Wireless surveillance

Figures from the 2018 edition of ‘The Wireless Access Control Report’ show continued strong growth for wireless vs. wired solutions. Why do you think security and facility managers are “cutting the wires” more and more? Advantages Of Wireless Access Control The energy-efficiency of wireless doors delivers significant cost savings"Russell Wagstaff, Director for Commercial Access Solutions, ASSA ABLOY EMEA says, “Among the many advantages of wireless discussed in the report, I would highlight two. Firstly, removing the need to cable every door makes it much easier and more economical to bring many more doors into your access system. So, wireless technology can upgrade your building’s security in an instant. Secondly, the energy-efficiency of wireless doors delivers significant cost savings. The standard batteries’ locks usually have long lives, and only fully ‘power up’ when there’s a credential to read. Wired doors are generally connected to the mains 24/7.” The new report forecasts growth in wireless locks for “non-door” applications (lockers, servers, and so on) to outgrow those for doors. Why is wireless technology especially suited to these “non-doors”? Russell said, “Partly it’s about convenience. The more applications that can be secured and unlocked with a single credential, the better for site users. Facility managers benefit from the wider scope of their access system, which gives them more control. In addition, because these ‘non-door’ devices are wireless, access control can easily extend outdoors. Padlocks for gates, machinery locks, storage lockers. With the right lock, these can all be secured within the same access control system as your front door.” Wireless And Real-Time Access Control For SMBs What specific problem did SMARTair solve at ULab? Enrique Burgos, Director at uLab: “In addition to regular daily traffic [of around 100 staff], weekly traffic can almost multiply by ten if an event is held. We needed an access control system as flexible and convenient as SMARTair.” One of Spain’s newest co-working spaces, uLab’s vision incorporated the latest in security, accessibility and design to create a 21st-century business center. Wire-free SMARTair delivered real-time access control to accommodate both regular daily traffic and busy one-off events. Wireless Access Control In Large And Complex Businesses With CLIQ key-based access control, audit trails for every lock, key and padlock are available on demand, so monitoring contractor visits is easy How does the flexible access management, offered by CLIQ, impact day-to-day security? Christophe Nublat, Head of Study & Works Division, Eau de Valence, France: “All the energy is in the key. There is no power supply to the lock, and therefore very little maintenance. Also, electronic and mechanical cylinders are managed by the same key.” The municipal water authority of Valence supplies safe drinking water to 65,000 local residents. It also manages 4 boreholes, a storage unit and 300km of water pipes. With CLIQ key-based access control, audit trails for every lock, key and padlock are available on demand, so monitoring contractor visits is easy. Weekly mandatory key revalidation provides another layer of security. Five of their keys are equipped with CLIQ Remote technology, so supervisors can also update access rights on the move, via Bluetooth. Aperio Wireless Locks-Axis Door Controller Integration The new report picks out ‘integration’ as a growing trend — with an overwhelming majority of survey respondents saying integrated systems are ‘important’ or ‘very important’ at a site. How does integration with ASSA ABLOY Aperio wireless locks benefit AXIS Entry Manager customers? Stephanie Hensler, Business Development Director at Axis Communications: “Axis completed integration of the Aperio RS485 hub with our AXIS A1001 Door Controller. AXIS Entry Manager is our web-based access control system, built into the A1001 Door Controller. Because most users value real-time access, we chose to integrate with an Aperio online hub. Users appreciate how intuitive it is to manage this integrated solution.” Wireless Access Control Is Cost Effective Aperio battery-powered escutcheons and cylinders with card readers are now fully integrated with Pacom’s Unison system Can switching to Aperio wireless access control deliver concrete budget benefits? Magnus Svensson, Infrastructure Manager at Lund University: “Aperio has proven to be very cost effective. We have been able to reduce the time we spend on user management and system administration radically.” After 20 years, Lund University’s Faculty of Law was looking to upgrade its access control system. Aperio battery-powered escutcheons and cylinders with card readers are now fully integrated with Pacom’s Unison system. Aperio locks work with the existing MIFARE smartcards, so there was no need for 42,000 students and 7,500 staff to return their smart-cards for reprogramming, or even to visit update readers to reactivate their permissions. Every door or card is still managed centrally from a single admin interface.

Pulse Secure, global provider of enterprise Secure Access solutions has announced the release of Pulse Policy Secure 9.0 to enable organizations an easier, flexible and VPN-integrated path to next-generation Network Access Control (NAC). The latest release incorporates more than 36 new features and enhancements; advancing visibility, usability, endpoint and IoT security, and threat response capabilities. As a result, enterprises can strengthen their security posture and mitigate malware, data breaches and compliance risks. “With growing attacks, BYOD and data privacy issues, enterprises must get a handle on users, endpoints and IoT devices accessing their network resources,” said Tony Massimini, senior industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “Pulse Secure is distinguished by offering the benefits of both pure-play and infrastructure NAC providers. Unlike infrastructure NAC, Pulse Secure is integrated and works with popular switches, wireless, and security infrastructure to facilitate deployment and threat response. Unlike pure-play NAC offerings, Pulse Secure offers VPN and NAC solutions that amalgamate mobile, cloud and network oversight. The combination delivers enterprise value for user, endpoint and IoT visibility, as well as threat response.” Pulse Policy Secure Pulse Policy Secure (PPS) is an enterprise-class NAC solution that delivers network visibility, “comply to connect” policy enforcement and security orchestration Pulse Policy Secure (PPS) is an enterprise-class NAC solution that delivers network visibility, “comply to connect” policy enforcement and security orchestration with popular switch, wireless controller, NGFW, SIEM, EMM and endpoint security solutions. PPS tackles the challenges of securing corporate networks, which are being redefined by Hybrid IT, mobile devices and IoT. Frost & Sullivan predicts that IoT connections will reach 45.4 billion by 2023. IoT brings new exposures as mobile, wearables, medical and other IP-enabled devices are introduced to the corporate network. Policy Secure 9.0 boosts compliance enforcement with broader endpoint discovery mechanisms, vulnerability assessment to prevent malware attacks such as WannaCry, as well as OS and patch management verification to safeguard Windows and macOS devices. Beyond supporting TACACS+ for role-based network device support, the release also streamlines user experience by incorporating host checking caching, directory, authentication and firewall integration techniques to reduce login prompts, authorization and device compliance time. Pule Profiler and Secure 9.0 Pulse Profiler, sold separately or integrated within PPS, automatically identifies managed and unmanaged devices Pulse Profiler, sold separately or integrated within PPS, automatically identifies managed and unmanaged devices (e.g. printers, VOIP phones, cameras) that are connecting to the corporate network. The system dynamically monitors for device profile and security state changes. The new version further extends IoT device discovery, classification and management features with added means to ascertain new and custom IoT devices, and to apply policy for conditional access. Policy Secure 9.0 further enables threat response orchestration. PPS can share identity and endpoint information with popular network and security infrastructure, as well as receive network policy enforcement requests from external solutions. The release extends integration with Palo Alto Networks, Checkpoint, Juniper and Fortinet firewalls to enrich their operational context, as well as to allow the firewall to invoke NAC endpoint network segregation or blocking. IoT Security and Threat Mitigation Organizations understand NAC advantages for visibility, IoT security and threat mitigation" "Organizations understand NAC advantages for visibility, IoT security and threat mitigation, but perceive the technology to be cumbersome. The latest release of Pulse Secure NAC continues to advance our deployment, usability and integration capabilities while delivering enterprise-class functionality,” said Scott Gordon, chief marketing officer at Pulse Secure. “With our unique means to offer a simple, unified NAC and VPN solution, we allow enterprises to gain essential intelligence, compliance and protection for remote, cloud and data center access.” Pulse Secure offers organizations an easy, flexible and scalable path to next generation NAC: Start with the Pulse Profiler for dynamic endpoint and IoT device visibility, assessment, inventory and monitoring Deploy Pulse Policy Secure for automated guest management, mobile on-boarding, endpoint remediation, network enforcement and threat response Streamline implementation with wizard templates and the means to phase in access enforcement, network coverage, and core integrations Scale cost-effectively with the PPS appliance, which includes a high-performance RADIUS server supporting up to 50,000 concurrent devices Centrally manage appliances and over a million endpoints though the Pulse One console Simplify and expedite NAC deployment for Pulse Secure VPN customers by leveraging the same user client, policy framework and centralized management console Network Access Control Solutions The evolution of Network Access Control solutions is critical to the security industry" "We are seeing more IoT deployments especially within our larger clients in healthcare and manufacturing and we welcome the enhancements to Pulse Policy Secure that help to discover and protect a wider array of devices,” said David Hood, MD of ANSecurity, “The evolution of Network Access Control solutions is critical to the security industry and deeper support for next generation firewalls and other security platforms offered by the new 9.0 release will go a long way towards helping organizations to simplify security in what is an increasingly complex infrastructure landscape.”

Siklu Inc., the global supplier of mmWave wireless solutions, has awarded Convergint Technologies, worldwide service-based systems integrator, as their Top Security Systems Integrator Partner in North America in 2017-2018. This decision was based upon the successful partnership between the companies over the past 2 years.  Siklu Wireless Fiber Solutions Siklu’s wireless fiber solutions were chosen by Convergint in a number of video surveillance projects across North America, including University Village in Seattle, the cities of Gardena, Lakewood, Bakersfield and many more. Recent projects include the Columbus International Airport, where Convergint upgraded local area network connectivity by installing Siklu’s multi-gigabit radios in two days. This solution provided interference-free connectivity as a fiber extension throughout inclement weather conditions. A broad selection of Siklu mmWave wireless products with a range of frequencies and distances are supported in the partnership, including P2P as well as P2MP, leveraging narrow beams in the uncongested frequency bands of 60-70/80 GHz, which are immune to heavy Wi-Fi signals. Transmitting high bandwidth information across security networks, the mmWave solutions are ideal for mission critical and smart cities deployments that demand secured always-on connectivity. We are extremely pleased with the overall performance of Siklu’s solutions" mmWave Wireless Products “We are extremely pleased with the overall performance of Siklu’s solutions,” said Tony Varco, VP Security Division at Convergint. “Our customers increasingly demand advanced solutions that perform at a high level combined with a low cost of ownership, and Siklu’s technology delivers in both areas. They offer a scalable, high-capacity wireless solution without compromising reliability and enables Convergint to continue to deliver high-quality service.” “We’re pleased to work with Convergint as one of our leading security partners,” said Eyal Assa, CEO of Siklu. “Siklu expands the infrastructure offering for Convergint customers, enabling them to benefit from industry-leading performance to create a network which is ready for the next generation of IoT.”

Nice S.p.A., the Italian international home automation and home security company, has announced continued expansion into the smart home category with the acquisition of FIBARO, global brand in the smart home and home automation industry. The transaction, which was public as of Friday, July 13 is valued at €63 million/$73 million US and includes the entire share capital of Fibar Group S.A., including its US subsidiary. Founded in 2010, FIBARO has established itself on 6 continents and in over 100 countries as one of the most advanced wireless systems for the smart home. As the first smart home manufacturer to introduce an entirely wireless home automation system, the company has been constantly developing its product portfolio and adding new functionalities since inception, earning FIBARO the reputation of an innovator in the fields of both smart home solutions and the Internet of Things (IoT). Nice Group is a renowned international home automation and home security company with headquarters based in Italy Home Automation and IoT Solutions Nice Group is a renowned international home automation and home security company with headquarters based in Italy. The company provides comprehensive integrated automation solutions for gates, garage doors, solar shading systems, parking systems, wireless alarm systems and home security for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Nice Group sells its products in more than 100 countries through 30 subsidiaries, dozens of distributors, and has 12 production plants located around the world. “We’re thrilled to join forces with Nice, a company that shares our values and passion to further innovative work on our smart home system and other IoT solutions,” stated Maciej Fiedler, CEO of Fibar Group S.A. “Since the founding of FIBARO, we’ve been driven to design and build an intuitive and functional system for the smart home. We were looking for an investor that would allow our company to develop the way we planned, as well as provide us with the necessary resources to further our R&D research and benefit from our advanced technical know-how. We’re very excited about this venture and how our combined solutions and technologies will enhance both product portfolios.”  FIBARO has a complete range of integrated smart home products including the FIBARO Home Center hub FIBARO Home Center Hub FIBARO has a complete range of integrated smart home products including the FIBARO Home Center hub, award-winning multifunction sensors, and innovative scene controllers among other devices across the ecosystem. FIBARO plans to continue developing products for the smart home and leveraging key technologies through improved integrations with existing Nice product lines while gaining access to a wide distribution network as well as greater R&D production capabilities. The transaction, valued at $73 million, is Nice Group’s biggest investment to date in the smart home and IoT market. In April 2018, Nice also acquired Abode Systems, Inc., an American company that specializes in complete home security and automation solutions that offers professional-grade security with no contracts or required monthly fees.

The three-day IFSEC International Conference and Expo was a sight to see as more than 27,000 attendees from around the globe descended on London's ExCeL to attend the event. Central to the show was the exhibit hall, where manufacturers across the industry demonstrated the products, services, and solutions designed to keep people safe and add more intelligence to comprehensive security plans. In a time where threats are becoming more diverse and complex, caused in part by rapidly developing technology, the tools, and knowledge required to combat attacks are becoming equally diverse. As a result, IFSEC itself is transforming into an integrated security event, bridging the gap between physical and cyber with innovative new products, education central to this mission, and the opportunity to share ideas and knowledge with fellow attendees. ACT Enterprise Access Control Solution Vanderbilt showcased the ability of its upcoming release of ACT Enterprise access control solution during the show As part of this new vision for IFSEC International, Vanderbilt showcased its wealth of knowledge and product innovation that encompasses the integrated approach to security alongside its sister company ComNet, demonstrating the power of connectivity and advanced security tools to meet the needs of today's enterprise organizations. Vanderbilt showcased the ability of its upcoming release of ACT Enterprise access control solution during the show, emphasizing the need for advanced wireless integrations and smartphone app functionality. The system gives users the power to access the network, receive notifications, and administer access rights - all from the palm of their hand. Vanderbilt's Executive Vice President - Global Sales David Sullivan sat down with IFSEC Global to discuss the company's developments, including the incorporation of video into access control and the ability of intrusion alarms to send push notifications directly to mobile applications on a user's smartphone. SourceSecurity met with Vanderbilt leaders to discuss the company's focus on integrations during the show, noting the critical integration between the SPC intrusion detection system and software from Milestone. Additionally, Vanderbilt's ACT Enterprise now integrates with ASSA ABLOY's Aperio wireless locking solution. 2018 IFSEC Global Security and Fire Influencer Vanderbilt's parent company, ACRE, was also on site to offer support for its brands during the show. ACRE CEO Joe Grillo was recognized during this year's event as a 2018 IFSEC Global Security and Fire Influencer in the Security Tech Leaders category for his ability to drive technological innovation and elevate the industry globally. While IFSEC is over, Vanderbilt continues to embody its mantra to be Ready for Any Challenge as customers look to the company to solve some of their most challenging security problems, building integrated, robust and scalable solutions that will serve them well for years to come. Till next year, IFSEC.

Hikvision, a global supplier of innovative video surveillance products and solutions, will have an unmissable presence at IFSEC International 2018. With the largest stand at the event (D300), visitors will have the opportunity to view and examine the latest technology that is defining the surveillance industry. Hikvision’s innovations include self-learning Artificial Intelligence (AI), deployable across a wide range of vertical market sectors. On demonstration will be queue and crowd management, a powerful new Video Management System (VMS), DarkFighter ‘low-light’ superior technology, and thermal imaging powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) – as well as a host of other technological advances for a multitude of applications and environments. Hikvision’s stand will highlight the intruder alarm solutions of Pyronix, and feature additional technology partners who will show ‘value added’ features that complement Hikvision solutions to provide an enhanced level of performance or a greater return on investment for the end user. See first-hand, how AI is revolutionizing the surveillance technology landscap Revolutionary AI Surveillance Technology Visitors at the D300 stand will see first-hand, how AI is revolutionizing the surveillance technology landscape, with Hikvision demonstrating a variety of new products in its AI Series: Queue Management Technology: Live queue information analysis providing real time alerts with the ability to provide data reports/analysis, for optimization of business service and operational efficiency. Deep in Mind: Crowd density analysis - optimise, analyze and generate alert levels of crowds with detailed reports in different time frames. Reduce false alarms (up to 90%) by distinguishing target type, improving the efficiency of perimeter defense and operational costs in monitored applications. Deep in View: Deep learning algorithm for human behavior analysis (loitering, falling down) and demonstrating highly accurate face capture. Technology that delivers information regarding vehicular activity, such as illegal parking detection will also be on display. Deep in View Facial Recognition: Deep Learning facial recognition technology integrated with access control will allow people quick and convenient entry to offices using secured biometric identification. Thus, ensuring a convenient system for quick access Another AI-powered product on display at IFSEC 2018 will be Hikvision’s Deep in View Thermal camera, which can distinguish objects based on target type, reducing false alarms by up to 90% and providing appropriate notifications.HikCentral brings multiple technologies into one intelligent platform, utilising the advanced benefits offered by the AI Series Innovative Video Management Systems Hikvision’s new video management system, HikCentral, brings multiple technologies into one intelligent platform, utilizing the advanced benefits offered by the AI Series to deliver complete integrated surveillance solutions in one comprehensive, simple-to-use package. Intelligent Surveillance Solutions There will be a host of other products and solutions on display at the Hikvision stand. These will include: Intelligent Traffic System solutions: Deep Learning-based check point systems and smart parking management solutions. Thermal solution: A feature demonstrating the wide-ranging benefits of thermometric and bi-spectrum thermal technologies. Turbo range: The revolutionary 5.0 generation of Hikvision’s Turbo HD range, with AI technology built-in. Access control and intercom: All the latest developments in access products and systems. DarkFighter X: The latest, most powerful addition to the ultra-low light camera range. Mobile and portable solution: With premier AI technologies built-in, the mobile solution delivers functionality such as driver behavior analysis and passenger counting in conjunction with iVMS-5200P. Easy IP 4.0: New products and solutions from the simple-to-install Easy IP range. Panovu/PTZ: The award-winning multi-sensor range of powerful, full scene coverage products including multi-sensor, panoramic and PTZ models. Hikvision can introduce new products and features to the market rapidly and efficiently Hikvision Multi-level R&D System Hikvision can introduce new products and features to the market rapidly and efficiently as a result of its continued investment dedicated to research and development. Hikvision now has more than 20,000 employees, including more than 10,000 R&D engineers. The company invests 7 to 8 percent of its annual sales revenue in research and development for continued product innovation. Hikvision has established a complete, multi-level R&D system that includes every operation from research to design, development, testing, technical support, and services. Based at its Hangzhou headquarters, the R&D teams operate globally, including centres in Montreal and Silicon Valley, as well as Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Wuhan in China. Hikvision Video Surveillance Technology Hikvision UK & Ireland Sales Director, Gary Harmer, says: “We are delighted to be attending and supporting IFSEC again this year as the global leader in the video surveillance industry. We are excited to share our latest technologies with new and existing partners and their clients. We’ll be featuring 10 product areas and will be discussing the latest innovations and applications in Artificial Intelligence. We’ll also be taking part in IFSEC’s ‘Show Me How’ initiative, where we will be displaying live demonstrations of our solutions. Keep your eye out for more impressive surprises with Hikvision during 2018 as we continue to grow in the UK market.” Hikvision’s stand will also showcase the work it does with its technology partners, including Seagate, Eagle Eye, Western Digital, Optex, Milestone Systems, IPS, and Netgenium Hikvision Partner Presence Hikvision’s stand will also showcase the work it does with its technology partners, including Seagate, Eagle Eye, Western Digital, Optex, Milestone Systems, IPS, and Netgenium. Representatives of each of these partners will be available to talk with visitors about how their solutions integrate with and complement those of Hikvision. Pyronix Intrusion Detection Solutions Intruder alarm specialist Pyronix is part of the Hikvision group of companies, and at IFSEC International 2018 will be showcasing the latest innovations in its control panel range on Hikvision’s stand. The new range includes the ProControl+ app, which brings video and intrusion together on one app, and features integration with Hikvision cameras for the first time. Pyronix’s new range of WIFI cameras will also be on show, demonstrating the total WIFI solution, designed largely for residential and small commercial applications. Pyronix will be showcasing future developments to this range, with exciting new features coming in the future to further enhance the user experience and drive value to installation companies. EZVIZ Smart Home Security Visitors will also have the chance to see the latest from Hikvision’s consumer brand, EZVIZ, a premier provider of smart home video technology, alarms and cloud services. EZVIZ offers a broad range of smart home video security solutions for multiple applications EZVIZ offers a broad range of home video security solutions for multiple applications, all of which have features such as 2-way audio, night vision, local, network and cloud recording, plus other specific features such as whole room coverage, auto tracking and active alert (siren and strobe alert built in to the camera to deter unwanted activity). Other products in the range include smart alarms, doorbells and security lighting, all of which integrate though a single app. The EZVIZ range of smart home video cameras can be directly integrated with Google Assistant and Alexa, with a range of Apple Home Kit products becoming available later this year. Amazon Echo Show and Spot allows users to stream their camera footage to their devices. All an EZVIZ user needs to do is simply say, "Alexa, show me the camera in the living room," and the feed from an Internet-connected camera will send the video to the Echo Show or Spot. Hikvision IFSEC Prize Draw All visitors to the Hikvision stand who submit business cards during Tuesday and Wednesday of IFSEC will be entered into a prize draw, the details of which will be available on the stand. The winners of the prize draw will be announced on Wednesday evening during the show. Visit Hikvision on Stand D300 to be in with a chance of winning.

CCTV security deployments require high reliability and availability in order to prove truly effective In recent years, there has been incredible growth in the security video surveillance market with law enforcement agencies embracing video surveillance to enhance security in problematic areas across cities. But these projects require connectivity to carry video feeds from multiple deployed CCTV cameras distributed over one or more sites, to the control room for viewing and recording and analysis. Because of network congestion and interference issues, it is critical for transmission technology capabilities to improve. In this article, three systems integrators discuss the challenges they face with network CCTV projects and how millimeter wave technology has helped them to provide the speed, capacity and connectivity needed for today’s data-heavy security system deployments.  What are some of the challenges inherent in designing and installing video surveillance systems? Marc Hancock, Technical Director Of Net View Systems: There is so much noise, as we like to call it, or traffic on traditional wireless networks (sub-6 GHz networks) that interference proves to be quite a common problem. Obviously, that is a significant issue when the wireless network is part of a city’s critical infrastructure, used for its CCTV security. CCTV security deployments require high reliability and availability in order for the CCTV system to prove truly effective but with traditional wireless networks, there is often not enough bandwidth or reliability to deliver the camera responsiveness required. Craig Lerman, President And CEO Of LTW: Public safety networks employ mission critical voice, data and video solutions that cannot lockup or go offline during a storm Reliability is paramount when you are working in the public safety space, no matter what the current weather or ambient radio frequency environment is outside. It is critical that wireless network-based surveillance solutions are engineered properly for the environment in which they are operating. In addition, the wireless network components must be resilient, temperature hardened and be designed to operate in the target environment. Public safety networks employ mission critical voice, data and video solutions that cannot lock up or go offline during a storm.  Nick Metcalfe, Technical Sales, TrellisWorks: Five years ago, two megabytes per second (mbps) was enough bandwidth for each camera on a traditional wireless CCTV network. As camera technology has progressed, that number has gone up significantly. Today, each camera requires anywhere from 10 to 32 mbps of bandwidth, due to the high resolution of 1080p HD cameras and the addition of analytics and other tools. When designing an enterprise or town CCTV network, you can very quickly need 100 mbps. Getting that much bandwidth on a traditional 5 GHz wireless network is very difficult.  How is millimetre wave technology affecting your surveillance projects and designs? What is it helping you do that you couldn’t achieve before?  Marc Hancock, Technical Director Of Net View Systems: MmWave has provided huge cost savings, while delivering a better network and higher video resolution to the customer. We began using mmWave to address the interference experienced on traditional wireless networks, particularly with our city CCTV and traffic projects, and also with critical infrastructure customers, such as power companies. The mmWave backhaul links that we are using for security deployments are cost effective for us as a company and for our end users due to the power and speed of mmWave technology. We can install fewer links or hops as a result. For some projects, we also previously had to lease Internet Service Provider (ISP)-controlled fiber lines for customers to get the required reliability, capacity and speed. Because of mmWave’s fiber-like performance, we can use the radios to replace fiber lines, which provides cost reductions and allows us to directly design and control the entire network.  The attractive price with the high performance make MmWave a perfect fit for video surveillance wireless networks Craig Lerman, President and CEO Of LTW: We have been using millimeter wave for a while now and have deployed many links in our larger city-wide deployments. We recently deployed millimeter wave radios in our project with the City of Bethlehem, Pa., for the Hoover-Mason Trestle, which is a recreational walking path 40 feet above the ground at an old steel mill that has been converted to an entertainment venue. Obviously, there was concern for visitor safety due to the height of the walkway and its use at night, so LTW installed millimeter wave radios for increased bandwidth and throughput for the site’s video surveillance system, addressing a lot of the same issues that we mentioned above: bandwidth loads, throughput speeds and reliability and durability in extreme weather conditions. We have found that millimetre wave is really the most cost effective way to access high capacity throughput. The attractive price with the high performance make it a perfect fit for video surveillance wireless networks. Currently, you can buy millimetre wave radios with five GB/sec throughput, which will soon be 10 GB/sec throughput, which is as fast as fiber.  Nick Metcalfe, Technical Sales, TrellisWorks: As the density of deployment in the 5 GHz frequency band increased, we began using mmWave radio links because the mmWave frequency bands can provide much greater throughput for wireless CCTV systems and at a very affordable price. With mmWave, you never run out of bandwidth and you always have the ability to change an uplink or downlink as needed. Interference from other networks is a rare occurrence. In our designs, we often use a combination of mmWave radio links in conjunction with traditional 5 GHz links, depending on the nature of the project. Now, we are seeing a trend in which many town councils are replacing leased fiber infrastructure with wireless networks that use mmWave radios for their CCTV systems. The speed and bandwidth are nearly the same as fiber, but the cost is significantly less. Do you expect that adoption of mmWave technology will increase within the physical security industry?  Marc Hancock, Technical Director Of Net View Systems: CCTV is being driven by the need for capacity and millimeter wave lends itself perfectly for that application, especially when priced competitively Many of Net View’s security projects involve traffic light control systems and variable message signs near roadways as part of a city’s CCTV security network. Obviously one can’t trench fiber in all of those locations and even when it is possible, it is costly. Since its prices have decreased significantly in the last few years, mmWave technology has become the best choice when fiber is not an option. It is the underlying network design and topology that makes a security system effective and mmWave is allowing us to provide the powerful network needed for today’s bandwidth-heavy CCTV systems.  Craig Lerman, President And CEO Of LTW: CCTV is being driven by the need for capacity and millimeter wave lends itself perfectly for that application, especially when priced competitively. Millimeter wave radios have the right form factor, capacity and scalability for the ever-evolving video surveillance systems of today. In addition, the millimeter wave frequency band enables high density deployments without the frequency re-use limitations imposed by lower frequency (sub 6 GHz) solutions. Nick Metcalfe, Technical Sales, TrellisWorks: As I mentioned, many cities are considering replacing fiber or traditional wireless networks with mmWave technology and in general, the need for higher capacity and more robust wireless CCTV networks is certainly increasing. Through rapid product development, Siklu enables integrators like TrellisWorks to meet our customers’ demands and requirements. In the future, I think we will see more interest from systems integrators in deploying mmWave links because of how effective mmWave is and because it is easy to install. Ofcom is the U.K. regulatory body for communications and it requires systems integrators to register all wireless networks and links. Five years ago, there were a few hundred registered mmWave links. Today, there are thousands and that number is only going to continue to grow as technology advances and bandwidth demands increase. {##Poll33 - Which technology do you use to transmit CCTV/video data over your network?##} Meet The Integrators: LTW: Pine Brook, N.J., United States Specialty: systems integration for wireless, network, security and energy solutions. Primary focus in public safety deployments, including law enforcement, municipal and state and local government. Net View Systems: Bradford, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom Specialty: designing and installing integrated electronic security systems and their infrastructure, including traditional analog systems and High Definition and IP systems. TrellisWorks, Ltd.: Thatcham, Berkshire, United Kingdom Specialty: designing and installing comprehensive network wireless solutions, radio and 4G communications, IT support maintenance, mobile data routing and simulation.

DIY—the fastest-growing segment of the residential alarm market—has evolved from a niche trend into a major event in which the big dealers are “in” but the small dealers are not. But the good news is that new partnership programmes emerging from central stations are leveling the field so that even the smallest dealers can get themselves an “in.” Why board the DIY train in the first place? It’s become clear the DIY craze is here to stay, with capital investment companies starting to back the big security players (with multiple healthy accounts) to venture into the DIY space. The catch, of course, is that this trend-turned-norm is increasingly threatening the traditional security channel. And the dealer community can simply no longer afford to ignore it. Cause Of The DIY Trend Getting to the core of what’s driving this shift, Millennials and other tech-savvy groups are hungry for DIY. There is a growing demographic that wants to install things themselves, and they manage their lives through a host of wireless apps. They look for miniature battery-powered sensors with adhesive wall devices to eliminate having to run wires or turn a screwdriver. And while these systems may not be the highest quality with the most features, performance is not always what drives their buying decisions. Instead, an affordable and functioning solution that can be controlled on a smart device delivers everything today’s DIY-er needs - without the inconvenience of scheduling an installation. Put bluntly, there are very few young people who are willing to pay $30 per month or more for any alarm system, deviating from the traditional alarm business. Small Security Alarm Dealers Lack Capital There are very few young people who are willing to pay $30 per month or more for any alarm system, deviating from the traditional alarm business But it is the future. The big DIY players are working extremely hard to give young and tech-savvy consumers what they want – and making a lot of money in the process. Smaller alarm dealers understand the opportunity for incremental DIY business but they have no way to play the game. The winners invested millions to develop custom hardware, eCommerce platforms, logistics systems, smartphone apps and technical support centers to create a complete DIY ecosystem.  This kind of investment is beyond the reach of the typical dealer; an insurmountable barrier to enter into the fastest growing segment of the alarm market.  The truth is that for the typical alarm dealer, working capital is tight because the dealer ends up financing the alarm contract to cover the sales, hardware and installation costs to create the account. Role Of Central Stations So how can a typical dealer nudge his or her way into the DIY game? It turns out, the central stations that monitor their customers are key. While the dealer may not have the resources to provide a simple DIY offering with incremental RMR, the large central stations do.  In fact, some leading wholesale central stations are providing Honeywell’s DragonFly Security System, a DIY “business in a box,” designed to get small alarm dealers on an equal playing field. The main advantage is not any one feature, but the opportunity for a new and evolved business model that better reflects modern purchasing behaviours. Here’s how the DragonFly Security System concept works: The central stations offer their dealers a turn-key solution that includes a dealer-logo website, eCommerce platform, fulfilment logistics, smartphone app, technical support and central station monitoring.  The dealer promotes their website to consumers, where they can order their security system and have it shipped direct.  The consumer then uses the app on their smart device to install the hardware and set up their account.  The account information is uploaded directly to the central station and the customer’s credit card is charged each month for Basic Monitoring (currently $10) or Premium Monitoring (currently $30).  The central station collects the money and pays the dealer; $6/month on the Basic and over $20/month on the Premium plan.  While it may be a new approach for many dealers, it could not be easier.  Obviously, $6/month to a dealer is significantly less than the $45/month paid for a traditional high-end alarm BUT the consumers buying the DIY solution off the website are entirely incremental and do not buy professionally installed system anyways, so it’s an added fee.  Furthermore, the dealer’s website does not have geographical boundaries and can reach far beyond the footprint of the dealer’s local sales/installation team.  Everything is handled by the DragonFly Security System platform so the dealer doesn’t have to deal with inventory, installers, working capital, or call centers. All they need to do is promote their website to consumers through email, web advertising, electronic newsletters and social media campaigns - and collect RMR for every system sold.   Essentially, it means bonus RMR from unserved markets, without distracting existing sales and installation teams from the traditional business. Central stations are key for typical dealers wanting to enter the DIY game Easy Install Approach The DragonFly Security System hardware of the DIY “business in a box” includes battery-powered indoor and outdoor wireless cameras, consistent with the easy-install approach crucial for DIY.  The consumer receives video alerts of activity on their smartphone and can decide to disarm/dismiss or dispatch.  Clicking “dispatch” immediately sends the alarm and video clip to the central station for police response.  Through the app, consumers can invite neighbours to become “followers” to receive outdoor video alerts to protect the neighborhood (indoor cameras remain private).  The invitation encourages “followers” to purchase their own system as part of a viral sales strategy to bring the customer’s friends and neighbours into the dealer’s account base. Now, apartment buildings, distressed neighbourhoods, rental properties, and college students become viable targets; demographics that have typically been beyond the reach of traditional alarms sold with internal or external financing.  And there is no requirement for a credit score because the consumer pays for the hardware up front (currently $199 for the basic system including shipping) when they order it online.  Incremental RMR For Small Dealers This refreshed—yet simple—business model opens incremental markets that the financial model made impossible.  The central station option means the typical alarm dealer can now play in the DIY space and make incremental RMR from the rising tide of Millennials flooding the market, without the huge investment of creating their own solution. DIY may still be a major game with cheering crowds, but it’s no longer only for the big companies with deep pockets.  All a dealer needs is a Central Station that offers this concept within their range of services.

Wireless surveillance systems are attractive to customersas they are cost-effective and easy to install Various studies, market statistics and forecasts project growth for the surveillance market from 2016 to 2020. Besides needs ranging from traditional analog cameras to IP network cameras, more and more consumers also have a high interest in intelligent surveillance systems. Along with safety, these systems provide additional details for users in applications such as people counting and object tracking. As terrorist attacks become more serious, people and governments are eager to find solutions to prevent incidents and protect safety and property. Therefore, with the increased demand for security products, surveillance companies are pushing themselves to launch more innovative and higher quality products for customers to satisfy a variety of needs. Wired vs. Wireless Surveillance System Surveillance applications can be separated into two types – wired surveillance systems and wireless systems. An original wired surveillance system requires much more equipment to complete an entire system, such as switches and cables. However, wireless surveillance systems are attractive to customers as they are easy to install and also save the cost of wiring. Hence, more and more consumers tend to search for wireless surveillance solutions for their flexibility and cost effectiveness. What Are WiFi, 3G and 4G? Before introducing wireless surveillance systems, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the differences among WiFi, 3G and 4G. WiFi is a local area wireless computer networking technology that allows electronic devices to network without cords or cables. WiFi is based on the IEEE802.11 network standard, and different protocols will provide different features. WiFi mainly uses the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ISM radio bands. Meanwhile, the data transfer is protected and encrypted by WPA and WPA2 security standards, and the EAP authentication standard. WiFi could be the most popular wireless communication protocol, which can be used for indoor and outdoor applications. Differences between WiFi, 3G and LTE (4G) 3G is short for third generation, which means the third generation of mobile telecommunications technology. 3G telecommunication networks support services that provide an information transfer rate up to 700 kbps (3.5G uplink 5.7Mbps). Unlike WiFi service, which users access through networking hotspots, users of 3G must be subscribed to a service provider to get network connectivity. Most devices connect to the 3G network through their SIM card or a 3G data card. In contrast to 3G, WiFi has a distance limitation; the device must stay close to the access point to ensure network connectivity. However, 3G transmission is broader; as long as there is a signal, the device can connect to the network easily. 4G (LTE) is the fourth generation of mobile telecommunications technology. LTE stands for Long Term Evolution. It’s a term used for a particular type of 4G that delivers the fastest mobile Internet experience. 4G is ideally suited for services that demand more capacity, such as video streaming, mapping and social networking. Compared with 3G, users are able to have up-to-date information faster than ever, regardless of upload or download data. 4G means that a network offers peak data rates of at least 100 Mbps for high-mobility communication like users in cars or trains, etc., and at least 1 Gbps for low mobility communication such as pedestrians and stationary users. Wireless Surveillance System Advantages Wireless surveillance combines wireless transmission with network video surveillance to create a powerful solution that overcomes the challenges that prevent many people from installing surveillance and monitoring systems. These challenges can include distance, lack of network infrastructure, environmental conditions, and costs. Wireless systems can overcome these obstacles and work exceptionally well for monitoring separate building units or rural areas where there is a long distance between two sites. There are also numerous add-ons for wireless systems.   Wireless surveillance systems perfectly protect the structural integrity and maintaina building’s beauty without sacrificing safety Cost-Effective: Wire-Free Wireless surveillance systems are an undeniably cost-effective solution for the users, not only saving the material cost but also the time of installation and maintenance. Implementing a wired surveillance system can be a massive issue for installers and also extremely time consuming due to various challenges of placement. Therefore, a wireless IP surveillance system can offer a more affordable solution for the user, and this financial benefit can continue for a couple of years after the installation through maintenance cost savings. Building Protection And Aesthetic Wireless installations keep the building’s aesthetic appearance intact as users do not have to worry about wires and the means to conceal them. Instead, users can enjoy a safe environment with an aesthetic and clean placement. Wireless surveillance systems perfectly protect the structural integrity and maintain a building’s beauty without sacrificing safety. For users who have these particular kinds of surveillance needs, wireless solutions can perfectly match their expectations. Flexible And Scalable: Less Infrastructure Limitation For an environment that lacks a complete infrastructure, it would be difficult to build a wired surveillance system. Digging and burying a fiber network may not be desirable for all locations, such as historical monuments, farms, parking lots or wilderness. However, a wireless solution can conquer this challenge by using a wireless infrastructure for connectivity. Cameras do not need to be permanently located next to a wired network; instead, they can be set up anywhere as long as the signal can be reached. Moreover, wireless solutions are available for even the largest scale deployments, and are also available in ruggedised enclosures for deployment in all weather conditions. Meanwhile, the entire wireless surveillance system setup can be moved to a new location easily and quickly. Conclusion Consumers have more and more excellent options when it comes to wireless surveillance security systems. Wireless systems now offer complete functionality, flexibility, and ease of use compared to wired system. The innovative technology promises users a better and safer living environment, and surveillance companies will continue developing more valuable products and solutions.

Security is more-than-ever linked to consumer electronics, especially in the residential/smart home market. CES 2018 in Las Vegas is therefore brimming with news that will have a direct impact on the security market, today and especially looking into the future. Products for the future of security   CES is a giant trade show for consumer electronics with 2.75 million net square feet of exhibitor space and featuring more than 3,900 exhibitors, including 900 startups - in contrast, ISC West has some 1,000 exhibitors. During the week-long show welcoming 170,000-plus attendees from 150 countries, more than 20,000 new products are being launched. The products incorporate ingredient technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G that will also be familiar elements as the future of the security industry unfolds. Familiar players at security shows also have a presence at CES, and many consumer technologies on display offer a glimpse of what’s ahead for security The areas of consumer electronics and security are closely intertwined. For example, Apple recently expanded near-field communication (NFC) support to include the NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format), which will likely accelerate the adoption of smartphones for access control credentialing. In another recent development, Amazon acquired Blink, a home security camera startup that offers wireless home security systems. The acquisition aligns with Amazon’s effort to offer more home devices. Key Security Technologies At CES 2018 Familiar players at security shows also have a presence at CES. For example, Bosch is highlighting its “Simply. Connected” portfolio of smart city technology to transform security as well as urban mobility, air quality and energy efficiency. Many consumer technologies on display offer a glimpse of what’s ahead for security. Are Panasonic’s 4K OLEDs with HDR10+ format or Sony’s A8F OLED televisions a preview of the future of security control room monitors? At CES, Johnson Controls is announcing support for Apple HomeKit now offered in their DSC iotega wireless security and automation solution. Consumers can manage both their security system and also other home automation abilities using Apple’s Home app, or Siri on their iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. Interlogix is announcing new features and components of its UltraSync SmartHome system, including hands-free voice control, high-definition cameras, an LTE cellular module and soon-to-be-released doorbell camera. The areas of consumer electronics and security are closely intertwined Developments In Crime Awareness ADT has a high profile at CES, including the launch of its ADT Go mobile app, equipped with 24/7 emergency response from ADT’s live monitoring agents and backed by Life360’s location technology, providing emergency response, family connectivity, safety assistance and crime awareness.  ADT is also unveiling a video doorbell and expanding its monitoring to cybersecurity. IC Realtime is introducing Ella, a cloud-based deep-learning search engine that augments surveillance systems with natural language search capabilities across recorded video footage. Ella enables any surveillance or security cameras to recognise objects, colours, people, vehicles and animals. Ella was designed using the technology backbone of Camio, a startup founded by ex-Googlers who designed a simpler way to apply searching to streaming video feeds. It’s a “Google for video:” Users can type in queries such as “white truck” to find every relevant video clip. Smarter homes and smarter computers Do-it-yourself smart home security company Abode Systems announces iota, an all-in-one system giving customers more freedom and flexibility to build out and monitor their smart home. The new form factor has a built-in full-HD resolution camera enabling customers to see and hear what’s going on in their home 24/7 while a built-in gateway supports hundreds of devices to make homes more convenient, safer and more secure. There is also support for Apple HomeKit. Highly programmable and high-performance platforms will no doubt play a role in the future of video surveillance systems in our market  The Z-Wave Alliance will host 30-plus leading smart home brands in the Z-Wave pavilion at CES. A full walk-through home will demonstrate different brands working together to create one cohesive smart home experience. Sigma Designs unveils its 700-Series Z-Wave platform, including numerous performance and technology enhancements in energy-efficiency and RF performance. Personal protection in attendance Self-defence product company SABRE will debut a combination pepper spray with dual sound-effect personal alarm that “alternates between the traditional wailing sound and a primal scream, while a strobe blinks 19 times per second to disorient assailants.” SABRE’s Modern Fake Security Camera includes “sleek, realistic design to deter would-be thieves.” Chip maker Ambarella is introducing the CV1 4K Stereovision Processor with CFflow Computer Vision Architecture. The chip combines environmental perception with advances in deep neural network processing for a variety of applications, including video security cameras and fully autonomous drones. At CES, applications will focus on automotive uses, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), self-driving, electronic mirror and surround view systems. The highly programmable and high-performance platform will no doubt play a role in the future of video surveillance systems in our market. A full walk-through home will demonstrate different brands working together to create one cohesive smart home experience Extending home security and efficiency  The Ring whole-house security ecosystem creates a “Ring of Security” around homes and neighbourhoods. Products include “Stick Up” indoor/outdoor security cameras, integrated LED lighting, a “Ring Alarm” integrated bundle for $199 including a base station, keypad, contact sensor, and Z-Wave extender. “Ring Protect Plans” include 24/7 professional monitoring. The “Streety” phone app, from Vivint Smart Home, extends home security into the neighbourhood. Streety makes it easy for neighbours to monitor neighbourhood activity through a network of shared residential cameras. They can keep an eye on kids, cars and property through live video feeds and use recorded video clips to investigate incidents. A new device making its debut at CES is the Walker “commercialised biped robot,” from UBTECH Robotics, which provides a complete home butler service and is designed to ease the day-to-day operations of a busy home or office. The varied of functions includes video surveillance monitoring, security patrol monitoring, motion detection and “instant alarm,” as well as dancing and playing games with children. The company says Walker will “bridge the gap between technologies that were once only available in scientific research institutions and everyday people.”

Creating and accessing intelligence is increasingly part of the mission of corporate security departments, and of Safe Cities applications. Such capabilities were previously the domain of military and government applications, but the same approaches used to provide intelligence from military bases can also be applied to Safe Cities and corporate security projects. Edge360 is a six-year-old company with roots in the military and Department of Defense surveillance. Now, Edge360 is looking to apply that expertise to the Safe Cities and physical security markets. Unifying Existing Systems Their approach is to unify existing systems into a functioning whole, and to fill in the missing elements in the process. “We take a look at what corporate entities have already leveraged, and then we figure out how to bring them together into a whole system,” says John Rezzonico, CEO of Edge360. “What we have seen is that cities focus on buying a camera, a license plate recognition (LPR) system, or access control, but they don’t consider what they are doing with it. We come out of the intelligence space, and we look at the ‘big picture’ system.” In focusing on that “big picture,” Edge360 has done a lot of integration work over the years. However, they have also developed some products to help fill those gaps – the missing elements – in systems. As the name indicates, the company focuses on edge devices and how they can be combined to provide “360 degrees” of intelligence. Slingshot “normalizes” the datato a standard and easy-to-access format, and indexes the data tobe easily searched by the enduser PSIM For Data One of the products Edge360 has developed is called Slingshot, which Rezzonico describes as a “PSIM for data.” PSIM historically has referred to a physical security information management system. Rezzonico’s nickname for Slingshot’s capabilities refers to collecting data from various (existing) databases and then making it easily accessible to an end user. It’s a “data fusion” appliance that leverages data from multiple sources in a variety of formats. It then “normalizes” the data to a standard and easy-to-access format, and indexes the data to be easily searched by the end user. The appliance allows end users to search for data with “Google-like” speed and then to view a “normalized” summary of data results (i.e., in a consistent format) that, again, is reminiscent of the results in a Google search. Slingshot emphasizes “speed of discovery;” in other words, the appliance creates and accesses a summary of available data, and searches the summary rather than all the databases. That’s a faster process. Once the data is discovered, retrieval focuses on a single record rather than having to scan the entirety of the databases. Each physical location installs one Slingshot appliance to compile and process local databases. Each appliance can accommodate up to 30 million records and 50 users with a user interface. Appliances can communicate with other appliances in other locations, and data is accessible (although protected) in the cloud. The new data element works with and expands the capability of a customer’s existing PSIM system, which ties together physical security systems. "We’re trying to show thatyou can leverage what youhave invested in, and onlyuse appropriate equipment" “There are a million different types of database query systems. Some are very sensitive to what you put into them; they’re time-consuming,” says Rezzonico. “You put the query in and then you have to wait for it to come back. Since we do it with an index, we take the load from the system and provide the result. We allow them to discover information quickly, because it’s indexed. The time to discovery is the most important element.” Video Management System Interface Slingshot is just one component Edge360 is bringing to the physical security market. Another is called Rhino, which is a “VMS light” designed to tie directly into a PSIM system. The PSIM serves as the system interface and makes a video management system (VMS) interface (“front-end”) unnecessary. Another product from Edge360 is a hybrid wireless/RF surveillance box that can be easily deployed to capture video wherever needed (and redeployed as threats change). The boxes will be shown at ASIS in Orlando, and are applicable to special events such as the Boston Marathon or even a protest march. “We’re trying to show that you can leverage what you have invested in, and only use appropriate equipment,” says Rezzonico. “There are some ‘light’ products that can augment your systems. We focus on the operational needs of customers, not selling the catalog. We are an integration house, and we simply want to deliver cost-effective solutions based on our experiences in the government and military sectors – but at a lower cost.”

Might the future of video surveillance include the use of intelligent contact lenses that incorporate tiny built-in cameras that can record video at the blink of an eye? It seems a little far-fetched, but it’s definitely an idea that’s on the drawing board. Three tech giants – Google, Samsung and Sony – have all sought to patent designs for intelligent contact lenses that include built-in CMOS camera sensors that record video, follow a person’s gaze and are controlled by blinking and eye movements. Security Applications For Intelligent Contact Lenses The uses for such technology are numerous, and some of them relate directly to security. In one sense, intelligent contact lenses are another “wearable” technology – a more discreet variation of the failed Google Glass, a wearable computer that resembles a pair of glasses. Much like Google Glass, the intelligent contact lenses would combine computing power with image capture and recording. Digital zoom could enable a security officer to see images from farther distances, and image stabilisation could offset excessive eye movement Our security market presents numerous ways such technology could be useful. A security officer wearing the contact lens could capture video of everything he sees, for example, and could see better with the help of thermal night vision or other video features. Digital zoom could enable a security officer to see images from farther distances, autofocus could make images clearer, and image stabilisation could offset excessive eye movement. Video analytics alerts could prompt an officer to act, or face recognition software could instantly identify a criminal in a crowded room. An early warning could spot a hazard before it is recognized by the human brain. Or a security officer could review previously recorded video, projected straight into his or her eye. How Would An Eye-Based System Operate? Controlling the eye-based video system would involve a user interface based on conscious blinking. A deliberate blink last minutely longer than an unconscious blink, but a computer can tell the difference and interpret the longer blink as a signal while ignoring the shorter. Tiny built-in piezoelectric sensors can measure differences in acceleration, temperature, pressure and/or force, enabling interpretation of eye movements. Sony’s patent includes the ability to store video, while the other proposed contact lenses would send video to an external storage mechanism (or perhaps a video management system [VMS]?) using an embedded antenna. Problems To Address There are obviously still issues to be addressed before such technology goes mainstream. For example, how do you power the device wirelessly? One possibility is to use electromagnetic induction, in which a modest electrical current is created by forcing a conductor through a magnetic field. Most of us are too busy implementing today’s technologies to give much thought to what’s coming in the future. To be sure, there are aspects of smart phones and today’s other technologies that are still working their way into our collective system roadmaps. And there are other technology innovations – maybe not as futuristic – on the horizon that will impact how we work to make the world a safer place. Even so, it’s interesting to consider the possibilities of the future, whether it’s driverless cars or a cure for cancer. And futuristic contact lenses may be coming sooner than you think – they have been on the drawing board for several years, and the first patent applications go back at least to 2012. That’s a long time ago, given the fast pace of technology development in 2016.

Stadshavens Medemblik operates five busy ports in the Netherlands – at Pekelharinghaven, Voorhaven, Middenhaven, Westerhaven and Overlekerkanaal – and it also has two bridges under its control, as well as the thriving Westerhaven lock. The company has grown by around 30% each year since 2015 and the efficient, friendly welcome provided by the operations team is an important factor in this success. Under the leadership of Wijnand Baerken, Stadshavens Medemblik wanted to plan for further growth and it identified improved video surveillance capability as a key requirement. Van der Laan was confident in recommending IDIS IP video technology, which is flexible and robust enough for all conditions, and which would allow the old analog infrastructure to be adapted. Multi-Standard Infrastructure Without the need for extended cabling or civil works and associated planning permission the installation was quick and efficient A complete observation plan was drawn up, with Van der Laan and IDIS collaborating closely, identifying the best locations for cameras based on viewing angles, lighting conditions and the control features required. Much of the existing cabling has been retained, thanks to the IDIS Center multi-standard infrastructure, and the system has been extended to new areas with both wireless and fibre links. Without the need for extended cabling or civil works and associated planning permission the installation was quick and efficient. The old analog video system already installed at Stadshavens Medemblik was outdated, with the cameras no longer able to cope with the challenging waterside environment. In poor-visibility conditions - including rain, fog, and glare - images were unusable. The system was also inflexible, making it hard to adjust or add cameras. Enabling Greater Efficiency Another major challenge was to improve observation of water and road traffic at Medemblik, with a bridge located above the lock preventing a direct view from the port office. To tackle these problems, the trusted technology systems provider Van der Laan was asked to design and install a solution using the best available technology. The new solution is not just preventing crime but enabling greater efficiency and control across all the port’s operations Cameras including award-winning IDIS PTZs have been placed at all strategic locations, on the bridges, the lock, the ports and importantly at the entrance from the IJsselmeer. All integrated and controlled through intuitive IDIS Center video management software, the new solution is not just preventing crime but enabling greater efficiency and control across all the port’s operations. Competitive Systems "From the harbor office operators utilising IDIS surveillance can immediately ascertain the size of boats as they enter the port, check where there is mooring place and send the skippers directly to the right location. The IDIS mobile app is proving particularly convenient as it allows us to see exactly what’s happening day and night and enable the operations team to offer immediate assistance if needed." Stadshavens Medemblik, Wijnand Baerken, Director. "The IDIS platform is perfect for combining various IP and analog systems. Moreover, it is more secure than competitive systems. IDIS systems use proprietary protocols and the way in which data is processed makes them very difficult to hack." Van der Laan Techniek. Dennis Selbach, Account Manager. Looking to the future, plans are being developed to enlarge the port significantly, and Van der Laan and IDIS look certain to be involved.

Students of all ages in state schools are entitled to a safe learning environment. If students don't feel safe, they are not able to stay focused during classroom lessons and activities. That’s why Narre Warren South. P-12 College has upgraded its security with the installation of a sophisticated SALTO access control and ID pass system. Located south east of Melbourne, Australia, Narre Warren South P-12 College is a unique school on one campus with two sub schools, Primary, (Prep to Year 6) and Secondary, (Years 7 to 12). It follows the P-12 Curriculum which is designed to provide diversity and pathway opportunities, ensuring students maximize opportunities that exist after school and ensure people achieve their learning goals in a fun and supportive learning environment. Mechanical Key System The College previously used a mechanical key system for its security needs Home to over 2000 students and 200 staff, cultural diversity is a feature of the College with at least 50 ethnic groups being represented speaking 68 languages. A third of the College’s student population come from families where the language background is other than English. The College previously used a mechanical key system for its security needs; however this was increasingly complicated to manage as keys multiplied, and it was difficult to guard against key duplication and copying. Another negative was the cost of re-keying and replacing locks to maintain security if keys were lost or not handed back. Security Arrangements The College also had a number of challenges when it came to managing and limiting traffic flow through the staff car parks, both inside and outside school hours. To alleviate such problems, the College decided to look into upgrading its security arrangements and called in local security specialists Eclipse Security Systems. Director Greg Flood takes up the story. “We met with Brett Dyer, (the College’s Property and Maintenance Manager), and explained how SALTO solutions are in use around the world in educational environments including universities, university housing, schools, research institutes, academies, kindergartens and more where they provide security, access control and campus management.” Cost-Effective Package Brett liked the fact that SALTO could offer a solution that was education proven" “Replacing keys with smart access control would give the school much more control over its security. For instance installing smart online wireless locks on main entrance doors would enable the school to incorporate these doors into its lock down procedure. At busy student drop off and pick up times in the morning and afternoon, the school gates could be automated to improve traffic flow and ease congestion.” “And since Narre Warren South P-12 like almost all state schools hire out their sports, meeting facilities etc to third party groups outside of school hours, the new access control solution would make it much easier to manage access for such short term visitors. Brett liked the fact that SALTO could offer a solution that was education proven and offered a secure, flexible way to have all the above benefits and more in a versatile, cost-effective package that was future proof and gave a great return on the schools investment dollars.” Scheduled Automatic Locking Most external doors have a mix of offline and online SALTO XS4 escutcheons" “The removal of the old system and the upgrade to smart locks was smooth and straightforward, and we’ve now retro-fitted in excess of 100 doors and automated a number of perimeter gates. Most external doors, plus the addition of a number of internal office doors across all the blocks, have a mix of offline and online SALTO XS4 escutcheons, as well as control units and wall readers.” “The most important thing for us is to ensure that we are doing everything we can to safeguard our children. Our new access control system furthers this goal” says Brett Dyer. “We went with Greg’s recommendation of SALTO for its functionality and value for money. We particularly like how easy it is to use and program, especially the issue and management of contactless smartcards for external user groups." "The scheduled automatic locking and unlocking of external doors and gates is a huge time saver, and so far we’re pleased with the product and the capabilities it now gives us.”

An upgraded public area CCTV solution using robust video capture technology from IDIS, Korea’s global surveillance technology provider, is safeguarding Leybourne in Kent against anti-social behavior. The new system, designed and installed by iC2 CCTV, has allowed the parish council to work within a limited budget to deliver extended coverage, improved image quality and no data loss. Leybourne is a village with a strong community feel and an attractive rural character however, with good transport links to the nearby M20, residents were concerned about the risk of crime coming in from outside the area. Budget constraints also meant that data-streaming had to be capped and as a result video evidence was only being recorded part time Devise A Solution Prior to the upgrade the village had limited public area surveillance based on outdated analog technology, but it was proving costly to maintain and difficult to adapt to changing needs. Budget constraints also meant that data-streaming had to be capped and as a result video evidence was only being recorded part time. London-based integrator iC2 CCTV was consulted and asked to devise a solution that would work within the funds available. To achieve the lowest total cost of ownership, iC2 CCTV recommended installing the latest IDIS technology on a 5GHz point-to-point wireless infrastructure. At the heart of the new system is a powerful 64-channel, full HD NVR recorder – model DR-8364D – which offers the important advantage of flexible H.265/H.264 dual codec performance. This feature allows recording in high-definition H.265 but viewing on a variety of older screens using H.2264, so it means existing display equipment can be retained. Significantly Improved Protection A combination of 3-megapixel and 5-megapixel IDIS domes and bullet cameras mounted on lamp-posts in key locations gives significantly improved coverage and image detail. And IDIS Smart Failover provides the best guarantee against data loss: if Leybourne’s network connection is compromised for any reason, all recordings continue to be stored on SD cards within the cameras and are then automatically downloaded as soon as the connection is re-established. The IDIS technology together with the wireless network, installed over five weeks by iC2 CCTV without disrupting the village, gives Leybourne significantly improved protection without high ongoing costs. Unlike the old analog system, recordings are now easily searchable with time/date stamped footage and the high definition image quality is ideal for use in investigations and as evidence. IDIS Smart Failover ensures that uninterrupted evidence is always retained in the event of transmission failures Excellent Quality Data IDIS Smart Failover ensures that uninterrupted evidence is always retained in the event of transmission failures, without the need for time-consuming manual data downloads from individual cameras. “This robust, new video system is proving very popular with Leybourne Parish Council and the community and enables us to provide excellent quality data and images for Kent Police and the local authorities,” stated the chairman of the Parish Council Bob Ulph. “It has already deterred a lot of the anti-social behavior that councillors and residents were concerned about and is providing reassurance that any crime in the future will be dealt with.” More cameras can now be easily added, or the location of cameras changed as the need arises, says James Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe, and the system is protected by the IDIS Ultimate seven-year warranty and the assurance that the technology will be forward-flexible to meet future needs.

Vicon Industries, Inc, designer and manufacturer of video surveillance and access control software, hardware and components, announces that its SN673V-B Cruiser PTZ Camera with 20X optical zoom and 1080p HD video has been deployed in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, as part of the Coastal Conservation League’s novel project, ‘The Pelicam.’ The Pelicam is a weather-resistant Vicon camera, mounted on a pole along with solar panels, battery back-up and a wireless transmission system, on an isolated strip of land within the harbor. Wray Lemke, Founder and Vice President of electronic and security services company Mount Pleasant Radio, volunteered his time to bring this project to fruition. Conservation League The Pelicam’s location is a popular spot for pelicans and other shore birds to build nests and raise their young because it is inaccessible to raccoons, coyotes and other natural predators. The Vicon camera’s 20X optical zoom provides close-up video of the birds, allowing biologist from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the public to witness behaviours that would not normally be observable by humans. Conservation League makes use of the camera’s presets to quickly change between scenes, live-streaming on YouTube video of the most interesting wildlife The Conservation League makes use of the camera’s presets to quickly change between scenes, live-streaming on YouTube video of the most interesting wildlife on display at any given time. Video recorded to the camera’s local SD card is available for DNR biologists to review and study. Andy Hollis, Data and GIS Analyst for the Conservation League, says, “The quality of the new camera is great. It pans and zooms exactly as it should and its high magnification gets us in really close.” Building Public Awareness In addition to supporting the research needs of the DNR, the Pelicam is hugely popular within the community, garnering regular coverage in the local media and receiving more web traffic than any other page within the organization’s website. Mr. Hollis explains, “As an advocacy organization working with local and state level government to enact programs and laws to support conservation, the Pelicam is one of the most highly effective tools we have for building public awareness and enthusiasm for our mission.”

On September 2, torrential rain caused mountain flood and massive landslide swept Mengdong Town of Yunnan province in southwestern China. Local transportation, electricity and communications network were disrupted. At 9:00PM, in order to reinforce local rescue forces, Yunnan Provincial Fire Brigade dispatched 24 vehicles and 130 firefighters, who later experienced serious challenges in communications in areas where intermittent voice call and short messages in cellular service was available only on heights. Hytera swung into action immediately after being notified about the firefighting department’s emergency communications requirements. Hytera iMesh Broadband Network Solution A Hytera technical team brought the latest emergency communications equipment with them and joined the firefighters onsite. The team quickly set up an ad hoc wireless network with Hytera iMesh broadband networking solution. This broadband network has been facilitating real-time audio and video communications and coordination between the onsite forces and the Provincial Fire Brigade command center. Multiple casualties have been reported and more people are missing. The relief effort is ongoing.

Further augmenting its global surveillance network, VIVOTEK, the IP surveillance provider, has deployed its video surveillance systems across multiple retail locations of the television, internet, and telephony service provider, SBB in Serbia and Montenegro. The latest deployment has been conducted via VIVOTEK’s Serbian channel partner Netiks, and has equipped SBB with advanced video analytics capabilities and proactive surveillance. About 50 of VIVOTEK’s FD8166A ultra-mini fixed dome network cameras, featuring sophisticated design and built-in IEEE 802.3af compliant PoE technology, are a part of the current deployment and will closely monitor more than 450,000 visitors for various use cases, including security and business intelligence. Ultra-Crisp And Clear Images The network cameras are set up alongside an easy-to-use VAST 2 software Leveraging their CMOS sensors, these network cameras can capture 2-megapixel images with 1920x1080 resolution at 30 FPS (frames per second), and deliver ultra-crisp and clear images even in extremely bright and dark environments through WDR enhancement and 3D Noise Reduction. The all-weather cameras can also aptly function in adverse weather conditions using their defogging capabilities. The network cameras are set up alongside an easy-to-use VAST 2 software, which also is VIVOTEK’s top-of-the-line IP Video Management Software (VMS), to make everything work in perfect unison. But all of this merely serves as the groundwork for the specialized, people-counting solution that delivers valuable bi-directional data comprising critical insights in real-time to SBB. Cost-Effective Cameras These insights include number of incoming customers, length of stays, peak times, and frequency of customer visits, which will help SBB in deriving significant value through Business Intelligence and a more optimal human resource management. Also, counting and monitoring data is directly computed by VIVOTEK systems, eliminating the need of a dedicated computer for the process. The solution has achieved 98 percent accuracy in counting people, despite the challenging areas that it has to coverTill date, the solution has achieved 98 percent accuracy in counting people, despite the challenging areas that it has to cover. The system stores the data for as long as 90 days and issues push notifications to the designated authority or relevant operators. In order to ensure uninterrupted access to information on security and flow, the cost-effective cameras also support H.264 compression. Traffic Monitoring Projects This significantly reduces data size and minimizes post-deployment costs by minimizing network bandwidth requirement and enabling real-time monitoring of all camera systems across the company’s retail scene. VIVOTEK has successfully deployed innumerable global video surveillance solutions including UNESCO-recognized National Library of Latvia, traffic monitoring projects in India, Warplane Heritage Museum in Canada, and one of the world’s seven wonders, the Ancient City of Jordan, now also adding SBB to its globally burgeoning video surveillance network.