Healthcare security

Security and Safety Things GmbH (S&ST) is pleased to announce the three winners of its 2021 App Challenge, a contest to spur creative development in video analytic applications. The winning apps were chosen from a pool of more than 30 proposals for solutions, which addressed specific security and business use cases, in the retail, transportation, stadiums and entertainment, and healthcare verticals. S&ST's 2021 App Challenge “The Security & Safety Things open platform for smart cameras provides the ideal framework for developers to help solve real world customer pain points with innovative applications,” said Adam Wynne, Head of the Security & Safety Things Innovation Accelerator, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The winners of this year’s App Challenge provided some very concrete and effective examples of how smart cameras are adding security and operational value to a variety of different types of organisations. AI-powered analytic apps added to Application Store As part of the App Challenge, 11 new AI-powered analytic apps have been loaded onto the company’s open Application Store As part of the App Challenge, 11 new AI-powered analytic apps have been loaded onto the company’s open Application Store, which already features nearly 100 different applications. Integrators and end-users can choose multiple applications from the app store, to run simultaneously on individual smart cameras running the S&ST camera operating system, which enables a single camera to accomplish several different functions. The camera OS is based on the developer-friendly Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Noema, a subsidiary of DSR Corporation based in Colorado, received the overall rating for its seat occupancy application to the transportation market. This application allows a surveillance camera to check seat availability and overall occupancy of a train car, as well as determine, whether the seat is occupied by a human or object. Noema’s seat occupancy application This application seeks to address pain points, such as a passenger taking up more than one seat, luggage or pets blocking seating areas, passengers sitting in the wrong seat or section, and passengers riding without fare. Each of these issues can impact both train departure, as well as overall revenue. “Our engineering team enjoyed developing apps for the Security & Safety Things platform, as it enables our team to focus on the underlying business logic of the applications and algorithms that we’re developing, instead of addressing the lower-level engineering aspects that S&ST’s system already addresses for us,” said Alexander (Alex) Fedoseev, the Co-Chief Executive Officer (Co-CEO) at Noema. FloodCam AI software WaterView, based in Italy, received the second-highest rating for its FloodCam application, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software used to monitor infrastructure or areas, which are subject to flooding episodes, such as road underpasses or areas close to riverbanks. The FloodCam AI software recognises portions of the images, where water is present and raises an alert The FloodCam AI software recognises portions of the images, where water is present and raises an alert if the estimated water coverage exceeds a certain threshold. To keep privacy in mind, the image taken can be masked, so that only a desired region of interest is taken into account. “Taking part in the 2021 App Challenge hosted by Security & Safety Things was a stimulating and enjoyable experience,” said Matteo Ferrabone, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at WaterView, adding “We were very eager to launch our latest solutions on the market and the App Challenge served as the perfect opportunity and motivation.” Virtual Surveillance Assistant (VSA) application Studio Automated, based in Amsterdam, was the third winner for its Virtual Surveillance Assistant (VSA) application, an AI algorithm developed by The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). This application can detect anomalies in video footage and can specifically be trained to detect aggressive behaviour, at stadiums and venues, and in transportation vehicles. Besides the detection of aggression, the footage analysed by this app can also be used for the analysis of walkways and footpaths, as well as passenger behaviour in general. This will allow decision-makers to optimise operations at airports, stadiums, bus stands and railway stations. Winners chosen by S&ST's jury of representatives “We are very grateful to have been able to participate in this challenge and to be chosen as a winner,” said Elle de Jonge, Strategic Advisor at Studio Automated, adding “The Security & Safety Things store has more functionalities that allow us as a partner to grow with, and our clients can use our AI driven assistance within minutes, which speeds up implementation and helps clients innovate faster.” These winners were chosen by a jury of representatives from Security and Safety Things GmbH (S&ST) and 22 prominent integrators, from around the globe and will be awarded individual prizes in the form of cash funds.

Access control manufacturer Inner Range has announced a new integration for its flagship system, Integriti, with global CCTV brand AXIS Communications. The new integration creates more choices for customers building bespoke security solutions. It also opens up new business opportunities for Inner Range via its parent firm, global distributor Anixter, which also sells AXIS products. Enterprise-level access control system Tim Northwood, director of Inner Range, said, “Our enterprise-level intelligent access control system Integriti is designed to integrate with a host of third-party products to create sophisticated security solutions. Integrating with AXIS makes sense both in terms of increasing options for our customers as well as furthering our strategic business aims.” AXIS Communications is best known for its video surveillance solutions and global market presence. The manufacturer created the first network camera in 1996 and has grown its open platform portfolio ever since. Secure access and security Inner Range's Integriti offers sophisticated and highly secure access and security including intruder detection Inner Range has been a world pioneer in the design and manufacture of intelligent security solutions since it was established in 1988. Its enterprise-level intelligent access control system, Integriti, offers sophisticated and highly secure access and security, including intruder detection to European standard EN50131. Seamless integration possibilities include multiple CCTV products, along with visitor management, building automation, and business continuity systems, HR, payroll, health and safety, and compliance products. Integration partners Inner Range has also announced integration with SALTO doors for its Integriti system. While other integrations released this year include CCTV providers FLIR Latitude and IDIS CCTV, as well as Suprema biometrics and real-time location tracking system Quuppa.   The UK team at Inner Range will be showcasing Integriti’s vast integration capabilities, as well as its entry-level system, Inception, at the International Security Expo at London’s Olympia on September 28-29. Smart building management access Inner Range systems have been installed in over 25 countries, offering trouble-free access and smart building management for local sites as well as national and global estates. Customers include hospitals and high-security units, colleges, distribution centres, and pharmaceutical companies, government, and critical national infrastructure.

Wasabi Technologies (Wasabi), the globally renowned hot cloud storage company, has announced a new partnership with Rasilient Systems, the pioneer in forensic-grade video surveillance systems, to deliver industry-renowned hybrid cloud storage solutions for video surveillance deployments at the edge. Wasabi - Rasilient partnership This partnership combines the strength of Rasilient’s surveillance system optimisation with Wasabi’s unlimited scalability and disruptively low cost, so users in industries with multiple distributed locations, such as healthcare networks, education systems, and retail branches, can effectively handle the rising amount of video being captured, at previously deemed ‘unserviceable’ or ‘difficult’ remote locations. With the ever-increasing amount of data produced by video surveillance applications, moving and archiving infrequently-accessed video to an offsite, secure, and reliable storage environment is the only way to keep up with the demand of footage being generated at the edge. Unfortunately, this is nearly impossible for remote locations, due to the limited bandwidth and connectivity needed to send video files, without the risk of frame drop, video degradation and data corruption. Fast and reliable hot cloud storage Wasabi is 80% less expensive to store video recordings, in comparison to traditional cloud providers Now, with Wasabi’s affordable, fast, and reliable hot cloud storage on-demand, Rasilient customers can shorten upload windows and quickly access their video files for faster retrieval times, with a highly scalable repository for their video management software (VMS), which supports high camera counts, high definition resolutions, high frame rates, and long retention periods, all demands of modern video surveillance deployments. Wasabi is 80% less expensive to store video recordings, in comparison to traditional cloud providers and there are no fees for egress, or API requests. This lower cost allows customers to utilise video surveillance, not only for security and safety but for a variety of uses to cost-effectively monitor operations for business optimisation and process improvement, while holding on to that footage forever, so they can refer back to it whenever necessary. Collaboration to offer cloud and edge hardware The two companies have partnered up to offer cloud, edge hardware, and secure transmission in a simple, predictable RMR pricing model, as well as omitting the expensive and fluctuating costs that are traditionally associated with cloud storage solutions. “With modern systems capturing more evidence and anomalies than ever before, there is a surging demand for increased storage capacity that is scalable, dependable, and secure,” said Sean Chang, the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Rasilient Systems. He adds, “By partnering with Wasabi, we’re able to provide our customers with a hybrid cloud solution that is affordable, fast, reliable, and secure, so they are properly equipped to manage the growing volume of video captured across locations.” VMS-agnostic NFDLink communication software Rasilient Systems’ patent-pending, VMS-agnostic NFDLink communication software enables the use of commonly available broadband wired or wireless internet services, to send and receive forensic-grade video recordings directly to and from the Wasabi cloud. Wasabi’s flexible storage capacity allows organisations to leverage NFDLink, to archive infrequently accessed video to Wasabi from any VMS, while keeping frequently accessed video on-site with Rasilient edge devices. PrivateLok for zero-knowledge encryption at the edge Rasilient Systems’ PrivateLok provides zero-knowledge encryption at the edge Rasilient Systems’ PrivateLok provides zero-knowledge encryption at the edge, to add cyber security on top of Wasabi’s safe and secure environment. Only the edge user holds the key, so even if the network was somehow compromised, no one could view sensitive video data. Wasabi is deployed in fully secure and redundant data centres that are certified for SOC-2 and ISO 27001 compliance. The service is architected, in accordance with industry-renowned security models and design practices. Organisations can configure their individual video files or storage buckets to be immutable for a user-defined retention period (in increments of days, weeks, months or years). High levels of immutability Designated video files or files written to that bucket cannot be deleted or altered in any way, by anyone, throughout its storage lifetime. This level of immutability helps Rasilient customers comply with state and local government regulations. “Industries that operate in multiple locations, such as healthcare, government, education, and enterprise retail, may have a blend of software at different sites, often times not having one standard VMS across all locations.” said David Friend, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wasabi Technologies. He adds, “This scenario makes it difficult for organisations to keep up with increasing levels of video surveillance at the edge, in a secure and cost-effective manner. Rasilient has created a surveillance solution that is dependable, can be used in remote areas, and can cover multiple sites. We’re excited to partner with Rasilient, to provide their customers with a flexible, cost-effective and secure cloud storage solution that caters to the modern demands of video surveillance.”

IPVideo Corp. announced that it has released a new product version 2.5 of the HALO IOT Smart Sensor providing instant Health and Indoor Air Quality readings and alerts. The HALO Smart Sensor, the worldwide leader for vape and vape with THC detection is now helping facilities monitor their indoor health and air quality. As part of the newest v2.5 software release, HALO provides both a real-time air quality and Health Index and sends alerts when either index falls into danger zones. In conjunction with HALO Cloud, the sensor also provides critical automated reports that allow building owners and administrators to demonstrate they are providing a healthy indoor environment and/or validate that facility improvement are needed. Attendees of the GSX trade show in Orlando, FL will have the opportunity to stop by booth #1816 on September 27th – 29th to view live demonstrations of the new product release. In a recent survey, 73% of building occupants don’t believe their building air is safe. These occupants are demanding air quality and real-time health results without the controversy and push back. With new options for calibrated C02 sensors, HALO 2.5 and Health Index provide a cost-effective and flexible alternative for any facility or campus looking for a safe and healthy environment for its staff, students, patients, and tenants. HALO Cloud The new 2.5 features in HALO allow its users to capture comprehensive building awareness HALO 2.5, in conjunction with HALO Cloud, provides a dashboard displaying all air quality and Health Index events, current and historical, and empowers staff to provide an effective response to any monitoring points. This reporting capability allows owners and administrators to provide real-time proof of the environment's health and alleviate concerns of their customers, employees, and communities. The new 2.5 features in HALO allow its users to capture comprehensive building awareness with an all-in-one device. Used for health and safety, HALO is a vape detector, an air quality monitor, and a complete security device for privacy areas where one does not want to use a camera or microphone. With a single device HALO provides; Building Health Monitoring, Indoor Air Quality Monitoring, Vape Detection, THC Detection, Gunshot Detection, Emergency Key Word alerting, Audible alerting, Light/Occupancy alerting, Chemical alerting, VOC alerting, Tamper alerting as well as Temperature, Humidity and Pressure alerting. HALO 2.5 “We have been hearing from building occupants worldwide to provide a better way of validating the health of their facilities throughout the pandemic,” states David Antar President of IPVideo Corporation. “With HALO 2.5 and the real-time health and safety index, facilities now have; constant monitoring, immediate alerts, reporting validation and can provide peace of mind to their occupants without the controversy”. Capture real-time comprehensive building safety and health awareness with the all-in-one HALO Smart Sensor 2.5and the HALO Cloud Health Index.

As facility managers, designers and building specifiers will attest, it can be challenging to find the right electronic access solution for a glass door. When glass is the focal point of an entrance design, cabling is not an option. Matching appropriate devices to the opening for a meeting room, office, treatment suite or any other glass door often involves compromises. Organisations may not find their ideal combination of security level, convenience, design and functionality. But this need not be the case, because battery-powered access control is now available in multiple styles and formats. Powerful access control Such devices can fit almost any type of glass door, cable- and wire-free. A minimal footprint ensures they leave the door’s aesthetic as it was designed. Already trusted in multiple settings, and for all security levels, Aperio® door devices are built to integrate with almost any access system. These wireless locks work seamlessly with systems from over 100 OEMs — and counting. Aperio offers end-users the flexibility to affordably expand or modify an access system’s coverage. If needs change at a facility — say, meeting rooms are fitted with new glass doors — it’s quick and easy for an installer to fit Aperio locks and integrate them online with the main control panel. For simplicity in fitting to almost any interior glass door, the battery-powered Aperio C100 Cylinder combines with a range of locksets to add powerful access control which is easy to integrate with any new or existing system. Security glass door The Aperio H100 handle packs the power and flexibility of access control into an award-winning handle The Aperio H100 handle packs the power and flexibility of access control into an award-winning, low profile, wireless handle. Anywhere it is possible to replace an existing DIN, SCAN or FIN standard format lever, an H100 can easily be fitted and integrated with the access system. A third option, the E100 Escutcheon brings full-powered, feature-rich access control to any higher security glass door such as a boardroom or a treatment suite with valuable equipment. Privacy functions, and the option to add a PINpad for multi-factor authentication, are also available with the Aperio E100. Users open all doors, including Aperio wireless controlled doors, with the same credential. Aperio is compatible with almost any standard RFID technology, including iCLASS® and MIFARE®, as well as secure mobile access with Seos®. Architectural security solutions In corporate headquarters, commercial properties, healthcare premises and many more settings, all over the world, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions has the experience of providing modern architectural security solutions for glass with a contemporary aesthetic. Because Aperio devices operate cable-free at the door — communicating with a central system securely over the air via wireless hubs in the case of an online integration — they can be fitted without disrupting an interior design, however minimalist.

In March 2021, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released Special Publication 500-334, which provides guidance on implementing the technology that allows the use of contactless fingerprints, acquired via the camera in mobile devices (e.g., an Android or iOS mobile phone), to be stored, transmitted, and matched against legacy fingerprint databases, operated by law enforcement and border protection services. Special Publication 500-334 Together with NIST and other industry partners, Veridium, a globally renowned company in the development of user-centric authentication solutions, is proud to have played an important role in supporting this guidance, by helping NIST develop, measure and test contactless fingerprint technologies, enabling wide deployment and interoperation with existing backend services. Charles Kolodgy, Principal at Security Mindsets, said “NIST's best practice recommendation advances the use of contactless captured friction ridge imagery for quick and verifiable identification. At the same time, stakeholders have a choice to incorporate this new model of contactless capture, while preserving the integrity and separation of the legacy friction ridge infrastructure.” Identity verification to access critical services In many instances, fingerprints are required to verify the identity to access critical services and enter secure areas In many instances, fingerprints are required to verify the identity to access critical services and enter secure areas, like airport terminals or assume a trusted job, like airline pilot or healthcare provider in a hospital. Fingerprints play a critical role because they are highly unique (even among twins). Until recently, however, only specialised equipment could be used to acquire fingerprints. Standards developed in the 1980s are still being used to certify devices around the world, including single finger readers, glass-plate ‘slap’ readers and conductive metal surface readers, all of which require physical contact of the finger and hands to touch, press and acquire fingerprint information. Contactless mobile fingerprint capture Contactless mobile fingerprint capture eliminates specialised hardware, because much of the process can be performed on a personal device. It also enhances privacy, as there is no need for collection and storage, by a chain of intermediary service providers. The device can communicate directly with the trusted identity service that purges the data after verification. Veridium’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Dr. John Callahan, said “We are proud to participate in the NIST Contactless Fingerprint CRADA, since 2015. The new standards open many new doors, as many countries around the globe require fingerprints for access to social services, from remote and underserved areas. Contactless acquisition makes this possible, with the use of existing mobile services, without requiring specialised hardware.” Veridium’s 4 Fingers technology With Veridium 4 Fingers, they can use their mobile phone to satisfy this requirement remotely, anytime and anywhere Veridium’s 4 Fingers technology is leading the way in the acquisition of high-quality contactless fingerprint capture and matching. The new standard from NIST opens up new applications for the use of high-quality contactless fingerprints (e.g. remote identity verification, remote employee and contractor onboarding, account recovery, know your customer (KYC), know your applicant, etc.), especially important in an era of digital first and self-service centric interactions. Earlier, individuals had to physically report to a fingerprinting facility, operated by a vendor or local police department. With Veridium 4 Fingers, they can use their mobile phone to satisfy this requirement remotely, anytime and anywhere. Contactless biometric acquisition and matching Veridium’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ismet Geri, said “We are proud to help advance the state of contactless biometric acquisition and matching. Veridium 4 Fingers, along with vFace, Veridium’s facial recognition platform, provides a device agnostic mechanism to use biometrics for strong passwordless authentication, in addition to identity verification.” He adds, “Looking forward, Veridium and its partners are working on creating more applications of our technology for fast matching between a live capture and NFC-enabled passport, crypto-biometric key management for crypto-currency wallets, anti-human trafficking control using in-field biometric validation, wilderness border crossing, and checkpoint validation against known watch lists.”

Amongst the many negative consequences of the pandemic is a rise in violent and abusive behaviour across society. Health workers have experienced it on a regular basis. So too have police officers and public transport workers. Unfortunately, violence and abuse towards shop workers is also endemic in British society. To address this problem which, in truth, has been on the rise since long before the emergence of COVID-19, we need better deterrents. The ability to prosecute these offences is one such deterrent, but just as important is the ability to deescalate situations before they spill over into unacceptable or unlawful behaviour. Major retail customers In both instances, organisations of all sizes are now recognising that the answer could involve greater use of rapidly advancing body worn camera technology. Andy Marsh, the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, is one of the police officers responsible for introducing body worn cameras to the UK police force, where they are now in widespread use. Andy Marsh is one of the police officers responsible for introducing body worn cameras to the UK police force He explains that “The reason the majority of people don’t speed or drink-drive is that rational human beings weigh up the risk and consequences of breaking the law and getting caught. Body worn cameras help provide appropriate ‘desistance’, especially where there are forward-facing screens so the person interacting with the wearer can see themselves and their behaviour.” Evidence shows that if a forward-facing camera is switched on before the intervention becomes hostile, it will generally lead to a de-escalation – as often as 90% of the time, according to one of our major retail customers. Digital evidence investigations Only a tiny handful of abusive incidents ever translate into arrests and prosecutions. A key issue is a lack of clear evidence – how to get past the usual impasse of one person’s word against the other. Body worn cameras break the deadlock and allow organisations to report incidents to the police with confidence, knowing that they will lead to action. Marsh suggests that “We usually see an earlier admission, an earlier guilty plea and a more appropriate sentence, where body worn camera footage is in play.” The technology has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. For example, it’s now possible to record high-definition footage on a lightweight device that’s barely the size of a palm. And it’s not just about the evidence organisations gather themselves. Many police forces are looking at ways to make it easier for businesses and the public to collaborate on digital evidence investigations. Body worn cameras This is good for the victims of crime because it means we get the evidence more quickly" “We’ve created an online crime portal in Avon and Somerset which people can use to pass digital evidence and material to us without an officer having to attend their premises. This is good for the victims of crime because it means we get the evidence more quickly and can take action more swiftly to resolve that issue,” adds Marsh. Our body worn cameras can now even support facial recognition thanks to new, smart AI on the devices themselves, which can scan and process faces within a three-metre distance against a pre-defined database of people (which we call a watchlist). Any matches trigger alerts or additional camera activity such as recording and streaming, while the facial recognition data of people not on the watchlist itself is not recorded or saved to assuage privacy concerns. Similar criminal behaviour Where could this technology come in handy? Well, staff at gambling venues or in-store retail workers could undoubtedly benefit from the ability to quickly spot known fraudsters or addicts who have requested that venues refuse their custom. Stewards at mass sporting events could play a key role in helping to identify people who have been banned from attending. The primary reason for using body worn cameras is to increase the safety of frontline workers The primary reason for using body worn cameras is to increase the safety of frontline workers, deescalating confrontations and limiting the use of force. AI-powered facial recognition can also serve this purpose by helping them make better-informed choices about how to handle specific situations. For example, it is a massive advantage to police officers on the beat to understand that the person they are dealing with may have a history of similar criminal behaviour. Facial recognition technology But it’s also an advantage within retail, where aggressive incidents are on the rise and staff need all the help they can get to determine what an appropriate response should be to a particular customer incident. In fact, extensive consultation with our retail, police, transport and gambling customers indicates that introducing facial recognition technology to body worn cameras could be instrumental, not just in helping to prevent crime, but in tracking down vulnerable and missing people too. Of course, facial recognition technology has to be balanced against the need to protect the privacy of ordinary citizens. Video recording using body worn cameras has to be done proportionately – the same is true for the use of facial recognition technology. The technology also has to be compliant with GDPR, Data Protection, the Information Commissioners recommendations and so on. Positive working environment Violent and abusive incidents affect everyone in the immediate vicinity and create a culture of fear Importantly, it should be for a specific, proportionate and justifiable reason which, of course, means it should never be used for indiscriminate mass surveillance. Every organisation using this technology must remember that a facial recognition system match is not proof of someone’s identity, but rather, an indication of likelihood to help inform the user rather than dictate the course of action. Violent and abusive incidents affect everyone in the immediate vicinity and create a culture of fear and apprehension. This is why it’s so important to get on top of the problem – both on a societal and at an organisational level. Body worn cameras have a vital role to play, as an evidence-gathering tool and as a deterrent that empowers the wearer and creates a more positive working environment. Deterring unlawful behaviour One of the critical roles these cameras play is in staff training, providing real-world video evidence that can be used to educate and upskill workers across a variety of industries. Society’s problem with abusive and violent behaviour cannot be solved by technology alone. But with exceptional quality camera footage now a reality, and the possibility of AI technology at the device level in real-time, body worn cameras will only get better at deterring unlawful behaviour and helping to protect hardworking frontline staff. Alasdair Field is CEO of video technology provider Reveal, which works with UK police forces and major brands such as Matalan, JD Sports and Boots to help them improve staff safety, deescalate confrontations and reduce violent and abusive incidents.

As the vaccine roll-out proceeds, people across the UK are counting the days until we can get back to some kind of ‘new normal’. Just as we’ve seen in education and healthcare, the return to the workplace and other public spaces will be accompanied by enhanced sanitisation and social distancing measures. To make the return as swift and safe as possible, those of us involved with managing, building and constructing buildings should consider how we can help facilitate and support those measures. Regardless of how rigorously we impose social distancing measures, there will always be some areas where we can’t help coming into contact with each other. Sanitising door handles Doors, for example – and door locks and handles in particular – are shared by nearly everyone in a building. Even in large, open spaces, we all need to pass through a single entrance. We all use the same door handles and locks – and they provide ideal surfaces for bacteria to breed and transfer. Another solution is for staff to regularly sanitise door handles and locks One solution to this problem is to provide hand-sanitiser dispensers at each door and insist on their use. But this can be difficult to manage in larger buildings where there may be multiple doors and entrances used by both staff and visitors. People could ignore the sanitisation rules too. Another solution is for staff to regularly sanitise door handles and locks – but this is a resource intensive option and, again, is dependent on everyone maintaining good practice. Potentially harmful chemicals A longer-lasting way to deal with the risk of locks and door handles spreading disease is to treat them with an anti-viral coating. These coatings come in various forms. Some, for example, slowly release anti-bacterial chemicals, while others have antiviral properties actually built into the material or the coating. Those coatings with built-in antiviral properties tend to be longer-lasting and more effective, and also avoid the issue of releasing potentially harmful chemicals into the environment. A number of different solutions with built-in protection are currently in development, and some already available. Northumbria University, for example (as reported in last Month’s PSB Magazine), is working on a ‘super-hydrophobic’ coating for use on high-contact areas such as handrails and trolleys. Optional antiviral coating Codelocks is working on a coating that attaches biocides to nanoparticles Another British company, Smart Separations, is working on a coating that attaches biocides to nanoparticles, and can be applied to a wide variety of surfaces. While these anti-viral coatings are either still in development or only available to large corporate clients, others are already readily available. Access control solutions provider Codelocks, for example is currently offering an optional antiviral coating with all of its products. Clean by Codelocks is clear coating that uses nanotechnology that can kill bacteria in a matter of minutes. Clean by Codelocks utilises a process called photocatalytic oxidation. The surface of the coating reacts with light and converts harmful bacteria and germs into a non-toxic compound, resulting in a clean and hygienic surface. Chemical cleaning products The coating has been proven to eliminate the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) from surfaces within minutes and is resistant to chemical cleaning products, humidity, and UV exposure – all issues that can cause problems for traditional slow-release type coatings. It’s been said that COVID-19 has been a great technology accelerator. This has been proven true, not only in the areas of vaccine research and development, or in cloud and digital technology but even in everyday objects that we take for granted such as locks and door handles. By building anti-bacterial protection into access control solutions, we can make schools, surgeries, workplaces, leisure centres and other public spaces safer for all.

The explosion of artificial intelligence used to enhance business processes, propel innovative products, and further automation has touched essentially every industry to date. The security sector, notable for its maturity and complexity, is not exempt from the AI tidal wave. In fact, quite the opposite, the security sector and more specifically the domain of video surveillance have seen an emergence of AI-powered solutions both hardware and software. The widespread adoption of IP cameras, cloud computing capacities, and smart sensors have paved the way for new AI products and solutions to function at scale. AI-powered video analytics  One application of artificial intelligence for the video surveillance sector is the use of video analytic solutions to analyse video streams in order to extract pre-determined objects, behaviours, or situations. To give some examples, AI video analytics can be used to monitor perimeter crossing for border control, detect fevers or masks in airports or public spaces, arms detection in casinos, or be used to filter out alarms triggered by benign movements versus real intrusions. This application of artificial intelligence leans on its specific branch, machine learning, which uses a complex series of AI models to analyse the content of the video flow, autonomously identifying and classifying the videos according to predefined rules. Adopting technology AI video analytics yields promising benefits, a reduction in operational costs, and an increase in safety and a decrease in risk When AI video analytics are used effectively, they yield very promising benefits. A jump in video flow analysis from an average of 10% by humans to 100%, a reduction in operational costs, and an increase in safety and a decrease in risk. The use of AI video analytics for surveillance sounds simple enough, however, there are several perceived factors inhibiting security organisations from adopting the technology. Adopting AI into your video surveillance operation The security industry is capital intensive, complex in its IT structure, and diverse in situational business needs. Therefore, resulting in a perception of high effort, time and costs required to successfully integrate AI into your video surveillance operation. However, these effort constraints can be debunked due to the flexibility of video analytic solutions. Three areas that deter security organisations from adopting AI Existing capital A surveillance operation contains a network of cameras that film with a range of video qualities. AI video analytics can analyse a range of videos from low to high resolution in thermal, infrared and visible formats AI video analytics often operate on smart cameras that have the appropriate video image quality for the capacity of content analysis. The costs involved in overhauling legacy camera systems, converting videos into higher quality, or waiting until the current camera network is ready to be replaced in order to integrate AI is expensive, time-consuming, and often unfeasible. However, not all AI video analytic solutions need to be deployed on edge with smart cameras. Instead, video analytics can be deployed both directly on to the camera or have server-based integration maintaining and scaling to your existing camera network. AI video analytics can also analyse a range of videos from low to high resolution in a variety of formats: thermal, infrared, visible. Complex IT structure A single central command centre or in-house security network operates in a multi-manufacturer environment. This means cameras, video management systems, and technology partners can be provided by several manufacturers therefore increasing the complexity of successful IT workflows and integrations. Theft or perimeter infringement can take place in a matter of minutes, therefore the transfer of information between solutions is required to function at top speed. To overcome this complexity, the successful integration of solutions in a multi-manufacturer environment is assured through industry enforced standards set by non-profit organisations. This allows for third-party solutions such as AI video analytics to be easily integrated into the bulk of software and hardware technologies. Diversity in security needs To obtain high performance in a diverse security setting is inherently built into AI video analytic machine  The objective of a surveillance operation can vary greatly from one organisation to another. Retailers prioritise theft detection, while city governments may be concerned about arms detection or people counting. The capacity for AI to function with high performance, meanwhile adapting to several organisation’s security needs requires algorithms to be trained accordingly. To obtain high performance in a diverse security setting is inherently built into how AI video analytic machine learning model’s function. AI can be trained to adapt to different environments and uses progressive learning to increase performance overtime. A collaborative effort between security experts, data scientists and business strategists will ensure high performance and an appropriate application of AI to fit each organisation’s specific needs. Surveillance innovation moving forward While for some video surveillance organisations, the costs and time associated with successfully integrating AI into their network may seem daunting, there are ways to adapt new technology into an existing operation with minimal effort. The emerging presence of smart cameras and IoT products will only accelerate the adoption of AI moving forward. If your organisation is looking to enhance its operation with emerging technologies, now can be the time.

When 150,000 video surveillance cameras get hacked, it’s big news. Even if the main reason for the hack was to make a point. Even if the major consequence is bad publicity for a video company (and, by extension, the entire video surveillance industry). The target of the hack was Silicon Valley startup Verkada, which has collected a massive trove of security-camera data from its 150,000 surveillance cameras inside hospitals, companies, police departments, prisons and schools. Previously, Verkada has been known for an aggressive sales approach and its intent to disrupt the traditional video market. The data breach was accomplished by an international hacker collective and was first reported by Bloomberg. The reported reasons for the hack were “lots of curiosity, fighting for freedom of information and against intellectual property, a huge dose of anti-capitalism, a hint of anarchism – and it’s also just too much fun not to do it,” according to Bloomberg. Tesla amongst those impacted The “fun” included access to a video showing the inside of a Florida hospital, where eight hospital staffers tackled a man and pinned him to the bed. Inside a Massachusetts police station, officers are seen questioning a man in handcuffsA view inside a Tesla warehouse in Shanghai, China, showed workers on an assembly line. Inside a Massachusetts police station, officers are seen questioning a man in handcuffs. There are even views from Verkada security cameras inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, where a gunman killed more than 20 people in 2012. In a “security update” statement, Verkada reports: “Our internal security experts are actively investigating the matter. Out of an abundance of caution, we have implemented additional security measures to restrict account access and further protect our customers.” Hacking was possible due to built-in feature The hacker group was able to obtain “root” access on the cameras, meaning they could use the cameras to execute their own code, reports Bloomberg. Obtaining this degree of access to the camera did not require any additional hackingUsing that access, they could pivot and obtain access to the broader corporate network of Verkada’s customers or hijack the cameras and use them as a platform to launch future hacks, the hackers told Bloomberg. Obtaining this degree of access to the camera did not require any additional hacking, as it was a built-in feature. Elisa Costante, VP of research for cybersecurity firm Forescout, calls the Verkada security camera hack "shocking." "Connected cameras are supposed to provide an additional layer of security to organisations that install them,” she says. “Yet, as the Verkada security camera breach has shown, the exact opposite is often true. [It is worrisome that] the attack wasn't even very sophisticated and didn't involve exploiting a known or unknown vulnerability. The bad actors simply used valid credentials to access the data stored on a cloud server.” Super Admin account had access to all cameras Hackers gained access to Verkada through a “Super Admin” account, allowing them to peer into the cameras of all of its customers. They found a username and password for an administrator account publicly exposed on the internet, according to Bloomberg. The hackers lost access to the video feeds and archives after Bloomberg contacted Verkada.Hackers lost access to the video feeds and archives after Bloomberg contacted Verkada The results could have been worse, says Costante. "In this case, the bad actors have seemingly only resorted to viewing the footage these cameras have captured. But they are likely able to cause a lot more damage if they choose to do so, as our own research team has discovered. We were able to intercept, record and replace real-time footage from smart cameras by exploiting unencrypted video streaming protocols and performing a man-in-the-middle attack. This effectively gives criminals a virtual invisibility cloak to physically access premises and wreak havoc in the real world.” Impact on broader video surveillance industry The impact of a well-publicised cyber-attack on the broader video surveillance industry is also a concern. “As an industry, and as manufacturers in physical security, we cannot take these hacks lightly,” says Christian Morin, CSO & Vice-President of Integrations & Cloud Services, Genetec. “The potential broad-reaching impact of these hacks on physical security systems, including providing a beachhead to facilitate lateral movement onto networks, resulting in data and privacy breaches or access to critical assets and infrastructure, cannot be overstated. It is our responsibility and duty to users of our technology to prioritise data privacy and cybersecurity in the development, distribution, and deployment of video surveillance systems.” Widespread government and healthcare use The Verkada cameras are in widespread use within government and healthcare, which are by far the company’s most dominant verticals. Lesser verticals for them are manufacturing, financial and retail.The Verkada website pledges to take privacy seriously Verkada’s line of hybrid cloud security cameras combines edge-based processing with the capabilities of cloud computing. Cameras analyse events in real-time, while simultaneously leveraging computer vision technology for insights that bring speed and efficiency to incidents and investigations. Command, Verakda’s centralised web-based platform, provides users with access to footage they need. Motion detection, people analytics, and vehicle analytics enable searches across an organisation to find relevant footage. The Verkada website pledges to take privacy seriously: “We are passionate about developing products that enhance the security and privacy of organisations and individuals. We believe that well-built, user-friendly systems make it easier to manage and secure physical environments in ways that respect the privacy of individuals while simultaneously keeping them safe.”

Convergint Technologies’ rapid growth has come through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions — they have acquired 35 companies since 2014. Growth has been a focus since day one when the founders started the systems integration company with 10 colleagues in a basement. Today, the diverse company includes more than 5,000 employees globally. As technology has advanced and business practices have evolved, Convergint’s core values and beliefs have guided their path forward.  Customer-centric approach Convergint’s culture is a critical aspect of the company, from the executive level to frontline colleagues. “It is essential that the companies we look to acquire and develop partnerships with directly align with our people-first, customer-centric, inclusive culture centered on colleagues and customers,” says Mike Mathes, Executive Vice President, Convergint Technologies. “This approach has allowed us to maintain and grow our number of colleagues across our acquisitions and enables us to continue being our customers’ best service provider.” Integration practices Many practices have to be form-fitted to each individual acquisition A simple but important consideration as Convergint grows through acquisitions is: No two companies are the same. While some integration practices can be standardised across the company, many practices have to be form-fitted to each individual acquisition, says Mathes. “Our objective is not to come in and immediately implement change. We want to build on what has already been successful within the local market and share our learned experiences. There is plenty we can learn from each other and create a much better organisation.” Mathes says that Convergint’s view of a successful acquisition is that 1+1=3. “The end result is always much more impactful than what we anticipated,” he says. “Every acquisition brings with it an experienced leadership team, dedicated and skilled colleagues, vertical market and technological expertise. Most acquisitions are in geographies where we do not already operate, so with every acquisition, we increase our capability to serve our customers much better.” Also, the network of Global Convergint Technology Centres (CTCs) helps expand clientele, and the Convergint Development Centre (CDC) offers new support capabilities allowing acquisitions to grow at a very high rate. Expanding service Are there more acquisitions to come? Mathes says Convergint is always open to further expanding its footprint across the globe, improving its ability to service customers, deepening their technical expertise, and continuing to expand service offerings across the current and new vertical markets. However, the current focus remains on several key factors: service to colleagues, customers, and communities. “While obviously, acquisitions fuel our growth, the addition of these organisations to Convergint has really improved our ability to service clients on a global basis,” says Mathes. Acquiring ICD Security Solutions in Asia, for example, made Convergint a pioneer in that market for U.S.-based multi-national companies. Meeting customers demand “Convergint does not weigh market conditions when making an acquisition decision,” says Mathes. Rather, they are primarily focused on meeting or exceeding their customer’s needs on a local to a global level. They see acquisitions as a potential way to extend their geographic reach so they can be closer to customers. An acquisition might also expand technological or vertical market expertise. “The end goal is for us to enhance our service capabilities by attracting and retaining talented colleagues and leaders to better service our customers,” says Mathes. Enhancing and expanding services Convergint identifies how to leverage the expertise to further enhance and expand current service options “Economies of scale” have not been a consideration. They have never sought to acquire companies and restructure them in the process, for example. Rather, each company brings forth a unique skillset, is carefully vetted by the executive team, and provides purpose in the company's mission and vision for the future.” “Frontline colleagues are Convergint’s most valuable assets,” says Mathes. Rather than restructuring and eliminating skilled, knowledgeable colleagues, Convergint identifies how they can leverage the expertise to further enhance and expand current service options for customers. “Our colleagues and their skill sets are our competitive advantage—they remain an essential element to our success,” says Mathes. Demand for integrator services “We continue to experience a growing demand for innovative solutions across electronic security, fire alarm, and life safety,” says Mathes. “As companies innovate further and rely on technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, IoT, and cloud solutions, we expect to see an increased demand for integrator services. Our customers demand a local service provider who is responsive and can meet their needs, which is why Convergint aims to be its customers’ best service provider.” This year, Convergint is celebrating its 20th anniversary. In 2021, they will continue to focus on the same critical components that have dominated since day one taking care of colleagues, customers, and the communities where they operate.

The cloud is here to stay. Its resilience and ability to connect the world during during the COVID-19 pandemic has proved its worth, even to the uninitiated who have now witnessed first-hand the value of connected systems. Video and access control as a service provides a flexible and fluid security and business solution to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry, where the changing threat landscape means investing in the cloud is an investment towards success. This article will look back at our articles in 2020 about the growing popularity of cloud solutions for physical security, with links to the original content. Product offering While most people agree on the definition of “cloud,” there are several points about the terminology that may require clarification. Private cloud or public cloud? VSaaS or unlimited storage for video? Beyond the basics, the terms become foggy, reflecting a variety of notions about how cloud services fit into the broader physical security marketplace. As cloud usage becomes more popular, it’s important that marketers be precise in their terminology, and that integrators and end users be diligent in understanding the specifics of available product offerings. Different meanings “The cloud has many different possible connotations, depending on the context,” says Yu Hao Lin of Rasilient Systems, one of our Expert Roundtable panelists. For example, corporate CIOs will more likely understand the cloud to be a private cloud platform. As such, the public cloud is a ubiquitous term while the private cloud is more specified. Cloud system security Security of cloud systems is an ongoing discussion in the industry, especially how cloud system cybersecurity compares to that of on-premise systems. Our Expert Panel Roundtable weighed in on this question. “While both kinds of security systems serve their purpose, it can be argued that the streamlined updates that are commonplace with cloud-based solutions may put them at more of an advantage when it comes to data security,” says panelist Eric Widlitz of Vanderbilt Industries. “Also, most reputable cloud-based solutions are running in secured data centers by companies such as Google, Microsoft or Amazon, so you also get to take advantage of all the security layers they have protecting your data.” Hybrid cloud video security solution A growing list of cloud players reinforces the importance of the cloud in the future of physical security There are several relatively new companies pushing cloud in a big way. Verkada is fast-growing company currently currently focusing to deliver an all-in-one hybrid cloud video security solution powered by edge processing inside the camera. The growing list of cloud players reinforces the importance of the cloud in the future of physical security. Combining AI and cloud video One company investing in the cloud is Eagle Eye Networks, which has raised $40 million of Series E funding from venture capital firm Accel to finance the realisation of their vision to combine AI and cloud video. The money will allow Eagle Eye to continue its steep growth curve and leverage AI on its true cloud platform to reshape video surveillance. “The investment will make video surveillance smarter and safer for end-users,” says Ken Francis, President. Eagle Eye offers an application programming interface (API) to enable the integration of best-in-breed third-party AI and analytics systems to leverage the video. Eagle Eye is also investing in its own AI development and hiring additional development and customer service personnel. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus and MobilisID Identiv introduced the Hirsch Velocity Cirrus cloud-based Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) solution and MobilisID smart mobile physical access control solution. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus is an optimal solution for both end-users and integrators, with lower upfront costs, reduced maintenance, enhanced portability, and the future-proof assurance of automatic security updates and feature sets.  MobilisID is a smart mobile physical access control solution that uses Bluetooth and capacitive technologies to allow frictionless access to a controlled environment without the need to present a credential. Advantages and disadvantages Advantages of cloud-based physical security technologies are many, when supporting staff  The advantages of cloud-based physical security technologies are many, and have wide-ranging applications for all areas of the transport sector; across stations, transport hubs and vehicles. When used to support staff and complement existing processes, such systems can prove invaluable for transport professionals in helping to create a safer working environment, promoting confidence among personnel and passengers, and assuring passengers who are fearful about the current pandemic that all possible precautions are being taken during their journey. 5G supporting cloud-based applications 5G is the first communication environment that is cloud-native. As such, such, 5G networks will support cloud-based applications in a way that 4G, 3G and 2G can’t support. For instance, sensors (e.g. in a manufacturing plant) often have small internal storage and rely on synced devices (e.g. gateways) to interact with the cloud. Soon, these sensors will be able to work more efficiently, interacting with the cloud via the ultra-low latency and the edge computing capabilities supported by 5G networks. Increasing use of IoT Unlike current IoT services that make performance trade-offs to get the best from these existing wireless technologies, 5G networks will be designed to bring the high levels of performance needed for the increasing use of IoT. It will enable a perceived fully ubiquitous connected world, with the boosted capacity offered by 5G networks transferring exponentially more data at a much quicker rate.

Patient falls in nursing homes are a serious problem. In the United States, for example, around 1,800 elderly people, living in nursing facilities, die each year from injuries related to falls, according to the Nursing Home Abuse Center. Those patients who survive their injuries often have a reduced quality of life and suffer some form of permanent disability. Rise in nursing home patient falls Figures show that between 50% and 75% of nursing home residents suffer falls each year, twice the chances of falling when compared to seniors who live in a regular residential community. It has been a prevalent challenge to detect falls quickly and effectively, especially when these occur in residents’ bedrooms. In the United Kingdom, the Care Quality Commission has recognised that the use of CCTV may be one of the best ways to ensure safety and quality of care. However, using video surveillance also brings into question other security issues, such as privacy and data protection. Dahua’s WizMind technologies WizMind embraces human-based AI (Artificial Intelligence), for a whole host of applications across verticals This is where Dahua Technology’s WizMind technologies come into play. WizMind embraces human-based AI (Artificial Intelligence), for a whole host of applications across verticals, such as retail, energy, finance, transportation and of course, health and social care. Specific to the health and social care sector are deep-learning algorithms, to protect the privacy of the face and body in real-time, and stereo analysis, which combines dual-lens cameras with three-dimensional scene analysis, in order to detect sudden physical movement, such as falls. Stereo video analysis The growth of AI applications has enabled the greater availability of 3D scene analysis solutions, thereby enabling objects and people to be analysed in three dimensions. Dahua Technology’s stereo analysis uses two lenses, in order to capture separate images of the same scene. It then computes the ‘optical parallax’ of spatial points in the two images, providing 3D information of the scene. The stereo vision mimics the depth of view that comes from humans having two eyes, known as binocular vision. Combined with deep-learning algorithm Combined with a deep-learning algorithm, stereo analysis can recognise event patterns, such as falls and other movement-based behaviours, such as people approaching, the detection of an abnormal number of people in an area, and violent behaviour. In nursing and care homes, stereo analysis cameras can help staff monitor residents, in case of emergency and respond to residents’ problems, such as tripping and falls. The cameras can view all three dimensions of subjects and together with its deep-learning algorithm, can immediately alert staff to any unusual or sudden movement, such as would be evident in a fall. Cameras in communal areas and bedrooms With cameras situated both in communal areas and in bedrooms, the staff is able to respond quickly to incidents With cameras situated both in communal areas and in bedrooms, the staff is able to respond quickly to incidents, which may otherwise stay undiscovered for hours. An example of such a scenario is a nursing home in Singapore, which has a capacity of around 400 beds and is divided into 14 separate living environments, with each designed to be a home-like living area. Dahua cameras with intelligent fall detection technology Dahua cameras, such as IPC-HDW8341X-BV-3D with intelligent fall detection technology were installed, including the provision of 167 stereo analysis cameras inside each bedroom. These trigger an alarm, in the case of incidents, such as a fall, allowing immediate response by staff. Not only does this enhance the well-being and safety of residents, but it also can reduce the nursing home’s labour costs. In addition, Stereo Analysis can also be applied in other application scenarios. An underground unmanned bicycle parking garage in Amsterdam, for instance, has installed Dahua Technology’s behaviour analysis cameras, to detect abnormal events and prevent accidents, such as people tripping and falling, or suspicious individuals wandering around the area. Privacy Protection 2.0 technology While monitoring their situation inside the nursing home, Dahua also adopts Privacy Protection 2.0 technology that features masking of human face and body, to protect the residents’ privacy. It involves the restriction of what can be seen in video images and applies equally to live, and recorded images. Digital masking takes place on the front-end device (e.g. network camera). Dahua’s Privacy Protection 2.0 provides real-time occlusion of the body and face and enables users to access recorded videos, without having to overlay faces with mosaic masks. It also offers additional occlusion options, such as irregular polygons, mosaics and coloured blocks, and allows code exporting based on specified targets, ensuring the privacy of subjects. Privacy and security in evidence collection Stereo video analysis and privacy protection come into their own in nursing homes and healthcare facilities Benefits offered include non-pixelated human targets, allowing for privacy and security in evidence collection. The technology also allows for face and human attributes analysis, without breaching people’s privacy, making it ideal for nursing homes. Stereo video analysis and privacy protection come into their own in nursing homes and healthcare facilities. It allows the close monitoring of residents or patients to help ensure their well-being and safety, while at the same time protecting the privacy of often vulnerable individuals. Dahua TechMonth As part of the Dahua TechMonth, this blog highlights how Dahua’s stereo analysis technology, combined with privacy protection, can provide a valuable tool to help staff respond to incidents quickly and efficiently, including falls, without infringing on people’s data protection rights. In the next blog, Dahua Technology will be discussing the WizMind application of human metadata, enabling users to maximise situational awareness and analysis of events. 

Dentsu International is an advertising and digital marketing organisation. With a clear passion for making the world a safer place, Dentsu is the only advertising holding company to be a member of RE100, a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity, which they achieved for all their global offices in 2020. “Our Resilience team has an ambitious target to reach 90% of staff and secure a 70% response rate when any critical event occurs. During a June 2020 earthquake in Mexico, our team reached 100% of the 400 employees affected with a 70%+ response rate in 20 minutes with the help of Everbridge.” Global threat landscape “As another example, during the early stages of COVID-19 in the Republic of Korea, our local management team saw the potential for a spike in cases and swiftly created a daily pandemic check-in to continually monitor the health and work arrangements of its employees. This poll has occurred every day for 7 months and is still receiving a 90%+ response rate,” said Adam Barrett. Dentsu needed capabilities to consistently communicate with people and protect assets Navigating an increasingly volatile and uncertain global threat landscape, Dentsu needed capabilities to consistently communicate with people and protect assets across its global operations when critical events occurred. Incidents such as the London Bridge attacks, civil unrest in Hong Kong, and natural disasters in Australia, the Philippines, and South America highlight the growing need to protect people in all locations. Missing enhanced capabilities Existing tools were used to send communications to employees, but were missing enhanced capabilities such as: Holistic reporting capabilities to show whether messages were being received and responded to. Distinct emergency communications, distinguishable from ‘ordinary’ communication tools. Internal collaboration tools to give security teams a holistic risk picture and plan the correct response. Streamlined structures and processes in place to help reduce the time of incident Furthermore, there was a requirement to not only provide risk intelligence, but to automate the validation of hyper localised incident alerts and their issuing. When it came to wider security incidents, there was a desire to introduce further automation and efficiencies in escalation. Critical event management Dentsu International deployed Everbridge to provide a step change to its critical event management capabilities. With Everbridge, Dentsu began leveraging tools that provided effective communication capabilities, robust visibility, operational efficiency, and real-time intelligence, including: 20+ new incident templates to prepare for the most likely critical events, such as extreme weather, natural disaster, contagious diseases, terrorist attack, and IT incidents. Streamlined processes across email, voice messaging, SMS, and the EVBG app starting from least intrusive/ personal to most, sending 3 cycles in 4 hours to maximise the potential for employee response. Internal collaboration tools and reporting for a proactive resilience practice, when incidents occur within a 1-mile radius of each business location, automated alerts sent via the Everbridge platform inform the appropriate local responder to assess the danger, take action, and communicate back, while informing a central team. Wider security alerts and communications to the appropriate regional security team depending on the time of day, that ultimately escalate right through to the leadership team if required. As a result, the Mean Time To Respond (MTTR) to these alerts has reduced to near guaranteed minutes. Minimising personal inconvenience Dentsu launched the service with an extensive internal staff awareness campaign which included direct communications from its leadership teams and utilised everything from townhalls and digital posters to pop-up games and competitions. The campaign familiarised employees with the service, how to update their contact details and reaffirmed their control of their personal data. Dentsu launched the service with an extensive internal staff awareness campaign The campaign raised awareness of the new security procedures, why they’re important and what staff should do when they receive an emergency communication. Events in Hong Kong (HK) are one testament to the impact Everbridge and Dentsu’s partnership continues to have on employees. At the beginning of the protests in June 2019, the HK incident team swiftly utilised the multi-modal capabilities of the Everbridge platform to communicate immediate changes in working arrangements to colleagues, thus minimising personal inconvenience, disruption and ensuring their safety. Monitoring local cases Similarly, in January 2020, the HK team informed colleagues of adaptations to working arrangements as the Coronavirus pandemic took hold. In March 2020, when infections were spiking and little was still known about the virus, the HK team moved quickly as part of a global recovery strategy to monitor local cases, change office access arrangements, provide clear guidance on next steps, quarantine protocols and further protect its employees - while other businesses were awaiting respective local governments for guidance. Dentsu International was recently recognised in the Everbridge Impact Awards 2020 as the winners of the best overall response to COVID-19 category. This forward thinking organisation has a clear passion and purpose for achieving meaningful progress for its clients as a force for growth and good, and is gaining a reputation among its employees, partners, and peers as a pioneer.

The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust is the latest healthcare site to benefit from Triton², a patented, high-security master key system from ASSA ABLOY, delivering assured security and key control. The Trust’s Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases and Brownsword Therapies Centre is a key facility to take advantage of the Triton² system. Opening in 2019 at the main Royal United Hospitals site in the Weston area of Bath, the Centre is an outpatient facility providing treatment, care, and education to those recovering from episodes of illness or injury, or who need help managing long-term conditions. With services covering rheumatology, therapies, and pain management, the Centre includes clinic and treatment rooms, a gym, hydrotherapy pool, an assessment and teaching kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, Skype clinic room, and education rooms for forums and classes. Secure and reliable key management The Triton² master key system has also been installed in the Bernard Ireland House residential building, which offers specially-designed accommodation for patients, with facilities including group treatment areas, office space, and a dedicated therapeutic courtyard area. Triton² provides a safe, secure, and reliable means of key management for both the residents and staff, so they can focus on delivering the highest standards of care to patients. Triton² provides a safe, secure, and reliable means of key management for both the residents and staff When searching for a suitable master key system for these buildings, the Trust had a wide range of requirements that needed to be satisfied. Hospitals and healthcare estates typically have large and complex key demands, because of the high number of staff employed, the variety of areas requiring different levels of access rights, and the fact that security and safety must not be compromised. Hierarchy of security access Fortunately, Triton² was ideally suited to meet the Trust’s needs. Supplied and installed by local distributor Gemsec, the platform raises security standards by ensuring employees have different levels of security access based on their roles, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised access and security breaches. A hierarchy of access rights means no matter what an individual’s role at the site – whether it’s a general manager, doctors and nurses, tenants, porters, and so on – all have access to only the areas they need. And within each type of role, large availability of differs ensures access rights can be personalised to meet an individual’s exact requirements. The Trust’s estates team then has a master key, and there is a grandmaster key that sits above this that can access all areas. The system helps simplify key management too; a member of staff can access a range of rooms and areas from a single key, rather than having to carry around a collection of them. Furthermore, the fact that one key can open several locks means fewer duplicates are needed. Should there be a security breach, it’s easy to identify who has access to a particular area and ensure the appropriate action is taken. Patented key protection Keys can only be cut by registered dealers, maintaining a high level of security should a key ever be misplaced One of the key features of Triton² is its long-lasting patent protection. Guarding against unauthorised and 3D key copying, Triton² is patented until 2036 for guaranteed peace of mind. Keys can only be cut by registered dealers, maintaining a high level of security should a key ever be misplaced. With built-in anti-pick, anti-pull, anti-drill, and anti-bump protection, the system’s cylinders exceed the requirements of BS EN 1303:2015, meeting the highest standards for physical security. The platform has also been fire tested in line with BS EN 1634-1:200, and so is suitable for use on 30- and 60-minute timber fire doors. Easy and efficient future-proof solution Anthony Green, Senior Estates Officer at Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’ve been so impressed with the Triton² master key system from ASSA ABLOY that we’re now planning to review the rest of the estate in line with the capabilities of the platform, to roll it out to other facilities across the site.” “The system delivers an assured future-proof solution. The Gemsec team has been a big help in ensuring we consider all likely events, as we continue to redevelop and expand the hospital site so that Triton² can meet any possible needs.” “Even simple considerations, such as the fact that Triton² is available with a comprehensive range of cylinder profiles to suit every type of lock case, help us save money in the long run by making sure we would not have to install new lock cases if we were to expand the system to existing buildings across the site. Secure and practical key management “ASSA ABLOY’s Triton² is so impressive because it perfectly meets the complicated key needs of a healthcare site such as ours, but does it in such an intuitive, efficient, and easy to manage way.” Craig Birch, Head of Product Management at the ASSA ABLOY Door Hardware Group, adds, “With long-life patent protection and 1.5 billion different master keying combinations, Triton² delivers a secure and practical key management solution, built to last. For the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Triton² offers a highly secure and durable master key platform.”

Running a unified locking system for multiple municipal services may bring operational efficiencies. However, if the system is based on mechanical locks, it can also create time-consuming headaches. When keys go missing, for example, or user access requirements change, mechanical security does not have the flexibility to adapt quickly. For this reason, Vincennes city administrators sought a modern, electronic replacement for a master-key system whose lock-chart ran to 4,000 keys. Several locations around Vincennes — among them schools, nurseries, and the Town Hall elevator — relied on this complex locking solution. The costs and risk when keys went missing had become a growing logistical burden. Electronic locking system Vincennes officials tasked their city security director with finding a more responsive solution: An electronic locking system that is easy to install; does not require power to be cabled to every door or lock; and gives municipal staff the ability to tailor access rights for different people, to trace keyholder and lock interactions and to amend or revoke permissions when required. They also needed an established, trusted security partner able to offer all the necessary training and system support. An electronic locking system that is easy to install; does not require power to be cabled to every door or lock “A wired access control system was rejected because it required too much work to bring the power to each door,” says Fabrice Pain, Director at the Municipal Technical Centre. “Now eCLIQ provides us access control without wiring at all.” Interior and exterior doors at buildings including the Hôtel de Ville, 11 nurseries, 12 schools, and the Municipal Technical Centre are equipped with more than 650 programmable, electronic eCLIQ cylinders. Almost 1,000 battery-powered eCLIQ programmable keys have been issued to authorised staff. Solving the lost key problem and reducing thefts With eCLIQ, lost keys no longer threaten building security: They can simply be blacklisted by the city’s central eCLIQ management software, which saves the money spent on replacing mechanical locks. And because every key, lock, or user may be audited at any time, thefts from public property have dropped. The eCLIQ cylinder range brings almost any opening into an access system. Robust, durable eCLIQ locks can protect lifts, machines, mailboxes, cabinets, and more with the same security as sensitive doors. Robust, durable eCLIQ locks can protect lifts, machines, mailboxes, cabinets, and more with the same security as sensitive doors Certified and available in multiple sizes and formats — including the EURO format first patented by an ASSA ABLOY Group brand nearly 100 years ago — eCLIQ cylinders maintain security and regulatory compliance across the city. During installation, no wiring or cabling was needed at the doors. A standard battery inside every programmable eCLIQ key powers the electronics inside the lock. Every authorised building user brings their own power to the door. Security solution Now, the city security team issues granular access to everyone who needs it and only where they need it from a single admin point. The new solution is popular with school and municipal staff, especially since a successful implementation of Vincennes’ integrated Vigipirate plan, in which eCLIQ plays an important role. With eCLIQ, Vincennes has found a security solution to match their image as a young, dynamic, tech-savvy place to live and work. More important still, eCLIQ key-based electronic access control has simplified security management and solved their lost key problem.

Government regulations mandate that all bottles of solution complete a rigorous sterilisation process through an autoclave. Bottles of the solution must be sterilised at a temperature of 120°C for at least 10-15 minutes. Consequently, the production process must have strict documentation and control. If any batch is questioned in terms of having successfully completed the sterilisation process, the entire batch must be discarded. Considering a bottle of the solution may cost around $110 and a tray contains around one hundred and sixty 3 ml bottles, a complete tray that must be discarded because of doubt has a value of $17,600 that is literally thrown away. Safer medication With RFID tagged metal trays Pierrel-Ospedali is able to identify the number of trays completed autoclave process With the introduction of RFID tagged metal trays as Returnable Transport Item (RTI), Pierrel-Ospedali is now able to trace when a tray of bottles enters the oven (tray ID is reconciled with entry time/date stamp) and exits the autoclave. The tray is now instantly and accurately identifiable as having completed the autoclave process. Before this process was in place, all information was entered by hand. This method was frequently prone to human error and more often than none would result in entire trays of the solution being scrapped because they could not be verified as having been properly sterilised. Operational efficiency Moreover, RFID tags such as the Xerafy Nano X-II are able to survive the harsh temperature of an autoclave for extended periods of time, compared to a manual tracking process such as a paper barcode or even a conventional mount on-metal RFID tag, could never have survived repeated cycles through the autoclave. In addition, the accuracy and completeness of the RFID tray tracking system allow the allocation of only one employee to manage the process versus two to three with the manual process.

The company is a front-runner in building materials, operating around the world. It is well known for its finished cement boards, a high-tech mix of cement and fibres. The company’s US-based Project Manager responsible for developing and deploying the Work-In-Process RFID tracking system across their 8 North-American plants shared an update about the project. Challenges In order for the solution to be successful, four specific challenges have to be addressed: Substantial losses occur throughout the production process: How to develop Work-In-Process visibility from raw material to finished products in order to keep track of everything? Most products come with paper labels that don’t stick well: How to avoid wasting so much time walking around products to find and read identifiers? The cement boards are cast into molds and baked in an autoclave, where all RFID tags failed: Is there a solution that withstands high temperatures, for how many hours, and at what pressure? The manufacturing environment is very dusty and busy: Would RFID be able to have a read without having to move everything? Solution The company found a number of promising options in the market that could meet their requirements for an RFID tag to be mounted onto the cement board molds and survive industrial autoclave temperatures. The products selected were then put through a battery of tests designed to replicate the company’s demanding manufacturing environment. And in the end, it is the Xerafy Roswell Autoclave RFID tags that came out on top, ranking highest when it comes to high temperatures and pressure, shock resistance, accuracy and read range, wide read angle, as well as reliable mounting options. The company has now decided to go ahead with its next phase, with extensive tests in the field, in order to finalise how best to track the molds, capture information throughout the production process, and eventually scale up the solution to all their production sites.

In the past few weeks, the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel has brightened, providing new levels of hope that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Dare we now consider what life will be like after the pandemic is over? Considering the possible impact on our industry, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Which security technologies will be most useful in a post-pandemic world?

Our Expert Panel Roundtable is an opinionated group. However, for a variety of reasons, we are sometimes guilty of not publishing their musings in a timely manner. At the end of 2020, we came across several interesting comments among those that were previously unpublished. Following is a catch-all collection of those responses, addressing some of the most current and important issues in the security marketplace in 2021.

As an industry, we often speak in buzzwords. In addition to being catchy and easy to remember, these new and trendy industry terms can also reflect the state of the security market’s technology. In short, the latest buzzwords provide a kind of shorthand description of where the industry is - and where it’s going. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What new buzzword(s) rose to prominence in the security industry in 2020? (And how do they reflect industry trends?)