City Surveillance

Britain is one of the most surveilled nation in the world even though it is home to just one percent of the world’s population. To support its developing infrastructure, CCTV bearing supplier SMB Bearings, helped the market leader of network cameras, with a common CCTV camera issue — bearing outgassing. The world's first network camera was manufactured back in 1996. It revolutionised the industry, transforming video surveillance from analogue to digital. However, an effective camera network relies fundamentally on the visibility and precision of the individual cameras, and the expert engineering that goes into designing them. Network CCTV camera system  If a network of cameras cannot capture clear images, the entire installation loses its value. That said, ensuring visibility is not entirely reliant on the quality of the lens and the positioning of the camera itself. Choosing the correct internal components, such as bearings, plays a huge part in this. Choosing the right bearings for CCTV applications addresses a two-part problem Choosing the right bearings for CCTV applications addresses a two-part problem. Firstly, is the need for smooth, predictable and accurate camera movements, in perfect calibration with the instructions from the operator or sensor software. This is dependent on using bearings with the right frictional coefficient, based on grease level, bearing material and lubrication type. Lubrication outgassing in CCTV bearings The second problem that needs to be addressed is lubrication outgassing. Heat is generated within the bearings during operation causing the lubrication inside the bearing to warm up. A small amount of this lubrication can escape from the bearing in a gaseous state over time, meaning oils and greases that were once confined to the bearing, enter the external environment. This isn't an issue for many applications, but in CCTV, cleanroom or vacuum applications, it can have disastrous consequences. Outgassing, in the application of CCTV cameras, has detrimental effects on image quality. The escaped gas causes condensation on the camera lens meaning effective video footage isn't recorded — often, the image is completely obscured. CCTV footage clarity and recording efficiency Imagine a CCTV manufacturer found that, when in use, its cameras failed to capture the clear, high-quality footage. Not only would this require an investigation into the cause of the problem but could result in costly reengineering of the product itself. In this instance, the manufacturer may have discovered that the lubricant in the bearings dispelled oil vapour when in operation, resulting in substandard and unclear footage. But, how can a manufacturer resolve this issue? Rather than trying to fix the symptom, manufacturers must address the root cause — the bearings and their lubrication. Thin section ball bearings aid in accurate camera movements To avoid outgassing, the manufacturer should choose thin section ball bearings, pre-lubricated with low outgassing bearing grease To avoid outgassing, the manufacturer should choose thin section ball bearings, pre-lubricated with low outgassing bearing grease, in accordance with the size specifications. The thin section bearings facilitate precise and accurate camera movements. When equipped with low outgassing per-fluorinated grease, the combination prevents the fogging caused by outgassing. For engineers that already use precision bearings, it may be that just the lubrication that needs addressing. In cases like this, buying entirely new bearings isn’t necessary. Relubrication services are available, to clean out existing lubrication, and refill the bearings with lubrication that is fit for purpose. SMB Bearings has in-house relubrication facilities, and even carry out the service for small batches. Britain, a nation under 24/7 constant surveillance Britain is a nation under surveillance, with one CCTV camera per eleven residents. CCTV cameras are often designed to be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and producing unclear images simply is not an option if the priority is to keep the nation safe.

Pivot3, the hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) performance and technology pioneer, announced that it experienced more than 50-percent growth in bookings in Q1-Q3 2018 over the same period in 2017, with significant growth among large enterprises and complex, mission-critical use cases. With IT requiring automation and intelligence to manage increasingly complex workloads and multi-cloud environments, Pivot3 saw high demand for its Hybrid Cloud solutions. Pivot3 also experienced continued expansion with Internet of Things use cases, particularly with Smart and Safe City initiatives. “Q3 2018 was remarkable for Pivot3, from our growth in sales and introduction of new products to the announcement of our global strategic partnership with Lenovo,” said Ron Nash, CEO, Pivot3. “Enterprises are demanding more from IT, and our growth indicates that the market is increasingly aware of Pivot3 and the power of our Intelligence Engine to simplify management at scale as well as deliver the security and resilience needed to support mission-critical workloads.” Continued adoption of its Hybrid Cloud solutions, representing more than 60 percent of new sales in Q3 Pivot3’s developments in Q3 2018: More than 50-percent growth in bookings in Q1-Q3 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, with 86 percent of new bookings in Q3 comprising large enterprises. A 95-percent increase in average deal size in Q3 2018 over the 2017 average. Nearly 65 percent of 2018 sales to date have come from satisfied existing customers expanding their deployments to include multiple mixed workloads. Additionally, more than 70 percent of new customers deployed multiple mixed workloads on Pivot3’s platform, indicating that customers are increasingly – and repeatedly – relying on Pivot3’s Intelligence Engine to automate and manage multiple mission-critical applications on a single platform. Continued adoption of its Hybrid Cloud solutions, representing more than 60 percent of new sales in Q3. Named a Strong Performer in Hyperconverged Infrastructure in The Forrester Wave: Hyperconverged Infrastructure, Q3 2018. Pivot3 ranked within the top three vendors in the current offering category and achieved the highest scores possible for the criteria of built-in security, customer support options and quality of operations and support. Announced a global strategic partnership with Lenovo to develop, market and sell solutions optimised for mission-critical Smart City applications and use cases, both in the core data centre and at the edge. Continued growth of mission-critical Smart City initiatives, including with the City of Bogotá, Colombia, which is deploying a highly-efficient Lenovo/Pivot3 solution to achieve maximum infrastructure efficiency and scale as its surveillance needs grow. Launched Intelligent Edge Command and Control, a new ruggedized and SWaP-optimised Hybrid Cloud solution to support sophisticated analytics, VDI and IoT use cases for defence, intelligence and other extreme operations at the ‘tactical edge’. Released a new large-scale IoT solution designed to support mission-critical deployments of 500TB or more with greater resilience, scale and ease of use, fundamentally altering the economic equation for customers in large IoT data capture scenarios. A diverse range of new customers, including numerous military and federal agencies as well as local governments, a nuclear research facility, multiple educational institutions, a large manufacturing organisation and a major sports and entertainment complex. The top industry verticals represented in Q3 sales include government, logistics and transportation, energy and utilities, hospitality, and education.  Certified its infrastructure solutions for mission-critical IoT, Safe Cities and Smart Building environments operating with Milestone Systems video management software. This allows organisations to gain access to infrastructure proven to deliver the performance, resilience and scale required in mission-critical environments. Advanced resilience and security The key to Pivot3’s differentiation in the HCI market lies in their Intelligence Engine, which delivers advanced resilience and security"“IT organisations need new levels of automation in their infrastructure to provide the resiliency, availability and low latency required to support rapidly expanding volumes of data and the proliferation of applications and business services,” said Mike Leone, Senior Analyst from Enterprise Strategy Group. “The key to Pivot3’s differentiation in the HCI market lies in their Intelligence Engine, which delivers advanced resilience and security, and automates manageability at scale for customers’ most demanding workloads.” “Pivot3 has led the industry in supporting mission-critical use cases where security, resilience and management simplicity are required at enterprise scale,” said Nash. “As customers turn to IT to solve their most pressing business challenges, automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning will become key drivers in enabling the next wave of enterprise-scale digital transformation. Pivot3 is positioned to support this evolution with a foundation of Hybrid Cloud and IoT solutions for the enterprise’s most critical environments.”

The 14th China International Exhibition on Public Safety and Security 2018 (Security China 2018) kicked off at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. Dahua Technology presented its theme, ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’, thoroughly displaying various vertical industry solutions supported by its new smart city framework such as Smart Policing, Smart Traffic, Smart Fire Control, Smart Manufacturing, and Smart Retail. All these solutions are based on the integration of its newest innovations in artificial intelligence, deep learning, cloud computing, IoT, and other cutting-edge technologies With vigorous smart city construction all over the world, Dahua Technology has released its ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’, which is a smart city development engine supported by ‘Full Sensing, Full Intelligence, Full Computing, and Full Ecosystem’. The HOC achieves the construction of a ‘1 Platform, 2 Centers, N-Applications’ new smart city framework for city, industry, and consumer level markets to meet the needs of city management, industry applications, and consumers. HOC Smart Policing and Traffic Solutions The Dahua HOC Smart Traffic Solution is centred round the core of ‘Improve traffic efficiency, and safeguards road safety’The Dahua HOC Smart Policing Solution satisfies the work flow and needs of public security departments, tapping the potential of big data resources to build a new AI-driven ‘Smart Policing’ model, driving front-line teams to operate accurately, efficiently, and intelligently. By employing this solution, Dahua Technology assisted the Hangzhou Jianggan Police in building a national model project for smart policing. The Dahua HOC Smart Traffic Solution is centred round the core of ‘Improve traffic efficiency, and safeguards road safety’. The solution employs a traffic big data platform, AI series cameras, traffic operation centre, and three-dimensional AR command scheme to consistently create value for customers. Public Safety and Fire Control Solutions The Dahua HOC Public Safety Solution fully demonstrates its core strategy of ‘Full Coverage, Full Sensing, Full Connectivity, and Full Intelligence’. During the exhibition, Dahua Technology showcased its Safe Community Solution, which relies on residential community management platforms to provide a ‘smart network’ that offers precise management of personnel, vehicles, housing units, and events, serving communities, property management, and house owners. Dahua Technology’s Smart Fire Control solutions have brought far-reaching benefits to the intelligentisation of the industry The Dahua HOC Smart Fire Control Solution realises the top-level planning and detailed designing of smart fire control layouts for house units, streets, districts, counties, and entire cities. It is worth mentioning that the fire control products the company displayed at the exhibition are all developed in-house with high quality, appealing design and complete certifications, suitable for diverse application scenarios. Dahua Technology’s Smart Fire Control solutions have brought far-reaching benefits to the intelligentisation of the industry. AI Series Perimeter Protection Cameras In the most popular area - artificial intelligence - of the stand, Dahua Technology displayed its intelligent algorithms which enhance the company’s competitiveness in the field of AI. In addition, it integrates the advantages of its products, solutions, platforms, and algorithms to build its smart AI system. The area of face recognition, which provides optimal match according to various customers, scenarios, and project scales, exhibited its AI Series Perimeter Protection Cameras which fully employ AI and possess powerful face snapshot and real-time analysis capabilities. The video structuring areas featured AI cameras which have the ability of analysing human faces, vehicles, non-motor vehicles, and feature attributes simultaneously, effectively improving the capability of objects capturing and metadata collection. The Smart Perimeter Solution, empowered by smart technologies, engages in the effective screening of things that cause false alarms such as animals and swaying trees, realising precise alarm alerts. X80 Face Recognition Server The Dahua AI Series Intelligent NVR realises the transition from traditional to smart video applicationsThe Dahua AI Series Intelligent NVR realises the transition from traditional to smart video applications. It also includes the universal DSS7016 platform which integrates intelligence, platforms, and storage to significantly improve the flexibility and convenience of deployment. This year, Dahua Technology also launched its X80 Face Recognition Server, which is an ultra-large-scale analysis platform that supports a 1.6 billion face image database and 20 billion comparisons per second. This product achieves on-demand computing power allocation, rapid & central deployment, and effective use of energy consumption and installation space, suitable for large-scale policing, traffic management, and public safety projects. In addition to displaying its full AI series products, Dahua Technology also presented thermal series, 64MP multi-sensor Panoramic Network Camera + PTZ Camera series, multi-sensor panoramic camera series, full-colour series cameras, HDCVI 5.0 products, and other smart video monitoring solutions. In addition, the company also debuted next-generation cutting-edge smart video IoT products and technologies including drone, fire control, smoke exhaust, warehousing, and smart patrol robots. The application of these products across various industries received broad attention from exhibition guests. K8 AI Face Recognition Smart Lock On display were Imou’s intelligent products, including K8 AI Face Recognition Smart Lock, Active Deterrence CameraAs Dahua Technology’s consumer IoT brand, Imou took the stage with its newly unveiled brand image. On display were Imou’s intelligent products, including K8 AI Face Recognition Smart Lock, Active Deterrence Camera, Pan & Tilt Smart Camera, 720° Panoramic Camera, and other smart solutions, conveying the concept of ‘Enjoy Smart Life’, and enabling global users to enjoy safer, freer, and happier lifestyles with the support of smart technologies. During the exhibition, the Dahua Heart of City (HOC) Sub Forums began with great enthusiasm. During the forum, Dahua Technology presented its advanced products and case studies to share its ‘4-Full’- supported solutions including Dahua HOC Smart Policing, Dahua HOC Smart Traffic, Dahua HOC Smart Park, and Dahua HOC Smart Retail, receiving rave reviews from the audience. Accelerating IT transformation of policing Smart Policing Sub Forum: The Dahua Smart Policing Solution employs ‘online object capturing, online data computing, and online command’ as its top-level planning and ‘scene, standard, and case oriented’ as its detailed designing principal to actively match with the policing work flow, solve its pain points and control overall investment, accelerating the IT transformation of policing. Smart Traffic Sub Forum: The Dahua HOC Smart Traffic Solution makes use of a ‘full sensing, precise computing, and action plan’ as its top-level planning and design principal, as well as ‘scene, standard, and case oriented’ as the guideline to its detailed designing in order to create a new model, new system, and new status-quo for smart city traffic. Face recognition and smart conferencing The Dahua HOC Smart Industrial Park Solution integrates face recognition access and smart conferencing products and solutions Smart Industrial Park Sub Forum: The Dahua HOC Smart Industrial Park Solution integrates face recognition access and smart conferencing products and solutions to effectively solve the problems of monitoring people, vehicles, objects, and environments within office building, commercial complexes, manufacturing facilities, and residential areas, building a safe, convenient, comfortable, efficient, and green industrial park environment for all. Smart Retail Sub Forum: Dahua Public Cloud series solutions use offline sensing to gather data insights from personnel, goods, and scenes to connect ‘data islands’ for each offline scene, integrating these islands onto a cloud-based ‘data brain’, which provides powerful data-based support for the R&D, manufacturing, sales & marketing of each product as well as for overall store management. As a video-centric smart IoT solution and service provider, Dahua Technology will continue to focus on technological innovation, in-depth industry insights, and technology trends to bring end-to-end solutions and true values for our global customers.

Dahua Technology hosted its ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’ Launch Conference at Damei Center in Beijing, China. At the conference, business representatives, industry experts, as well as security and mass media witnessed the unveiling of the Dahua Heart of City (HOC) New Smart City Framework, as well as the release of Dahua Technology’s latest cutting-edge technologies, which fully demonstrated the leadership of the Dahua HOC in empowering smart industry transformation. Dahua Chairman of the Board, Mr. Fu Liquan, took the stage to make the event’s opening remarks, and expressed gratitude to guests and media friends in attendance on behalf of Dahua Technology. Through deep analysis and understanding of city operations, Dahua Technology has again welcomed an important strategic milestone. Security network architecture Dahua Technology is setting out with the big picture in mind, redefining a new start by releasing its ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’ strategy Mr. Fu Liquan expressed that through the experience and deep knowledge gained in setting the national standards for smart cities as well as hundreds of city projects around the country, Dahua Technology is now perfectly equipped with the capabilities of top-level planning and detailed designing for smart cities. This year, Dahua Technology is setting out with the big picture in mind, redefining a new start by releasing its ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’ strategy. The strategy gathers together the company’s strong technological innovations, top-level security network architecture, and operation services capabilities, while forming end-to-end solutions with supporting technologies such as artificial intelligence, deep learning, IoT, within all areas of smart city operations, to promote development of smart city, thus enabling city operations to become smarter, and satisfying a city life that calls for high quality. Use of AI in smart city construction Later on, deputy director of the National Digitisation Standardisation Committee for Intelligent Buildings and Residential Communities, Mr. Zhang Yonggang, shared the support and guidance that smart city standardisation has brought to urban construction, and explained the significance of artificial intelligence in the construction of smart cities. In Mr. Zhang Yonggang’s view, Dahua Technology has brought tremendous innovation and progress to the development of the industry. The release of the ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’ strategy has provided new ideas and development connotations for the construction of smart cities in China, which will raise the curtains on gaining applications for its new smart city framework, and has important practical significance in building jointly established, constructed, and shared smart cities. Smart city framework Dahua HOC will act as a heart that is capable of sensing a city’s pulse and data, while driving healthy city development" In order to give everyone a more in-depth understanding of ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’, President of Dahua Technology, Mr. Li Ke, made a detailed interpretation. ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’ is a smart city development engine supported by Full Sensing, Full Intelligence, Full Computing, and Full Ecosystem (4 Full) capabilities. It realises the construction of a ‘1 platform, 2 centres, N applications’ (1+2+N) new smart city framework for application at the city, industry, and commercial level. Mr. Li Ke said, “All of Dahua Technology’s future solutions and business systems will be built around the 1+2+N architecture to improve and enhance its end-to end solution capabilities.” He also stated that, “The Dahua HOC not only focuses on the ‘4 Full’ capabilities of products and solutions, but also gives the network ‘4 Full’ capabilities from a global perspective, thus driving professional, efficient, and intelligent operation. We hope that as the engine of cities and industry, Dahua HOC will act as a heart that is capable of sensing a city’s pulse and data, while driving healthy city development.” Intelligent networking capabilities The subsequent unveiling ceremony of the ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’ strategy pushed the atmosphere to a climax. Dahua Chairman, Mr. Fu Liquan, and Dahua President, Mr. Li Ke jointly initiated the launch ceremony, and the ‘Dahua Heart of City (HOC)’ was officially released. At Security China, and with the support of HOC’s Full Sensing, Full Intelligence, Full Computing, and Full Ecosystem capabilities, Dahua Technology has brought dozens of new technologies, products, and solutions to the industry. Mr. Yang Bin, Vice President of the Dahua Technology R&D Center, said that Dahua Technology will always build sensing systems around real-life customer scenarios, continually deepening the computing and intelligent networking capabilities within its products and solutions to maximise value delivered to customers. Multidimensional IoT Sensing Dahua will promote application of AI technology by releasing its AI series Dual 4MP Super Starlight Bullet / Dome integrated camera In order to achieve continuous, all-weather multidimensional IoT sensing, Dahua will promote the comprehensive application of AI technology by releasing its AI series Dual 4MP Super Starlight Bullet / Dome integrated camera. With the use of multi-spectral imaging technology, combined with Dahua Technology’s self-developed splicing algorithms for excellent low-lighting effects, the camera provides a complete color imaging experience. The AI series 6400W Multi-Sensor Panoramic Network Camera + PTZ Camera can not only achieve full-scene distribution analysis of crowds and traffic density, but also uses an AI dome to achieve the capture of details for facial feature analysis, behaviour analysis, etc., at ultra-long distances. Intelligent security inspection In the field of intelligent security inspection, Dahua has launched AI series all-in-one intelligent inspection system & intelligent X-ray inspection server, which support the identification of guns, knives, liquids, sprays, and electronic products. It also supports features such as the linking of people to their bags, image searching, and playback, revolutionising the current methods for security checks. In order to solve the complicated deploying issue of software platform and intelligentisation experienced during the application of artificial intelligence projects, Dahua Technology has launched the AI series Smart 7016 platform, which integrates intelligence, management, storage, and forwarding into a single platform that supports an up to 100,000 face image library and 64 video stream channels or 160 facial image comparisons per second, which accelerates the realisation of intelligent industry applications. Video centric IoT Dahua management answered each question, giving the media a better understanding of Dahua Technology and Dahua HOC In addition, Dahua Technology has comprehensively deployed video structuring solutions, launching its AI series structured server and video cloud big data platform to satisfy next generation city level intelligent application scenarios. The creation of this series of products, technologies, and solutions completely supports the realisation of Dahua HOC. During the final media interview segment, the media asked questions pertaining to the strategic considerations behind Dahua HOC, how Dahua HOC smart police affairs solution helps police enhance their effectiveness, and the status of Dahua Technology’s development within the overseas market. Dahua management answered each question, giving the media a better understanding of Dahua Technology and Dahua HOC. Dahua will continue into the future by working together with its upstream and downstream partners and broad customer base across the globe to jointly create a new era of video centric IoT.

Digital Barriers, a provider of edge-based IoT surveillance and security technologies, is pleased to announce its newly-formed partnership with Tomorrow Street, Vodafone’s Luxembourg-based innovation centre. The collaboration will see Digital Barriers’ full suite of live, edge-intelligent products made available around the world through Tomorrow Street and Vodafone’s extensive global network. The company’s edge-intelligent products deliver live video streaming over ultra-low bandwidths and help customers get more value and use from cellular networks. They include live bodycam, vehicle and safe city solutions that are a natural fit with the rapidly growing IoT sector. Their focus lies in converting wireless video surveillance into actionable intelligence. Encrypted real-time video Digital Barriers’ streaming technology, EdgeVis Live, delivers encrypted real-time video while operating below 10kbps when requiredAlready used by government and commercial organisations in more than forty countries, Digital Barriers’ streaming technology, EdgeVis Live, is capable of delivering encrypted real-time video while operating below 10kbps when required. It is proven to deliver bandwidth savings of more than 50% over competing standards-based technologies. Warrick Cramer, CEO of Tomorrow Street said: “We are really excited about Digital Barriers joining Tomorrow Street. This partnership demonstrates yet again that Luxembourg has the ability to attract and develop excellent talent, with a national ecosystem that provides the perfect platform for breakthrough ideas and innovation across the EU and the globe.” Zak Doffman, CEO of Digital Barriers said: “With such increasing demand for this kind of IoT capability at the moment, we believe this is the perfect time to be joining the Tomorrow Street and Vodafone families, combining our unique technologies with their unique reach right around the world. We are really looking forward to working with Tomorrow Street to further accelerate our international growth.”

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and announced the 2019 Security Megatrends – the foundation of SIA’s signature yearly report defining the major trends and forces at play in the global security industry. Forecasting of 2019’s top 10 Security Megatrends was based on survey data generated in September and October 2018 from top security industry business leaders, association leadership and key volunteers and speakers for the next Securing New Ground (SNG) – the security industry’s executive conference –  taking place Oct. 25-26 in New York City. Modern security solutions By nearly 30 percentage points, industry leaders said cybersecurity’s impact on physical security solutions was the most impactful trend The Security Megatrends report is provided each year to SIA member companies and registered attendees of SNG. These trends – the top factors influencing both short- and long-term change in the global security industry – are expected to have sweeping impact on almost all businesses within the industry. As such, these Security Megatrends are an essential component of the thoughtful discussions at SNG, an annual conference attracting security industry business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, industry visionaries and senior-level chief global security officers. Cybersecurity was identified in the 2019 report as the standout trend shaping the security industry. By nearly 30 percentage points, industry leaders said cybersecurity’s impact on physical security solutions was the most impactful trend they were expecting to face in 2019. A resounding number of respondents also called for artificial intelligence (AI) to be recognized as a megatrend, noting that AI is becoming vital to supporting the heightened volume of data produced by modern security solutions. Increases responsiveness Other new Security Megatrends emerging for 2019 include workforce development, the emphasis on data privacy, advancements in digital identity and the integration of security into smart environments like smart buildings and smart cities. The 2019 Security Megatrends are: Cybersecurity Impact on Physical Security Internet of Things (IoT) and the Big Data Effect Cloud Computing Workforce Development AI Emphasis on Data Privacy Move to Service Models Security Integrated in Smart Environments Advanced Digital Identities Impact of Consumer Electronics Companies “Today, modern physical security solutions are comprised of IoT devices and sensors that generate high volumes of security data. Applying analytics and artificial intelligence systems makes this data more actionable and increases responsiveness for security systems users,” said SIA Chairman of the Board Scott Schafer. Noticeable impact “Cybersecurity continues to be at the top of the list of the most important trends identified by security industry manufacturers, systems integrators, security practitioners, architects and engineers, and SIA will continue to address this trend over the next year and in the foreseeable future.” The forecast for 2019 also identifies other forces at play in the security industry that may have a noticeable impact on some or all businesses In addition to defining the latest Security Megatrends, the forecast for 2019 also identifies other forces at play in the security industry that may have a noticeable impact on some or all businesses, and the research identifies three potential areas of business disruption the security industry may face in 2019. Residential security market The official 2019 Security Megatrends report will be published in late November 2018 and available online for download and/or purchase. The 2018 Security Megatrends report is currently available to all members and non-members. Each year at SNG, senior-level industry leaders and financial partners gather, trends are spotted, connections are formed and minds are opened. In addition to highlighting these Security Megatrends, SNG 2018 will feature keynote remarks by Jerome Pickett, senior vice president and chief security officer at the National Basketball Association, and Valerie Thomas, executive information security consultant at Securicon, and panel discussions on topics like the shift from smart cities to conscious cities, harnessing cyber-physical security technologies and how the changing residential security market is staying nimble.

Hytera, a global provider of innovative Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) communications solutions, announces that it has signed contracts with Secretariat of Public Security of the State of Alagoas, Brazil to provide TETRA communications infrastructure as the expansion of the statewide mission critical communications network and four-year maintenance service. The total contracts value is around 6.5 million US dollars with the infrastructure contract around 1.3 million and the service contract around 5.2 million. “We are excited being chosen as the equipment and service provider of Alagoas’s statewide TETRA system. The state authority shows confidence in Hytera’s ability to deliver advanced and reliable public safety communications networks. For the expansion, we presented the latest development of TETRA technologies,” said John Zhou, the General Manager of Hytera Brazil. “The new contracts as a milestone for Hytera Brazil recognise us not only as a leading TETRA solution provider, but also a trusted service provider, and it is the embodiment of Hytera transformation globally.” In early 2014 Hytera delivered TETRA infrastructure, terminals and dispatcher to the public safety users of State of Alagoas TETRA communications network In early 2014 Hytera delivered TETRA infrastructure, terminals and dispatcher to the public safety users of State of Alagoas, who were modernising its communications systems to better serve the communities and prepare for the global soccer fiesta, the World Cup 2014. The newly signed equipment contract includes 31 sites with Hytera’s latest TETRA innovation, DIB R5 base station. It adopts a maintenance-free, space-saving design and can be installed on walls, antenna masts or in tunnels. Thanks to its low power consumption and passive cooling, it is ideal for use in areas where power supply is critical or where there is a need for battery-based, portable base station solutions. With the expansion of the TETRA network, different public safety forces such as police, firefighters and emergency response in the State of Alagoas will share the network to facilitate optimal cooperation when the situation requires, which is another big step forward by the local authorities to improve the security of the state.

Hoverfly Technologies Inc., global supplier of tether-powered aerial drone systems, is pleased to announce it has engaged retired Deputy Chief of Los Angeles Police Department Mike Hillmann to consult and provide expertise to Hoverfly and public safety officials of cities, counties and special law enforcement agencies who are considering the use of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) to assist in keeping their cities safe. Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) When incidents and/or events happen, having ‘real-time, situational awareness’ from above the scene is critical to managing risk and upholding public safety “With 24-hour news cycles, a never-ending stream of social media posts, mid-term elections and potential threats to the public at large, getting fast, accurate situational awareness from the air during an incident has never been more important when it comes to keeping the public safe. We are thrilled to have Chief Hillmann advising on use cases and how best to implement and integrate this new technology,” says Hoverfly SVP of Systems, Lew Pincus.  When incidents and/or events happen, having ‘real-time, situational awareness’ from above the scene is critical to managing risk and upholding public safety and the safety of those who serve our communities. Aerial/Drone surveillance He adds, “We typically have relied on manned aircraft to provide aerial coverage over a variety of incidents. On occasion, those assets have not always been available, deemed too disruptive or too expensive to deploy in certain situations where an aerial view clearly could have helped an incident commander better understand the situation. Deploying small tether-powered, highly portable, unobtrusive persistent cameras positioned high above the scene can now be used as either a standalone capability or integrated system with existing networks, security infrastructure and even manned aircraft.” Hoverfly tether-powered sUAV (Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) systems solve short battery-life problems associated with free-flying drones Today, Mr. Hillmann is helping chiefs of police, local city and county officials and other public safety personnel understand how Hoverfly’s tether-powered LiveSky systems can be deployed from police or EMS vehicles providing incident commanders with actionable intelligence from high above the scene within minutes of arrival. “Tactically, having the ability to stay in the air monitoring the situation from above for hours, days, even weeks at a time represents an amazing capability we never had before. During my career, I can think of hundreds of situations where having a drone in the air to provide real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance would have helped keep my officers and the community much safer. It’s a force multiplier that should be exploited by public safety,” says Hillmann. Hoverfly’s LiveSky systems Hoverfly tether-powered sUAV (Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) systems solve short battery-life problems associated with free-flying drones because they operate using a standard 120VAC power source or vehicle inverter. The power, command and control information and video are transmitted over the tether making the entire system completely secure from jamming, hacking or spoofing, ensuring the privacy of the data and improving safety. Perhaps the biggest benefit of Hoverfly systems is they are autonomous and require no piloting skills. The CEO of Hoverfly likes to say, “if you can operate an elevator, you can operate our LiveSky system.” 

Ulaanbaatar is the capital and the largest city of Mongolia, with a population of over 1.3 million, which is almost half of the country's total population. Over the past decade, the number of vehicles in Ulaanbaatar has risen by more than 300,000. As the political and cultural center of Mongolia, the increasing number of inhabitants and vehicles within the city has caused a series of social, environmental, and transportation problems. Dahua’s sophisticated ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) solution has integrated advanced software and hardware including sensors, information and data processing and physical electronics and communication technologies to assist the transportation department of Ulaanbaatar, in enhancing the safety and efficiency of its transportation system. Intelligent Transportation System In recent years, the government of Ulaanbaatar has prioritised the improvement of traffic management and has identified the need of a cost-effective solution towards speeding, traffic light violations and other road safety related issues, to create a more secure environment for citizens. Due to the high-latitude geography of the city, this project is particularly demanding on the monitoring equipment withstanding harsh environments. Based on advanced intelligent algorithms, Dahua has provided the city with its cutting-edge ITS solution consisting of the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) system for 28 main roads, the E-police system for 8 junctions, 2 mobile speed measurement systems as well as 15 high spot PTZ surveillance units. The project took only three months from the initial analysis of the client’s demands and solution design to, the final delivery, overcoming various tough issues along the way. The Dahua team worked in collaboration with a partner to customise a Mongolian license plate recognition algorithm ANPR system As there are no current systems for license plate recognition in Mongolia, the Dahua team worked in collaboration with a partner to customise a Mongolian license plate recognition algorithm. This was then integrated into Dahua’s traffic cameras, achieving a reliable recognition rate, much to the satisfaction of the client. Dahua’s traffic cameras installed at the significant main roads of the city, are able to function between a temperature of - 40 ℃ ~ + 80 ℃ and a 10%~90% humidity environment. The cameras will actively monitor and inspect each suspicious vehicle, and automatically capture their license plates in real time, sending out an automatic alert when blacklisted vehicles pass by. E-police monitoring system The monitoring equipment set up at the eight junctions can help the Ulaanbaatar transportation authorities in making quick responses to traffic accidents that are caused by running red lights. When a violation occurs, the Dahua all-in-one capture camera takes a series of images of the vehicle’s license plate number, along with the status of the traffic signal and an aerial image of the scene as evidence. Afterwards, the DSS management and storage platform collects the data from each camera and distributes it to operators for further processing. The mobile speed measuring system detects vehicles that surpass the speed limit in all weather conditions Mobile speed measuring system The mobile speed measuring system detects vehicles that surpass the speed limit in all weather conditions. The system features an all-in-one design, making it easy to use and install at different locations at a moment’s notice. This portability allows traffic police to move the system to different places whenever necessary. It consists of an 8MP CCD camera with a multi-target tracking radar, allowing for an accurate instant speed measurement of each passing vehicle and crystal-clear imaging. The IR flash lamp also ensures excellent imaging capabilities even during the dark of night. Technical security training To better serve the client, Dahua’s team has provided the operators of the local transportation department, with relevant technical training and demonstrated to them, the installation and deployment of devices. Additionally, all three systems are unified on a single platform within the control center, further enabling the end user to more efficiently monitor and manage road safety. Dahua’s ITS solution facilitates road safety and keeps the traffic flowing smoothly, raising the safety awareness of drivers, resulting in a more pleasant journey for drivers.  Advanced technologies such as LPR and fuzzy search, actively reduces manpower demands on the police force, while increasing the efficiency of current enforcement. Furthermore, Dahua’s solution has assisted the government of Ulaanbaatar to finance a sustainable, growing, and well-maintained system of security and safety.

The saying goes that “business is business,” but many experienced executives in this industry have come to learn that a few ounces of compassion and understanding can sometimes be both necessary and appreciated. Operations don't always go as planned; we know that uncontrollable, tragic incidents may occur, and we want to be sure we're there for our customers and partners when they need it the most. This time of need often presents itself during a significant crisis, such as the one Puerto Rico experienced and continues to face from the devastation of two major hurricanes in September 2017. Hurricane Maria, which made landfall on Sept. 20, and was considered a “catastrophic event,” brought intense rain and wind to the island for longer than 30 hours, leaving residents without power, communication and water. TimeQuest reconfigures access control solutions Vanderbilt dealer TimeQuest Technologies, located in San Juan, was forced to suspend active projects and focus all resources on recovery The destruction and damage to roads, communities and businesses changed the lives of almost everyone involved — with the inability to access supermarkets, banks and gas stations, daily tasks were severely interrupted, and so too were security activities. Vanderbilt dealer TimeQuest Technologies, located in San Juan, was forced to suspend active projects and focus all resources on recovery. With its customers' having lost everything and their buildings destroyed, TimeQuest Technologies Vice President Alberto Cupeles took his team to visit each in person, surveying the need for basic necessities and offering their assistance. As its customers started to begin construction in the aftermath, TimeQuest Technologies was forced to reconfigure and reconstruct its access control systems, software and solutions, while trying to adjust to a shift in electricity and combatting inconsistent power from day to day. Vanderbilt-TimeQuest collaborate on disaster relief Having known Vanderbilt for more than 20 years, Cupeles was grateful for the trustworthy and sympathetic relationship that had developed over time, extending far beyond daily business operations. Both companies worked together to ensure overarching support and commitment to restoration, allowing TimeQuest Technologies to spend its time and effort where it was needed most. “The help we received helped not just our customers but also our families,” Cupeles said. “This wasn't just a business-only situation. There were people in the middle.” Collaborations in the security industry often run deeper than what's seen on the surface; when dealing with an unexpected occurrence, at the end of the day, providing comfort and consideration should always take precedence.

The historic village of Leybourne in Kent is situated closed to the M20 and benefits from easy access to London, the channel ports and the motorway network. It’s a village with a strong community feel and an attractive rural character, however good transport links can bring problems. Leybourne Parish Council was particularly concerned by the risk of crime coming in from outside the area and to protect the community from vandalism and anti-social behaviour and wanted a video surveillance system capable of deterring wrong-doers. IDIS HD IP video surveillance solution Leybourne already had limited public area surveillance, but the system used outdated analogue technology that 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 extend coverage, improve image quality and guarantee no data loss – and all that had to be achieved within the parish council’s limited budget. A combination of 3-megapixel and 5-megapixel IDIS domes and bullet cameras gives significantly improved coverage and image detail For significantly upgraded coverage, but with 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. 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. IDIS Smart Failover and H.265 technology Furthermore, 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 analogue 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, without the need for time-consuming manual data downloads from individual cameras. More cameras can now be easily added, or the location of cameras changed, as the need arises.

One of the UK’s largest video surveillance projects in recent years involving the deployment of 845 Wisenet cameras manufactured by Hanwha Techwin, is nearing completion. The video surveillance system, which is designed to play an important role in helping ensure the safe and reliable delivery of public transport across the West Midlands, is being used to monitor activity at over 50 railway stations, 11 bus stations, 3 Midland Metro park and ride sites, as well as the main Number 11 bus route around the City of Birmingham. Live and recorded images from all cameras are being monitored at an advanced control room, located in central Birmingham Wisenet HD IP camera integration The project which is targeted for completion in July 2018 has so far seen approximately 845 Wisenet cameras installed by Total Integrated Solutions Ltd. (TIS) on behalf of Transport for West Midlands which was set up by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to co-ordinate investment needed to improve the region’s transport infrastructure. The remaining work includes the deployment of the latest generation of Wisenet high definition IP cameras at a number of car parks, together with significant camera upgrades in Walsall and Solihull, two of four Local Authority public space CCTV systems are already monitored by WMCA. Live and recorded images from all the cameras are being monitored at a £1.2M state-of-the-art control room located in central Birmingham. “Our approach to this very large, complex project was not simply one of agreeing to meet exacting KPI’s from a performance perspective,” said Eamonn Murphy, Coleshill based TIS’s key account manager. “We felt the route to success would be to adopt a more partnership type approach, where we were not only the provider of technical solutions but were also involved at a strategic level in identifying with Transport for West Midlands a pathway of system upgrade, improved efficiency, cost reduction, innovation and utilising latest technology such as video analytics to the best advantage.” TIS is assured seamless integration between Wisenet cameras and Veracity Coldstore ‘direct to storage’ solution Wisenet cameras & Veracity Coldstore solutions Transport for West Midlands evaluated cameras available from 9 different manufacturers. The subsequent decision to source all the cameras from Hanwha Techwin, (previously known as Samsung Techwin), was partly due to the price/performance ratio of its cameras, but there were two other important factors which were taken into consideration. Firstly, Hanwha Techwin has a close working relationship with its technology partner, Veracity. This meant TIS could be assured that there would be seamless integration between Wisenet cameras and the Veracity Coldstore ‘direct to storage’ solution. This negates the need for Network Video Recorders (NVRs) and thereby substantially reduces capital costs, as well as minimising setup and maintenance requirements. Open Platform cameras The Veracity Coldstore recording solution is unique in the linear way that data is written to the hard drives. Only 2 hard drives are spinning at any one time, meaning a significant reduction in power consumption, lower heat generation and greater longevity of the hard drives, reducing the overall cost of ownership. When drive failures do occur, the faulty drive can be swapped with a new drive allowing uninterrupted use. The second important factor was the capability of the Wisenet open platform cameras to accommodate a variety of edge-based analytics such as ANPR and heat mapping, should Transport for West Midlands wish to deploy these at some point in the future. Trials of the Wisenet People Counting application are currently being carried out. This utilises the analytics software developed by Facit Data Systems, another Hanwha Techwin technology partner. Wisenet SNP-6320H cameras are configured for the transmission of 25 images per second (ips) at 1080p resolution Intelligent Day/Night cameras A large percentage of the cameras installed are Wisenet SNP-6320H 2 Megapixel Full HD network PTZ dome cameras. In addition to being a true Day/Night camera which is able to capture high quality images in low light, the SNP-6320H’s powerful 32 x zoom capability enables operators to observe the close-up detail of any activity. Trials were conducted where the cameras were capped at 2 Mbps and configured for the transmission of 25 images per second (ips) at 1080p resolution. The performance at this low bandwidth level was impressive and further contributed to the selection of the Wisenet SNP-6320H, which are also equipped with intelligent auto-tracking capability to ensure a greater level of detail can be captured when no operator is present. Other Wisenet cameras deployed as part of the project include the SNV-6084R vandal-resistant IR dome and the SNB-6004 fixed camera, both of which are able to capture Full HD 2 Megapixel images. Video Surveillance Technology “Working on rail, Metro and bus station sites spread across the wider West Midlands area is a complex and challenging operation and the TIS team deserve recognition for its expertise and diligence,” said Mark Babington, Safety & Security Manager for Transport for West Midlands. Suppliers such as Hanwha Techwin and Veracity have also worked extremely well in partnership with us to ensure we could achieve maximum benefit from this substantial investment" “TIS’s engineers were qualified to the highest degree to support the latest video surveillance technology, as well as being experienced to cope with older legacy systems. Both were needed within the unique environment of a busy integrated transportation network which brings its own exceptional requirements of compliance with bespoke health and safety legislation.” “Suppliers such as Hanwha Techwin and Veracity have also worked extremely well in partnership with us to ensure we could achieve maximum benefit from this substantial investment in the West Midlands transport infrastructure.” Commenting on the success of the project, Bob (H.Y.) Hwang Ph.D., Managing Director, Hanwha Techwin Europe, said: “We greatly value the opportunity to have been involved in this project. It is a excellent example of the benefit of all stakeholders interacting with each other in partnership at an early stage of a project to ensure the most suitable products are specified and subsequently installed to the client’s satisfaction.”