Network cameras

ComNet, Communication Networks of Danbury, Connecticut, an ACRE company, and a USA-based manufacturer of fiber optic transmission and networking equipment, is expanding the line of Cybersecurity products by adding to its line of intelligent media converters. These intelligent media converters with Link Guardian create a physical layer of protection that limits network traffic to one-way communication between the source and destination networks. The ComNet CNGEUMC4+2(TX, RX)/M is designed to prevent cybersecurity attacks by limiting data flow to one direction between a secured and unsecured network. External cyber threats How the devices are deployed will determine which direction the data will flow. Called a ‘Unidirectional Media Converter’, this physical security is more effective than software-enabled network firewalls. This data connection is un-hackable and invulnerable to malware. The ComNet CNGEMUMC4+2(TX, RX)/M is a hardened four-port all-gigabit intelligent Media Converter. This product is designed to provide deterministic data transfer in only one direction (unidirectional), to segment and protect networks, devices, and other digital assets (databases, historians, SCADA, PLCs, DCS, etc.) from external cyber threats. Distance extending device The primary purpose is as a distance extending device, but they can also be used as an entry point to a network" It has four 10/100/1000Base-T(X) copper ports and two 1000Base-FX SFP ports. It effectively only allows data to travel in one direction. The CNGEMUMC4+2(TX, RX)/M provides exclusive functionality for easy field deployment including DIP switch-based operation of RSFP (redundant SFP) for creating redundant fiber connections. According to Andrew Acquarulo Jr., ComNet CEO and President, “Media converters are generally simple to use. The primary purpose is as a distance extending device, but they can also be used as an entry point to a network. By adding features such as Link Guardian, we are offering our customers another way of making their network more reliable and secure from unauthorized access. This keeps us front and center in terms of innovation.” More competitive position The company believes that these features give them a more competitive position in the market and allows ComNet to be unique and differentiate the product line. “Making any network operate more efficiently and effectively is another way of how ComNet moves the market. Cybersecurity/ unauthorized access is a monumental concern for all security networks.” “By leading with our advanced technology, such as Link Guardian, we position ComNet and our solutions as the company to turn for ‘new and better’ transmission options. Our position is that if you are concerned about the long-term success of your application, choosing ComNet ensures it will be,” said Skip Haight, ComNet VP of Marketing.

TechAssure, the global network for insurance brokers specializing in technology risks, is partnering with CyberCube to roll out its Broking Manager product to the network’s members worldwide. Formed in 2000, TechAssure is a not-for-profit association headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina. TechAssure’s network consists of 30 retail brokerages servicing over 5,000 technology and life science clients globally. Software service application Broking Manager is the first software-as-a-service application CyberCube has built specifically for the insurance broking community. It offers a streamlined approach to generating financial exposure impact that helps clients make informed decisions on coverages and limits. Broking Manager will allow TechAssure’s member firms to quantify and explain to their clients the sources and financial impact of cyber risk exposure. The platform also produces reports that can be used to educate prospects and clients on potential sources of loss, recent and relevant cyber events, and peer-to-peer benchmarking. Cyber risk Pascal Millaire, CEO for CyberCube, said, “As trusted advisers to technology businesses all around the world, TechAssure’s member firms are only too aware of the rapidly changing nature of cyber risk.” “That makes it particularly pleasing that they’ve chosen to partner with us. This is a real vote of confidence in CyberCube’s products and the insights they generate.” Leading analytics platform TechAssure Executive Director Garrett Droege added, “TechAssure is very excited about partnering with CyberCube to add value to our members through analytics.” “By using a state-of-the-art software product, TechAssure members will be able to deliver best-in-class guidance on cyber risks for their clients in the innovation ecosystem. As leaders in the technology risk space for over 20 years, TechAssure sees CyberCube’s Broking Manager as one of the leading analytics platforms available for cyber risk management.” Broking Manager complements CyberCube’s two other products: Portfolio Manager and Account Manager, which are designed for risk carriers and are used by leading companies across the insurance ecosystem.

ADI Global Distribution, the globally renowned wholesale distributor of security, AV and low-voltage products, announced that it has opened a new branch location in Fort Worth, Texas. This marks ADI's second location to serve the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area and seventh location across the US state of Texas, and furthers strengthens its commitment to providing the best and most convenient service to dealers. The new ADI Fort Worth branch, located at 5036 Saunders Road, Fort Worth, Texas, will provide dealers with more access to ADI's full range of products and services. Exploring opportunities to expand As part of its strategic growth plan, ADI continuously conducts a market analysis of its current locations, customer locations, market demographics and travel times to ADI branches. With this data, ADI identifies new opportunities to expand its branch network and further enhance its customer service to dealers. The Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area represents one of the fastest growing metro areas in the U.S., and by opening a second location here ADI will be able to better serve dealers across the city and in surrounding areas. ADI Fort Worth location Expanding our distribution network is part of our overall growth strategy" “The ADI Fort Worth location is the second new branch that we've opened over the past few months in North America,” said Bob Appleby, Vice President and General Manager, ADI Global Distribution North America. Bob adds, “Expanding our distribution network is part of our overall growth strategy, and furthers our commitment to provide superior service, products and support. We're excited to open our doors to another ADI location in the Dallas-Fort-Worth area.” Secure lockers for Pick Up Anytime service The new Fort Worth branch occupies a 10,000-square foot space that is fully stocked with an assortment of products across all categories. Conveniently located in the southwest DFW area with easy access from all the major highways, the new branch will help reduce customer travel times and expenses while providing additional sales support. The branch also features a dedicated training room, a branch pickup window for One-Hour Pickup, secure lockers for Pick Up Anytime service and a fully-trained and knowledgeable sales team ready to assist. Redesigning of its Digital Branch In addition to expanding its store network, ADI recently launched a redesign of its Digital Branch to make browsing and purchasing online at ADI easy for dealers. Whether shopping online or in a branch, dealers can expect the same seamless omni-channel shopping experience. With this new location, ADI operates 110 branch locations to serve dealers across North America. In addition, ADI has nine distribution centers strategically located to ensure local branches remain fully stocked at all times.

Alarm.com has released the first commercially available video doorbell that rings without requiring any contact to reduce public health risks and make home visits and deliveries safer for all. The Alarm.com Touchless Video Doorbell is the next generation of video doorbells, combining sleek design with some of the most advanced video intelligence available to consumers for touch-free operation. It is the latest technology innovation from the company that pioneered smart home security. Touchless Video Doorbell The Alarm.com Touchless Video Doorbell eliminates the need to physically press a doorbell button. Anyone coming to the front door simply stands on a doormat placed at a safe distance to ring the chime. Rather than using motion detection common to other doorbell cameras, rapid and accurate person detection activates the Alarm.com Video Doorbell to reduce unimportant interruptions. When a person is detected, the doorbell immediately triggers the existing chime in the home, sends a mobile alert to the homeowner and starts recording a video clip. Homeowners can see and speak with visitors through the Touchless Video Doorbell’s live HD video and two-way audio instead of having to answer the door. Touchless security solution Our Touchless Video Doorbell helps homeowners and visitors alike maintain social distance" “Protecting the health and safety of loved ones and our communities has never been more important,” said Anne Ferguson, Vice President of Marketing at Alarm.com, adding “Particularly in the current environment, our front doors have become an even greater hotbed of activity.” Anne adds, “Our Touchless Video Doorbell helps homeowners and visitors alike maintain social distance and avoid encountering germs, bacteria and viruses that may exist on surfaces around the front door. Adding this touch-free solution to an Alarm.com-powered smart home security system is another way we can stay vigilant and protect one another.” Home automation As an integrated part of the expansive Alarm.com ecosystem, the Touchless Video Doorbell can automatically trigger other device activity through user-defined rules. For example, lights can turn on when the doorbell detects a person. Rapid people detection also helps ensure that inadvertent chimes are not triggered by animals, packages or other non-human objects. The device also features: 150° vertical field of view that gives homeowners a full head-to-toe image of visitors and clear look at packages left on the doorstep. Optimized portrait viewing on mobile so there’s no need to rotate the mobile device. Full HD resolution, HDR, and infrared night vision. Onboard heater for low temperature operation. Live video and saved clip viewing using the Alarm.com mobile app or website. The Alarm.com Touchless Video Doorbell will be available through the company’s robust network of professional security service providers.

Eagle Eye Networks, the globally renowned company in smart cloud video security, has shared the trends that will have the biggest impact on video surveillance, security, and use of analytics, to drive business intelligence and improvement in 2021. Cloud and advanced analytics Customers are asking for the cloud and advanced analytics will transform video surveillance systems into even more valuable business solutions. Compliance requirements are constantly evolving and IT departments are engaging with, and in many cases, owning video surveillance systems and customers are expecting systems to be open and connected. “A number of factors are driving the video surveillance trends in 2021,” said Hans Kahler, Vice President of Operations at Eagle Eye Networks, adding “Innovation from companies like Eagle Eye Networks and our partners is leading and meeting the demands of customers for their video surveillance systems to provide business insights in addition to security.” Combining AI and cloud video surveillance Combine the promise of AI and cloud video surveillance with the volatility, instability, and remote work environment of 2020" Hans Kahler adds, “Combine the promise of AI and cloud video surveillance with the volatility, instability, and remote work environment of 2020 and we have an environment where people are looking for their video surveillance and security systems to deliver more business value than ever before.” He further said, “The acceleration of cloud adoption and use of analytics to provide improved security and drive business improvement will make 2021 a transformative year for the industry.” Video Surveillance and Security Trends for 2021: Customers are asking for Cloud: The shift to the benefits of cloud in the video surveillance space are powerful and undeniable, including major cost savings, heightened data security, remote access and maintenance, flexible storage and retention, scalability, increased stability, and disaster recovery. Analytics and AI turn security systems into business solutions: Video surveillance systems are not just for security anymore, they’re also a valuable tool for business intelligence (BI). While AI has been talked about for several years, its deployment has lagged. This year, we’ll see AI move from the lab to practical adoption. Compliance requirements are constantly evolving: As video surveillance becomes a more widely adopted tool across industries and continents and more industries are using video for compliance purposes, regulating its use is becoming more prevalent. IT departments more engaged and owning video surveillance: IT leaders have not only got involved in the video management system, but have also started owning it. As part of their IT strategy, corporations are leveraging video for business process improvement while reducing unnecessary operational overhead. Demand for open, integrated systems: An open and connected ecosystem makes it possible for businesses and developers to integrate any number of applications on a single video management system (VMS) platform. The VMS platform handles all the heavy lifting of interfacing with the cameras, recording video, securely transmitting and storing video to the cloud, and making video available for use in the integrated applications. The days of vendors ‘locking’ users into their cameras or touting ‘hybrid’ systems (which require upgrades to vendor hardware to get new features) will not be accepted.

DITEK Networks is announcing the launch of a new line of Gigabit Power over Ethernet (PoE+) network switches designed for industrial applications. The products in this new line, which includes both 4-port and 8-port models, are built with a rugged metal case, and feature a fanless design that delivers a high PoE power budget. A welcome addition to the three other series of DITEK Networks PoE switches, this new line gives IT professionals and security integrators a new choice for cost-efficient, easy-to-install powered networks ideal for demanding environments. Extreme temperature tolerance Total PoE Budget for the 4-port model is 120W, and total PoE Budget for the 8-port model is 240W "In sharp contrast to most business and office settings, industrial environments can be a real challenge for network equipment," said Michael Molinari, Director of Marketing for DITEK. "We introduced this new line of Gigabit PoE+ Switches to meet these challenges head-on. They have the rugged strength, extreme temperature tolerance, high power output, and quiet, dust-resistant operation that would make them the ideal choice for these demanding applications." Two new DITEK Networks models are available: DTK-SW4IND 4-Port Gigabit Ethernet PoE+ Industrial Switch DTK-SW8IND 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet PoE+ Industrial Switch Industrial power supply Both models support up to 30 watts of power per port while delivering network speeds of up to 1 Gbps. Total PoE Budget for the 4-port model is 120W, and total PoE Budget for the 8-port model is 240W. Both models feature rugged, IP40-rated metal cases and a fanless design. Both models have a wide -40 to 75 degree C (-40 to 167 degree F) operating temperature range. Both models feature 10/100/1000 Mbps autosensing ports that automatically detect optimal network speeds. Both models feature two small form-factor pluggable GBIC module slots (SFP). The new models are ideal for PoE Network devices, as well as Wireless Access Points and IP Video Cameras. Both models come with an included DIN-rail mounting bracket, and require a separate DC industrial power supply (not included).

Several major players vigorously employ biometric recognition technologies around the globe. Governments use biometrics to control immigration, security, and create national databases of biometric profiles. Being one of the most striking examples, the Indian Aadhaar includes face photos, iris, and fingerprints of about 1.2 billion people. Financial institutions, on their part, make use of biometrics to protect transactions by confirming a client's identity, as well as develop and provide services without clients visiting the office. Besides, biometric technology ensures security and optimizes passenger traffic at transport facilities and collects data about customers, and investigates theft and other incidents in retail stores. Widespread use of biometrics Business, which suddenly boosted the development of biometrics, is an active user of biometric technology Business, which suddenly boosted the development of biometrics, is another active user of biometric technology. Industries choose biometric systems, as these systems are impossible to trick in terms of security, access control, and data protection. Being in demand in business, these three tasks are also relevant for the industry. However, the use of biometrics at industrial sites is discussed unfairly seldom. Therefore, it is the face identification that is the most convenient there, as workers often use gloves, or their hands may be contaminated, and the palm pattern is distorted by heavy labor. All these features make it difficult to recognize people by fingerprints or veins and significantly reduce identification reliability. Therefore, industries seek facial recognition solutions. Thus, let us demonstrate the application of face recognition technology at different enterprises, regardless of the area. Facial recognition use in incident management Facial biometric products are known to automate and improve the efficiency of security services by enriching any VMS system. These systems provide an opportunity of instantly informing the operator about recognized or unrecognized people, and their list membership, as well as save all the detected images for further security incident investigation. Furthermore, some sophisticated facial biometric systems even provide an opportunity to build a map of the movements of specific people around a site. Besides, it is relevant not only for conducting investigations but also in countering the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Identifying and tracking COVID-19 positive cases Therefore, if an employee or visitor with a positive COVID-19 test enters a facility, the system will help to track his/her movement and identify his/her specific location. It will also help to take the necessary measures for spot sanitary processing. Thus, the introduction of biometric facial recognition at the industrial enterprise can improve and speed up the incidents’ response and investigations without spending hours watching the video archive. Access control system to secure physical assets The right access control system can help industries secure physical and informational assets The right access control system can help industries secure physical and informational assets, cut personnel costs, and keep employees safe. Facial recognition systems may enrich access control systems of any company by providing more security. As biometric characteristics, by which the system assesses the compliance of a person with the available profiles in the database, cannot be faked or passed. The human factor is also reduced to zero, due to the fact that while identity documents can be changed, the inspector can make a mistake or treat his/her task carelessly, be in collusion with an intruder, the biometric system simply compares a person in front of the camera with the biometric profiles database. Biometric facial identification software For example, RecFaces product Id-Gate, a specialized software product for reliable access control to the site, checks the access rights by using biometric facial identification alone or in conjunction with traditional IDs (electronic passes, access keys, etc.), which means that there is almost a zero probability of passing to the site by someone else's ID. The access control system’s functionality allows one to strictly account the number and time of all the facility’s visitors and also track their movement. When unauthorized access is attempted or a person from the stop list is detected, Id-Gate sends an automatic notification to the access control system and operator. Enhanced data and information security Even despite the division of access to different industrial enterprise areas, the security service needs to provide independent information system security. Employees with the same facility access rights may have different access rights to data. However, in that case, a personal password is not enough, as an employee may forget it, write it down and leave it as a reminder, tell a colleague to do something for him/her during the vacation, or just enter it at another person’s presence. Password-free biometric authentication systems make the procedure user-friendly and secure Password-free biometric authentication Password-free biometric authentication systems make the procedure user-friendly and secure. Such systems usually provide an option of two-step verification when successful password entry is additionally confirmed by biometric recognition. Hence, it is particularly relevant due to the current lockdown in many countries. To sum up, the application of biometric technologies solves several issues of the industry, such as: Optimizes and partially automates the work of the security service, as it provides reliable identification and verification of visitors/employees, reduces the amount of time spent on finding a person on video and making a map of his/her movements, without spending hours on watching video archive in case of investigation. Provides a high level of reliability and protection from unauthorized access to the enterprise and the information system. Provides a two-step verification of the user/visitor (including password and biometric data) and almost eliminates the risk of substitution of user data/ID.

ISC West, the world's largest security industry trade show, is just around the corner. This in-person show gathered more than 1,000 manufacturers and over 30,000 visitors from all over the world in 2019. On top of that, more than 200 brands exhibited at ISC West for the first time. This year's event promises to be just as exciting, if not more so. Let’s overview some leading security trends in video management systems development, and what's worth your time and attention at ISC West 2020. AI analytics Emerging two or three years ago, the AI-based video analytics market is experiencing a boom in growth. The prototypes and ideas displayed at ISC West 2019 could This year's event promises to be just as exciting, if not more soalready be part of a functioning system today. There's a lot of hype around this new trend. So, if you're looking for solutions for your needs, it is important to be able to tell the difference between technologies that work and marketing bluster. To do that, you have to understand what today's AI-based analytics (also often referred to as a neural network, deep learning, or machine learning) can and can't do. Let's start with what AI can't do in video surveillance. It can't analyze the sequence in which events occur or understand the 'logic' of what's happening in the scene. In other words, there's no such thing as a 'suspicious behavior detection tool'. Nevertheless, neural networks are really good at recognizing and classifying objects. For instance, they can distinguish humans from vehicles, vehicles from other moving objects, and cyclists from pedestrians. Neural network trackers This technology is primarily used as a neural network tracker or object tracker that can identify and track objects of a specific type. Usually, it's applied to complex scenes with a large amount of non-relevant details where a classic tracker would drown in false alarms. The neural tracker can be used to detect people in dangerous areas at production facilities, cyclists riding on pedestrian lanes, or poachers trying to sneak into a nature preserve. Neural networks are really good at recognizing and classifying objectsObject identification function can be used for other site-specific tasks, such as detecting people without a helmet or a high-visibility vest at facilities where those are required by safety regulations. It can also be used to detect fire and smoke in open spaces, or at big premises with high ceilings or active air circulation, where common fire alarm systems can't be used or may go off too late. Behavior analytics  Behavior analytics is another field of analytics based on artificial neural networks. Even if recognizing suspicious or inappropriate behavior is nearly impossible, it can detect risky situations based on human postures, such as an active shooter pose, raised arms, crouching, or man down. In addition to that, AI has been successfully used to perform facial and license plate recognition for quite some time now. Although these systems aren't new, their recognition quality improves each year. Looking for solutions? You'll definitely find some interesting and new options from developers specializing in VMS and modular AI analytics at ISC West 2020. Even if recognizing suspicious or inappropriate behavior is nearly impossible, AI can detect risky situations based on human postures Smart search The ability to perform a quick, flexible search in a video archive is one of the most important features of a video surveillance system. In many ways, it's even more AI has been successfully used to perform facial and licence plate recognition for quite some time nowimportant than real-time monitoring itself. Constantly keeping an eye out for what's happening onsite is the security service's job. Medium- to large-sized companies usually have that kind of department. Meanwhile, lots of small businesses and households use video footage to investigate accidents, resolve conflicts, or analyze employee's work. They generally don't need real-time monitoring, but video search is a crucial element. The most basic search tools offer an interface that enables easy access to recorded video and event-based search (from video analytics, detectors, etc.). Smart systems with forensic search features that allow the user to set criteria enhance the system's search capabilities even more. How it works  VMS analyzes the video as it is recorded and saves the resulting metadata to a database. In the most basic case, the metadata contains information about motion in the scene as well as the moving object's coordinates. When searching, you can select an area of interest within the frame and take a quick look at all video segments containing motion in this area. More advanced systems save the parameters of moving objects, such as their size, color, motion speed and direction. TThe ability to perform a quick, flexible search in a video archive is one of the most important features of a video surveillance systemYou'll quickly find what you're looking for by setting more precise criteria. The first VMS with forensic search features appeared in the early 2010s. Since then, a growing number of users and VMS developers have recognized the importance of these tools. More and more manufacturers enrich their products with forensic search features, starting from basic search by motion detection. Integrating search functions with AI Recently, search technologies have gone even further by integrating search functions with AI analytics. Some systems are capable to recognize all faces and number plates captured by cameras and save them to the database. You can quickly find all videos containing an image of a person or a car just by searching a photo or a number plate across multiple camera archives at a time. One usage scenario for these systems can be seen in law enforcement deploying them to find suspects using CCTV cameras around the city. Another option for integrating smart search and AI is searching by criteria based on a neural network tracker. When you use it, you can set object's size, color, motion speed and direction in the scene, as well as object's type (such as a human or a vehicle). So, if you need to find out when a red car appeared in the surveillance area, the system will show you only red cars while ignoring other objects like people in red clothes. This technology lets you find what you're looking for even faster. If you or your clients use VMS primarily to record video, be sure to ask the manufacturers you'll talk to at the show what search capabilities they offer. More advanced systems save the parameters of moving objects, such as their size, color, motion speed and direction Hardware AI acceleration High CPU resource consumption is one of the hardest challenges that stem from implementing a neural network–based video analytics system. This significantly decreases the number of cameras that can be connected to a server that hosts AI analytics. It also makes the system much more expensive. AI technology lets you find what you're looking for even fasterThe solution is to use AI accelerators. GPUs and dedicated accelerator cards are used on servers to provide hardware acceleration for the neural networks' workload. These devices are mostly manufactured by Intel and NVIDIA. Intel also offers the OpenVINO™ toolkit, a software package for developers that helps distribute workload between CPU, GPU, and accelerators as effectively as possible using all available resources. New solutions Due to AI's growing popularity, lots of minor microchip manufacturers became interested in developing neural accelerator chips. The healthy competition will work in the market's favor, serving to stimulate tech development and cut prices. New solutions in the field were on display at ISC West 2019; they'll definitely be present at ISC West again in 2020. Developers specializing in VMS and modular AI video analytics should absolutely check these out. But users should understand that it's impossible to build a cost-effective video surveillance system with significant number (10–20 and more) of AI analytics channels without using neural accelerators. That said, various accelerator models may significantly differ in price and power consumption. So, when you talk to developers specializing in VMS and AI analytics modules, ask what accelerator makes and models they support. In conclusion Whether you're an integrator looking for interesting VMS offers for clients or an end-user searching for solutions to your own tasks, check out what AI analytics can do. This sector is developing very fast and is continuously introducing new features that may be just what you're looking for. Incorporating forensic search in recorded video footage is key to building an effective video surveillance system for users, and important to creating a unique product offering for integrators. Needless to say, you can't build a cost-effective video surveillance system without using CPU resources wisely. If a system's functionality completely aligns with what you're looking for, ask what neural accelerator hardware it supports to correctly estimate the cost of your video servers.

Imagine a home surveillance camera monitoring an elderly parent and anticipating potential concerns while respecting their privacy. Imagine another camera predicting a home burglary based on suspicious behaviors, allowing time to notify the homeowner who can in turn notify the police before the event occurs—or an entire network of cameras working together to keep an eye on neighborhood safety. Artificial Intelligence vision chips A new gen of AI vision chips are pushing advanced capabilities such as behavior analysis and higher-level security There's a new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) vision chips that are pushing advanced capabilities such as behavior analysis and higher-level security to the edge (directly on devices) for a customizable user experience—one that rivals the abilities of the consumer electronics devices we use every day. Once considered nothing more than “the eyes” of a security system, home monitoring cameras of 2020 will leverage AI-vision processors for high-performance computer vision at low power consumption and affordable cost—at the edge—for greater privacy and ease of use as well as to enable behavior analysis for predictive and preemptive monitoring. Advanced home monitoring cameras With this shift, camera makers and home monitoring service providers alike will be able to develop new edge-based use cases for home monitoring and enable consumers to customize devices to meet their individual needs. The result will be increased user engagement with home monitoring devices—mirroring that of cellphones and smart watches and creating an overlap between the home monitoring and consumer electronics markets. A quick step back reminds us that accomplishing these goals would have been cost prohibitive just a couple of years ago. Face recognition, behavior analysis, intelligent analytics, and decision-making at this level were extremely expensive to perform in the cloud. Additionally, the lag time associated with sending data to faraway servers for decoding and then processing made it impossible to achieve real-time results. Cloud-based home security devices The constraints of cloud processing certainly have not held the industry back, however. Home monitoring, a market just seven years young, has become a ubiquitous category of home security and home monitoring devices. Consumers can choose to install a single camera or doorbell that sends alerts to their phone, a family of devices and a monthly manufacturer’s plan, or a high-end professional monitoring solution. While the majority of these devices do indeed rely on the cloud for processing, camera makers have been pushing for edge-based processing since around 2016. For them, the benefit has always been clear: the opportunity to perform intelligent analytics processing in real-time on the device. But until now, the balance between computer vision performance and power consumption was lacking and camera companies weren’t able to make the leap. So instead, they have focused on improving designs and the cloud-centric model has prevailed. Hybrid security systems Even with improvements, false alerts result in unnecessary notifications and video recording Even with improvements, false alerts (like tree branches swaying in the wind or cats walking past a front door) result in unnecessary notifications and video recording— cameras remain active which, in the case of battery powered cameras, means using up valuable battery life. Hybrid models do exist. Typically, they provide rudimentary motion detection on the camera itself and then send video to the cloud for decoding and analysis to suppress false alerts. Hybrids provide higher-level results for things like people and cars, but their approach comes at a cost for both the consumer and the manufacturer. Advanced cloud analytics Advanced cloud analytics are more expensive than newly possible edge-based alternatives, and consumers have to pay for subscriptions. In addition, because of processing delays and other issues, things like rain or lighting changes (or even bugs on the camera) can still trigger unnecessary alerts. And the more alerts a user receives, the more they tend to ignore them—there are simply too many. In fact, it is estimated that users only pay attention to 5% of their notifications. This means that when a package is stolen or a car is burglarized, users often miss the real-time notification—only to find out about the incident after the fact. All of this will soon change with AI-based behavior analysis, predictive security, and real-time meaningful alerts. Predictive monitoring while safeguarding user privacy These days, consumers are putting more emphasis on privacy and have legitimate concerns about being recorded while in their homes. Soon, with AI advancements at the chip level, families will be able to select user apps that provide monitoring without the need to stream video to a company server, or they’ll have access to apps that record activity but obscure faces. Devices will have the ability to only send alerts according to specific criteria. If, for example, an elderly parent being monitored seems particularly unsteady one day or seems especially inactive, an application could alert the responsible family member and suggest that they check in. By analyzing the elderly parent’s behavior, the application could also predict a potential fall and trigger an audio alert for the person and also the family. AI-based behavior analysis Ability to analyze massive amounts of data locally and identify trends is a key advantage of AI at the edge The ability to analyze massive amounts of data locally and identify trends or perform searches is a key advantage of AI at the edge, for both individuals and neighborhoods. For example, an individual might be curious as to what animal is wreaking havoc in their backyard every night. In this case, they could download a “small animal detector” app to their camera which would trigger an alert when a critter enters their yard. The animal could be scared off via an alarm and—armed with video proof—animal control would have useful data for setting a trap. Edge cameras A newly emerging category of “neighborhood watch” applications is already connecting neighbors for significantly improved monitoring and safety. As edge cameras become more commonplace, this category will become increasingly effective. The idea is that if, for example, one neighbor captures a package thief, and then the entire network of neighbors will receive a notification and a synopsis video showing the theft. Or if, say, there is a rash of car break-ins and one neighbor captures video of a red sedan casing their home around the time of a recent incident, an AI vision-based camera could be queried for helpful information: Residential monitoring and security The camera could be asked for a summary of the dates and times that it has recorded that particular red car. A case could be made if incident times match those of the vehicle’s recent appearances in the neighborhood. Even better, if that particular red car was to reappear and seems (by AI behavior analysis) to be suspicious, alerts could be sent proactively to networked residents and police could be notified immediately. Home monitoring in 2020 will bring positive change for users when it comes to monitoring and security, but it will also bring some fun. Consumers will, for example, be able to download apps that do things like monitor pet activity. They might query their device for a summary of their pet’s “unusual activity” and then use those clips to create cute, shareable videos. Who doesn’t love a video of a dog dragging a toilet paper roll around the house? AI at the Edge for home access control Home access control via biometrics is one of many new edge-based use cases that will bring convenience to home monitoring Home access control via biometrics is one of many new edge-based use cases that will bring convenience to home monitoring, and it’s an application that is expected to take off soon. With smart biometrics, cameras will be able to recognize residents and then unlock their smart front door locks automatically if desired, eliminating the need for keys. And if, for example, an unauthorized person tries to trick the system by presenting a photograph of a registered family member’s face, the camera could use “3D liveness detection” to spot the fake and deny access. With these and other advances, professional monitoring service providers will have the opportunity to bring a new generation of access control panels to market. Leveraging computer vision and deep neural networks Ultimately, what camera makers strive for is customer engagement and customer loyalty. These new use cases—thanks to AI at the edge—will make home monitoring devices more useful and more engaging to consumers. Leveraging computer vision and deep neural networks, new cameras will be able to filter out and block false alerts, predict incidents, and send real-time notifications only when there is something that the consumer is truly interested in seeing. AI and computer vision at the edge will enable a new generation of cameras that provide not only a higher level of security but that will fundamentally change the way consumers rely on and interact with their home monitoring devices.

An impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been to accelerate change. In 2020, the security industry was among many others that sought to adapt to shifting norms. In the process, we grabbed onto new opportunities for change and, in many cases, re-evaluated how we have done business for decades. If necessity is the mother of invention, perhaps crisis is the mother of acceleration. This article will reflect on how these themes impacted the physical security industry in 2020, based on content we published throughout the year, and with links back to the original articles. Sensitive data leakage Since the lockdown came into effect, organizations globally have undergone years' worth of transformations in a matter of months. Whether it has been to transition their operations online or moving their IT infrastructure to the cloud, there’s no denying that the face of business has changed permanently, experiencing a seismic shift, both operationally and culturally. As we enter the ‘next normal’ there remains a great deal of uncertainty around what the next 12 months holds and how organizations can navigate turbulence in the face of a possible recession. One of the most notable and widely reported trends has been the switch to remote methods of work, or home working. With so many employees logging on from residential networks, through personal devices that may be more easily compromised, the overall attack surface has greatly increased, raising the risk of potential corporate and sensitive data leakage in their new home office settings. Security and data protection are larger issues than ever. Good cybersecurity hygiene Criminals will use the crisis to scam people for money, account information and more" With a majority of the world working from home, businesses had to respond to this changing landscape. While it used to be that in-person networking events and sales pitches secured new projects or opportunities, the current landscape pushes businesses to be more creative in how they reach their customers. For example, with ISC West being postponed, many companies have turned to online resources to share new product demonstrations and other company news. Others are hosting webinars as a way to discuss the current climate and what it means for the industry. Without the proper precautions, working from home could become a cybersecurity nightmare, says Purdue University professor Marcus Rogers. “Criminals will use the crisis to scam people for money, account information and more,” he says. “With more people working from home, people need to make sure they are practicing good cybersecurity hygiene, just like they would at work. There is also a big risk that infrastructures will become overwhelmed, resulting in communication outages, both internet and cell.” Work-Life balance In a typical office with an on-premise data center, the IT department has complete control over network access, internal networks, data, and applications. The remote worker, on the other hand, is mobile. He or she can work from anywhere using a VPN. Until just recently this will have been from somewhere like a local coffee shop, possibly using a wireless network to access the company network and essential applications. There are many benefits of working remotely with productivity right up the top of the list There are many benefits of working remotely with productivity right up the top of the list. By reducing the unproductive time spent commuting and traveling to meetings, we are able to get much more done in a day. Add to this the reduction in stress and improved work-life balance and it makes for an impressive formula of happier, healthier and more motivated colleagues. And it’s still easy to measure results no matter where someone is working. Video conferencing platforms Trade shows have always been a basic element of how the security industry does business - until the year 2020, that is. This year has seen the total collapse of the trade show model as a means of bringing buyers and sellers face to face. The COVID-19 pandemic has effectively made the idea of a large trade show out of the question. The good news is that the industry has adapted well without the shows. A series of ‘on-line shows’ has emerged, driven by the business world’s increasing dependence on Zoom and other video conferencing platforms. The fact is, 2020 has provided plenty of opportunities for sellers to connect with buyers. Some of these sessions have been incredibly informative – and conveniently accessible from the comfort of a home office. Online training courses Online training has grown in popularity this year, and the change may become permanent Online training has grown in popularity this year, and the change may become permanent. “We have seen unprecedented international demand for our portfolio of online training courses ranging from small installation companies to the largest organizations, across a wide range of sectors,” says Jerry Alfandari, Group Marketing Manager of Linx International Group, a UK training firm. “More than ever, businesses are looking to ensure they have the skills in-house to coordinate their response to the changing situation. Individuals are also taking this time to upskill themselves for when we return to ‘normal’ by bringing something with them they didn’t have before. Perhaps unsurprisingly, people are still seeking to better themselves for what will be, eventually, a competitive market.” Virtual trade show ‘Crisis and the Everyday’ was part of Genetec’s Connect’DX virtual trade show last spring. The virtual conversation – emphasizing both in form and content the topsy-turvy state of the world – included interesting insights on the current pandemic and its near- and long-term impact on the industry. In the middle of this pandemic, there is an opportunity to help security reinvent itself “In the middle of this pandemic, there is an opportunity to help security reinvent itself,” said Brad Brekke, Principal, The Brekke Group, one of the panelists. “Amid the business disruption, we should ask ‘what’s the new playbook?’ It’s an opportunity for security to look at ourselves now and look at a business plan of what the future might look like. We need to align with the business model of the corporation and define our role more around business and not so much around security.” Cloud-Based platform As a cloud-based platform for service providers in the security, smart home and smart business markets, Alarm.com adapted quickly to changing conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. In the recent dynamic environment, Alarm.com has kept focus on supporting their service provider partners so they can keep local communities protected. “We moved quickly to establish work-from-home protocols to protect our employees and minimize impact on our partners,” says Anne Ferguson, VP of Marketing at Alarm.com. The Customer Operations and Reseller Education (CORE) team has operated without interruption to provide support to partners. Sales teams are utilizing webinars and training resources to inform and educate partners about the latest products, tools, and solutions. Alarm.com’s partner tools are essential for remote installations and support of partner accounts.

The UK Government has been working to reduce the risks associated with illegal drone use since a high-profile incident at UK’s Gatwick Airport in December 2018, when a drone sighting triggered a three-day shutdown of the UK’s second busiest airport, disrupting the travel plans of 140,000 people and affecting 1,000 flights. To address growing security threats by drones, the UK Government has released its ‘Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy’. ‘Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy’ This strategy sets out our approach to countering the threat the malicious or negligent use of drones can bring" “This strategy sets out our approach to countering the threat the malicious or negligent use of drones can bring,” says Brandon Lewis, the U.K. Minister of State for Security. “It will provide the security the public and drone users require to continue to enjoy the benefits of leisure and commercial drone use and facilitate the growth of the drone industry.” “Given the challenge posed by rapid advances in drone technology and the potential threat, the strategy will provide overarching direction to our efforts,” says Lewis. The strategy focuses on ‘small drones’, those weighing less than 20 kg (44 pounds). Countering malicious use of aerial drones The UK Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy centers on mitigating the highest-harm domestic risks resulting from malicious use of aerial drones. They are: Facilitating terrorist attacks, such as modifying commercially-available drones to conduct reconnaissance or attacks. Facilitating crime, especially in prisons, where drones are currently used to deliver contraband. Disrupting critical national infrastructure, such as airports, where a malicious incursion using a drone can have serious safety, security and economic consequences. Potential use by hostile state actors. Maximizing benefits of drone technology The initiative will also look to build strong relationships with industry to ensure high security standards Over the next three years, the strategy will seek to reduce the risks posed by the highest-harm use of drones while maximizing the benefits of drone technology. It will develop a comprehensive understanding of evolving risks and take a “full spectrum” approach to deter, detect and disrupt the misuse of drones. The initiative will also look to build strong relationships with industry to ensure high security standards. Further, promoting access to counter-drone capabilities and effective legislation, training and guidance will empower the police and other operational responders. Tactical response to drone-based threats Because technology is rapidly evolving, the response needs to keep pace, according to the strategy document. Lewis adds, “We will therefore work to understand how drone-based threats might evolve in the future, both at the tactical and strategic levels.”  The strategy will be to build an end-to-end approach to tackling the highest-harm criminal use of drones. It will also work to make it easier to identify malicious drone use against a backdrop of increased legitimate use. Legal drone operators will be required to register with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and to pass an online competency test before flying a drone. Retailers who follow a specific set of safety guidelines when selling drones will be designated ‘DroneSafe’. Unmanned traffic management system The government is working toward future implementation of an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system, which provides a means of preventing collisions between unmanned aircraft and other manned or unmanned aircraft. The current strategy includes early planning for the system. An Industry Action Group will ensure a continuing relationship with the drone industry and help to improve existing counter-drone measures and identify new opportunities, such as use of ‘Geo-Fencing’ to restrict drones from flying in certain areas. Regulating commercial and domestic drones The UK Department of Transport is responsible for safe and lawful use of drones within the UK airspace The strategy will seek to communicate the UK’s security requirements to the counter-drone industry and to encourage a thriving sector that is aware of, and responsive to, the needs of government. Regulating drones is the responsibility of two UK government departments. The UK Department of Transport is responsible for safe and lawful use of drones within the UK airspace, while the Home Office has overall responsibility for domestic counter-drone activity. Fast-evolving drone and counter-drone technology Also, the Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) has been involved in reducing the vulnerability of sensitive sites, including airports. New performance measures will track the strategy’s success. Due to the fast-evolving nature of drone and counter-drone technology, the intent is to review and, if necessary, refresh the strategy in three years.

There is a growing trend towards more outsourcing of the monitoring function among security companies. Technology developments are accelerating and increasing the need for monitoring companies to invest. The barriers to entry are higher than ever. These are some of the trends covered in a discussion at Securing New Ground 2019 titled ‘Monitoring: New Models and New Monetization Strategies’. A panel of monitoring company executives addressed topics centered on how the industry is changing and evolving. New entrants in the monitoring space New entrants in the monitoring space face barriers to entry, in particular the need for more investment"“New entrants in the monitoring space face barriers to entry, in particular the need for more investment in infrastructure and expertize,” said Spencer Moore, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Rapid Response Monitoring. ”Because of the expense of new technologies, more full-service monitoring companies are outsourcing the monitoring function to existing wholesale monitoring companies.” “The cost of entry has gone up, and companies are trying to preserve capital,” agreed Jim McMullen, President/COO at COPS Monitoring. “Larger companies are realizing wholesale monitoring does a better job from a customer service viewpoint. We are more focused on monitoring and the quality of service. It takes a lot of money to keep up with the cyber world,” added McMullen. Wholesale monitoring companies Wholesale monitoring companies are finding that they need petabytes of storage space, among other expensive requirements. “The trend is toward technology evolving quicker, and that often requires investment and training in a monitoring center,” said Daniel Oppenheim, CEO of Affiliated Monitoring. “Because trying out new technology is so important, wholesale monitoring centers often find that they serve as a ‘laboratory’ to experiment with newer technologies. Limited trials often expand later to broader outsourcing of a company’s monitoring services”, said Oppenheim. Automated Secure Alarm Protocol “What people miss out on is that monitoring is quite complex, and there are specialized services and skillsets, and barriers to entry from a regulatory perspective,” said Moore. Adding value to the monitoring function is The Monitoring Association’s ASAP-to-PSAP service Adding value to the monitoring function is The Monitoring Association’s ASAP-to-PSAP service. The national service saves time, improves accuracy and increases efficiency in communications between monitoring centers and public safety answering points (PSAPs). The service uses the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP). Public Safety Answering Points Up to 60 PSAPS have joined the program, although the low number is misleading, given that a single PSAP could represent the ‘City of Houston’. (There are an estimated 6,000 total PSAPs nationwide). It has taken six to eight years to develop the program from its genesis to where it is today, when more participation is finally creating a critical mass. Technology is fundamentally changing monitoring companies. “We used to be a services company powered by a little bit of technology, but we’re now moving toward a technology services company,” said Moore. Critical ‘filtering service’ Monitoring provides a critical ‘filtering service’ between public requests for emergency service and those tasked with providing the services. In effect, monitoring centers work with manufacturers to make them more resilient to false alarms. Monitoring companies also provide a human touch in a time of need, and emotional empathy. Today, emergency information is being transmitted to PSAPs electronically, which saves time and money. The current low-taxation environment means there are fewer resources for municipal governments, so cost savings make a difference. Monitoring, a specialized skillset Increasingly, monitoring is becoming a business that requires a more specialized skillset Increasingly, monitoring is becoming a business that requires a more specialized skillset. Regulation, and the need for increasing investment, is driving consolidation. “With a decreasing number of monitoring companies, there are fewer customers for software developers and other tools. Less outside innovation makes it more likely monitoring centers will have to ‘go it alone’ and develop software and other tools internally,” said Oppenheim. Importance of monitoring systems “In effect, consolidation will serve to limit technology choices, and to increase the need to in-source a lot of expertize”, agrees Moore. Tying monitoring systems into other software systems is another continuing challenge. “People want our system tied into their system,” said McMullen. “I have two people who focus full time to tie our systems into other systems. There will be more computers talking to computers.”

The first phase in a pioneering smart transport project to transform security, passenger service, and operational management across Berlin’s S-Bahn rail network has officially gone live. Teams based at S-Bahn’s ‘4S’ operational headquarters are now, via the latest developments in Synectics’ Synergy hybrid cloud software platform, able to connect, respond, and collaborate with passengers and staff on-board trains, at stations, and with field personnel working anywhere across the network. Synergy hybrid cloud software The new capabilities, including an innovative mobile application, mark a revolutionary step forward in the way operational command, control, and communications are carried out within urban rail environments. The project, which went live as scheduled on 1 January, is the result of an innovative partnership between S-Bahn Berlin GmbH (a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn) and command and control solutions expert, Synectics. The two companies’ combined ambition has led to the development of a tailored system that delivers a positive customer experience both now and well into the upcoming decade. Integration with S-Bahn’s proprietary systems Leveraging powerful tools to form custom API gateways, Synergy integrates to S-Bahn’s proprietary systems Leveraging powerful tools to form custom API gateways, Synergy integrates to and interoperates with S-Bahn’s proprietary systems, as well as all third-party technologies, devices, and communication solutions vital to passenger service, safety, and security. This is achieved in real time, and continuously informed by sensor data obtained from integrated systems crucial to operating safe and efficient passenger services. The new Synergy mobile application will enable S-Bahn’s workforce to receive automated task assignments based on their role, skills, and location, and to directly update the system on their delivery of those tasks, the sophisticated level of integration and interoperability achieved is unprecedented. Intelligent digitization of workflows Henning Oelze, Project Manager at S-Bahn, commented “Synergy’s powerful integrations, intelligent digitization of workflows, workforce management capabilities, and computer-aided dispatch functionality combine to deliver a hugely exciting outcome. The platform offers complete visibility of network-wide activity and the ability to coordinate and automate the right response, at the right time, to any requirement.” Henning adds, “It was with huge pleasure that we saw our first trains and Security and Service teams utilizing the new Synergy system, especially given how challenging this last year has been. It really is a revolutionary step forward in our mission to deliver outstanding passenger service, while at the same time, making life much easier for our personnel through the advanced automation of operational processes.” Rapid resource communication and deployment From fulfilling a planned maintenance task to sending people with the most appropriate training to deal with an evolving security or safety issue, Synergy will facilitate the rapid communication, deployment, and appropriate action of different teams. This will equip S-Bahn to process and react to events within pre-defined response times, and to manage its workforce as effectively as possible. The project is scheduled to continue during 2021, with the two organizations building further technical capabilities and driving ahead with continuous improvement. Key enhancements will see extensions to the workforce management functionality and more developments to improve operational efficiency within incident and task management assignments. Smart transport systems standards Some of the software developments driven by this project will have long term implications for the sector" Greg Alcorn, Director, Global Sales & Customer Success at Synectics, said “S-Bahn Berlin is viewed as a technological trail-blazer and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with such a well-organized team to deliver the first step in their truly inspirational vision for urban transport.” Greg adds, “Some of the software developments driven by this project will have long term implications for the sector. I have no doubt that there are new standards being set here for smart transport systems of the future.” Future of smart transport operations In addition to the ground-breaking technology used, the project also demonstrates the advances that can be achieved through international collaboration. Henning Oelze stated, “Having such direct access to Synectics’ product development team in the UK and knowing that they understood how agile we needed this solution to be, has made a huge difference." He adds, “They shared our vision for the future of smart transport operations in a major European capital and worked in close partnership with the S-Bahn team, successfully navigating their way through the technical, logistical and cultural challenges of a major international project. The close nature of this collaboration is the reason we have reached this crucial go-live milestone, despite all the hurdles that 2020 put in our way.”

Kumbh Mela is one of the most sacred pilgrimage festivals of India and is organized at a grand scale at Nashik, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Prayag. As Kumbh Mela is being celebrated after a period of 12 years in Nashik, 100 million people are expected to visit, security is a major concern for the Government bodies. Nashik will be getting an opportunity to host these guests from July 14 to September 25 and no stone will be left unturned in hosting the massive gathering. Challenges Nashik Railway Station authorities wanted video surveillance devices that would not consume larger areas when it comes to installing them as the railway station had congested platforms. Moreover, they wanted a surveillance solution that gave them superior image quality and at the same time did not consume heavily on the bandwidth. Furthermore, the authorities wanted to monitor the whole place centrally and gain central control of the entire place. Installing devices and control room in the congested platforms Restricted allotted bandwidth for the video surveillance solution Requirement Prompt and smooth installations of cameras and hybrid video recorders within 30 days Setting up the control room for monitoring railway station entrance, platforms, and connecting bridges High reliability of the solution for utmost security Storage of the entire 4-month period as evidential proof Matrix offering Installation was completed within 20 days with highly skilled manpower. Cascading of all the connected devices with sequencing for central monitoring on TVs in the control room to reduce the overall solution cost. 4 months scheduled backup of all cameras is configured centrally for storing all the streams. Matrix being an Indian brand, efficient pre-and post-sales support is a part of the solution. Results Secured entry and exit from the city with 24x7 video surveillance of the railway station Installation of the solution done within the defined time frame Products offered SATATYA HVR1624P SATATYA CIBR13FL40CW SATATYA CIDR13FL40CW SATATYA CIDRP20VL130CW SATATYA Centralized Monitoring Software (CMS)

Specialist property developer and investor, Kajima Properties’ new project development at 77 Coleman Street in the City of London is a luxury multi-tenant office set over seven floors. BNP Paribas acts as the managing agent, while the redevelopment was designed by architect, Buckley Gray Yeoman. The prominent London location is a minute’s walk from Moorgate Tube station and the Elizabeth Line. The redevelopment included installing elegant external facades as well as creating floors of new office space, and 16,000 sq. feet of retail, leisure and restaurant space. The site offers exceptional internet reliability and speed for tenants, and is one of just 22 buildings in the UK to achieve a platinum connectivity rating by WiredScore, the Mayor of London’s digital connectivity rating scheme. Seamless access control system BNP Paribas and Kajima Properties wanted a seamless and highly efficient access system BNP Paribas and Kajima Properties wanted a seamless and highly efficient access system to allow bona fide users and visitors easy access through reception and lifts to their desired location. This needed to be underpinned, but not impinged by, a robust security management system including CCTV to keep people and the building safe. They wanted to keep any waiting time in reception to an absolute minimum to avoid crowding, including good access for disabled users, and for all entry to be touchless. Tenants and reception staff would need an efficient, secure and easy to use system for managing visitors. While an entry phone and door automation would be required for anyone arriving out-of-hours, or at the rear of the property, such as for deliveries and trades people with equipment. Bespoke security solutions Finally, a key part of the brief was for any installed equipment, such as turnstiles and lifts, to be in keeping with the sophisticated, minimal look and feel of the building. The Team Antron Security project managed the design, supply and installation of the access control and security system for 77 Coleman Street and acted as the ‘go to’ contact for client, Kajima Properties and BNP Paribas. Antron Security is a globally renowned installer of bespoke security solutions and has been providing security installations for the past 29 years. Taking care of the supply, design, installation and maintenance of security systems, Antron Security is NSI approved, meaning all staff and systems installed comply with the latest industry standards and are regularly inspected. Integriti access and security management system Inner Range provided the core access and security management system, Integriti, which enabled Antron Security to build the bespoke solutions needed for 77 Coleman Street in London, UK. Inner Range is a globally renowned company in the design and manufacture of intelligent security solutions since 1988. More than 150,000 Inner Range systems have been installed in over 30 countries till date. The company’s flagship product, Integriti, offers enterprise-level intelligent security and integrated smart building controls for single sites through to global estate portfolios. Seamless, touchless entry for tenants Cards are presented to readers embedded in bespoke Integrated Design Limited (IDL) entry turnstiles The building’s 2000+ regular users are issued secure proximity cards, carrying encrypted information about when and where the user is allowed to go. Cards are presented to readers embedded in bespoke Integrated Design Limited (IDL) entry turnstiles, which also allows them to be read by the KONE lift integration. The high level lift integration with ‘destination control’ means the lift software takes into account where each of the building’s four lifts are, where the user’s ‘home floor’ is, as well as where other users are going/due to go, and instantly calculates the quickest lift for the new user. Antron Security and IDL collaboration The user is immediately directed to the most efficient lift via a display screen on the turnstile. If users are able to go to more than one floor, they can update their preference in the lift itself. For the turnstiles in the reception area, Antron Security and IDL worked closely with the vision set out by the architect to create a high-performing system that was in keeping with the sleek, minimalist design of the building. A bespoke set up of slim ‘speed lane’ turnstile pedestals, together with a separate glass gate were an ideal solution for a reception area where space is limited but security provisions and good disabled access are needed. IDL’s Glassgate 200 opens away from the user, and closes behind, preventing tailgaters and all IDL items are manufactured in the United Kingdom. Readers for proximity cards and QR codes were set into the speed lanes to create a seamless flow through the reception area. Fully integrated visitor management system Inner Range’s Integriti also allowed Forge’s Bluepoint visitor management system to integrate with IDL’s turnstiles and the KONE lifts. For visitors to access tenanted floors within the building, the following has to take place: A tenant creates the meeting via Bluepoint. An email is generated and sent to the visitor’s inbox where they can create a mobile QR code pass and save it to their smart phone wallet. When the visitor arrives, they scan their QR code on their smart phone at the reception desk, at which point their QR code becomes valid on the Integriti access control system. The visitor is then able to enter via IDL’s speed lane turnstiles, and they are directed by the KONE lift display (which is set into the speed lane) to which lift car they need. To leave, the visitor presents their QR code at the speed lane turnstile, which tells the system they’re leaving. The QR codes are only valid for one entry and one exit, and only on the appointment date and at the planned appointment time. Afterwards, the QR code becomes invalid and is deleted from the system. The QR code gives the visitor the ability to access everything they will need, from the entry turnstile and lift through to any locked doors en route. The integration between Integriti and Forge’s Bluepoint visitor management system was achieved with an XML read/write interface, as well as API integration between a SQL database and a cloud-hosted VMS database based on Microsoft Azure cloud services platform. BTP XIP intercom system A BTP XIP intercom system was installed to allow visitors out-of-hours to contact the security team A BTP XIP intercom system was installed to allow visitors out-of-hours to contact the security team, or for deliveries and trades people to use in order to access doors at the rear of the building. The XIP system uses an ethernet distribution network, which means the system can be expanded easily, and it’s possible to install long-distance connections that data networks can’t reach. Hikvision CCTV cameras installed CCTV cameras from Hikvision’s ‘superior’ range have been installed throughout the site to create a hard-wired IP closed circuit television system. They are integrated with the Integriti access control system, which allows for intelligent ‘cause and effect’ monitoring. System protocols automatically bring up specific camera feeds for security managers to view in response to alerts, and footage can be viewed holistically along with other information on from Integriti, such as if a door has been left open. Intelligent access control Inner Range’s Enterprise product, Integriti, provides seamless integration with a multitude of other smart building management systems, underpinned by robust security. This includes encrypting all communications through every device and interface, and providing intruder detection to European standard EN50131. Integriti helps building managers create greener, more energy efficient sites by tracking how tenants use the building, and amending heating and lighting settings as a result. Integriti also provides trace reporting, that can identify a user’s movements if they have become unwell and identify who else has been near them. System benefits for users Touch-free entry to the building via the speed lanes and lifts. No unnecessary stops for users and visitors on their way into the building. Less crowding in the lift areas. Easy to use visitor management system. Robust security that doesn’t impinge on access. Sleek and minimal design in keeping with the building design. Jamie Crane, Commercial Director at Antron Security, stated “The flexibility of Inner Range’s Integriti access control system and Forge’s Bluepoint visitor management allowed us to incorporate high-level lift integration (known as ‘destination control’).” He adds, “Together, they create a future-proof solution as we can continue to meet the ever-changing requirements of the landlord and tenants via our ability to integrate with third party systems and devices such as lifts, intercoms, lighting and building management devices.”

Leonardo delivered the first two M-345 jet trainer aircraft to the Italian Air Force, which to-date has ordered 18 units from a total requirement for up to 45 aircraft. The new type of jet trainer aircraft, designated T-345A by the Italian Air Force, will gradually replace the 137 MB-339s which have been in service since 1982. M-345 jet trainer aircraft Marco Zoff, Leonardo Aircraft Managing Director, said “Building on our heritage and expertise in jet trainers, the M-345 will allow our customers to achieve a significant improvement in training effectiveness while at the same time reducing operating costs. This first delivery to the Italian Air Force is a key milestone, the result of a longstanding and productive team working closely together with the operator.” The new M-345 jet trainer aircraft, designed to meet basic and basic-advanced training requirements, will complement the in-service M-346, which is used for advanced pilot training. Integrated training system Leonardo’s integrated training system developed around the M-345 platform is representative of the company’s technological leadership in training pilots to fly current and future generation aircraft. The system benefits from experience with, and technology developed for, the M-346, which includes a ‘Live Virtual Constructive’ capability. This allows aircraft which are flying live training missions to incorporate simulated ‘friend’ or ‘foe’ elements into scenarios, allowing the pilot to be exposed to the full range of possible operational situations. M-345 HET (High Efficiency Trainer) The new M-345 HET (High Efficiency Trainer) reduces the time required for air forces to train pilots The M-345 is a high-performance aircraft which supports a pilot’s transition from basic trainers to latest-generation fighters. The Italian Air Force’s acquisition of the new aircraft is an important step forward in the modernization of its fleet, with the M-345 replacing the MB-339A in Air Force’s second and third military pilot training phases. The M-345 has also been chosen as the new aircraft of the Italian Air Force’s acrobatic team, the ‘Frecce Tricolori’. The new M-345 HET (High Efficiency Trainer) reduces the time required for air forces to train pilots. It also gives trainees the chance to fly an aircraft that features higher performance characteristics than other basic/advanced trainer aircraft currently in service around the world. Delivering high quality training at low cost The performance of the M-345 allows it to carry out the most demanding mission types found in a training syllabus, delivering high quality training at significantly lower cost. The M-345 cockpit architecture is the same as that of frontline fighters. The aircraft is also able to perform operational roles, thanks to an extended flight envelope, with a high-speed maneuvering capability even at high altitudes, modern avionics systems, high load capacity and performance. Health and Monitoring Usage System The M-345 is designed with a long life-cycle and a two-level approach to maintenance The M-345 is designed with a long life-cycle and a two-level approach to maintenance, eliminating the need for expensive general overhauls. The aircraft’s Health and Monitoring Usage System (HUMS) also contributes to a lower cost of ownership. A sophisticated on-board training simulator confers a number of benefits. For instance, M-345 pilots are able to plan maneuvers before live training, allowing for higher efficiency during flight. Mission Planning and Debriefing Station Trainees are also able to fly in formation with other pilots in the air and those training on the ground in simulators, via a real-time data-link. The aircraft’s Mission Planning and Debriefing Station (MPDS) allow trainees to analyze the missions they have just flown. The M-345’s engine is a Williams FJ44-4M-34 turbo fan optimized for military and aerobatic use. The cockpit is based on HOTAS (Hands-On-Throttle-And-Stick) controls and features a glass cockpit with a three-color MFD (Multi-function Display) touch screen. The aircraft’s heads-up display is mirrored on a fourth screen in the rear seat.

One of the key problems in airport security is the sheer size of the perimeter and a large number of incidents are in fact linked to unauthorized access onto the airfield, either runways or where aircrafts are being loaded or refueled posing an extremely high risk. Most airports will combine multiple sensors and technologies to protect the actual perimeter fence and even beyond the perimeter fence, to warn of potential threats. OPTEX LiDAR sensor integration with RSA module Some airports have found the level of information generated by the perimeter security systems quite challenging to deal with and they wanted to decrease the number of events so operators could focus on what was critical. The Airport development team at Genetec integrated the OPTEX LiDAR sensor into their Restricted Security Area (RSA) Surveillance module, an extension of the Genetec Security Center platform with the purpose to unify data from the sensor and camera to present more meaningful information to the operators.  Restricted Security Area Surveillance module The RSA module has been designed specifically with a view to providing wide area protection The RSA module has been designed specifically with a view to providing wide area protection and integrating with wide area surveillance technology, including radar, fiber optic and laser detection devices. The solution allows security staff to determine the level of threat for each area, map them, and utilize OPTEX technologies to identify and locate quickly and precisely the point of intrusion. For instance, with Fiber optic fence sensor, zones can be 100m-200m long and will identify people cutting through a fence, crawling under or climbing over. Newer fiber technologies provide point location. Another way to pin-point exact intruder location is with OPTEX LiDAR technologies or with Radar. ‘Fuse’ data into a single event A particularly intelligent feature of the system is its ability to ‘fuse’ data (known as ‘target fusion’) coming from multiple sources and confirm an event as a single (i.e. the same) activity rather than a multiple threat. For instance, using the X&Y coordinates provided by OPTEX REDSCAN sensors, RSA allows to map exactly the path of the intruders or moving vehicles, fuses the path from one camera to the other and considers it as one event, one target and tracks it precisely on the map. Intelligent Tracking and event categorization This gives a more meaningful picture to the operator and presents events in a unified and intelligent way. This helps support the security team in making the right decisions. The deeper integration of OPTEX’s technologies into Genetec’s RSA platform enables intelligent tracking and event categorization, making it a very precise security system for airports.

A frequent target for terrorism, airports faces considerable challenges in securing the flow of traffic. Concerns over security can ground flights, grinding operations to a halt. Whether one needs to inspect all vehicles entering the airport grounds or just those entering higher-security areas like the apron and the container space, there is no room for long waits during inspections. Passengers are counting on their flights leaving on time, and security delays could lead to flight delays. However, one can’t afford to compromise the security standards either. Propane gas cylinders While security is usually heavy in the terminal buildings themselves, in some international and local airports, there are not enough measures in place in the external road and parking areas leading to the departure and arrival zones. The attack resulted in ‘only’ five people injured and heavy damage to the terminal building For example, on June 30, 2007, a Jeep Cherokee laden with propane gas cylinders and gasoline cans was driven at a high speed into the doors of the Glasgow Airport departure area on one of the busiest days of the year. The attack resulted in ‘only’ five people injured and heavy damage to the terminal building. Incidents like this one really emphasized the need for an automatic and efficient method for inspecting vehicles entering the different areas in and around the airport. Heavy traffic control The airport apron, flight line or ramp is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refilled, or boarded. In most airports, the security regulations in this area are heavy, and only authorized, trained personnel are allowed to drive in and out while withholding heavy traffic control rules. One can only imagine the danger of terrorists or other hostile people entering in an authorized vehicle. There needs to be a method to make sure these types of people cannot use fake license plates if the recurring vehicle list does get into the wrong hands. While clearly the number of civilian passengers who use airports has risen dramatically as time has gone by, the risks associated with airports and airline travel have also increased. Identifying vehicle passengers The device is available in both a mobile and a stationary, fixed version and works in extreme conditions The threat of bombs or cargo-related explosives is significant, but security measures have not necessarily risen at the same rate as threats and number of flights and passengers. The financial and physical risks of illicit and dangerous materials entering sensitive areas in and around an airport are clear, and a new generation of screening is required to tackle these challenges. UVeye scans, analyses, and records all passing vehicles, ensuring security while also keeping flights on schedule. Helios by UVeye is the perfect option to protect both the access roads and parking facilities around the airport and important areas like the apron. Helios improves security while keeping security personnel safe. The device is available in both a mobile and a stationary, fixed version and works in extreme conditions. Their technology can even identify vehicle passengers with high body temperatures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. High-Resolution cameras Helios UVIS uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to inspect the undercarriage of any vehicle that drives over its multiple high-resolution cameras. It alerts security personnel about any irregularities or foreign objects hidden in the undercarriage, whether its weapons intended to be used in a terrorist attack, improvised explosive devices, or illegal cargo to be loaded onto a plane in the apron of the airport. Inspecting the undercarriages of vehicles is very difficult for security personnel and is sometimes neglected due to the number of vehicles entering an airport. Before Helios, there was never an effective solution for under-vehicle inspection, and even if security officers inspected the undercarriage, they probably didn’t know what to look for. Reducing inspection times UVeye is here to solve this problem by providing drive-through solutions in selected access points UVeye has built its products as drive-through solutions that reduce inspection times to as little as a few seconds, supporting a quick flow of vehicles entering or leaving the premises. With Helios, the security guard can inspect the vehicle from a safe distance by simply looking at the high-resolution images on a tablet or computer screen, checking for anything suspicious or unusual in the undercarriage, automatically marked by the system. Many airports do not have enough staff or the capacity to inspect every vehicle entering or leaving secure areas. UVeye is here to solve this problem by providing drive-through solutions in selected access points, alerting security personnel of any irregularities or potential threats attached to a vehicle. Helios is the only product on the market able to detect issues in the undercarriage of a vehicle passing through the system for the first time. Fingerprint ID feature The apron of the airport is the most sensitive area of the facility, and with UVeye’s technology and unique fingerprint ID feature, every vehicle entering or exiting the apron will be marked using artificial intelligence and receive a unique ID that will be saved in the database. This way, security personnel will not need to rely on license plates alone when inspecting vehicles on the authorized vehicle list. If someone attempts to enter using a fraudulent license plate, the system will recognize that it is not the same vehicle, and the attempted trespassers will be stopped in their tracks. Helios can withstand up to 20 tons per axle, meaning that it will survive being run over by even massive vehicles like trucks and buses. It is fully operational at temperatures between -20 and 40 degrees Celsius and is IP 68/54 compliant, meaning it offers full protection against sand, dust, or rain. Airport access roads UVeye’s thermal sensor can also detect the body temperatures of vehicle passengers entering the external airport access roads, which can help identify visitors with potential fevers, improving the safety of everyone in and around the airport. Airports around the world can enhance their security efforts with automatic vehicle inspection systems Integrating to the centralized server provides the capability of connecting multiple systems or lanes across different sites while enabling central management and control via one screen. The centralized management system enables the client to access the different systems deployed and manage the different users and historical data. Airports around the world can enhance their security efforts with automatic vehicle inspection systems, providing an extended layer of safety in and around the airport. Access control systems Uveye took into consideration heavy traffic entering the access and parking areas of an airport when it built its drive-through scanner, Helios, which can quickly find any threat attached to or hidden in the undercarriage without slowing down vehicle traffic. Helios is the perfect solution to prevent any weapons, bombs, drugs, or other illegal or dangerous items from entering the apron of the airport and potentially accessing the airplanes about to take flight. Integrating Helios with other security and access control systems can provide a multi-layer approach that will tighten the entry and exit points to any sensitive site while keeping personnel and data safe. UVeye is ideal for airports and also can be implemented at border crossings, seaports, military bases, embassies, data centers, and other secure perimeters.

What a year 2020 was for the security industry! There were vast challenges that could not have been foreseen at the beginning of the year. It is safe to say that the events of 2020 defied all industry prognosticators. However, is that any reason not to hope our expectations looking ahead to 2021 will be much closer to reality? Can we possibly benefit from looking ahead and trying to plan for the challenges of the year ahead? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What will be the security industry’s biggest challenge in 2021?

Securing large campus environments can be particularly demanding and requires a range of technology solutions. In effect, a campus may represent a dozen or more individual facilities to be secured, in addition to protecting the overall environment. Seeking more insight into the number and variety of needs of securing a campus, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of protecting large campus environments?

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?