Surveillance systems

Delivering public space CCTV via mobile applications, from emergency response through to dealing with antisocial behavior, has always been technically challenging. Hackney Council’s Civil Protection Service Manager, Andy Wells, recently saw an opportunity to introduce two existing suppliers to each other, to collaborate in developing an industry first mobile CCTV solution – and one that would provide significant advantages over traditional CCTV fit outs. Commenting on the development of the new mobile CCTV solution, Adrian Kirk, Director at 360 Vision Technology said: “360 Vision’s ruggedized Predator PTZ camera is used widely in public space surveillance due to its IK10 certification, for shock impact and vibration. This makes it a safe, ‘fit for purpose’ solution for deployment to camera columns in an urban environment. ‘Rugged at the roadside’ is a phrase being widely used these days." Roof-mounted pneumatic mast systems We are grateful to Hackney Council for their input and hope they get results in helping to protect the public" “The Predator’s IK10 certification and heavily engineered gearing in its pan and tilt mechanism makes it a great choice for mobile applications. At Andy’s suggestion, we partnered with Woodway Engineering, who are another great British manufacturing business, that specialize in roof-mounted pneumatic mast systems.”  Initially the system was designed to deploy lighting solutions for emergency services and other applications, but it has now been adapted to provide a vehicle roof mounted pneumatic CCTV mast system. Unlike traditional CCTV van conversions, it doesn’t require the vehicle to be permanently adapted, with large areas within a van’s space being taken up by the mast rig set up - which causes permanent damage to the vehicle’s structure. Versatile CCTV solution This new approach allows the system to be removed and reinstalled onto a new vehicle, providing a better return on investment, by minimizing costs associated with the initial installation, as well as costs associated with the host vehicle. Hackney Council have 360 Vision Technology Predators deployed which are still providing great service Debbie Taylor, Director of Woodway Engineering commented: “Collaborating with another UK manufacturer to deliver a versatile CCTV solution that can save costs and increase return on investment over current methods of fitting out a vehicle for mobile CCTV applications is exactly the type of innovative British design and manufacturing business we are all about. We are grateful to Hackney Council for their input and hope they get great results in helping to protect the public in Hackney.” Innovative and meticulous engineering approach Andy Wells at Hackney Council concluded by saying: "When we saw the Woodway mast at the Emergency Services Show, we recognized the innovative and meticulous engineering approach Woodway use - we also saw a good fit for 360 Vision's approach to making cameras." “Hackney Council have 360 Vision Technology Predators deployed which are now coming up to 8 years old and still providing great service; yielding a great return on investment. Combined with the Woodway system, we have a very capable mobile CCTV Van which is being used across multiple operations, from Forward Command Point at major incidents, to ASB patrols. It is helping us to ensure that Hackney is one of the best protected places to live in London.”

Alarm.com announces a majority-stake acquisition of OpenEye, a provider of cloud-managed video surveillance solutions for the commercial market. OpenEye is optimized for enterprise-level commercial customers requiring expansive video recording capabilities, in addition to remote viewing, administration and diagnostic reporting. Combined with the Alarm.com for Business offering, service providers partnered with Alarm.com now have a best-in-class solution to accommodate commercial accounts of any size. OpenEye's intelligent cloud architecture efficiently distributes video and event data to maximize control for both onsite command center operators and remote administrators. Centralized cloud management The addition of OpenEye will enhance the offerings available to Alarm.com partners in the commercial space" The unique hybrid solution delivers the high-resolution long-term storage, low bandwidth consumption, and centralized cloud management that enterprise users demand. OpenEye is currently utilized at over 14,000 business locations in the U.S. and Canada. "OpenEye has consistently demonstrated that they are the unequivocal leader in the video-surveillance-as-a-service space and we are excited to help the team continue growing their business," said Steve Trundle, president and CEO of Alarm.com. "OpenEye has a robust customer and partner list and our top priority is to ensure they all continue to experience great service. The addition of OpenEye will enhance the offerings available to Alarm.com partners in the commercial space. With the ongoing transition from traditional on-premise products to VSaaS, we're creating new value for subscribers and additional RMR opportunities for our partners." Delivering world-Class customer service OpenEye was founded in 1999 as an innovator in the design and development of cloud-centric software solutions for video management, business intelligence and loss prevention. The combination of OpenEye and Alarm.com expertise will provide a comprehensive suite of interactive cloud-based services spanning video, access control, intrusion and automation for domestic and international commercial enterprises of all sizes. The company will continue operations under the OpenEye brand and be led by the existing management team In addition, OpenEye and Alarm.com have well-established reputations for delivering world-class customer service to their networks of service providers and integrators. With the acquisition, OpenEye will be a subsidiary of Alarm.com. The company will continue operations under the OpenEye brand and be led by the existing management team. OpenEye Web Services will remain an open cloud platform and the company remains committed to expanding its ecosystem of technology partners and integrated devices. Cloud-Based VSaaS Alarm.com intends to further invest in OpenEye's growth and expand its headquarters presence in Liberty Lake, Wash. "We're excited about this next step in our evolution as the leader in cloud-based VSaaS," said Rick Sheppard, CEO of OpenEye. "Alarm.com is the platform of choice for thousands of service providers that demand innovation and exceptional customer service. Combining their wide array of partner tools and resources with our capabilities will provide our partners with solutions that are second-to-none." The market for cloud-based video services, also known as Video-Surveillance-as-a-Service (VSaaS), is expanding rapidly as legacy solutions shift to new cloud-based architectures. According to IHS Markit, the Video Surveillance Market in the Americas region was $4.4 billion in 2018. Market share for VSaaS is forecast to increase from 9% of total spending in 2018 to 15% by 2022.

Promoting the company’s ethos of establishing close working partnerships, CCTV design and manufacturing company, 360 Vision Technology, is celebrating a long-term technical relationship with IP CCTV and security system specialists, Check Your Security. Based in the east of England, with offices in London and Liverpool, Check Your Security offers a wide range of professional expertise and experience in delivering integrated security solutions, using best in class technology - and were the very first early-adopters of 360 Vision Technology’s Predator HD camera 10 years ago. With its founders from the IT industry, Check Your Security identified the need for professional IP services in the security industry, and today, focuses on providing highly-effective integrated digital IP security systems integration. Right from the beginning of their 360 Vision Technology relationship, Check Your Security’s management was keen to take advantage of the market leading technology 360 Vision offered. Carl Pace, Managing Director at Check Your Security explains: “To enable us to meet the current and long-term needs of our customers, we endeavor to develop partnerships with suppliers of market leading and innovative technologies.” Video Management System The close technical partnership between our companies has grown to provide many successful surveillance solutions" “Ten years ago, we wanted to secure a viable solution for one of our long term university customers, where comprehensive electronic surveillance was required on campus. Being a company with a hardware and software agnostic ethos, we turned to 360 Vision Technology and were presented with the opportunity to use the then brand-new Predator HD camera. "The camera’s superior performance meant that we could not only provide the very best imaging quality possible, but also provide on-board white light illumination capability, to add another level of safety and security for the university’s students. Due to 360 Vision Technology’s ability to listen well to our customer requirements and develop their products accordingly, we were able to assist them with on-site/real world development of the Predator product, while the 360 Vision Technology team integrated camera to a Milestone Video Management System (VMS) at the university. "During this time, we helped with many versions of the new camera, testing them at our head office and in the field. The close technical partnership between our two companies has grown to provide many successful surveillance solutions across a range of diverse applications, including hospitals, colleges, ports, corporate headquarters and critical national infrastructure sites.” Integrated surveillance solutions Our engineers are accredited across a wide range of products to ensure we provide reliable services"Mark Rees, Managing Director of 360 Vision Technology says: “As an acknowledged industry leader, 360 Vision is always looking to partner with like-minded electronic security companies, for the benefit of both partners and end-users. With our long-term technical relationship with Check Your Security, we are helping to ensure that end-users can enjoy a fully integrated, hassle-free security solution, and to promote ‘Best of British’ integrated surveillance solutions. "Check Your Security are a valued long-term 360 Vision Technology customer and technical partner. They’ve helped us to develop key technologies in our camera range, and apply their vast installation and application experience to assist our camera development fine-tuning.” development and technical resource “We understand the value of knowledge and training within our team,” says Carl. “As such, all of our engineers are fully trained and accredited across a wide range of products - to ensure we provide our customers with high-quality and reliable service, with a 99% customer retention rate we believe we must be doing something right. This knowledge and experience has been a critical element in our mutually beneficial and professional relationships we with have with all of our customers." "360 Vision Technology’s in-depth development and technical resource is always available to us, with no technical issue ever too small to warrant their attention. 360 Vision’s assistance and advice is always on the other end of the phone, and I’m sure that our working partnership will continue to grow as we develop new projects together.”

Fujifilm and Videotec announce a new collaboration, integrating top-performance products to supply an innovative solution for accurate long-range surveillance. This solution is ideal for protecting critical infrastructure and transportation networks, including airports, harbours, highways, borders and the environment. The combined system incorporates Fujifilm’s new high-end SX800 camera into Videotec’s ULISSE MAXI PTZ. Integrating the SX800 camera into the robust and precise ULISSE MAXI positioning unit is simple and fast, resulting in a first-class PTZ IP camera system for monitoring perimeters and extensive outdoor areas. Maximum resistance motors ULISSE MAXI is a powerful Full-IP PTZ for outdoor IP video surveillance, which can manage IP cameras with large-size lenses, with easy integration into a network system via ONVIF protocol. The sturdy mechanical structure and the powerful motors of the ULISSE MAXI PTZ are designed to guarantee maximum resistance to high operating stress, vibrations and to withstand harsh weather conditions. The unit is equipped with a wiper for removing rain and dust from the front glass. The SX800 camera lens offers a 40x optical zoom that covers a broad range of focal lengths from 20 mm on the wide-angle end to 800mm on the telephoto end, constantly providing sharp images and detailed closeups. It is complemented with 1.25x digital zoom to achieve long-range surveillance equivalent to 1000mm in focal length. The built-in image stabilizer accurately compensates for camera movement, typically caused by gusts of wind or structure vibrations. The system is particularly effective when shooting in the ultra-telephoto range, which is susceptible to even the smallest movement. Advanced de-Fog function With a highly sensitive sensor and advanced noise reduction, the SX800 can shoot clear footage with minimal noise even in low-light conditions. The advanced de-fog function brings vivid clarity to hazy images caused by light diffusion due to mist and dust. Alessio Grotto, President of Videotec said: “Our ULISSE MAXI coupled with Fujifilm’s SX800 is the perfect solution when operating cameras in the most challenging environments, and to get the best possible image quality while meeting the needs of the most demanding long-range surveillance applications.”

ABP Technology, a value-add specialty distributor for IP technology solutions, has obtained the exclusive rights to distribute AlarmReady™ in the United States. AlarmReady is the first universal alarm system video verification solution designed to frictionlessly attach to any IP video surveillance system. “AlarmReady is an exciting opportunity for system integrators to deliver a video verification solution – for any alarm system users may have – that enables higher situational awareness, faster emergency response, and fewer false alarms,” said ABPTech CEO Robert Messer. AlarmReady is a cloud-based solution designed for commercial buildings or higher-end homes. Its first delivery will be for MOBOTIX camera systems as a FREE beta feature included with MxLINQ™ – the cellphone universal viewer, alert, and control tool for MOBOTIX surveillance system end users. Immediate video access ActivitySensor technology helps eliminate false alarms and AlarmReady can quickly discern which cameras to show As soon as an alarm is activated at any monitored location the solution provides immediate video verification to users and owners or, if configured, to a compatible monitoring center. AlarmReady sends users alerts directly via phone, tablet, or computer and can send a text message to subscribed users to make sure the alarm is not missed. Users will see the location of the alarm as well as have immediate video access to the cameras on site that shows activity at that time. “AlarmReady together with decentralized intelligent MOBOTIX cameras and MxLINQ Cloud Access provides the highest situational awareness in the market,” said Messer. MOBOTIX-patented ActivitySensor technology helps eliminate false alarms  and AlarmReady can quickly discern which cameras to show. MxLINQ, a cloud access solution for MOBOTIX, enables the user to immediately view and forward video footage to law enforcement – including a live-link by SMS or email – to the affected location. Powerful cloud-based platform AlarmReady is a flexible and powerful cloud-based platform that can be integrated with professional monitoring systems “People are nervous in alarm situations and AlarmReady simplifies this process and guides end users directly to the cameras they need to see,” said Messer. “AlarmReady provides additional situational awareness, user-friendliness, and overall simplicity of the system. Primary design factors give the end user as seamless an experience as possible.”    AlarmReady can help prevent further harm or damage by enabling users to take a variety of actions via the MOBOTIX system. For example, users can play dissuasive Audio Messages. If set-up by a system integrator, users may also have access to turning on lights, locking doors, closing gates, or any other features on their IoT/surveillance system right then and there. This makes AlarmReady a flexible and powerful cloud-based platform that can be integrated with professional monitoring systems, offering end users and businesses a unique hybrid solution. Take a closer look at this exciting feature at the upcoming MOBOTIX Global Partner Conference in October in Mainz, Germany and Americas Partner Summit in January 2020.

Genetec Inc. (‘Genetec’), a technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence announces that Stratocast™, its cloud-based video surveillance-as-a-service (VSaaS), powered by the Microsoft Azure cloud-computing platform, now supports new camera models from Bosch, MOBOTIX and EUKLIS. Stratocast is designed to meet the needs of organizations that require a reliable and cost-effective video surveillance solution without the expenses and complexities typically associated with installing and managing on-premises surveillance systems. It offers a true cloud solution for enterprise and small business customers that want to easily deploy video surveillance in smaller footprint and remote locations. Video management system Stratocast also supports hybrid-cloud deployments for users wishing to keep certain on-premise storage Stratocast also supports hybrid-cloud deployments for users wishing to keep certain on-premise storage and infrastructure hardware while gradually transitioning everything to the cloud. Thanks to the Stratocast open architecture, the portfolio of supported devices is also continually expanding and will now support cameras from Bosch, EUKLIS and MOBOTIX, in addition to existing support for hundreds of models from Axis and Vivotek.   “A driving force behind Stratocast is to deliver a cloud-based video management system based on an open architecture with no need for a local bridge or recorders. At Genetec, we want to offer users a non-proprietary solution in the cloud so that they have the flexibility to integrate a variety of cameras to address their specific needs,” said Oktay Yildiz, Product Line Manager - Stratocast, Genetec. Cloud-Based infrastructure “With Stratocast, users can transition to a cloud-based infrastructure while potentially leveraging their existing investment in camera hardware or choosing to install new cameras from a variety of supported brands.” “The growing interest for video surveillance in the cloud is a key driver in partner integration to the Stratocast platform,” said Georges Tannous, Director of Global Alliances at Genetec. “We are excited about partner participation and these new integrations by Bosch, EUKLIS, and MOBOTIX and we are looking forward to adding more brands and models as they become available.”

Artificial intelligence (AI) is improving everyday solutions, driving efficiency in ways we never imagined possible. From self-driving cars to intelligent analytics, the far-reaching impacts of Deep Learning-based technology empower human operators to achieve results more effectively while investing fewer resources and less time. By introducing AI, solutions are not merely powered by data, but they also generate valuable intelligence. Systems which were once leveraged for a narrow, dedicated purpose, can suddenly be engaged broadly across an organization, because the previously under-utilized data can be harnessed for enhancing productivity and performance. Video analytics software The video intelligence software processes and analyses video to detect all the people and objects that appear When it comes to physical security, for instance, video surveillance is a standard solution. Yet, by introducing AI-driven video analytics software, video data can be leveraged as intelligence in previously inaccessible ways. Here are some examples of how diverse organizations are using AI-based video intelligence solutions to enhance security and performance with searchable, actionable and quantifiable insights. Law enforcement relies on video surveillance infrastructure for extracting investigation evidence and monitoring people and spaces. Instead of manual video review and live surveillance – which is prone to human error and distraction – police can harness video content analysis to accelerate video investigations, enhance situational awareness, streamline real-time response, identify suspicious individuals and recognize patterns and anomalies in video. The video intelligence software processes and analyses video to detect all the people and objects that appear; identify, extract and classify them; and then index them as metadata that can be searched and referenced. Maintaining public safety For law enforcement, the ability to dynamically search video based on granular criteria is critical for filtering out irrelevant details and pinpointing objects of interest, such as suspicious persons or vehicles. Beyond accelerating video evidence review and extraction, police can leverage video analysis to configure sophisticated real-time alerts when people, vehicles or behaviors of interest are detected in video. Instead of actively monitoring video feeds, law enforcement can assess triggered alerts and decide how to respond. In this way, officers can also react faster to emergencies, threats and suspicious activity as it develops. Video analysis empowers cities to harness their video surveillance data as operational intelligence Empowering law enforcement to maintain public safety is important beyond the benefit of increasing security: A city with a reputation for effective, reliable law enforcement and enhanced safety is more likely to attract residents, visitors and new businesses, exponentially driving its economic development. Furthermore, in cities where law enforcement can work productively and quickly, time and human resources can be reallocated to fostering growth and building community. Video surveillance data Video analysis empowers cities to harness their video surveillance data as operational intelligence for optimizing city management and infrastructure. When video data is aggregated over time, it can be visualized into dashboards, heatmaps and reports, so operators can identify patterns and more seamlessly detect anomalous. A city could, for instance, analyze the most accident-prone local intersection and assess the traffic patterns to reveal details such as where cars are dwelling and pedestrians are walking; the directional flows of traffic; and the demographic segmentations of the objects detected: Are cars lingering in no-parking zones? Are pedestrians using designated crosswalks – is there a more logical location for the crosswalk or traffic light? Do vehicles tend to make illegal turns – should police proactively deter this behavior, or should the city plan new infrastructure that enables vehicles to safely perform these turns? Finally, does the rise in bike traffic warrant implementing dedicated biking lanes? With video intelligence, urban planners can answer these and other questions to facilitate local improvements and high quality of life. Video analysis empowers cities to harness their video surveillance data as operational intelligence Enhancing situational awareness Insight into traffic trends is also critical for transport companies, from public transit services to transportation hubs and airports. By leveraging the video insights about citywide traffic, public transit organizations can make data-driven decisions about scheduling and services. Analyzing video surveillance around bus stops, for instance, can help these companies understand the specific hours per day people tend to dwell around bus stops. Correlating this information with transactional data for each bus line, bus schedules can be optimized based on demand for individual bus lines, shortening waiting times for the most popular routes. Similarly, the traffic visualisations and activity heatmaps derived from the video of major transit hubs, such as international airports and central stations, can be beneficial for increasing security, enhancing situational awareness, identifying causes of congestion, improving throughput and efficiency and, ultimately, solving these inefficiencies to provide a streamlined customer experience for travellers. Large education campuses Campus law enforcement can leverage video data to increase situational awareness and public safety Much like a city, large education campuses have internal transportation services, residential facilities, businesses and law enforcement, and video content analysis can support the campus in intelligently managing each of those business units, while also providing video intelligence to these individual groups. Campus law enforcement can leverage video data to increase situational awareness and public safety, driving real-time responses with the ability to make informed assessments and accelerating post-event investigations with access to easily extractable video data. When campuses are expanding or developing additional infrastructure, they can plan new crosswalks, traffic lights, roads, buildings and entrances and exits based on comprehensive video intelligence. By understanding where pedestrians and vehicles dwell, walk, cross or even violate traffic laws, the campus can inform construction projects and traffic optimization. Countless business operations The campus can leverage video business intelligence to justify leasing pricing for different retailers across campusFinally, the campus can leverage video business intelligence to justify leasing pricing for different retailers across campus, demonstrating property values based on traffic trends that can be correlated with retailer point of sale data. Whether its empowering security, productivity or decision-making, the insights generated by AI-based technology can drive significant optimization – especially when data is fused and cross-referenced across smart sensors and systems for even deeper intelligence. In the case of AI-backed video analytics, diverse organizations can harness video surveillance impactfully and dynamically. Whereas once video technology investments could be justified for their security value – with the introduction of AI capabilities – procurement teams can evaluate these solutions for countless business operations, because they offer broadly valuable intelligence. And video surveillance and analytics is merely one example of AI-driven solutions’ potential to disrupt business as we know it.

Artificial intelligence allows machines to do jobs previously done by people. When it comes to security and surveillance, this technology allows cameras and control room equipment to identify a wide range of threats automatically and in real time across hundreds or even thousands of cameras – allowing security teams to take immediate action to protect people and assets. AI Technology And Surveillance Solutions Artificial Intelligence technology built into surveillance solutions help organizations optimize their security Video surveillance cameras are the electronic eyes of any security operation. In the past, human supervision was needed to make sense of the images captured, and to assess whether certain events posed a security risk or not. With some organizations using hundreds or even thousands of cameras to protect their people and assets, manual review of footage is simply impossible – potentially leaving them vulnerable to security breaches. Advanced Artificial Intelligence technology built into surveillance solutions can help organizations overcome this challenge and optimize their security. This means cameras, control-room equipment and back-end infrastructure can now ‘learn’ about potential threats for themselves by recognizing people, vehicles and even behaviors. Detection And Prevention The manual interventions needed with traditional security systems mean that teams were frequently reacting to breaches that had already happened. Artificial intelligence changes all this by recognizing potential threats before they impact company’s people or assets – allowing security teams to react immediately to neutralise any potential threat. Artificial intelligence solutions can automatically trigger alerts when a person appears in a restricted area For example, artificial Intelligence solutions can automatically trigger alerts when a person appears in a restricted area, or when a vehicle with a blacklisted number plate enters a site. With alerts delivered in real time, teams can identify and react to security threats and protect people and assets more effectively. And because alerts are automated, potential threats are hardly missed or overlooked. How Does Artificial Intelligence Work? Artificial intelligence systems become more intelligent over time, building databases of potential threats and reacting to new events accordingly. This allows systems to ‘think for themselves’ and to alert teams of any suspicious events or people who are caught on camera. Artificial intelligence technologies use advanced algorithms based on Deep Learning to distinguish between different kinds of security events and threats. Technologies incorporated into the Hikvision portfolio include: Facial recognition which allows law enforcement personnel to identify suspects and commercial teams to identify VIP customers in real time. Vehicle identification which can be used to identify vehicle number plates and recognize different types of vehicles (even down to make and model), or to trigger alerts when vehicles enter restricted areas. Perimeter protection which helps organizations to identify real threats by distinguishing people and vehicles from other moving objects and keeping false alarms to a minimum. Business intelligence which employs people counting, queue detection, and heat mapping technologies, so that organizations can enhance operational efficiency by making use of the data report. Increasing Commercial Success  Artificial intelligence isn’t just useful for identifying security threats – although this is a key strength of the technology. It can also help organizations increase their competitiveness and commercial success. For example, VIP customers who opt to participate in special marketing promotions or other incentives can be identified so staff can provide the right kind of service at the right time. This gives organizations the opportunity to personalize the service experience, foster loyalty and maximize customer lifetime revenues. Artificial Intelligence can help organizations to better understand customers and meet their needs more effectively In the same way, artificial Intelligence can help organizations to better understand customers and meet their needs more effectively – leading to more commercial opportunities. One feature – called People Counting – allows stores and commercial centers to map footfall at peak times, ensuring that staffing is optimized to meet demand. At the same time, stores can see which areas of the building customers visit most and adjust their merchandising and product positioning accordingly to maximize the sales opportunities. Artificial Intelligence At Hikvision Hikvision’s family of artificial intelligence products include the DeepinView network cameras and DeepinMind NVRs. The products help to tackle security with facial recognition; monitoring and counting of people; and recognition and detection of vehicles, to name a few. These features all depend on artificial intelligence technology to recognize, classify and respond to security threats. This article was written by Hikvision.

Across the country, law enforcement officers are finding it increasingly difficult to respond to the near overwhelming number of calls coming from security alarms. Police departments commonly define a false alarm as a call, which upon investigation, shows no evidence of criminal activity, such as broken windows, forced doors, items missing, or people injured. While false alarms bog down police, they can also negatively impact customers and integrators. End users can expect hefty fines for false alarm responses, and when these customers receive large bills from the city, many turn to installers, dealers, and even manufacturers expecting them to accept the responsibility and pay the check. What First Brought The Issue Of Alarm Verification To Your Attention? It is crucial to both see a situation and concurrently listen to any corresponding sounds to gain full insight I’ve been aware of the problem of false alarms for about 5 years. I believed audio capture, through microphone deployment, could be an active part of the solution when used as a second source for indicating ‘out of the norm’ activity and as an equal component with the video surveillance technology. In 2015, I found similarly minded security professionals when introduced to the Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response. After reading PPVAR’s paper on ‘Audio Verified Alarms Best Practices; [April 2015],’ I knew that the Partnership was on to something important. In our lives, two of the five senses we count on day-in and day-out are sight and sound. It is crucial to both see a situation and concurrently listen to any corresponding sounds to gain full insight. What Is The False Alarm Rate? In 2016, the International Association of Chiefs of Police reported that over 98 percent of all alarm calls in the United States were false. This number is obviously staggering, and something we need to work towards correcting. Why Did This Issue Resonate So Strongly With You? When I first investigated this issue, I was sure that the security industry would have already recognized this and was acting to ensure improved alarm verification, preferably through a combination of audio and video technologies. However, I quickly saw that this was not the case, or even close to the norm. I have questioned the rationale behind the lack of adoption and found the deployment of audio is often hindered by the concern of privacy. I’ve spearheaded many initiatives to explain the monitoring policies surrounding audio As CEO of Louroe Electronics, I’ve spearheaded many initiatives to explain the monitoring policies surrounding audio. I’ve had to reassure many security personnel and customers how the law supports the use of audio in public places as long as there is no expectation of privacy. By dispelling fears with facts around deploying and implementing audio sensors, customers can confidently include audio in their surveillance systems and gain a more effective security solution. Who Is Affected By This? Truth be told, everyone from the end user to the manufacturer is affected by this issue. Not to mention the strain this puts on law enforcement who are tired of ‘wasting time’ and effort out in the field on these nuisance alerts. When an end user receives a check for their false alarm, many of them will immediately blame the integrator and or the monitoring center for a faulty set up and management and expect the integrator to remedy the situation, including carry the burden of paying the fines. The integrator, on the other hand, will turn to the manufacturer, assuming faulty equipment and installation instructions; therefore, looking for reimbursement for the cost. What Is The Average False Alarm Fee? It depends on many factors, and especially your first responder assigned location for responseIt depends on many factors, and especially your first responder assigned location for response. According to the Urban Institute, fees generally range from $25-$100 for the first offense, rising as high as a few thousand dollars per false alarm if a location has a large number in a single year. What’s worse, in extreme cases, alarm systems may even be blacklisted by the police dispatch center if they have raised too many false alarms in the past. Why Do You Believe Audio Is The Ideal Technology For Secondary Source Verification? Video surveillance has been the main option for security monitoring and alarm validation for decades, however industry professionals are realising that video alone is not enough. Video only tells half of the story, by adding audio capture, the responsible party gains a turnkey solution with the ability to gather additional evidence to verify alerts and expand overall awareness. In reality, audio’s range is greater than the field of view for a camera. Sound pickup is 360 degrees, capturing voices, gunshots, breaking glass, sirens, or other important details that a fixed camera many not see. How Would A Secondary Source Verification System Work With Audio? Using a video monitoring solution equipped with audio, the microphone will pick up the sounds at the time a visual alert or alarm is triggered. If embedded with classification analytics, the microphone will send alerts for specific detected sounds. The captured audio, and any notifications are immediately sent to the monitoring station, where trained personnel can listen to the sound clip, along with live audio and video from their station. When law enforcement receives a validated alarm, they can better prioritise the response From here, an informed decision can then be made about the validity of the alarm, along with what the current threat is at the location. If the alarm is in fact valid, the information is then passed along to the law enforcement within minutes. When law enforcement receives a validated alarm, they can better prioritise the response. It also provides more information in a forensic evaluation. Are There Any Additional Resources You Would Suggest Looking Into? Yes, we would suggest looking into the following to see a few different perspectives on the matter: NSA Support For 2018 Model Ordinance For Alarm Management and False Alarm Reduction Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response Support for the Term “Verified Alarm” and Prioritising Verified Alarm Responses Urban Institute Opportunities for Police Cost Savings without Sacrificing Service Quality: Reducing False Alarms

A video analytics system that provides ‘behavioral understanding’ can yield more meaningful and actionable data for a range of applications. In public safety and security, such a system can alert on violent or suspicious behaviors, such as people fighting, vandalism, people with weapons, etc. In advanced traffic surveillance and monitoring, it can provide alerts to vehicle collisions (accidents), traffic hazards or vehicle that aren’t using the road properly, such as a car that stops in the middle of the junction. For enterprise and campus security, it can provide advanced anti-tailgating and detect unauthorized activity. Video surveillance infrastructure viisights was founded by a group of entrepreneurs with track records in developing technology businesses These uses are among the benefits of viisights’ video analytics technology based on behavioral understanding of video content. “It means we can extract more meaningful data from the huge amount of video content that is captured, and we can transform that data to actionable insights that eventually justify the massive investment in video surveillance infrastructure,” says Asaf Birenzvieg, CEO of viisights. Their behavioral understanding systems for real-time video intelligence leverage artificial intelligence technology. viisights was founded by a group of serial entrepreneurs with track records in developing technology businesses. The Israeli company’s founders recognized a growing global need for intelligence to make physical and virtual public areas safer – and realized the role that smart video understanding technology can play. Developing artificial intelligence technologies viisights is committed to developing artificial intelligence technologies that facilitate human-like video understanding, which in turn serves as the basis for fully autonomous video intelligence systems powered by pattern prediction technology. “Behavioral recognition is the future of video analytics and the next generation of the object classification analytics systems that hold the majority of the market today,” says Birenzvieg. viisights has developed a video understanding technology for real-time video processing “To date most video analytics systems still base their product features on static analysis of objects from images using image recognition, even the ones that use ‘AI analytics.’ Products built using such object classification technology are extremely limited.” For example, object classification analytics cannot recognize behavioral events in a video such as people fighting or a car collision because such behaviors can’t accurately be concluded in large scale from analyzing a single static image/frame. Video understanding technology viisights has developed a video understanding technology for real-time video processing. The technology can process live video feeds. In addition to recognizing a particular object (e.g., person) and its attributes (e.g., red shirt), the system can understand an object’s actions, interactions with other objects (events), the scene being viewed (i.e., crowd is gathering, riots) and the context (a car is driving on the road or on the sidewalk). The main verticals are smart cities, enterprises and campuses, banks and ATM security“Basically, we are able to extract more meaningful data from a live video feed and therefore create actionable insights and greater ROI,” says Birenzvieg. The company focuses mostly on security and safety use-cases. The main verticals are smart cities, enterprises and campuses, banks and ATM security, security guard companies and transportation hubs. The company is working on a new product for in-vehicle monitoring mostly for security, safety, vehicle protection and proper vehicle use; it monitors passengers’ behavior inside a bus, train, or taxi. The product will come to market next year. Video management system viisights’ video analytics offering is currently optimized for server-side deployment, and the integration architecture is similar to most video analytics systems. From one side it is integrated with the video management system (VMS). They are a Milestone verified partner and soon will be part of Milestone's marketplace. From the other end, it is connected to a command-and-control system for processing the data and presenting the alerts to the end-user. The analytics company makes most sales through system integrators. They have partnerships with big system integrators like Motorola Solutions and NEC and are also working with smaller ones. They are looking to expand their system integrator network, mostly in the USA and Europe. Behaviors can have many variations and they can be very diverse Cloud video surveillance “We will continue to invest in performance and accuracy, meaning higher recall and lower false positive rate,” says Birenzvieg. “Since our major value proposition is in behavior recognition, behavior events many times are not clearly defined, which is very different from object classification. Behaviors can have many variations and they can be very diverse.” An example is a simple behavior like a person falling on the floor. A person can fall on the floor in many ways, but the challenge is to ignore similar behaviors that are not a person falling and that confuse the system, such as a person bending over to tie his shoelaces. With cloud video surveillance becoming a trend, viisights is also looking into offering some of their advanced functionalities in a video-analytics-as-a-service-model.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, present a range of threats, from the careless and clueless to the criminal. While many incidents may seem harmless, the threat to any location at any time depends on a range of factors. Drones are inexpensive for criminals to buy or make, and there are continuously improving battery, airspeed, and payload capabilities. UAVs can also fly without an RF signal to jam or hack. Fortunately, sensor technologies including radar are available for security agencies and personnel to protect assets and the public. Radio-Wave Signals Radar works as a deterrent by sending out a radio-wave signal using a transmitter antenna, and a small portion of that signal reflects off objects in its path and returns to a receiver antenna. The highest performing radars use an antenna technology called Active Electronically Scanning Array (AESA), which enables all-electronic reconfiguration of the antennas. When an AESA radar detects an object, it can ‘focus’ its antennas to track the object, in much the same way as the zoom on a camera does. Multiple objects can be tracked while continuing to scan. Kirkland, WA-based Echodyne offers a radar product that brings these ESA capabilities to non-military security applications at commercial price points. Combining proprietary hardware with intelligent software, Echodyne produces a compact, solid-state, electronically scanning array Echodyne’s ESA Radar Echodyne says they are reinventing radar price-performance for security applications in the ground (people, vehicles) or air (counter-UAS) domains. Combining proprietary hardware with intelligent software, Echodyne produces a compact, solid-state, electronically scanning array (ESA) radar that is affordable for commercial, law enforcement, and governmental customers. The company is backed by high profile investors, including Bill Gates, Madrona Venture Group, Vulcan Capital, NEA, and Lux Capital. “Radar is a sensor,” says Leo McCloskey, Echodyne VP Marketing. “It is most applicable when security professionals can both understand its capabilities and define risk assessment and deployment requirements that call for those capabilities. Our customers are primarily security system integrators and consultancies, which integrate the performance of radar into a sensor array that meets mission requirements.” Radar Technology For Border Surveillance Echodyne was selected by the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for its Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) to demonstrate the performance of its radar technology for border surveillance applications. The radar was deployed both in fixed remote surveillance towers and as a lightweight rapid deployment kit for field agents. Able to surveil ground and air domains, the radar combines versatility and commercial price with surveillance capabilities. “We set out to build the world’s best compact, solid-state ESA radar sensor, and we are demonstrating that we’ve reached that objective,” says McCloskey. “We’re excited to introduce these capabilities for other security applications.” Able to surveil ground and air domains, the radar combines versatility and commercial price with surveillance capabilities MESA Technology Echodyne’s proprietary technology provides a small true electronically scanning array (ESA) radar. Unlike expensive Active ESA (AESA) phased array radars, MESA requires no physical phase shifters, thus reducing the cost, size, weight, and power by several orders of magnitude while maintaining all the benefits of fast ESA radar. Echodyne combines its MESA technology with an intelligent software suite, Acuity, to produce a configurable, software-defined radar for commercial, law enforcement, and governmental security applications. The capability is also useful for temporary events such as rallies and marathons, and many other market applications “Technology seems to make everything more available to more people over time,” says McCloskey. “What is a retail product today will be a purchased self-assembly kit tomorrow and an improvised self-made drone the following day. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is diligently at work on creating rules for safe UAV operation, though any final rules remain some distance off. As drone volumes increase, delineating friend from foe in the airspace requires clear legal and regulatory frameworks, which are nascent but would help distinguish the threat of nuisance flyers from illegal overflight.” Radar Sensor For Security Applications “Detecting and tracking airspace objects of interest is imperative for airports, chemical plants, oil and gas installations, refineries, water and energy utilities, stadiums and other public spaces”, says McCloskey. The capability is also useful for temporary events such as rallies and marathons, and many other market applications. “As with any product, our applicability will depend on variables like location, terrain, risk assessment, and existing security technologies,” says McCloskey. “Our mission is to deliver the very best radar sensor for security applications.”

Simultaneous suicide bombings at several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on April 21 were of a scale, sophistication and level of coordination that hasn’t been seen since 9/11. Nine suicide bombers targeted three churches and three hotels on Easter morning, and the resulting casualties numbered 359 dead, including 45 children, and about 500 injured. The complexity of the attacks suggests the bombers received help from an outside organization, likely the Islamic State (IS). Sadly, security warnings from Indian intelligence officials, which might have helped to prevent or minimize the attacks, were ignored by Sri Lanka security weeks earlier. In the wake of the massacre, two of Sri Lanka’s top security officials were asked to resign, and Sri Lanka’s president promised to completely restructure state security. Contradiction To The Terrorism Report The twin calamities provide a dramatic counterpoint to an observed global decrease in terrorist attacksA motivation for the Sri Lanka tragedy is thought to be the March 15 shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, where 50 people were killed and 50 more were injured. A 28-year-old Australian white supremacist was arrested and charged with murder. Taken together, the twin calamities provide a dramatic counterpoint to an observed global decrease in terrorist attacks, as documented in a recent report. The suicide bombers in Sri Lanka were eight men and one woman, most of them well-educated and coming from the middle or upper class. One was the leader of National Thowheeth Jamaath, the homegrown militant Islamist group the government has blamed with carrying out the attacks. There is also evidence to corroborate a claim of responsibility by IS. Some 60 people have been arrested in the investigation. Even days later, police continued to find explosives and said there was still danger. Multiple Attacks One explosion on Easter morning occurred at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, 20 miles north of Colombo, where more than 100 were killed. Another bomb killed 28 people at the Zion Church in Batticaloa, and an unknown number died at St. Anthony’s Shrine, a Roman Catholic church in Colombo. The three hotels that were attacked were all in Colombo – the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury The three hotels that were attacked were all in Colombo – the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Two more explosions happened Sunday afternoon, one at a small guest house and another at the suspects’ safe house, where three officers were killed. Security at houses of worship has been a high-profile concern in the United States in recent years following incidents such as an attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in downtown Charleston in 2015 that killed nine people. Just last October, 11 people were killed and six others injured in a shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Hardening Security At Churches “It’s no longer enough to pray for a safe and secure environment,” commented Patrick Fiel of PVF Security Consulting in an Expert Panel Roundtable discussion. “Churches are soft targets. Clergy and parishioners will need to work closely with security consultants and local law enforcement to harden their facilities.” Access control, CCTV solutions and mass notification systems are all helpful and can be placed unobtrusively so as not to interfere with aesthetics of the church, Fiel adds. The scale and scope of the bombings in Sri Lanka provide a wakeup call to the global likelihood of terrorist attacksIt doesn’t appear technology would have made much difference in the case of the Sri Lanka attacks, although awareness and vigilance can have an impact. At Zion Church in Batticaloa, for example, a bomber was stopped by pastors from entering the congregation area where some 500 people gathered. Because of their suspicions, the bomb was instead detonated in a courtyard where children were eating breakfast; 28 people died. The scale and scope of the bombings in Sri Lanka provide a dramatic wakeup call to the continuing global likelihood of terrorist attacks. The last territory of the Islamic State in Syria fell in March, but IS and its ideology live on, and continue to be a global terrorism threat. And that’s just one among many possible sources of terrorism worldwide. Hopefully, the recent incidents do not foreshadow more attacks that are even more deadly.

Idesco devised a transparent reader to simplify Infobric’s construction site system management, making it powerfully adaptable to widely different market needs and technology standards. For a while, construction sites have provided a textbook example of how much electronic access control systems can benefit managers. Controlling access to a site, including restricted zones, machinery access (such as lifts and elevators), increases both security and safety, while also helping track authorized personnel and even equipment utilization. Ensuring regulatory compliance Infobric Ease possesses a wide range of functionality, from site access to energy control and much more An automatic, electric system, with that much functionality combined in a single service meets a high-value need in the construction industry. Today, Infobric provides a cloud-based digital platform, Infobric Ease, to help construction site managers monitor and secure key elements, such as site safety, while increasing worker productivity and ensuring regulatory compliance. Infobric Ease possesses a wide range of functionality, from site access to energy control and much more. In addition to simplifying site management and boosting worker productivity, it simplifies sites’ compliance with staff ledger regulation across a number of European countries. Worker productivity has been enhanced by the elimination of queues to register new staff on site and attendance. Lastly, controlled access increases worker safety while reducing theft and vandalism. Simplifying worker attendance monitoring Cloud management contributes even more to time and labor cost savings while also letting site owners conveniently fulfill their law-mandated employer obligations. To prevent tax avoidance and illegal workers, some European countries require construction site managers to upload the employee data registered in their staff ledgers – which Infobric Ease also provides, thereby also simplifying worker attendance monitoring. In short, the digital tracking of all this data saves significant time and money. The RFID industry commonly labels this type of reader ‘transparent’, because it seamlessly transmits transponder data Infobric integrated Idesco’s 9 CD 2.0 Slim Pin T reader into Infobric Ease as its vital front-end interface with construction workers. The RFID industry commonly labels this type of reader ‘transparent’, because it seamlessly transmits transponder data – fully-encrypted to ANSSI Level 1 Architecture specification – directly to a system, without any mediating keys. This lets systems themselves directly control all aspects of transactions – including data collection and reader response – resulting in both a highly secure and a cost-effective solution. Several identification card standards For integrators like Infobric, 9 CD 2.0 Slim Pin T’s direct, ‘transparent’, interaction between transponder and system not only simplifies transactions. It also lets them use more of the available features in the chips in workers’ transponders. This further benefits site owners and security managers because system updates can be implemented with greater agility and cost savings. “There are several identification card standards we adapt our products and systems to work with. So, we really wanted a card reader we could use in all our markets, without needing different hardware updates after a system upgrade or launching a new functionality across our different markets. The ‘transparent’ reader from Idesco turned out to be the perfect solution”, says Björn Hilliges, IT & Electronics Director at Infobric. Product design and expertise Every month, the Infobric Ease system handles approx. 11,000,000 card readings" “Infobric and Idesco have been co-operating for more than 10 years and through several product development projects. Over the years, Idesco repeatedly demonstrated their excellent quality in both product design and expertise, always providing us with products and solutions that reliably withstood very rough, inclement conditions amid frequent use at our customers’ construction sites,” says Björn Hilliges, IT & Electronics Director at Infobric. “Every month, the Infobric Ease system handles approx. 11,000,000 card readings. So, Idesco is a key partner for Infobric, and each day their readers fill a vital role at approx. 15,000 construction sites,” says Björn Hilliges, IT & Electronics Director at Infobric. Convenient regulatory compliance Infobric ease benefits for construction sites Convenient regulatory compliance on staff ledger registration in numerous European countries Increased productivity by reducing administrative tasks Time savings from agile system updating (despite differing card standards in different markets) because reader updates are no longer needed Enhanced reader functionality for workers with included keypads Reliability of Scandinavian-designed readers that are robust, weather-proof, maintenance-free Sites can now substantively help prevent undocumented labor and unprofessional contractors Infobric Ease features: Cloud-mediated service Seamless data collection Energy control Regulatory-compliant staff ledger Automated electronic access Mobile attendance & access Staff access control Vehicle access control Machine control Smart locks Making construction sites safer Infobric designs systems that make construction sites safer, more productive and reduce costs. Infobric’s solutions ensure the right people are in the right place at the right time at the site. Infobric provides with the best-working solution for the worksite, for both work hours and after, in packages that have been serving successfully on European construction sites large and small. Their goal is to become the digitization partner for the construction industry in the Nordics. With 30 years of experience, RFID technology pioneer Idesco Oy makes RFID readers, transponders, controllers and touch screen devices. Every day, for customers around the world, their devices collect data and enhance security for a variety of access control, vehicle identification, logistics and inventory systems.

When you’re securing premises in Iceland, you need a reliable system that can cope with both plummeting temperatures and low-light levels. Hikvision cameras were used in such a solution – chosen by Securitas Iceland to secure a harbor for customer Samskip in Reykjavik. Global logistics company Samskip is one of the larger transport companies in Europe with offices in 24 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. They operate an extensive network of container services to and from Iceland, along with refrigerated cargo logistics and international forwarding around the world. Special kind of surveillance system One of their locations is a harbor in Reykjavik, which includes warehouses. Operating in sub-zero temperatures and with low-light even in daytime for some of the year, Samskip needs a special kind of surveillance system. When temperatures are as low as -30˚C, electronics can become unresponsive, or stop working completely When temperatures are as low as -30˚C, electronics can become unresponsive, or stop working completely. These are also the temperatures where maintenance is more challenging – these are not ideal environments for technicians to be working outside. The biggest snow depth ever recorded in Iceland was 279cm in North Iceland in March 1995, for example. Although this was the worst winter ever recorded, it gives an idea of the potential extremes. There are also snow storms and the high wind chill factor to contend with. Providing clear images in failing light Low light in the winter months means that solutions in Iceland need to be better able to provide clear images in failing light. During winter, Iceland’s high latitude means shorter days - the longest day in the middle of December has only 5 hours of light, for example, with the sunrise at around 11am and sunset between 3 and 4pm. Despite these unique conditions, Samskip needed to have a good overview over all that is happening around the harbor complex, both inside and outside. Specifically, they needed to be able to trace products and goods in the warehouse. Iceland’s security provider, Securitas, rose to the challenge, providing a solution using more than 150 Hikvision products, including PanoVu and DarkFighter® cameras. All these cameras can operate to a temperature of -30˚C. Identifying potential issues The PanoVu cameras provide excellent wide angle surveillance to cover as much of the area as possible. DarkFighter technology is a popular choice in Iceland because it gives clear, useful images even in the lowest of light scenarios. The smart function on the cameras means that operators are able to identify potential issues by analyzing people's behavior. The solution included Seagate’s high-stability Skyhawk drives, especially developed for surveillance applications They can also trace a product between locations and see its condition at receipt and delivery, enhancing both security and business efficiency. To complement the Hikvision solutions, Securitas chose Seagate as their preferred storage vendor with their Skyhawk. The solution included Seagate’s high-stability Skyhawk drives, especially developed for surveillance applications. Providing reliable security Skyhawk surveillance drives are equipped with enhanced ImagePerfect™ firmware to deliver ultimate reliability and zero dropped frames, and SkyHawk Health Management, a software designed for prevention, intervention and recovery. Bergvin Þórðarson, Samskip’s Security Manager, says: “The cameras meet the requirements for analysis of people and merchandise. We are confident with both Hikvision and Securitas – in both their product and people. We know that they will fix any issues and react quickly if there’s a problem.” Securing large areas can be a challenge all on its own, but the addition of potentially crippling weather conditions means a security solution needs to be robust. Hikvision cameras were up to the challenge and provided reliable security for the entire operation.

Leon Medical Centers is a privately-owned healthcare organization with seven state-of-the-art facilities serving over 46,000 elderly and Medicare patients in Miami and neighboring communities in Dade County, Florida. Established in 1996 by Benjamin Leon Jr., Leon Medical Centers is one of the largest and most prestigious primary healthcare organizations in the state. However, what really sets it apart is its rigorously enforced service philosophy of ‘personal attention at all times’ and its commitment to treating its patients with the ‘dignity, respect, compassion and human kindness that they deserve.’ Mobile video recorders Leon Medical Centers began deploying previous-generation March Networks mobile video recorders in 2011 In keeping with its commitment to exceptional service, Leon Medical Centers operates a fleet of 230 buses that pick up patients, take them to their appointments and return them home. To ensure their safety in transit and monitor compliance with its service philosophy, it relies on an integrated March Networks® RideSafe™ video surveillance solution. Leon Medical Centers began deploying previous-generation March Networks mobile video recorders in 2011. “We had another vendor’s equipment up to that point, but the system couldn’t support IP video,” said Erick Martinez, Leon Medical Centers’ Security Systems Manager. “At the time, we were using analog cameras and wanted to upgrade to higher definition video. We were also experiencing a lot of issues with hard drive failures.” Hybrid network video recorders In 2014, Martinez began upgrading to RideSafe GT Series Hybrid Network Video Recorders (NVRs), and now has 120 of the new mobile recorders in addition to almost 200 older March Networks mobile DVRs. The RideSafe GT Series recorders are available in 8, 12, 16 or 20-channel models with hybrid capability allowing end users to migrate from 100 percent analog to 100 percent IP video. An embedded Linux-based operating system, ruggedized design offering protection against shock, vibration, dust and moisture, solid state electronics, and internal battery backup make the RideSafe GT Series recorders ideal for reliable operation in punishing mobile conditions. A hard drive mirroring capability ensures redundancy and storage flexibility, while health monitoring proactively alerts system administrators to hard drive failures, irregular temperatures or synching issues with cameras. Safety of our passengers Our patients are elderly, so if there’s a slip and fall incident, we want to have evidence of what happened" Each Leon Medical Centers bus is equipped with six March Networks cameras. Five of the cameras are mounted to capture interior views and the last is used externally to capture video of passenger entry and exit points. “Our focus is on the safety of our passengers,” said Martinez.  “Our patients are elderly, so if there’s a slip and fall incident, we want to have evidence of what happened. We also use the system to confirm compliance with our service standards. Our drivers are the first and last points of interaction with our patients, so if there’s an issue, we want to be able to review and rectify it.” In the event of an incident in transit, the driver is able to push a button on the dashboard to tag the associated video. Diagnostic imaging services When the bus arrives at one of the clinics, the tagged video automatically down-loads through a Wi-Fi hotspot to a server for immediate review by Leon Medical Centers risk management personnel. While in range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, the system also downloads health alerts and can also upload any scheduled software updates or new device settings. For routine video downloads, there’s hardly ever a need for Martinez’s staff to board a bus. “Wireless downloading saves us a lot of time,” he said. “It makes incident reporting much more efficient when we need to have an issue resolved. It helps a lot.” The seven Leon Medical Centers are one-stop-shop facilities with onsite labs, pharmacies, diagnostic imaging services and dental clinics. Traveling to multiple locations Leon Medical Centers operates four Healthy Living Centers with modern gyms, exercise and yoga classes This convenient service model enables patients to see their family doctor or a specialist, have blood work done, get an X-ray and fill prescriptions without having to spend time traveling to multiple locations. Each center has a café, where patients can have a coffee and socialize. And to help patients stay fit, Leon Medical Centers operates four Healthy Living Centers with modern gyms, exercise and yoga classes, seminars and other programs. Patients who require surgery or a hospital procedure are picked up and delivered by Leon Medical’s bus transportation service. On arrival, they’re greeted and escorted to their destination by staff from Leon Medical’s Hospital Service Centers, which are located within all of the major Miami-Dade County hospitals. Aside from the seven centers and four Healthy Living Centers, Leon Medical operates a fleet maintenance garage and a 300,000 square-foot corporate headquarters. Video management software Martinez says that the fixed facilities are also being equipped with March Networks 8000 Series Hybrid NVRs, which are managed using the same March Networks Command video management software powering the mobile recorders. Having a single software solution to access and manage video - regardless of whether it’s recorded on a bus or in one of the medical centers - means that Leon Medical Centers doesn’t have to train staff on multiple software systems. It also provides the organization with complete oversight of its clients and operations. Once again, it’s all about patient safety and service excellence. “If a patient loses a purse or a wallet, for example, we’ll be able to find it for them on one of our buses or in a clinic. Or if they have an issue with an employee, we’ll be able to review the video and take care of it,” said Martinez. Video surveillance infrastructure Martinez and his staff are trained to take full advantage of all the Command software functionality A Microsoft certified engineer, Martinez heads up a department solely focused on overseeing Leon Medical’s video surveillance infrastructure. “This department didn’t exist four years ago,” he said. “I was part of the IT department responsible for PC support. Mobile security was handled by transportation at the time. I thought it would be a good idea to create a separate department with IT expertise to look after mobile security, and senior management agreed.” Martinez and his staff are trained to take full advantage of all the Command software functionality. For example, they’re able to manage video viewing privileges to ensure users have access only to those cameras corresponding to their roles or responsibilities. They’re also able to take advantage of Command’s support for Microsoft Active Directory integration, which collects established user account information from Leon Medical’s corporate network directory. Patient safety and service excellence This allows them to select users from the company directory, assign a profile and customize their user interface to display the tools needed for their role. Looking ahead, Martinez and his team will be busy this year, as Leon Medical Centers continues to expand. We have four construction build-outs planned, including a four-story, 80,000 square-foot building" “We have four construction build-outs planned, including a four-story, 80,000 square-foot building and two parking garages - one six-floor and one seven-floor garage - so there will be opportunities for additional fixed video surveillance systems. Because we lease our buses for three years, we’re also always adding to our transportation fleet, so we’ll continue swapping out our 5308 recorders in favor of the newer GT Series.” “March Networks has served us well,” said Martinez. “Without a high-quality, reliable video surveillance system, we would have a much more difficult time fulfilling our commitment to patient safety and service excellence. It’s that simple.”

A video surveillance system with around 40 IP and thermal cameras from Dahua Technology has been installed at Yarmouth Harbor on the Isle of Wight. The harbor consists of a large marina, docks for the Wightlink Ferry terminal, and pontoons and boat moorings upstream. The previous system was becoming outdated, with poor picture quality and cabling issues. Following a number of thefts from boats and boat fires in neighboring harbors, a new solution – including a thermal imaging capability – was specified. Sensitive fire alarm system Automatic people-counting technology has been incorporated into the cameras to as a health and safety measure The Dahua cameras are a mix of thermal bullets, IR bullets, Ultra PTZs, IR domes and fisheye cameras. The thermal cameras are especially suited to wide area outdoor video surveillance and are ideal for the large, water-based environments at the harbor. The cameras feature Vox uncooled thermal sensor technology and high thermal sensitivity at less than 40mK, enabling them to capture more image details and temperature fluctuations. With a built-in fire detection functionality, the cameras provide an extremely sensitive fire alarm system. The IR bullet cameras feature highly efficient H.265 encoding technology, PoE and IR illumination at up to 50 meters, as well as a wide dynamic range, providing vivid images even in the most intense contrast lighting conditions and delivering powerful day/night surveillance in a compact package. At one of the moorings upriver, there is no power supply on isolated pontoons, so wind power and solar energy have been harnessed to operate the cameras. Automatic people-counting technology Images are transmitted wirelessly back to a control room at the main harbor office. When the control room is not staffed, Yarmouth Harbor can nominate individuals to receive alerts and images on their tablets and smartphones via the Dahua surveillance app. The surveillance system has transformed our ability to monitor the harbour for safety and security" As well as the harbor itself, the system also covers the adjacent Yarmouth pier, a Grade II listed structure said to be the longest wooden pier in the UK and recently refurbished. Automatic people-counting technology has been incorporated into the cameras at the pier’s entrance to monitor numbers on the pier as a health and safety measure. Straightforward use “The new surveillance system has transformed our ability to monitor the harbor for the safety and security of our customers, staff and the visiting public,” said Dave Rice of Yarmouth Harbor Commissioners. “The HD picture quality is superb and you can pick out people’s faces, so there is no comparison with the previous cameras. The system has proved straightforward to use and we are delighted with its performance to date.” “This proved an interesting project to work on, not least because parts of the installation had to be carried out by boat,” said Chris Snell, managing director of security installation firm, Central Southern Security. "The Dahua equipment has been a pleasure to work with and will provide Yarmouth Harbor with a great solution for many years to come.”

Abu Dhabi is a major cultural and commercial centre in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accounting for roughly two-thirds of the UAE’s economy. While oil and natural gas make up a large portion of its GDP, Abu Dhabi has positioned itself as a premiere tourist destination, with major investments in luxury resorts and business hotels. Consequently, public safety is a top priority — and FLIR Systems is playing a critical role in the city’s long-term safe city initiative. Recently, the Abu Dhabi Monitoring and Control Center (ADMCC) was tasked with integrating all public access cameras onto a single platform to provide fully uninterrupted coverage of the city. This is in compliance with the Safe City 2030 vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE. As part of this initiative, ADMCC launched the Falcon Eye project, where surveillance cameras and sensors would be installed across the city to enable real-time situational awareness, threat detection, data collection, data sharing among public safety organisations, and crime prevention. Updating video management system To manage such an extensive system under the Falcon Eye project, ADMCC needed to update its VMS softwareFalcon Eye expands Abu Dhabi’s existing surveillance system to thousands of license plate recognition cameras and surveillance cameras, with cameras equipped with video analytics and/or facial recognition capabilities. To manage such an extensive system under the Falcon Eye project, ADMCC needed to update its video management system (VMS) software. ADMCC sought a VMS that would provide enhanced image quality, as well as increased storage and integrity of streamed video. The VMS also needed to be able to incorporate current, emerging and future technologies, such as Big Data, cyber protection, smart cameras, analytics at the edge, and automated camera management. Additionally, ADMCC required a cost-effective VMS that would seamlessly integrate with the existing physical security management information (PSIM) without compromising any data or operations from subsystems. Reliable software solution for video surveillance Previously, ADMCC had a strong relationship with FLIR, having deployed an older FLIR United VMS version for several years. After careful research and evaluation, ADMCC chose to continue partnering with FLIR as the industry leader in advanced video solutions in the safe city sector. ADMCC selected the most recent FLIR United VMS release as its VMS for the Falcon Eye initiative. FLIR United VMS is a reliable, enterprise-level software solution for video surveillance supporting an unlimited number of cameras over IP networks. Complying with ONVIF Profile S, Latitude ensures greater compatibility between cameras and the VMS Part of FLIR’s award-winning United VMS platform, Latitude features enhanced cyber security protocols. Its distributed server architecture enables unlimited scalability, multi-site deployments and sophisticated network topologies. Latitude’s open platform functionality provides advanced edge device integration, bringing together hundreds of third-party technologies. Complying with ONVIF Profile S, Latitude ensures greater compatibility between cameras and the VMS. Integrating Latitude and PSIM solution ADMCC upgraded to the recent United VMS version in June 2017. With special support from the FLIR team, the integration of Latitude and ADMCC’s in-house PSIM solution was successfully completed without any data loss. Adding value to the integration was the presence of an in-house FLIR engineer, who provided insight and guidance throughout the process. “FLIR is considered one of ADMCC’s trusted vendors, delivering regular upgrades and specialist support to our operations when needed,” said His Excellency Saeed Al-Neyadi, Director General at ADMCC. “The on-site FLIR engineer provided an immeasurable value to ADMCC.” Ensures maximum integrity and reliability One of the defining characteristics of United VMS is its simplicity and easy user interface. United VMS offers simplified access in managing and controlling video operations for the support staff. For all safe city projects, the preservation and availability of data is paramount. United VMS ensures maximum integrity and reliability with exceptional failover, disaster recovery capabilities" “The use of actionable information through data collection is vital in running such a huge scale operation such as Safe City initiatives,” Mr. Khalfan Al Hassani (ICT Director) said. “United VMS ensures maximum integrity and reliability with exceptional failover, disaster recovery capabilities, and 24/7 redundant recording.” Day/night safety of city and residents ADMCC oversees one of the world’s leading safe city solutions that utilises license plate recognition, facial recognition, video analytics and video management from over 45,000 sensors spread across the Emirate. United VMS serves as the central operational platform for all data of this unified platform, providing an efficient combination of video software and server hardware. By utilizing the state-of-the-art technologies and subsystems brought together by United VMS, ADMCC ensures the safety of the city and its residents at all hours of the day and night. “United VMS has given ADMCC a reliable, stable, robust and secure platform for the past six years,” said Al Hassani. “It underpins a custom PSIM solution that supports various government agencies in Abu Dhabi helping the city to be ranked the ‘Safest City in the World.’”

Globally renowned sensor solutions provider, HENSOLDT will equip the Norwegian Coast Guard vessel “Svalbard” with the latest version of its TRS-3D naval radar and MSSR 2000 IIFF System. This is already the second upgrade contract from the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency as HENSOLDT is already under contract to equip the three new Arctic Coast Guard Vessels in the P6615 Program with the upgraded radar and IFF system. TRS-3D naval radar system Under both contracts worth more than € 27 m HENSOLDT will deliver four TRS-3D radars including the latest solid-state technology and signal processing software and will deliver them from 2021, in parallel to the building program of the new Arctic Coast Guard vessels. The TRS-3D includes a secondary radar MSSR 2000 I for Identification-friend-or-foe (IFF). It operates all current IFF modes, including the latest “Mode S/Mode 5 Level 1/2” standard answering the most recent NATO requirements. Our TRS-3D naval radar is an extremely reliable radar, particularly suited for littoral missions" “Our TRS-3D naval radar is an extremely reliable radar, particularly suited for littoral missions”, said HENSOLDT CEO Thomas Müller. “We are taking the upgrade contract of the Norwegian Coast Guard as proof of the customer’s satisfaction with our product and services”. Air and sea surveillance TRS-3D is a three-dimensional multimode naval radar for air and sea surveillance. It includes the ability to correlate plots and tracks of targets with the MSSR 2000 I identification system for automatic identification of vessels and aircraft which is essential to avoid friendly fire and to establish a comprehensive situation picture. It is used for automatically locating and tracking all types of air and sea targets and safe guidance of on-board helicopters. Thanks to its signal processing technologies, the TRS-3D is particularly suited for the early detection of low flying or slow moving objects under extreme environmental conditions. Naval surveillance and security More than 50 units of the radar are in operation with naval forces around the world. Among the ships equipped are frigates and corvettes of the German Navy, the US Coast Guard National Security Cutters and the "Squadron 2000" patrol boats of the Finnish Navy. 

When it comes to security and to ensuring the integrity of gaming operations, today’s casino market is risk-averse. Regulations direct the required surveillance of table games and slot machines, while modern casinos are often sprawling complexes that have a variety of other risks to be addressed, too. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the challenges of the casino market relating to security and surveillance technology?

Technology advancements often come with new terms and definitions. The language of our marketplace evolves to include new words that describe innovations in the industry. In the skilled hands of marketers, terms intended to be descriptive can also take a new element of ‘buzz,’ often presaging exciting developments that will drive the future. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable:  What new buzzword have you heard, and what does it mean for the industry?

Video cameras are everywhere, and hundreds more are installed every day. Our society appears to be reaching a point of perpetual surveillance. It certainly feels as if we are always being watched even though it is not yet the case. But as cameras are becoming more common than ever, we are also entering a new era of privacy concerns and sensitivities, as evidenced by GDPR and other such initiatives. We presented this quandary to this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Surveillance cameras can go anywhere, right? Where is it “not OK?”