Security monitoring system

LifeSafety Power announces an integration between its NetLink™ network communication device and Genetec Security Center, an industry-preferred unified management software platform for IP devices. NetLink is designed for users to remotely monitor, control, program and report on system power and connected devices. It features patented battery management that includes health reporting, remote battery testing, email/SNMP alerts and other proactive notifications. With this integration users can seamlessly add NetLink devices into the Genetec platform, allowing real-time NetLink alerts to appear directly within the Security Center interface. LSPEntity software package From Security Center, users may also connect to the NetLink home page to receive detailed data on the health and viability of power, connected locks and other devices. LifeSafety Power's NetLink modules are added to Security Center using the LSPEntity software package available for download on LifeSafety Power’s website. Once installed, LSPEntity allows the user to add one or more NetLink devices as entities in Security Center. Security Center then uses SNMP trap messages to receive NetLink status changes to generate events within the interface. Licenses for LSPEntity to use with Security Center are provided by Genetec. Intelligent networking power solutions LifeSafety Power is a consummate innovator and specialist in physical security and access control, creating a new category of intelligent networking power solutions that monitor and manage system connectivity across the enterprise. Embracing technology collaboration with some of the most recognizable companies in the industry, LifeSafety Power has carved a unique niche and along the way received numerous awards for its innovation, including Security Industry Association New Product of the Year; Security Today New Product of the Year; Most Valuable Product; and many others. LifeSafety Power was acquired by ASSA ABLOY in September 2019. LifeSafety Power will be demonstrating the NetLink-Security Center integration during ISC West 2020, March 18-20 in Las Vegas at booth 14115.

ISC West will occur as scheduled March 17th through 20th, 2020. The show is not being canceled or postponed. The Show’s planning closely follows the CDC guidelines, local and state public health authorities and the US State Department/Federal Government travel rules related to the COVID-19 virus. Reed Exhibitions and the Show team are monitoring updates from the CDC and the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) which continue to indicate low risk of exposure to the virus in the United States generally and in Las Vegas. Offering vital business opportunities The ISC Security Events team takes pride in offering vital business opportunities to customers, including networking, education and access to new products and technologies and they are working diligently to ensure ISC West 2020 and their other events live up to customers’ high standards. The team is focused on making ISC West 2020 a successful and enjoyable event for all attendees and exhibitors. The team is focused on making ISC West 2020 a successful and enjoyable event for all attendees and exhibitors ISC West, in collaboration with premier sponsor the Security Industry Association (SIA), today has announced the full education and special events programming, including an additional keynote from Christopher Fowler, the former deputy chief of operations of the city of Seattle Police Department and Brigadier General/National Guard, to lead a discussion around managing insider threats in workplace environments. Comprehensive education programming The programming at ISC West this year mirrors market demand for education into new areas in the converged security space, introducing six featured exhibits: connected security, drones & robots, emerging tech, loss prevention & supply chain, public safety and smart home. The ISC West show floor has been re-imagined, modernizing show segments making it easier to navigate, allowing attendees to find the right products and solutions to meet their organizations’ business needs. In addition to comprehensive education programming, this year’s event will feature a number of exciting award ceremonies, networking opportunities and special events to bring the entire security industry community together. The ISC West special events are as follows. The SAMMY awards, hall of fame and MVP ceremony March 17, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Join Security Sales & Integration for its 25th annual SAMMY Awards, honoring dealers and integrators for their sales, marketing, business and installation excellence. SIA New Product Showcase (NPS) awards ceremony March 18, 3:30-4:30 p.m. SIA will honor and recognize new and innovative security products and services and award the winners for the Product Achievement Awards. SIA InteropFest All ISC West attendees are invited to the event to enjoy technology interoperability demonstrations March 18, 4:30-7:00 p.m. The SIA InteropFest showcases interoperability among physical security solutions leveraging SIA's open supervised device protocol technology standard. All ISC West attendees are invited to the event to enjoy technology interoperability demonstrations, insights from special guest speaker Daryle Hernandez, chief of the Interagency Security Committee within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Infrastructure Division, and a cocktail and networking reception. Mission 500 security 5K run/2K walk March 19, 7:30-8:30 a.m. One wouldn't want to miss this one-of-a-kind event where the security industry comes together to raise money for children in need. Register to run or walk and start fundraising today to make a difference while at ISC West 2020! A portion of the funds raised at the Security 5/2K will benefit Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas. SIA RISE happy hour March 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m. SIA’s RISE community will host a lively happy hour outing for young security industry professionals at Topgolf Las Vegas. Swing some golf clubs and enjoy cocktails and networking with other young security talent and those new to the industry. The RISE Happy Hour is open to young professionals employed by SIA member companies. ISC West customer appreciation party at TAO nightclub March 19, 10:30-11:30 p.m. Free for all ISC West attendees, enjoy an open bar at TAO Nightclub to celebrate at the customer appreciation party! SIA women in security forum breakfast March 20, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Sponsored by: Siemens Smart Infrastructure Boisvert will share her insights on strategy, sales and operations while working closely with clients Join SIA for a complimentary breakfast to celebrate women in security, featuring headline speaker Jaime Paris Boisvert, general manager for Siemens Smart Infrastructure. Boisvert will share her insights on strategy, sales and operations while working closely with clients to deliver solutions and services that optimize buildings and infrastructure by improving energy efficiency, comfort, safety and security. Day 2 mid-Day keynote: the threat from within Thursday, March 19, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Sponsored by: ADT Commercial Christopher Fowler, brigadier general (retired) and former deputy chief of operations, City of Seattle Police Department, will explore what can be done before a workplace security incident takes place and how to optimize internal processes to address it. “For more than 50 years, ISC West has been valued among security professionals and we are always working to better encourage and support attendees to connect professionals with the knowledge, products and services they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively,” said Will Wise, group vice president, Reed Exhibitions. “2020 brings a new decade, and with it, new challenges to the converged security industry. The education and programming at ISC West this year will cover the industry edge-to-edge, sparking productive discussions around industry trends and advancements for all show attendees.”

Brivo, the global provider of cloud-based physical security, has acquired Parakeet Technologies, a provider of smart building solutions which include sensors, thermostats, wireless locks, and lighting controls. The acquisition accelerates Brivo’s ongoing push to enhance its in-building capabilities beyond its current access control, video, and security. The companies had already been working together as partners, and now plan a deeper integration between their products, including a common user interface, unified billing, and bundled services. Highly reliable remote management “We saw Parakeet’s IoT platform as an ideal way to quickly bring Smart Office capabilities to our channel partners and end users,” said Steve Van Till, President & CEO of Brivo. “Parakeet has a great track record of providing highly reliable remote management to widely dispersed properties, and they share our core values around customer service, cybersecurity, and innovation.” The Parakeet product leverages cloud services, cellphone apps, and an on-premise IoT gateway. The gateway provides connectivity to Z-wave sensors, locks, thermostats, lighting and other devices. Internet connectivity to the gateway is supported via WiFi, Ethernet or an integrated cellular modem with a built-in service plan. Manage smart building infrastructure We uncovered a need for a remotely managed IoT service that would boost productivity and save money" Parakeet’s responsively designed web app enables property managers and security personnel to manage smart building infrastructure from one central dashboard, while collecting data to track, monitor and manage staff. Parakeet launched its product in 2015 in the Vacation Rental market. According to Brad Huber, Founder and CEO of Parakeet, “Among property managers who cover large geographic territories for dozens or hundreds of clients, we uncovered a need for a remotely managed IoT service that would boost productivity and save money.” Professional installation and ongoing service Commenting on the installation challenges across large regions, he added that “being able to provide our products through Brivo’s international base of security dealers will give our customers the convenience of professional installation and ongoing service.” The Parakeet platform will continue to be offered as a stand-alone solution for the Vacation Rental Market under the new name, Brivo Vacation Rental, and will be unified with Brivo’s billing system. All current Parakeet customers will continue to be supported on the existing product, with options to add Brivo offerings to their current service plans.

ExtraHop, the provider of cloud-native network detection and response, accelerates its market leadership with new capabilities that provide 360-degree threat visibility, detection, and response across multi-cloud, data center, and IoT deployments in a single hosted solution. With ExtraHop® Reveal(x) Cloud™, security operations teams can harness the power of the cloud to eliminate friction in finding and addressing threats across workloads, reduce tool sprawl associated with multi-cloud and hybrid cloud deployments, and accelerate adoption of network detection and response (NDR) within their organizations. Proliferation of IoT devices More than 85 percent of organizations have workloads running in multiple cloud environments Today, more than 85 percent of organizations have workloads running in multiple cloud environments. By next year, it will be 98 percent. At the same time, the proliferation of IoT devices and the deployment of IT infrastructure across remote sites has vastly expanded the enterprise attack surface beyond cloud and data center deployments. Those challenges are compounded by the exponential increase in tooling and agents required to monitor and manage these deployments, particularly cloud workloads and IoT. Security operations teams have long viewed the cloud as part of the problem; with its latest features, ExtraHop is turning cloud into the solution. Reveal(x) Cloud is the first and only cloud-delivered, cloud-agnostic, and cloud-intelligent NDR platform providing immediate value and continuous protection across the entire attack surface. Integrated workflow with a SaaS-Based solution For the first time, SecOps teams can manage detection, investigation, and response via an integrated workflow with a SaaS-based solution that scales to the demands of the business. This cloud-native model removes points of friction for security operations itself, helps to break down silos between security, IT, and cloud infrastructure teams, and gives them the tools they need to move with the speed and agility the business demands. Reveal(x) Cloud reduces friction and accelerates time to value with a fully hosted NDR solution Reveal(x) Cloud reduces friction and accelerates time to value with a fully hosted NDR solution. The SaaS offering aggregates and analyses data from sensors deployed across networks in data centers, remote offices, and multi-cloud environments, and it surfaces information in a single UI for seamless management across workloads. ExtraHop automatically updates detectors, threat intelligence feeds, and IoT profiles via the cloud, eliminating the need for manual intervention to ensure that policies or software on sensors are up to date. Cloud-Based machine learning Reveal(x) Cloud integrates with AWS Traffic Mirroring, Google Cloud Packet Mirroring, and Microsoft Azure to deliver visibility, threat detection, and response capabilities across major cloud providers – as well as data centers and remote sites – in a single, SaaS-based management pane. This cloud-agnostic approach supports collaboration between security, IT, and cloud teams for better threat response across multi-cloud and hybrid deployments. A cloud record store provides streamlined investigation with index record search and query of data Reveal(x) Cloud leverages the scale and scope of the cloud to provide 360-degree visibility and situational awareness across data center, remote site, multi-cloud, and IoT environments to monitor and respond to threats. Real-time intelligence derived from petabytes of anonymized threat telemetry collected daily makes our cloud-based machine learning uniquely reliable – all without impacting sensor performance. Cloud-scale ML provides more than 1 million predictive models for a typical enterprise deployment to identify suspicious behaviors and potential threats. A cloud record store provides streamlined investigation with index record search and query of data from every segment of the hybrid environment. Delivering global intelligence “Organizations should be able to easily secure their workloads across public, private, and hybrid clouds without requiring multiple tools or creating a management headache,” said Jesse Rothstein, ExtraHop co-founder and CTO. “ExtraHop takes advantage of the virtually unlimited compute resources of the cloud to perform machine learning at scale across more than 15 million devices – and over four petabytes of threat telemetry per day – across our customer base to deliver global intelligence to prepare every security team, from the large enterprise to the midmarket, to handle both present and future threats.” Reveal(x) Cloud for multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments will be available in May 2020.

GET Group North America, an innovative developer of mobile ID technology solutions with over 20 years of experience in secure government credentials, has announced the availability of its next generation of CoreID Identity Management System (IDMS). CoreID 2.0 CoreID 2.0 enables Divisions of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) and other issuers of corporate and government credentials to process rich data such as images and video in real-time to validate or adjudicate identities and issue secure credentials at time of enrollment. It is operating system-agnostic, highly modular and designed using modern business practices such Service-Oriented-Architecture (SOA) to allow easy integration with new or legacy infrastructures. Integrates biometric capture and facial recognition CoreID 2.0 seamlessly combines biometric capture and facial recognition capabilities with back-end database functionality, it can be used to issue and track physical or digital credentials throughout the credential’s lifecycle, as well as to manage enrollment workflows and ensure appropriate enrollment biometrics and data are collected for a specific credential. The system benefits from the flexibility of a new-generation document database and scalability to support the addition of new business flow and processes as needed. This provides users with a flexible environment that can quickly adapt to evolving ID requirements. Its flexibility, ease of customisation and scalability set CoreID 2.0 apart from competing solutions" Identity management “Its flexibility, ease of customization and scalability set CoreID 2.0 apart from competing solutions. CoreID 2.0’s queuing system data model puts safeguards on every component with identity validation as a Dossier tied to an individual’s identity moves through the workflow issuance process – ensuring the most secure IDs possible,” said Joel Perez, Program & Solutions Director, GET Group North America. The “Dossier” is a complex, self-contained data element that defines the person for whom the credential is issued and encapsulates all the information about the process of issuing a trusted credential. All biometric data – such as the portrait image, signature and even fingerprints, if desired, – as well as residential information, names, date of birth, etc. is stored in the Dossier, which is flexible enough to create the appropriate type of document (such as an ID, driver’s license, passport, or other credential). Facial Recognition Server Other components of CoreID 2.0 include the Enrollment Workstation, which can include a high-resolution camera, document scanner, signature pad and other tools for the capture of biometric data; the Facial Recognition Server, which can perform high-performance facial validation in real-time; and Print Manager for over-the-counter, print farm, and/or high-volume central issuance configuration. Together, the components of CoreID 2.0 allow an identity to be validated and the holder to leave with their new, trusted identity document in hand – or on their mobile device – within minutes.

Reaffirming its commitment to enable customers to affordably and easily blanket every square foot of their buildings with gunfire detection coverage, Safe Zone announced the immediate availability of its next-generation Safe Zone Gunfire Detection System, which now features a patent-pending tri-mode data capture system and automated rapid 9-1-1 connection. The next-generation Safe Zone solution will be formally unveiled later this month at ISC West 2020 at Booth #2045 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. “Safe Zone eliminates the barriers of cost and complication that have so far prevented gunfire detection from becoming a mainstream option for facilities of every type,” said Safe Zone President Mike Anderson. “Now the industry’s most advanced and affordably priced gunfire detection system offers more features and better protection in the event of an active shooter situation.” Gunfire detection system Safe Zone is a simple, reliable gunshot detection system made for real people" “No other solution currently available on the market can come close to matching Safe Zone’s accuracy, performance, reliability and cost-efficiency. In fact, Safe Zone shatters every conventional gunfire detection pricing model, offering average first year costs of around $.25 per-square-foot, less than one-fifth the cost of the current market entry price. Now, everyone can afford to purchase and install a gunfire detection system that will save the minutes that will save lives.” In fact, according to Anderson, the combination of Safe Zone’s performance, sophisticated machine learning capabilities, affordable price, native messaging integration, and ease of installation and configuration make it the only practical choice for every type of facility. "Safe Zone is a simple, reliable gunshot detection system made for real people,” Anderson emphasized. “Our approach is to provide blanket coverage with an easy-to-understand mobile app and assure your safety rather than scare you with the tactical jargon found throughout the industry." Cloud-based machine learning system Safe Zone combines state-of-the-art detection hardware with leading edge machine learning capabilities to create the worlds most sophisticated and reliable gunfire detection system ever brought to market. The system’s small inconspicuous sensors are designed to be quickly and easily installed throughout any facility to provide 24/7 active site-wide monitoring. Key to the system’s performance accuracy is the patent-pending tri-mode data capture system When gunfire occurs, Safe Zone alerts on-site security, building occupants and local authorities within seconds and provides detailed information that includes number of shots fired, type of weapon, and a map tracking the shooter’s location and movement. Key to the system’s performance accuracy is the patent-pending tri-mode data capture system that features acoustic, spectral and shock wave sensors that instantaneously collect data that is then analyzed by a cloud-based machine learning system. Built-in automated response system If gunfire is confirmed, Safe Zone immediately activates the built-in automated response system that connects to all 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Centers (ECC). Safe Zone is the only gunfire detection system currently featuring this type of automated platform, according to Anderson. Push alert notifications are immediately sent to team member mobile devices with the free mobile app that can be downloaded from the Apple Store and the Google Play Store. In addition, SMS text messages are sent to an unlimited number of contacts in a user-managed list. Law enforcement and first responders arrive on the scene faster and are armed with the vital, real-time intelligence" What’s more, Safe Zone integrates with other systems such as door locks, alarm panels, cameras and emergency notification systems that can be programmed to respond in the event of an alert. Real-time intelligence “Law enforcement and first responders arrive on the scene faster and are armed with the vital, real-time intelligence they need regarding weapon type, total shots fired, and the shooter’s current and previous locations indicated on a floor plan,” he emphasized. Safe Zone is available in both Wi-Fi and PoE detector versions. Dealers can place orders through their local Safe Zone sales representative: Security Solutions (SSI) Lanier Rep Group (LRG), or Thomasson Marketing Group (TMG). Safe Zone is available for immediate delivery through a national network of sales representatives and distributors. The certified network has been educated and tested to ensure the quality and reliability of each and every Safe Zone Gunfire detection system installation. Round the clock training is available through Safe Zone Academy, the same online education center used to train and certify all Safe Zone installers and resellers.

Entrance control and access control - of the physical kind - are common terms in the security industry which are often used interchangeably, but should they be? Having worked both sides of the fence, with previous roles at TDSi and HID and now the Major Accounts and Marketing Manager at Integrated Design Limited, Tony Smith highlights the subtle but important differences between these two terms and the systems they refer to, outlining how they should work together to achieve optimal security. Access control is a system which provides discriminating authentication Access control provides a discriminating authentication process and comprises the software or hardware that defines the criteria for acceptance or denial Used to describe a system which performs identification of users and authentication of their credentials (deciding whether or not the bearer of those credentials is permitted admission) access control is an incredibly broad term. Access control provides a discriminating authentication process and comprises the software or hardware that defines the criteria for acceptance or denial of an individual to a restricted area. Entrance control – such as security turnstiles - takes the output of that validation and has the capability to see whether that criteria is being adhered to, either granting or denying access as appropriate. Entrance control is the hardware responsible for keeping people honest If access control verifies authorized personnel using their credentials – their face, fingerprints, PIN number, fob, key card etc – and decides whether or not they are permitted access, entrance control is the hardware which enforces that decision by making users present their credentials in the correct way, either opening to allow pedestrian access or remaining closed to bar entry and potentially raising an alarm. For example, a card reader acts as an access control device, recognizing the card holder as having the correct permissions and saying ‘yes, this person can pass’. But, it’s the entrance control system – a turnstile, for example – which actually physically allows or denies access. Physical access and video surveillance Some entrance control systems don’t feature a physical barrier, however. Fastlane Optical turnstiles will not physically stop an unauthorized person from passing through, and instead alarm when someone fails to present valid credentials, alerting security staff that a breach has occurred. These kinds of turnstiles are suited to environments which just need to delineate between the public and secure side of an entrance, with less need to physically prevent unauthorized users from entering. State of the art access control integrations have been installed for award-winning complex, The Bower It’s also possible to capture video footage of any incidents, allowing security personnel to identify users failing to abide by the access control system’s rules, using It’s also possible to capture video footage of incidents, allowing security personnel to identify users failing to abide by access control system rules the footage to decide on the level of response required. The breach could have been the result of a member of staff being in a hurry and failing to show their card before passing through, in which case they can be reminded about the security protocol. Or, it could be an unidentified person who needs to be escorted from the premises. Entrance control and access control working together For optimum security, access control and entrance control should work together, with the entrance control system enhancing the use of the access control system, making it more efficient and better value for money. The two can’t effectively operate without each other. Security turnstiles, for example, require something to tell them that someone is about to enter – the access control system does this – and, the access control system needs a method of stopping people when they don’t badge in correctly. The two systems are complementary.

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.

Protecting against fire and security risks is an essential aspect of life for people and across all sectors. However, there is an increasing expectation and demand on fire and security providers, in areas such as education. The securitisation of our world paired with the rapid speed of communication and news updates means that young people especially have the potential to be more aware of potential dangers and threats to their own safety and the safety of those around them. Education institutions are large and sometimes sprawling sites that present considerable fire and security challenges. From Kindergartens to Colleges Each education site brings distinct challenges, with differing facilities and specialties, as well as the need to maintain the capacity of students, teachers and lecturers to study, learn and teach at the high level expected.Each education site brings distinct challenges, with differing facilities and specialties While some schools and universities are based in urban areas with a mix of heritage and high rise buildings, others are sprawled across green open spaces. Some of these sites have specialised sporting facilities, while others may be focused on engineering or scientific study, with costly technical equipment. Kindergartens and primary schools have their own unique requirements. Parents expect the highest safety standards, while schools require safety in addition to efficient facilities management. The demographic of these institutions is predominantly young children, who are often unaware of or only just learning about fire safety and personal safety. This creates a huge vulnerability and an added onus on teachers to keep their students safe. Facial recognition at West Academy of Beijing In response to this need, Chubb China upgraded the closed-circuit television (CCTV) system for Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) focusing on elevating video content analytic features, including maximised CCTV monitoring, automatic police calling, and a smart search solution. Complementing this, a facial recognition system capable of finding the exact location of a student on campus within 30 seconds was added, aided by real-time remote gate operation. This integrated and advanced system resulted won the "High Quality Educational Technology Suppliers for School" award for the WAB project at the 2019 BEED Asia Future Oriented Construction of Universities and Schools Seminar. This award recognizes outstanding solution design and project execution. Parents expect the highest safety standards, while schools require safety in addition to efficient facilities management Awareness remains important at university As students graduate from kindergarten, primary school, junior and senior school, they become more aware of fire safety, relevant dangers and how to protect themselves. Unfortunately, external dangers remain. There are particularly high stakes for university campus facilities managers The safety of students in a university environment is also critical. It is often the first time young people live away from their family home and have the independence of adulthood. For this reason, there are particularly high stakes for university campus facilities managers. In the eventuality of a fire, students could be at great risk and, beyond the immediacy of physical harm, this can have serious ramifications for the reputation of an educational institution. Integrated solutions Integrated solutions must be nimble and adapted to a range of site types including campus residences, recreational areas, open spaces and lecture theatres. Chubb Sicli recently identified and overcame these challenges through the installation of a full suite of fire safety and security equipment and services at Webster University Geneva. Established in Switzerland in 1978, Webster University Geneva is an accredited American university campus that offers programs in English to students interested in undergraduate or graduate-level education.  Located in the Commune of Bellevue, just a few kilometres from Geneva's central station, the campus of Webster University Geneva includes five buildings in a park-style atmosphere. Full fire and security audit Chubb Sicli provided Webster’s fire extinguisher maintenance for over 25 years. This business relationship led to a full fire and security audit that identified the need for updates to the university’s security installation. The initial audit showed several improvements to the university’s security profile were needed.The challenge was to create and provide an effective and interconnected fire and security solution The challenge was to create and provide an effective and interconnected fire and security solution, enhancing the security of the student population and its ever-evolving needs. This included complete fire detection and intruder alarms for all five buildings, upgrades to existing CCTV systems, new video surveillance equipment and an automated fire extinguishing system in the kitchen areas. In addition to this integrated system solution, Webster University required access control for all main entrances, with the requirement that all documentation to be made available in English, because Webster is an American company. Customized solution Chubb Sicli’s quality, capability, and security expertise provided a customized solution for the unique educational establishment. Not only was the solution both tailored and integrated, the approach and planning were based on audit, fire extinguisher and emergency light maintenance, fire detection, intrusion detection, access control, video surveillance and Fire Detection. Through dedicated and integrated fire safety support, Chubb provides students and families peace of mind and security. From the moment a young child enters the education system, Chubb’s diligent and effective surveillance and fire safety systems work to prevent and protect, offering a new kind of ‘end-to-end’ service for education systems around the world.

J.D. Power is a well-known name when it comes to measuring customer satisfaction, and they have been measuring satisfaction in the home security industry since 2016. Changes affecting the marketplace – both in terms of disruptors and technology – make this a unique time. For example, in 2019, J.D. Power expanded the Home Security Satisfaction Study to not only measure the traditional pro-install/pro-monitor companies, but to separately evaluate self-install/pro-monitor brands.  “At J.D. Power our rankings are meant to support an industry in two key ways,” says Christina Cooley, J.D. Power's Director, @Home Intelligence. “First, we provide consumers who are shopping for products and services with a ‘report card’ of who provides customers with high levels of customer satisfaction. Second, we provide companies with actionable insights to help them prioritize their initiatives to improve and maintain high levels of customers satisfaction that drive loyalty and growth.” Differentiating between companies The traditional Pro-Install/Pro-Monitor companies are challenged to differentiate from one another In home security, J.D. Power is in a unique position to report on the changes taking place in the evolving industry. The 2019 rankings show that the traditional Pro-Install/Pro-Monitor companies are challenged to differentiate from one another, as each have their individual strengths and opportunities, but overall the score range is relatively tight. On the do-it-yourself (DIY) side, there is more differentiation. A set of brands has been able to challenge the traditional industry by achieving extremely high customer satisfaction levels. Price is always an important factor that impacts customer satisfaction, whether for security or another market J.D. Power serves. The equation is simple, says Cooley: Does the price paid equal the value the customer feels they have received from the product or service? “For Home Security, we didn’t specifically look at price until this year,” says Cooley. “With the changes that have occurred in the market, price can be a differentiator as we’ve seen with the emergence of DIY-installed systems. However, lower pricing does not have a direct relationship to quality of service.” The price factor For example, there are some higher-priced pro-installed brands that perform lower on customer satisfaction than lower-priced competitors. And DIY-installed systems as a whole are less expensive, and price is the customer satisfaction driver in which the DIY segment most outperforms the pro segment.  Price is the customer satisfaction driver in which the DIY segment most outperforms the pro segment The equation is: Performance minus Expectations equals Customer Satisfaction.  “Obviously, price point will be a factor in the purchase decision and the expectations the customer has about the product and service,” says Cooley. “Any pro or DIY system has the opportunity to differentiate the customer experience regardless of price point.” There are clear differences in the pro vs. DIY experience, which is why J.D. Power evaluates the brands in separate rankings. However, Cooley says the drivers of satisfaction are consistent across both groups.  The key to each group goes back to the equation above.  Evaluating the purchase process For the both pro and DIY companies, J.D. Power evaluates the purchase process the same. Though the customer may take a different path to purchase based on the offering they seek, the drivers are still the same: Usefulness of information provided Reasonableness of contract terms Professionalism of sales representative Ease of purchasing home security system. For installation, there are clear differences. DIY systems are evaluated based on: Ease of completing installation Quality of installation instructions provided Timeliness of receiving home security system. Pro systems are evaluated based on: Professionalism of technician Timeliness of completing installation Quality of work performed. Interestingly, purchase and installation are the customer satisfaction driver where both pro and DIY providers (as a whole) are most closely aligned on performance. Customer loyalty The price a customer is paying must align with the quality of the system they receive What drives a customer to purchase a home security system initially will often be very different than what will keep them as a loyal customer, Cooley notes. The price a customer is paying must align with the quality of the system they receive, and the service provided through the professional monitoring and customer service. “With the expansion of home security offerings, it’s more important than ever for home security companies to understand the motivations, intentions, and usage patterns across different customer segments to ensure that regardless of the decision to go pro or DIY-install, they are able to meet their customers’ needs and differentiate in the very competitive market. The J.D. Power Home Security Study provides these actionable insights.” The study is focused on the companies/brands that comprise the top two-thirds of market share in each segment, pro and DIY installed. A number of the brands included may work with local dealers or retailers for sales and install, but the customer is essentially evaluating those services as part of the system purchased. It is one and the same from the customer’s perspective, and the sales/install process can either delight or frustrate a customer from the beginning, which can then set the foundation for the entire experience moving forward. Reasons for shopping for a security system tend to differ between pro and DIY shoppers: Both sets are most focused on wanting a newer, more up-to-date system Between the two, pro customers are more often moving into a new home or wanting to take advantage of a discount or bundling opportunity with other products For DIY customers, they are shopping for a system to give them more peace of mind and to protect their property. Reasons for selecting the provider also vary: A pro company is often selected based on brand reputation or a special offer/promo A DIY company is primarily chosen based on price or a positive review. In terms of brand image, we see that customers see both pro and DIY providers similarly in terms of reliability. However, when it comes to being customer-driven, DIY providers receive higher image ratings compared to pro-installed companies.

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.”

Gallagher Security, a division of Gallagher Group, a privately-owned New Zealand company, is a global presence in integrated access control, intruder alarm and perimeter security solutions. Gallagher entered the global security industry in the 1990s with the purchase of security access control business Cardax. In the last several decades, the company has leveraged its experience in electric fence technology to develop a variety of innovative solutions used to protect some of the world's most high-consequence assets and locations. Solving business problems Among Gallagher’s recent innovations is the Security Health Check, a software utility that enables customers to run an automated check on their Gallagher Command Centre security system. To get an update on the company, we interviewed Richard Huison, Gallagher’s Regional Manager for the U.K. and Europe, who says he has a passion for technology and solving business problems. Huison says working in the industry for more than 20 years has shown him you can never stop evolving and adapting. Q: What are Gallagher's points of differentiation versus competitors? Huison: Gallagher’s strengths are in solving business problems outside of the normal access control and intrusion detection solutions. Enforcing company policy through compliance and competency is what really matters to business continuity. Using Gallagher Command Centre to oversee the security, health and safety and compliance brings true business value to the client who benefits from reduced costs and risk to the success of their growth and strategy. Q: What is the biggest challenge for customers in the security market, and how does Gallagher help to meet that challenge? Huison: A great solution fit is key. Where most fail is choosing a solution that does not meet the needs of the client in 10 to even 20 years’ time. As businesses evolve and grow, so must the security solution. In a recent conversation, a client had to replace a 300-door access control system that was no longer supported. ‘Why Gallagher?’ they asked. The answer: ‘If you had chosen Gallagher 10 years ago, we would not be having this conversation.’ Ensuing the system you choose is legacy-compliant is king. Gallagher’s brand is well known for protecting Critical National Infrastructure Q: Please describe Gallagher's geographic presence in the UK and Europe. Huison: Gallagher’s brand is well known for protecting Critical National Infrastructure. They choose to adopt our solutions because we meet the highest levels of resilience against cyber-attacks. Our ability to modernize legacy systems ensures the maximum return on investment with minimal disruption to business continuity. Gallagher solutions cover a broad mix of verticals, with strengths in high security, education and large corporate entities. Our Channel Partner network is continually growing so more clients can benefit from the diverse and powerful Gallagher Command Centre software. Q: Describe how Gallagher is typically integrated into larger systems. Huison: Our systems offer the flexibility of being standalone or globally networked via our Multi-Server environment. Most integration happens logically where data is pushing into our Command Centre database. The single point of truth allows for minimal data errors and efficiencies around manual input. The total cost of ownership is greatly reduced in allowing the system to work for the client and not the other way round. Over and above this, Integration into other solutions brings that rich data back to one software front end. Q: What is Gallagher's biggest challenge and how will the company seek to meet that challenge? Huison: Our biggest and continual opportunity is being a relentless innovator. We are not short of ideas and how we are bucking the trends with our solutions. Broadcasting these messages is not always easy in the digital age. This is why Gallagher is investing heavily in more shows, publications and specific vertical conferences globally. Q: What is the market's biggest misconception about Gallagher? Huison: Our brand is known for perimeter solutions with our monitored Pulse Fence. What many forget is we have a very powerful access control and integrated intrusion detection solution that meets Government standards around the world. We are unique in that all three can be controlled via one software platform that is cyber-resilient and infinitely configurable to suit many verticals. Q: What is your message to the security market? Huison: Many see Gallagher as only suitable for large and complex sites. I openly challenge our audience, speak to us and you may find we can provide an Enterprise Level solution that is delivered on budget and provide an outstanding return on investment for the client. Our pedigree of 80 years shows we never stop innovating and building that trusted advisor status with many lifelong clients.

While HENSOLDT is a global pioneer of technologies that are designed for protecting armed forces, civilians, assets and borders, the company is also actively making a difference as a protector of endangered species.  South Africa is known for its iconic wildlife and is also home to one of HENSOLDT’s largest industrial sites. As a result, it came as a natural progression to protect the country’s wildlife using state-of-the-art defense and security technologies.   Rise in rhino poaching  In recent years, animals such as rhinos have been under increased pressure due to rising poaching levels, threatening the future of these animals. South Africa holds nearly 80% of the world’s rhinos and has been hit the hardest by poaching, with more than 1 000 rhinos killed each year between 2013 and 2017.  HENSOLDT celebrates three years of zero poaching on the world’s largest rhino conservancy HENSOLDT responded to this threat, and is now combining advanced intelligence, radar and optical surveillance systems with physical security for high-end wildlife protection.  This week, HENSOLDT celebrates three years of zero poaching on the world’s largest rhino conservancy, where HENSOLDT’s technologies have been keeping a large number of rhino safe. HENSOLDT South Africa designed and installed a surveillance and security system on the farm and since then, not one animal has been lost to poaching. “Before that, we had poaching every month, sometimes every week,” says John Hume, owner of Buffalo Dream Ranch.  Situational awareness  In 2017, Buffalo Dream Ranch, the world’s largest rhino farm, started a partnership with HENSOLDT to secure 8000 hectares of land, where some 1800 rhinos now live peacefully, protected by state-of-the-art HENSOLDT technology. The specially developed system combines a number of advanced sensors, including optical and radar sensors, to monitor the rhinos, farm and surrounding area.   Data from these sensors are fused using advanced analytics at a command and control center to provide complete situational awareness and early-warning of potential poachers approaching the area.  In combination with existing physical barriers and a team of security personnel, the system augments the total security approach to create a surveillance solution, with technology that is always on guard, never fatigues and which cannot be compromised. “We are for the first time in years feeling confident, with HENSOLDT, of perfecting the protection of our rhino,” says Hume.  Wildlife protection  The know-how acquired through these projects can be applied for protecting other wildlife “We are honored to be part of important initiatives such as the conservation of our wildlife and we aim to expand our efforts,” says Hennie Venter, Chief Executive of the HENSOLDT South Africa GEW business unit.   The know-how acquired through these projects can be applied for protecting other wildlife and national parks to safe-keep endangered species such as lions, elephants and even abalone.  HENSOLDT prides itself on its relationship with its clients. “For us it’s not putting down the equipment and getting the business, for us it’s rather a journey,” says Werner Muller, GEW’s Chief Executive of Spectrum Monitoring and Security.  Needs-based solutions  Because of this philosophy, and because each wildlife scenario is different, with its own unique set of challenges, HENSOLDT’s experts collaborate with each client to develop a solution that addresses their specific needs.  Through its business units, GEW and Optronics, HENSOLDT South Africa delivers solutions to clients across the world, and significantly contributes to South Africa’s export industry, while it is firmly grounded in its roots as a proudly South African company, operating in South Africa for South Africa. HENSOLDT is committed to continue innovating to protect the wildlife. 

With a history of over 20 years, the Cedr factory is one of the leading manufacturers of wooden doors, kitchen cabinets and other wood products in Russia. Today, it has a few of its own modern and automated plants with a wide range of products and innovative production approaches. For such a modern wood factory, safety is of paramount concern. Advanced video surveillance systems need to be introduced in the internal and external areas of the factory. Due to the extremely high risk of fire in a wood factory, the customer has high demands for a smart system to keep sufficient video backup as evidence. Specifically, the system needs to be capable of storing up to 30 days of videos, with copies stored on a separate network at the same time so that the videos can be safely saved under different network conditions. Mini-Bullet Network Camera With IR illumination, detailed images can be captured under low light conditions or total darkness A total of 400 IP cameras from Dahua Technology were installed inside of the factory for general monitoring, including DH-IPC-HFW1230SP, DH-IPC-HDPW1231FP-AS and DH-IPC-HFW2231TP-ZS. In this chain factory, DH-IPC-HFW1230SP was used to monitor machine operation, and DH-IPC-HDPW1231FP-AS was used to monitor corridors. These two types of cost-effective Mini-Bullet Network Camera feature 2MP resolution with a motorized 2.8mm/3.6mm fixed lens. With IR illumination, detailed images can be captured under low light conditions or total darkness. The cameras’ Smart IR technology adjusts the intensity of camera's infrared LEDs to compensate the distance of an object. Smart IR technology prevents IR LEDs from whitening out images as they come closer to the camera. excellent light sensitivity In order to ensure the safety of staff and vehicles in the factory vicinity, DH-IPC-HFW2231TP-ZS was installed outside the factory to monitor large and open scenes. This IR Megapixel Vari-focal Camera features 2MP resolution with a 2.7mm ~ 13.5mm vari-focal lens, meeting monitoring needs of different distances. For challenging ultra-low light environments, IPC-HFW2231TP-ZS powered by Dahua’s Starlight Technology offers excellent light sensitivity, capturing color details in low light conditions down to 0.006lux. The camera uses a set of optical features to balance light throughout the scene, resulting in clear images in dark environments. ±25% input voltage tolerance These cameras are ideal choices for installation even in the most unforgiving environments In addition, these cameras allow ±25% input voltage tolerance, suitable for the most unstable conditions in outdoor applications. Its 2KV lightning rating provides effective protection against lightning for both the camera and its structure. Certified and subjected to rigorous dust and immersion tests (IP67), these cameras are ideal choices for installation even in the most unforgiving environments. In order to help the customer improve the security of video storage, three types of Dahua 4K H.265 Network Video Recorders – adopting powerful processors with up to 4K resolution for preview and playback – are used in the factory to store 10-day videos, which can provide critical details for identification. Real time monitoring On the other hand, a 48-HDD Enterprise Video Storage is used to separately store 30-day videos at the headquarters in case the factory area videos are damaged. It supports 512 channels of IP camera inputs and 1024Mbps incoming/recording bandwidth, offering an unparalleled storage performance. Moreover, DHI-DSS4004 was selected as the central server, through which all videos are integrated in one system for a unified operation and management in the headquarters’ control room. The vast factory vicinity is now equipped with Dahua video surveillance system, enabling all security checkpoints to monitor the factory in real time. At the same time, the massive video storage and backup allows the administrator to review emergency situations if necessary. The advanced solution from Dahua Technology has created a safe and smart factory for the customer, assisting them in improving their security level during production.

The new Courtyard by Marriott hotel at London’s Luton Airport is being protected with the latest, cybersecure video surveillance technology from IDIS. The complete end-to-end solution, from Korea’s video equipment manufacturer, is enabling trouble-free remote 24/7 monitoring, ensuring improved service efficiency, safety and security for guests. IDIS DirectIP® technology was chosen for its ease of installation and use together with the reassurance of multi-layered protection against cybersecurity risks. Although the installation team from DGS Systems had never previously worked with IDIS technology before, they found that it lived up to its true plug-and-play promise. Providing impressive recording capability IDIS DirectIP® made it easy to set up the three IDIS NVRs to provide impressive recording capability Despite having almost 100 cameras to set up - including 74 full-HD IR domes and 17 vandal resistant full-HD IR domes – one-click network configuration allowed the engineers to work rapidly, connecting devices easily and not needing to manually enter passwords for each one. This not only reduced installation time but ensured greater protection against network infiltration by minimizing the likelihood of human error, which can occur when passwords need to be written down and entered manually. Encryption technologies and NVR firewalls together with proprietary protocols and file structures make IDIS surveillance solutions less vulnerable to attacks than many common open architecture components. IDIS DirectIP® made it easy to set up the three IDIS NVRs (32-channel DR-6332PS-S) to provide impressive recording capability and meet the customer’s requirement for three months’ storage of all footage. Protecting building exteriors The NVRs’ 370Mbps throughput ensures no latency on live footage and high-quality image capture in full HD. Most of the cameras are used for incident investigation, although with the hotel’s service areas now covered, operational efficiency has been improved too. The hotel’s owner also wanted to protect the car parks and building exteriors to reduce the risk of crime For example, routine checks on the rooftop plant room can now be handled remotely, rather than in person, which is particularly useful during adverse weather conditions. The hotel’s owner also wanted to protect the car parks and building exteriors to reduce the risk of crime, and shortly after the system was completed, a gang of opportunist scrap-metal thieves was recorded stealing cables from the site. Handling rapid variations in brightness The IDIS full-HD IR domes provided video evidence that was key to a successful police investigation, delivering pin-sharp images in all lighting conditions and easily handling rapid variations in brightness and shade thanks to their true wide dynamic range (WDR). “The IDIS solution was very installer-friendly and easy to configure,” says Dariusz Surowy of DGS Systems UK, confirming that the same technology is now being used on more sites. Grzegorz Surowy, MD of DGS Poland, agrees: “It has rapidly proved how well it works with successful incident investigations.” Meanwhile, James Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe comments that IDIS solutions are designed to be easy to install, simple to use, and to give the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). “For busy hotels such as the Courtyard by Marriott at Luton, they provide the perfect tool for safety, security and more efficient management.”

Many organizations use hundreds and even thousands of surveillance cameras on their premises. They are used for crime or loss prevention, to have supporting evidence after the fact, to reduce liability, and to protect their reputation. The public generally expects that surveillance footage will be available after an incident and therefore it is almost a must to have a camera system. The US alone has over 200 million security cameras already installed with substantial growth anticipated over coming years. Most expensive camera A simple answer to this problem would just be to check every camera at least once a day, every day At any time and without warning, it is possible for problems to arise that affect the view of a camera. Examples include a branch of a tree growing in front of a camera’s view, bugs creating a nest inside a camera dome, condensation accumulating on and around the lens, wind knocking a camera off its axis, malicious tampering with the camera, dirt or mud sticking to the camera, among many others. When that happens, even the highest quality and most expensive camera will not capture the desired field of view and crucial evidence will be missing. Our survey effort of over 100,000 cameras indicates that at least 50% of cameras in a camera system will have a view problem each year. Theoretically at least, a simple answer to this problem would just be to check every camera at least once a day, every day. Artificial intelligence software But for an institution with hundreds or even thousands of cameras, this task is laborious and subject to human error. That’s where Ai-RGUS comes in. Named after the all-seeing giant from Greek mythology, Argus, Ai-RGUS is artificial intelligence software that monitors security cameras and makes sure that they are all working according to a reference image. The ‘i’ in Ai-RGUS is silent, and it indicates that the technology uses AI. Because the CIO of Duke couldn’t find any software on the market that would solve the problem It was designed by CEO Daniël Reichman, PhD, and is the continuation of a project that Duke University requested to be developed from Daniël’s lab at Duke while he was completing his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering at Duke, in order to help the university keep its then-1,100 cameras in working order. They requested it from their own lab, because the CIO of Duke couldn’t find any software on the market that would solve the problem of verifying the camera views. Consistent level of verification Although Duke was conducting regular manual inspections of their cameras, this process was onerous, costly and time-consuming for the team members. Furthermore, it was very burdensome to verify and audit manual inspections to ensure that both a consistent level of verification and to be sure it was regularly done. The goal was to avoid the situation of finding out a camera was not aimed right or was not recording until they went to access the video for evidentiary purposes… exactly the time you don’t want to find that out! “It’s a huge investment to put up 1,100 cameras,” Daniël Reichman, Ph.D., said, “so they want to make sure that once they have them, they can actually count on having the images from the cameras.” Camera inspection results Thanks in part to Ai-RGUS, Duke was able to nearly double its camera system in 2 years Since 2017, the software is operating successfully at Duke University. Thanks in part to Ai-RGUS, Duke was able to nearly double its camera system in 2 years. Duke’s Office of Information Technology reports that “We spend on average 5 minutes a day to inspect 2,000+ cameras thanks to Ai-RGUS.” A company spun out of this effort, called Ai-RGUS, with the University as a stakeholder. Ai-RGUS comes with a web dashboard that will allow you to see camera inspection results as well as historical analytics about your cameras system. It has an easy and automated install process and is agnostic to camera system size. It also comes with an API to integrate with your ticketing system. Ai-RGUS keeps security cameras in check by first requiring users to take a reference image that the software will use as the basis for comparison to the current image it sees. Identifying faulty cameras Potential problems that Ai-RGUS could identify in an image are blur, tilt, tamper, obstruction, glare, low light and a blank/black screen or feed down. If Ai-RGUS identifies a problem in a camera it will mark it as ‘unwell,’ so its owner can fix it. Ai-RGUS also keeps track of when cameras are habitually ‘unwell’ to help owners to identify faulty cameras for potential replacement. For security camera owners, it was such a headache to install the cameras" “It’s the kind of thing where you can set it and forget it,” Daniël said. “Ai-RGUS sends you emails when it needs to, it also has an API that can connect to an already existing ticketing system. Otherwise, don’t bother looking at the camera views. The surveillance camera hardware and software space is so complicated and fractured, we’re trying to make it as simple as possible. For security camera owners, it was such a headache to install the cameras. Now we want to make sure the system works as intended.” Video management software Ai-RGUS started its commercial efforts in May 2019 and have gained much traction since. The headquarters are still located in Durham, NC, and commercialization efforts are done from Las Vegas, NV. Among the many partners who signed up and utilize Ai-RGUS are Duke University, the City of Las Vegas, Thomas and Mack, Green Valley Grocery, Temple Beth Sholom, among others; to show that Ai-RGUS is suitable for deployment in many vertical markets. Now, Ai-RGUS is focusing more on further discussing partnerships with system integrators, distributors, and camera installation services, along with Video Management Software companies, which can include Ai-RGUS at the time of installation or for legacy systems to existing clients as a bonus service.

Navata Road Transport, a road logistics service provider, established in the year 1982, by founder Late Parvataneni Subhas Chandra Bose, now occupies a place of pride among the leading Road Transport Organizations in South India. Navata is spread across a network of 672 branches across India. Warehouses and distribution centers are an integral part of a hub and spoke operations at Navata. HR people at the Navata Road Transport had to manage and do manual work for time-attendance and overtime data. With manual work, data are prone to error. With error-prone data, it was difficult for them to proceed for salary payment. Not only this, but centralized monitoring of time-attendance data of employees of 20 locations across Andhra Pradesh was a difficult task for them. Time-Attendance systems As they already had their inhouse application, communication/integration of the time-attendance devices with that inhouse application was the biggest question for them. To communicate with the Linux Server and devices, they required a third party application interface which was not feasible. Established in 1991, Matrix is a provider of Security and Telecom solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. Matrix Door Controller comes with built-in API for system integration As an innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization, the company is committed to keeping pace with the revolutions in the Security and Telecom industries. With around 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance Systems - Video Management System, Network Video Recorder and IP Camera, Access Control and Time-Attendance systems as well as Telecom solutions such as Unified Communications, IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, VoIP and GSM Gateways and Communication Endpoints. Built-In API for system integration These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to international standards. Having global footprints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Africa through an extensive network of more than 2,500 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer. Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won many international awards for its innovative products. With extensive analysis of the existing system and Navata’s requirements, Matrix came up with the solution to provide Door Controllers. Matrix Door Controller comes with built-in API for system integration. It directly pushes all the entry and exit records to the company’s Linux server. In addition to that, the customer can command and control the devices now through the inhouse Attendance Management and Payroll Application which was not possible earlier. Additional dedicated server Elimination of the errors has been possible in the data of Time-Attendance and overtime So, there is no requirement of any additional dedicated server for the interface with Matrix’s Door Controllers. Ultimately, these Door Controllers have overcome the challenge of communication with the company’s Linux server. By overcoming the challenges of the entire system, the customer enhanced the productivity of the employees and can effectively use the resources.  After acquiring the solution from Matrix Comsec, Navata got the efficiency in Time-Attendance management. Elimination of the errors has been possible in the data of Time-Attendance and overtime. Now, employees get an accurate and timely salary at Navata Road Transport after the atomization of Time-Attendance record and calculation. This increased the productivity of the employees because of the accurate data. This also made the HR work smooth and hassle free. Through live monitoring, centralized control of all the 20 sites has been taken. Reduces installation and maintenance cost Product Offered: COSEC DOOR FOT A Door Controller with higher storage capacity and touch sense keypad. It identifies the user in less than one second. With multiple connectivity options like 3G/4G/LTE it gives flexibilities with the customer’s existing system and therefore, reduces installation and maintenance cost.

After seeing a continued rise in anti-social behavior, littering and dog fouling, North Tyneside Council decided to invest in a mobile CCTV van, which along with extra wardens has been used to tackle environmental offenses in public places as well as in communities and schools. The service was launched last winter by Mayor Norma Redfearn CBE, and a new team was introduced to work throughout the day, including weekends, to help catch offenders in the act. Staff are able to enforce anti-social behavior legislation, which includes issuing those who break the law with community protection notices, issue fixed penalty notices, eviction orders, and injunctions to those who are going against what the community is trying to achieve. Traveling CCTV cameras Six businesses have also been challenged about the way they dispose of their waste The traveling CCTV cameras, as supplied by vehicle safety specialists Sentinel Systems, have led to a number of successes including identifying a suspected repeat fly-tipper and uncovering 14 areas being regularly used to fly-tip. By installing a PTZ camera (pan–tilt–zoom camera), the team has been able to use the remote directional and zoom control to stop and advise 120 people about keeping their dogs on leads in designated areas and issued several fixed penalty notices to people littering or not picking up after their dogs. Six businesses have also been challenged about the way they dispose of their waste, with two of them being subsequently fined £400 each. Tackling crime hotspots Richie Mitchell, Community and Public Spaces Protection Manager at North Tyneside Council, commented, “North Tyneside is a great place to live and we have seen noticeable results since introducing the CCTV van and environmental team to the borough. The council takes issues in the community extremely seriously and is always looking to do more to tackle any crime hotspots.” Installing the cameras has benefited the community in many ways and we are very pleased" He continued, “Residents had lots of concerns around littering and dog fouling, so the new service providing on-the-spot fines and CCTV footage that can be used to help with prosecutions has really made a difference. Installing the cameras has benefited the community in many ways and we are very pleased with what we have achieved for our residents so far.” Safety camera package Sentinel’s 360-degree camera system offers drivers an enhanced view around the outside of a vehicle and can be combined with Sentinel’s four or eight-channel DVRs, allowing for up to 30 days of footage to be recorded. Inside the vehicle, a seven inch in-cab monitor is installed with high image clarity so that anything around the vehicle is always visible to the drivers. Sentinel Systems’ safety camera package can be customized to meet the individual requirements of each fleet, depending on the size and operations of each vehicle. The camera system can be created using any number of Sentinel’s systems, including forward, rear and side facing cameras for a 360° view of the vehicle’s surroundings.

Artificial intelligence is on the verge of changing the face of multiple industries – from healthcare to entertainment to finance, from data security to manufacturing to the cars we drive (or that will drive themselves!) In the physical security market, AI has garnered a lot of attention as a buzzword and as a harbinger of things to come. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: What security markets are most likely to embrace artificial intelligence (AI)?

There will be more artificial intelligence, more machine learning, video systems with more capabilities, and all of it will add greater value to our solutions. Those are among the expectations of our Expert Panel Roundtable as they collectively look ahead to the remainder of 2019. One unexpected prediction is that AI will not prove to be a game changer – at least not yet. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What will be the biggest surprise for security in the second half of 2019?

The ability to treat patients in a secure environment is a base requirement of hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Whether facilities are large or small, security challenges abound, including perimeter security, access control of sensitive areas, video surveillance, and even a long list of cyber-risks. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of hospitals and the healthcare industry?