South Africa News

Vicon Industries, designer and manufacturer of video surveillance and access control software, hardware and components, has announced the release of VAX 2.9, the latest update to its powerful and versatile IP access control solution. VAX Access Control provides centralised monitoring and management of access to doors, elevators and other protected spaces located throughout facilities of any size, including multi-site installations. A web based interface with responsive design provides users with...

ADT, the provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in North America, today announced it has completed the purchase of substantially all the assets and business of Protec, Inc., one of the leading commercial security system integrators in the Pacific Northwest. The acquisition reinforces ADT’s commitment to continued growth within the commercial and national accounts security sectors. The transaction closed on July 31, 2017. Expanding ADT support and service D...

In the security industry today we see many installers and integrators using standard consumer grade monitors for video surveillance. This is primarily due to budget constraints, but can end up costing significantly more over the life of the install. This is because most installs are now using HDMI connections primarily. A consumer monitor has HDMI input, so why isn’t it good enough? Well, consider the average cost of a 19.5” consumer monitor. The retail price is around $80-100 compa...

There has never been closer integration between physical and logical security systems, so there has also never been greater importance when it comes to defining and maintaining the security culture within an organisation. Unfortunately, with increasingly complex security protocols required on a daily basis (and used by every employee), a security regime can easily become lax through apathy – which offers the perfect opportunity for potential intruders to take advantage. Whilst security t...

The world of politics, like the world of security, is an environment of constant change. But do changes in one have an impact on the other? Governments around the world are involved in buying a wide variety of physical security systems, so how those governments operate certainly affects how they spend money on security. But in a broader sense, governments (and the associated political forces at work) also impact how their citizens and those in the private sector view threats and, as a logical ex...

Climax Technology, a renowned provider of smart home security and telecare solutions, announced that its Emergency Pendant WTRS2 was awarded the Red Dot, the international distinction for ground-breaking design, and high design quality. The SmartLife Care Flex handheld transmitter, internal model name WTRS2, is a stylish emergency pendant that triggers an emergency call at the touch of a button; with patented one-click necklace to wristband switch, allowing users to easily switch between wearin...

Edmund Rice, formally Christian Brothers College, was established in 1926 and is an independent Catholic high school for boys located in the heart of the picturesque Illawarra district, to the south-west of Sydney. The founder of the Christian Brothers, Edmund Rice, lends the school its present-day name. Installation of new surveillance system Since 2013 Edmund Rice College has invested millions to bring cutting-edge facilities to their students, including a first-class sports hall, state-of-t...

The high-mount external detector, XDH10TT-AM, showcases the innovation, reliability and quality upon which Pyronix has built its reputation. Usability, adaptability and reliability From the various mounting options and proven Tri-Technology to Anti-Interference Technology, which consists of Anti-Masking and Anti-Blocking, the XDH10TT-AM has been manufactured with usability, adaptability and reliability in mind. Whether a residential, industrial or commercial installation, the XDH10TT-AM maint...

In today’s world, businesses face a growing threat landscape. Looking back on just the past few months, there have been increased incidents of workplace violence (the recent New York city hospital shooting), terrorist activities (London Bridge attack, Manchester attack), and cyberattacks (Petya and WannaCry). While critical events have become more frequent, more complex, and costly to businesses, organisations’ emergency communications systems, plans and processes have remained surpr...

The corporate mantra “Utilise TCO instead of purchase price when making purchasing decisions” means evaluating a project’s Total-Cost-of-Ownership over its lifetime period as the primary cost factor. It requires the corporate buyer to scrutinise the entirety of the investment as opposed to just the upfront purchase price. Like an iceberg, where the majority of the ice is below the surface, the total cost of ownership of a security system is typically much larger than the upfro...

Big data is a buzzword, and data – presumably of all sizes – is a driving force in the physical security market. As systems become more sophisticated and expand their capabilities, the result is more data; in some cases, a lot more data. But a key question is: What do we do with the data? How do we use it to provide value? How do we interpret it, and transform it into useful information and/or intelligence? We presented the topic of data to our Expert Panel Roundtable and came away w...

Working together to develop an intelligent body-worn camera for public safety users, Motorola Solutions and artificial intelligence (AI) company Neurala are demonstrating how AI can be added to everyday devices such as smart phones using existing hardware platforms.  AI software, working at the “edge,” provides the capability to add AI functionality to existing cameras, such as Motorola’s Si500 body-worn camera. An agreement to develop the products follows Motorola&rsquo...

Liam McShane is Sales Director at Perfect Display Technology Co Ltd., the provider of LCD and LED displays for surveillance and other applications. A Northern Irishman who’s been living in Shenzhen, China since 2014, Liam has a passion for technology and sales. Liam has had a long career in sales within many industries - helped by a strange mind for specifications and random trivia. SourceSecurity.com caught up with him to find out more: How did you come to work in the security industry?...

A busy trade show abounds with new products and expanded features, colorful signage and blinking video screens, all competing for attention from busy attendees. It’s a microcosm of how the security marketplace – or any market, for that matter – sells its products. But what happens if the reality turns out different to the sales pitch? What happens when product or system performance doesn’t quite live up to the claims? Some would call that hype, and it can lead to disillus...

The European Union has spelled out specific requirements and safeguards for handling and protecting personal data. In the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the EU makes clear exactly what is expected of those who control and process data. (The United Kingdom has committed to follow the regulation despite the Brexit vote.) Everyone is facing a deadline on May 25th 2018 to comply with the GDPR. What are the exact implications for the physical security market? What do customers need to do...

Robots have been in the spotlight lately, as tycoons like Elon Musk discuss the perils of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), and roving robots meet their watery demise. These recent events have unmasked a particularly interesting topic: The value of robots in the broader sense, especially as a security tool. The emergence of robotics, automation and AI is not new, but the ongoing discussion about how best to use these continues to fuel critics and supporters alike. Seattle-Tacoma Inte...

For many frequent flyers, the relationship between flyers and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been at times, turbulent. For the better part of the last two decades, going through airport security has been met with groans over long wait times as flyers are encouraged to get to the airport earlier and earlier. TSA Lean Six Sigma tactics reduce wait time However, the tide may be turning a bit, as recent reports have shown a decline in TSA’s wait times, which can be att...

Can you imagine what it would be like if you could only look at your CCTV cameras eight hours after an incident, when your security team finish their shift? That is what 99% of current body cameras offer. Most body cameras can only record video, which limits them to settling arguments after the fact – who said what first in an altercation with the police? What sparked an incident with the door security team at a nightclub? This leads to a curious asymmetry of video and immediacy between m...

Healthcare facilities such as hospitals and general practitioner surgeries are locations that pose significant challenges for security managers with lots of activities needing to take place quickly, such as lifesaving treatments, while ensuring the protection of patients, staff and property.  MOBOTIX intelligent video MOBOTIX intelligent video systems, using decentralised architecture, have proven a particularly good fit to solve many of these issues. Alongside traditi...

Video equipment supplied by Vanderbilt has provided a versatile and effective basis for a temporary traffic-monitoring scheme devised, installed, and operated by the Serco Group on the busy A282 road (M25 south of the Dartford crossing) in Kent, United Kingdom. Locating and dealing with traffic incidents The video system needed to aid in locating and dealing with breakdowns, accidents, and other incidents on a section of the road where a long-term contraflow is in operation during major road i...

Located in the city of Pinelands, South Africa's Western Province Blood Transfusion Service (WPBTS) is a non-profit, independent organisation operating throughout the Western Cape. However, in reality, this is the largest blood bank in the nation and shoulders a medical responsibility commiserate with this status. Annually in charge of over 165,000 units of blood, the WPBTS operates in accordance with both the World Health Organisation's international standards and local South African national...

Vectis DVRs and network video software provided the solution for Douglas Borough Council Douglas Borough Council (DBC) in the Isle of Man developed an innovative concept of delivering video surveillance as a service to public sector users, such as schools, car parks, libraries, and the police. Video equipment requirements The video equipment used would have to be very versatile as it would need to work with existing cameras of various types, and it would also have to be scal...

With 60 percent of all of the world’s data expected to be created and managed by enterprises by 2025 according to IDC, it’s not surprising to learn that enterprise players have moved swiftly to help their customers and organisations maximise the opportunity around this massive data growth. However, when it comes to one of the most significant drivers of this growth in information—surveillance data— many enterprises struggle to understand how they can apply it to do more...

Remember the old adage “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts?” Nowhere is that truism more evident than when you add network video to the current generation of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Whether we’re talking about industrial IoT applications, “Smart – X” (city, building, parking etc.) or retail operations, integrating network video into the solution provides value far beyond simple situational awareness. Optimising sophisticated video tec...

Workplace violence has been on the rise in mental health facilities, schools, and detention centres across the country. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “Nearly 2 million American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year.” As such, security directors are looking for technologies to help identify and mitigate these incidents.  Increasing use of vocal aggression detection technology  Shift from video surveill...

What do users want from their surveillance system? Ask any security professional, and you will hear answers like these: sharp, high quality images; widespread camera coverage; real-time analytics; fast search and retrieval of video footage with minimal, if any, intervention from people in the information technology department. In other words, they want the tools they need to do their job. Delivering those tools requires an underlying technology infrastructure that includes a storage file system...

As the founder and CEO of several established CCTV companies, Ms. Eddie Reynolds is at the forefront of bringing innovation to the surveillance industry. In 2009 Reynolds co-founded Iluminar Inc., a leading manufacturer and global supplier of IR and white light illuminators and licence plate recognition products. Before launching this venture, Reynolds founded Raytec Technologies, Inc. and oversaw operations until 2009. Her extensive experience in the CCTV industry also includes work with compan...

For many years, cybersecurity was the unmentioned elephant in the room. Possible vulnerability of IP-connected devices to a cyber-attack was seldom, if ever, mentioned, and even the most basic measures to prevent such an attack were not implemented. For the last couple of years, however, the physical security industry has begun talking more about cybersecurity, in some cases with an abounding enthusiasm typical of the newly-converted. Have our discussions sufficiently addressed the long-standing...

Vanderbilt SPC intruder alarm system’s flexibility meant that it could be used throughout the entire Fitness World estate Fitness World’s buildings are designed to be accessible and safe places for its members to train. Security is a high priority for the company and ensuring that only authorised members and personnel can enter the building is vital. Flexible intruder alarm system Vanderbilt SPC intruder alarm system’s built-in flexibility meant that it cou...

Since the introduction of smartphones with downloadable applications, vendors have been trying to replace the traditional plastic identification (ID) card with a mobile phone application. People might lose or misplace an ID card, but most people immediately recognise if they are without their mobile phone. Mobile ID badges for access control Bluetooth Low Energy iBeacon technology Technical challenges of mobile ID apps The logical extension is to replace or augment the traditional corpor...