaion always includes services and software upgrades. They no longer have to worry about integration charges, operator charges, API fees, or the complexity between small, medium, large, and enterprise services.

Retailers face complex challenges that range from loss prevention and maintaining a safe environment for both customers and staff to improving customer experience and operational productivity. Choose Ava Unified Security (formerly Vaion) to ensure security operators can tap into advanced analytics to detect and react to anomalies in real-time. Additionally, store managers can use Ava’s customer intelligence insights to increase profits and meet the customers’ needs. Leverage Ava’s machine learning anomaly detection to get alerts on people and vehicles loitering or cars present out of hours. Facilitating advanced analysis Get a clear understanding of activity at rear entrances, aisles, or end-caps by counting people who congregate in certain areas. Track cash register points to minimize thefts and identify return frauds. Authorized users can share links of recorded video securely with team members, claim investigators, and law enforcement. Monitor queues and the number of employees behind counters to ensure minimal waiting time Use counting of people and vehicles entering and exiting to analyze store performance, footfall, queues, and allocate more staff during busy periods. Download and share historical data of occupancy information with store managers to facilitate advanced analysis. Improve store safety by detecting verbal aggression, robberies, and vandalism, and empower security operators to act before incidents escalate. Track goods and control access as vehicles are entering your warehouses. Get notifications in real-time when trucks are approaching loading docks and prevent the damage of fleet and storage areas. Monitor queues and the number of employees behind counters to ensure minimal waiting time. Use Ava’s powerful search features to investigate across all stores, warehouses, and distribution centers and identify repeat offenders or suspects. Enhanced overview of operational insights Increase operational productivity and reduce store and warehouse costs Distribute air efficiently to match economics and customer comfort Use people flow insights to manage queues efficiently Understand the customers’ in-store activity and which are the least and most visited areas Enhanced customer experience Get insights on the customers’ in-store traffic patterns Instant notification when queues are detected to allocate staff according to the busiest business hours Find out which of the locations perform the best and why Saving storage and money Automatically decrease storage demands from all the recordings Reduce bandwidth consumption on critical links with AI-based optimization Pay for what is needed, when it is needed, without the hassle of complicated licensing Up to 200 cameras per Ava vserver appliance—small footprint support for larger facilities Simplicity and compliance One-click Ava vcam configuration Encrypted media at rest and in transit Automatic firmware updates Digital watermarking to prevent tampering Simple subscription model without hidden costs or analytics add-ons With a simple licensing model, Ava always includes services and software upgrades. One no longer has to worry about integration charges, operator charges, API fees, or the complexity between small, medium, large, and enterprise services.

Boon Edam Inc., a provider of security entrances and architectural revolving doors, announces that NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, has installed new turnstiles as part of a major renovation of their D. H. Hill Library. Founded in 1887 as a public, land-grant, research university and part of the University of North Carolina system, NC State is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university is home to two libraries: the D. H. Hill Jr. Library on the North Campus and the James B. Hunt Jr. Library on Centennial Campus. Different common spaces The Hill Library houses over one million volumes of the libraries' total collection and offers a number of different common spaces for work and study. A recent renovation transformed the interior with the addition of an open grand staircase. The stairs connect the second and third floors to the lobby and flood the space with natural light. Two of the new turnstiles are for visitors entering the library, and the other two are dedicated for those exiting As part of this renovation, four Boon Edam Lifeline Speedlane Swing optical turnstiles were added to the Hillsboro Street entrance on the north side of the building. Two of the new turnstiles are for visitors entering the library, and the other two are dedicated for those exiting. The Hill Library is open to the general public during certain hours, with visits limited to the campus community the rest of the time. Exterior swinging doors lock During the day when the library is open to all, the turnstile barriers are kept open for free entry and exit. After general hours, the exterior swinging doors lock and authorized visitors must use their ID badges to unlock the doors and subsequently pass through the turnstiles. The Speedlane Swing turnstiles are known for their ultra-slim, stylish cabinets as well as their user friendly and responsive LED lighting system, which turns on when users approach and shows where to present their badge. The turnstiles offer support to security staff in the library lobby, helping ensure that no unauthorized individuals can access the library during non-public hours. If tailgating occurs, the turnstiles sound an alarm and security staff can respond immediately. Avoiding barrier contact On a typical day during the school semester, the turnstiles process approximately 6,000 to 7,000 students and other visitors. During the summer, this number drops to 400, but during exam time, usage peaks with up to 10,000 people entering the library every day. The campus population had no difficulty adapting to the new turnstiles at the Hill Library The campus population had no difficulty adapting to the new turnstiles at the Hill Library, as there were already turnstiles in place at the Hunt Library. According to Travis Tyo, the Director of Facilities for the Libraries, the new Speedlane Swing turnstiles were an improvement from the older turnstiles, due to their accurate ability to sense tailgating attempts and avoid barrier contact with fast moving users. Implementing another installation The University is already implementing another installation of Speedlane Swings at the south entrance to the Hill Library. The new entry will match the layout of the north entrance, with four turnstile lanes and a security guard on site. A future installation at the Hunt Library is also in the works. Travis says of the installation, “We worked closely with our Security and Applications Technologies departments here on campus; we tested different products and everybody liked the Boon Edam turnstiles and the ability of the company to respond whenever we need them. Ultimately it is much simpler and more efficient to have people badge in than to have a security guard look at IDs as each person enters the library.”

Marian University is a school with a mission. Having transitioned from a liberal arts college to a comprehensive university in 2009, it has become one of the private education institutions in Indiana. And that’s not all: the university has ambitious goals to grow its programs and broaden its mandate even further. Currently, the school has over 500 staff members and more than 3,500 students from across the United States and around the world. And by 2025, it aims to double its number of annual graduates. Located just ten minutes away from downtown Indianapolis, Marian University’s close proximity to a major center of American business, finance and culture is a major selling point. Managing increased traffic The city is also experiencing an influx of technology companies, making it the fifth-fastest growing municipality in the country for high-tech jobs. However, as in many booming regions, economic success isn’t evenly distributed. While some areas have experienced revitalization, others have seen social unrest and rising crime rates. As such, while Marian University’s campus has the privilege of sitting near a bustling city, these challenges aren’t far away. That fact — along with the increasing number of staff and students on the premises — motivated the university to upgrade their security systems to help keep both its people and the wider community safe. Marian University’s previous security system wasn’t up to the task of monitoring the premises, staff and students — so how would it manage increased traffic and additional properties as the school met its growth targets? High definition cameras ACC™ software is much more than a centralized source from which to review recorded video The ongoing maintenance and licensing costs were also prohibitive. Administrators were at a loss of what to do until the security integrator they were working with suggested Avigilon. With high definition cameras and built-in analytics that seamlessly integrated with Avigilon Control Center (ACC) video management software, it offered a comprehensive, intelligent and scalable solution. Additionally, the licensing fee was a one-time cost, saving the school both time and money. As the security team at Marian University found out, ACC™ software is much more than a centralized source from which to review recorded video. Not only can security operators analyze the video by zooming in and rewinding in real-time, but Avigilon Appearance Search™ technology leverages AI technology to help them instantly locate specific individuals and vehicles of interest. Advanced video analytics Furthermore, Unusual Motion Detection (UMD) technology uses advanced video analytics to flag events that may require further investigation and filter them in the recorded video timeline, allowing security operators to find and review these instances faster. All of this was made possible with the installation of intelligent Avigilon cameras and network video recorders (NVR) across the campus. “The organization is tremendous to work with,” says Ray Stanley, CIO/Vice President of Marian University. “I have never worked with a security company where I've been able to pick up the phone and have someone to help solve issues and make sure we are using the product the right way so that we see good value for our money. This was true not just in the beginning, their support exists right to this day.” Intelligent security system Avigilon coordinates with local third-party integrators to make sure the system is functioning Instead of sending Marian University setup instructions and leaving the security and IT teams to figure it out for themselves, Avigilon coordinates with local third-party integrators to make sure the system is functioning and actively helps operators learn how to utilize it to its full potential. Personnel will come onsite to work with staff and guarantee they know how to get the most from their various video analytics platforms and solutions. The main buildings at Marian University may be surrounded by quiet woodlands and wetlands, but the campus isn’t as isolated as it appears. Being a mere ten minutes away from the middle of Indianapolis, the school’s property borders several roadways, businesses and residential neighborhoods that all benefit from having an intelligent security system in the vicinity. Keeping the community safe “The great quality video has helped keep the community safe, without a doubt,” says Ray Stanley, CIO/Vice President of Marian University. “In one case, local police were able to identify a suspect involved in an incident at a nearby gas station because of our Avigilon system. Being able to help our surrounding community stay safe is absolutely an added benefit for us.” With its Avigilon solution, the Marian University campus has become an extra set of eyes for law enforcement. UMD and Avigilon Appearance Search technologies mean that criminals who make the mistake of moving across campus have a much higher chance of being detected by the authorities who can then quickly track their route to see where they have been and where they are headed. Potentially-Dangerous behavior It enables security personnel to spot and deter any potentially-dangerous behavior on a daily basis With its user-friendly interface and high-quality video, the security installation not only helps with police work and prosecution, but it enables security personnel to spot and deter any potentially-dangerous behavior on a daily basis, creating a safer environment for students and staff. "For example, we were able to see a suspect driving at a high rate of speed across campus, and with Appearance Search, we were able to see where the vehicle went and identify the suspect,” says Chief Richard Robertson, Marian University Police Department. “That helped us to save a lot of trouble and potential injuries.” Protecting local communities In the United States, Indianapolis looms large not only as the crossroads of the country — two-thirds of Americans can drive to the city in ten hours or less — but also as a hub of innovation and investment. However, safety continues to be a top-of-mind issue as crime increases in certain sections of the city. This is why Marian University chose Avigilon: as the school aims to provide a safe space for students and prepare them for the many opportunities Indianapolis has to offer, there’s also a deep-seated obligation to help protect local communities and public spaces. Avigilon allows it to do both — and even better, the solution will be able to scale with the university as it evolves and expands in the years ahead.

Video analytics are undergoing a fundamental change in the market as machine learning enhances their accuracy while expanding their capabilities. But what are those expanded capabilities and how are they impacting the operation of security and video systems? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What new video analytics are having an impact in the market and how?

Ensuring privacy is often a concern for video surveillance systems, especially in situations where a system intended for “public” surveillance could somehow, perhaps inadvertently, view private areas or situations. The classic example is an apartment building whose windows are within the range of a video surveillance camera. How can you provide video surveillance without invading the privacy of the apartment dwellers? Integrators and end users often turn to technology for a solution. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Round Table: How can smart camera features (such as privacy masking and programmable pan-tilt-zoom) address concerns about privacy?

Terrorism is in the headlines all over the world. After any such incident, many of us in the physical security market find ourselves asking: What could we have done to prevent it? Assessing risk and preventing catastrophes before the fact are part of our market’s DNA; and yet, too often the random nature of terrorist attacks and their targeting of public places leave us unsure of anything anyone could have done. How can we translate the benefits of our industry’s products into real-world solutions that can prevent terrorist attacks? We presented the question to this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable, and received a variety of interesting responses. Specifically, we asked: How is the recent rise in terrorism impacting the physical security market (e.g., higher demand, different mix of products, etc.)? How should the physical security market respond? What solutions are needed?