Human identification system

Forescout Technologies, Inc., the pioneer in device visibility and control, announced insights from 75 real healthcare deployments with more than 10,000 virtual local area networks (VLANs) and 1.5 million devices contained within the Forescout Device Cloud, with a specific focus on 1,500 medical VLANs with more than 430,000 devices. Launched in July 2017, the Forescout Device Cloud is one of the world’s largest crowdsourced device repositories and now contains more than eight million devices from more than 1,000 customers who share anonymised device insights. Diverse and complex IT environments Our findings reveal that healthcare organisations have some of the most diverse and complex IT environments"“The Forescout Device Cloud provides us with game changing data from millions of devices around the world, and what we are releasing today is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Elisa Costante, head of OT and Industrial Technology Innovation at Forescout. “Our findings reveal that healthcare organisations have some of the most diverse and complex IT environments, which are compounded due to compliance risks. Every time a patch is applied, there is concern around voiding a warranty or impacting patient safety. These organisations are dealing with lifesaving devices and extremely sensitive environments.” Increased device intelligence The convergence of IT, IoT and OT makes it more difficult for the healthcare industry to manage a wide array of hard-to-control network security risks. IoT and OT devices are rapidly increasing in numbers, but traditional IT still represents the most vulnerable attack surface. Forescout uses the Device Cloud data to analyse more than 150 attributes per device to bring increased device intelligence and improved auto-classification to its customers. Forescout will leverage the increasing amount of data and intelligence gathered from the Device Cloud to generate future insights on the characterisation and risk posture of connected devices across industries. Forescout Device Cloud Report key findings: The most common devices on medical networks are still traditional computing devices followed by IoT devicesHealthcare OT increases attack surface The most common devices on medical networks are still traditional computing devices (53 percent) followed by IoT devices (39 percent), including VoIP phones, network printers, tablets and smart TVs. OT systems, including medical devices, critical care systems, building automation systems, facilities, utilities and physical security, comprise eight percent of the devices on medical networks. Within the OT device category, the three most common connected medical devices found were patient tracking and identification systems (38 percent), infusion pumps (32 percent) and patient monitors (12 percent). Considering the growing number of vulnerabilities in OT environments, we can see an increase in the attack surface in healthcare environments. Healthcare organisations riddled with devices running legacy Windows operating systems The report highlights that 71 percent of Windows devices within these healthcare deployments are running Windows 7, Windows 2008 or Windows Mobile, with Microsoft support planned to expire on January 14, 2020. Running unsupported operating systems poses a risk that may expose vulnerabilities and has the potential to impact regulatory compliance. Diversity of operating systems and vendor sprawl creates headaches Forescout’s research found that 40 percent of healthcare deployments had more than 20 different operating systemsThe diversity of device vendors and operating systems present on medical networks adds to the complexity and increases security challenges. Forescout’s research found that 40 percent of healthcare deployments had more than 20 different operating systems. When looking at the different types of operating systems found on medical VLANs, 59 percent were Windows operating systems and 41 percent were a mix of other variants, including mobile, embedded firmware and network infrastructure and many more. In addition, more than 30 percent of healthcare deployments had 100 or more device vendors on their network. Patching in healthcare environments, especially acute care facilities, can be challenging and require devices to remain online and available. Some healthcare devices cannot be patched, may require vendor approval or need manual implementation by remote maintenance personnel. Vulnerable protocols are leaving a door open Eighty-five percent of devices on medical networks running Windows OS had Server Block Messaging (SMB) protocol turned on, allowing uncontrolled access for attackers to get beyond the perimeter and move laterally. Device manufacturers sometimes leave network ports open by default — often unbeknownst to IT and security staff.

Suprema, a provider of biometrics and security technologies, announces that it has integrated its latest BioStar 2 solution into Nedap's access control system, AEOS. This will enable organisations around the world to use Suprema's incredibly accurate fingerprint recognition technology in combination with AEOS. Ruben Brinkman, alliance manager at Nedap explains: “There's a growing global demand for smarter, more secure ways of identifying people. Biometric technology is pushing the limits in this arena, consolidating increased security with unparalleled convenience. We're fully embracing these developments and view the Biostar integration as a valuable extension to our proposition. We're very excited to welcome Suprema to our ecosystem of technology partners and are looking forward to future developments.” Best biometric security Suprema achieved this integration by using Nedap's Bio-API, which was specifically developed to enable biometric manufacturers to integrate their solutions into AEOS. Suprema will provide users with the best biometric security available in the market" “The integration of Suprema BioStar 2 with Nedap's AEOS is an ideal combination of best-of-breed solutions in access control and biometrics. To maximise the benefits of Nedap's access control solution, Suprema will provide users with the best biometric security available in the market,” said Hanchul Kim, global sales director at Suprema. The integration is so seamless that there's no need for operators to switch from screen to screen - they can continue working in AEOS to manage finger enrolment and biometric identities. Provide strong encryption The biometric profiles are stored in BioStar and are constantly synchronised with AEOS; an information exchange safeguarded through SSL certificates, which provide strong encryption. Both Nedap's and Suprema's clients deal with an exceptional variety of security requirements. “This can make project implementation complex in nature,” Ruben Brinkman remarks. He continues: “So the primary goal for this integration has always been to provide a truly flexible and scalable solution that's easy to implement and maintain. It's been well received by the market, with the first projects already in the pipeline.” Both Nedap and Suprema are strongly committed to maintaining this integration, ensuring future backward compatibility and adding new functionalities along the way.

IDIS has launched its AI in the Box (DV-2116), boosting the power of surveillance systems with the most accurate deep learning analytics yet developed. Korea’s surveillance manufacturer says, that in independent tests IDIS Deep Learning Analytics (IDLA) has achieved industry-beating accuracy rates of 97%, a record performance which is further boosted by high speed processing.  Affordable deep learning analytics Users benefit from robust and calibration-free object detection and classification; intrusion and loitering detectionThe DV-2116 makes deep learning analytics more affordable for small to mid-sized applications, enhancing security and control room efficiency. The plug-and-play IDLA-ready appliance comes embedded with an NVIDIA GTX1060 GPU chipset allowing the analysis of up to 16 channels simultaneously. Users benefit from robust and calibration-free object detection and classification (objects such as people, cars, and bicycles); intrusion and loitering detection; powerful, intelligent search functions; and tracking by colour, object and number. The introduction of AI in the Box makes deep learning analytics now easier to adopt through trouble-free plug-and-play installation via IDIS Solutions Suite video management software (VMS). This allows installation without costly disruption. And the 97% accuracy minimises false alarms, significantly improving detection and monitoring performance. Automated monitoring of video streams IDIS’s Deep Learning Engine can recognise potentially significant movements and characteristics of people and vehiclesJames Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe, says this latest innovation has the potential to make surveillance much less labour intensive – and more effective – for a wide range of users. “Our high accuracy analytics can process vast amounts of data, without break, in a way that human operators can’t. This means that high-resolution video streams can be automatically monitored to spot suspicious behaviour or distinguish potential threats from every-day activity.” IDIS’s Deep Learning Engine, which powers the new DV-2116 AI in the Box solution, can recognise potentially significant movements and characteristics of people and vehicles, while ignoring activity that isn’t relevant. The technology can quickly check through hours of video to find specific individuals. It also becomes more accurate over time due to its self-learning characteristics. “This is very exciting as it means that time critical activities – such as investigating incidents – will become increasingly efficient as our analytics are embedded in operations,” adds James Min.

Redrock Biometrics, a provider of palm-based biometrics for authentication and identification, announces the official launch of their breakthrough identification solution – PalmID-X at the exclusive invitation-only Finovate Spring 2019. PalmID-X expands the applicability of biometric identification to large groups of people, creating a basis for seamless services and transactions without physical tokens. “Identification is much more challenging task than authentication. Most biometric modalities do not have sufficient accuracy for identifying a person in a group larger than a thousand,” says Redrock Biometrics’ co-founder Lenny Kontsevich. “Palm biometrics is different. It allows to raise the limit more than tenfold: from a thousand to tens of thousands.” Match palm signatures Using standard RGB camera and/or infrared camera, PalmID-X captures palm prints and/or subdermal veins to produce a highly unique palm signature. Proprietary PalmID® algorithms match palm signatures for wide range of palm positions, orientations, and illumination conditions. The SaaS component of PalmID-X is capable to perform matching of a newly captured palm signature with tens of thousands of signatures stored in its database in a fraction of a second. PalmID-X is capable to make these fobs obsolete once and forever by checking me using my palm" “A dramatic expansion of the group size, provided by PalmID-X service, opens new exciting applications for identification. Every day I carry two RFID fobs: one for a large public garage and another for an office building. PalmID-X is capable to make these fobs obsolete once and forever by checking me using my palm,” says the company CEO and co-founder Hua Yang. Face biometrics “Or, for example, frequent shoppers of a supermarket will be able to pay at checkout by mere showing palm to a payment terminal. There is no more need to carry credit cards or cash. Once you register your palm in the system, you hold your identity literally in the palm of your hand.” PalmID-X matching algorithms transcend palm matching; they can combine face biometrics, location, and text metadata to narrow down the search. Biometric data are securely stored in the cloud in scrambled and anonymised form. Biometric matching can be performed without the need to ever decrypt the data. There is no way for a hacker to steal user records or to recover palm images.

Percepto, the global market provider for autonomous industrial drone solutions, announces that it will operate and broadcast live overseas autonomous drone missions from its stand (IF2146) at IFSEC International 2019 in London. The company will also launch the next generation of its industrial and enterprise grade drone-in-a-box system solution, including new software improvements and enhanced all-weather base station. This is the first time that Percepto, which last week announced a Round A completion, has brought its autonomous drone solution to the UK and Europe's leading security event. The company will give security practitioners the opportunity to discover how the technology can be used to improve security and safety, reduce risk and optimise operations. Aerial surveillance On Wednesday 19th June at 11.00am, Percepto will host an exclusive media event to get up-close to the Percepto Solution and watch a live broadcast of an autonomous drone mission being carried out in Israel. There will also be a question and answer session with the Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Percepto, Ariel Avitan, who comments: “We will demonstrate how the Percepto solution delivers aerial surveillance through patrols, real-time detection and tracking of humans and vehicles, as well as anomaly detection, all without the need for an on-site operator or pilot.”  Sparrow drones can also be used as first responders when launched on-demand by an operator Visitors to IFSEC International will witness how our Sparrow drones take-off automatically to perform pre-scheduled missions such as patrolling a perimeter. Should a drone detect an object of interest (i.e. a person or a vehicle in a restricted area), an alert is automatically triggered and the control room operator is able to instantly view the real-time camera footage as the drone tracks the object. In addition, Sparrow drones can also be used as first responders when launched on-demand by an operator, or when triggered via an integrated system such as a smart fence.  Fast battery charging Once a mission has been completed it returns to its base station - a highly secure enclosed weather-proof box, stationed in the field - where automated post flight checks and fast battery charging is completed, ensuring the drone is primed for the next mission. Percepto’s all new base station is a key feature of its next generation release and will be on display for the first time at IFSEC International. “Drones will become part of the fabric of security and surveillance operations,” adds Avitan. “Whether deployed stand-alone or fully integrated with the control room VMS or other security systems, Percepto provide security teams with a level of aerial surveillance that was inconceivable and unattainable for the vast majority of large enterprises until recently.”

Building on its ‘See More in Smarter Ways’ campaign, VIVOTEK, the global IP surveillance solution provider, has introduced two new H.265 Deep Learning fisheye cameras, the FE9191 and FE9391-EV. These two professional day-and-night 12-megapixel fisheye cameras provide 360-degree surround views with zero blind spots and come armed with VIVOTEK’s self-developed Deep Learning technology, Smart 360 VCA. This technology includes intrusion detection, crowd detection, and loitering detection. Such capability transforms these surveillance cameras from capturing devices to advanced notification instruments and in the process significantly reduces false alarms. Protecting area from unauthorised entry The Intrusion-Detection function is designed to protect any specific area against unauthorised entryPowered by VIVOTEK’s people tracking AI engine, the FE9191 and FE9391-EV are smart-fisheye cameras with Smart 360 VCA technology. The Intrusion-Detection function is designed to protect any specific area against unauthorised entry. The Crowd-Detection function can detect and calculate how many persons occupy a given space and triggers alarms when capacity is reached in that area. Finally, the Loitering-Detection function can detect a person or people remaining too long in any selected area. Further enhancing their functionality, both cameras are embedded with Trend Micro’s anti-intrusion software to provide users with higher levels of network protection. Working together, these advanced features ensure the new fisheye cameras are both highly intelligent and robustly secure.  Minimising false alarms “In the past, surveillance cameras were built to meet security demands. However, how one minimses false alarms remains a challenge in the industry,” said Shengfu Cheng, Director of Marketing and Product Development Division, VIVOTEK Inc. “Thanks to the development of AI, the FE9191 and FE9391-EV smart-fisheye cameras are programmed to learn to differentiate between the motion of people and objects. With the Smart 360 VCA technology, our fisheye cameras extend beyond purely for security applications, instead becoming intelligent devices to analyse how many and how long people stayed in a specific area. We are committed to helping retailers and users improve business management efficiency while securing their assets with accurate identification.”

According to the reports of not-for-profit organisation Gun Violence Archive, the year 2018 has seen 323 mass shooting incidents as of November 28 in the United States. This number is 346 for the year 2017 and 382 for 2016 (more statistics are available here), with “mass shooting” defined as cases where four or more people are shot or killed in the same time period and location. While definitions of mass shooting vary with organisations in the US, the count of over 300 incidents per year, or about once per day on average, is simply alarming. It raises public safety concerns, ignites debates and protests, which in turn lead to public unrest and potentially more violence, and increases costs for governments from the regional to federal level. Most importantly, the loss of lives demands not only improvement in post-incident handling and investigation, but also new prevention technologies. Gunshot detection solutions AI weapon detection offers a more efficient alternative to prevent active shooting There are several gunshot detection solutions in the security market, commonly used by law enforcement agencies to detect and locate gun fires. These systems function based on acoustic recordings and analyses and often in combination with signals detected by sensors of the optical flash and shockwave when a gun is fired. However, gunshot detection by nature dictates that the law enforcement can only react to a shooting incident that has occurred. With fast action, law enforcement can prevent the incident from escalating, but lives that are lost cannot be recovered. With the development of artificial intelligence in object recognition, AI weapon detection offers a more efficient alternative to prevent active shooting: AI can visually detect guns based on their shapes before they are fired. The AI is trained to recognise firearms in different shapes, sizes, colours, and at different angles in videos, so that the AI weapon detector can be deployed with existing cameras systems, analyse the video feeds, and instantly notify security staff when a gun is spotted. Comparison of the advantages for law enforcement and public security agencies Legacy gunshot detection using sensors AI weapon detection Reactive measure: detect after guns have been fired Proactive measure: detect before guns are fired Time to action: within 1 second Time to action: within 1 second Unable to provide visual data about shooter(s) Can provide data about shooter(s) based on the camera recording: clothing, luggage (backpack, handbag, etc.), facial features, vehicle Unable to track the location of the shooter(s) before and after shooting because of the lack of sound Can track the shooter(s) using AI Person & Vehicle Tracking, AI Face Recognition, and AI License Plate Recognition False detection caused by similar sound such as fireworks and cars backfiring Minimal to no false detection, as AI can distinguish different types of handguns and rifles from normal objects (umbrella, cellphone, etc.) Require physical deployment of gunshot detection sensors Can be used with existing camera systems, do not require special hardware Complicated to deploy, require highly trained professional Easy to deploy as an add-on to existing video surveillance system - Can integrate with gun-shot detection to create a “double knock” audio and video active shooter alert system Gun-shot detection advantages In addition to advantages for law enforcement and public security agencies, this type of visual-based pre-incident detector has three-fold advantages for the public: Save lives by spotting the shooter before the shooting event. Minimise the chaos entailing an incident: panic and chaos caused by a shooting incident often adds to injury, as people run, fall, trample on others… With an AI weapon detector, when a gun is spotted, the system sends an alert to security staff, who can quickly control the situation in an organised manner and apprehend the intending shooter. Can be added as a SaaS (Security as a Service) component to small business and home surveillance systems, e.g., intrusion detection alerts (home invasion incidents with firearms number over 2500 per year nationwide). For a complete active shooter detection system, video-based AI detector can operate in conjunction with gunshot detectors for enhanced security. Traditional X-ray based weapon detection or metal detection entrance systems are complicated and expensive; with AI video technology, active shooter detection system can be cost-effective, and after all, what price tag can one put on a life? Written by Paul Sun and Mai Truong, IronYun

Over the past few years, biometrics has rapidly expanded into consumer applications, like the financial market for customer authentication, to payment services and withdrawing cash from ATMs in high-fraud markets. However, its adoption as an additional authentication factor for physical access control systems (PACS) and other enterprise applications, hasn’t been as rapid. But this is changing. Biometrics offers numerous benefits at the door and throughout the enterprise. With the advent of new anti-spoofing capabilities, and its integration into secure trust platforms that protect privacy and support a variety of RFID credential technologies, biometric authentication is poised to deliver a much higher matching speed and better overall performance. This will dramatically improve an organisation's security, whilst enhancing user convenience.Newer solutions are overcoming security and convenience hurdles to help realise the full potential of biometrics Challenges for biometric authentication Biometrics fuses convenience and security while validating “true identity” versus identity that is associated to the possession of an ID card. As an example, biometrics prevents a user from taking someone else’s card and obtaining access to privileged resources. This adds the human element to traditional methods of authentication, strengthening security by combining something the user “is” with something the user “has” or “knows.” According to the firm ABI Research in its May 2018 study, Biometric Technologies and Applications, the total fingerprint sensor shipments for the entire consumer market is “estimated to reach 1.2 billion worldwide for 2018, thus ensuring its market dominance.”It has been far too easy for fraudsters to create a fake fingerprint and present it to a reader Despite the benefits of fingerprint authentication in numerous consumer applications, there have been impediments to its broader adoption in the enterprise. While price has been one big roadblock, there have also historically been other reasons for its slower-than-expected growth. First, many technologies are still vulnerable to spoofs and hacking. It has been far too easy for fraudsters to create a fake fingerprint and present it to a reader. Equally troublesome, older products have not been able to move users through the doors as fast as a simple ID card and reader. In general, all fingerprint capture technologies are not equal amongst older products, and there can be significant differences in performance. Developing Technology Performance Newer solutions are overcoming these security and convenience hurdles to help realise the full potential of biometrics. Their development has focused on three key areas: How fingerprint images are captured – if the image can’t be properly captured, the rest of the process fails The implementation of liveness detection to enhance trust – even in the case when the image is properly captured, if it is fake the system cannot be trusted Optimising performance through a combination of new technology and algorithms, whilst ensuring interoperability so the performance can be trusted. The skin is illuminated at different depths to deliver much richer data about the surface and sub-surface features of the fingerprint Optimising capture The quality of the captured image is critical, across all types of fingerprints and environments. Many customers choose sensors that use multispectral imaging because it collects information from inside the finger to augment available surface fingerprint data. The skin is illuminated at different depths to deliver much richer data about the surface and sub-surface features of the fingerprint The skin is illuminated at different depths to deliver much richer data about the surface and sub-surface features of the fingerprint. Additionally, the sensor collects data from the finger even if the skin has poor contact with the sensor, because of environmental conditions such as water or finger contamination. Multispectral sensors work for the broadest range of people with normal, wet, dry or damaged fingers, across the widest range of usage conditions – from lotions or grease to sunlight to wet or cold conditions. The sensors also resist damage from harsh cleaning products and contamination from dirt and sunlight. Liveness detection Liveness detection is the ability to determine that the biometric data captured by the fingerprint reader is from a real living person, not a plastic fake or other artificial copy. An increasingly visible dimension of biometric performance in commercial applications, liveness detection is critical for preserving trust in the integrity of biometrics authentication. At the same time, it must not impede performance or result in excessive false user rejections.While liveness detection optimises performance, it is also important to ensure that this performance can be trusted The most trusted multispectral imaging fingerprint sensors with liveness detection provide a real-time determination that the biometric captures are genuine and are being presented by the legitimate owner, rather than someone impersonating them. This capability leverages the image-capture approach of using different colors or spectrum of light to measure the surface and subsurface data within a fingerprint. In addition to this optical system, the biometrics sensor features several core components, including an embedded processor that analyses the raw imaging data to ensure that the sample being imaged is a genuine human finger rather than an artificial or spoof material. Advanced machine learning techniques are used so the solution can adapt and respond to new threats and spoofs as they are identified. While liveness detection and the underlying capture technology optimises performance, it is also important to ensure that this performance can be trusted. This requires adequate testing to ensure interoperability with template matching algorithms. The first requirement for incorporating biometrics into a physical access control solution is a secure trust platform Trusted performance The top-performing solutions capture usable biometric data on the first attempt for every user. They also speed the process of determining that the biometric data is not a fake, and they quickly perform template matching to reject impostors and match legitimate users.The card/mobile plus finger mode is one of the fastest-growing two-factor authentication use cases for securing access to both physical and digital places To trust this performance, though, the focus must be elsewhere: on interoperability with template-matching algorithms. Extensive interoperability testing must be performed by skilled and independent third parties like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) so that performance data can actually be trusted in all template-matching modes, and not simply a vendor claim. Template matching modes Template-on-card and card/mobile + finger modes using “1:1” template-matching profiles authenticates a person’s identity by comparing the person’s captured biometric template with one that is pre-stored in a database. Template-on-device mode for finger-only authentication using “1:N” matching compares the person’s captured biometric template against all stored biometric templates in the system). The card/mobile plus finger mode is one of the fastest-growing two-factor authentication use cases for securing access to both physical and digital places.Cryptography prevents any man-in-the-middle attacks while also protecting the biometric database As an example of how to deliver trusted performance, HID Global uses the top-ranked NIST certified MINEX III minutia algorithm to ensure interoperability with industry-standard fingerprint template databases. This interoperability ensures that today’s systems, which are based on much more powerful hardware than in the past, will perform accurate 1:N identification of a full database in less than a second. Physical access control integration The first requirement for incorporating biometrics into a physical access control solution is a secure trust platform designed to meet the concerns of accessibility and data protection in a connected environment. The platform should leverage credential technology that employs encryption and a software-based infrastructure to secure trusted identities on any form factor for physical access control, access to IT networks and beyond. Cryptography prevents any man-in-the-middle attacks while also protecting the biometric database. This system also must encompass remote management of all readers and users, spanning all onboarding as well as template loading and enrolment activities for supported authentication modes. Properly implemented, biometrics solutions with liveness detection also protect privacy – if you can’t use a fake finger, it is meaningless Other important focus areas include configuration and administration, plus all logs, reports and monitoring.New system architectures and data models have been created to protect personal information and maintain user privacy It should be possible to manage biometric readers as groups or individually over the network, and tools should be available to allow system administrators to manage all configuration settings from time and data to language, security and synchronisation. The system should enable continuous live monitoring of authentication, alerts and system health, and provide a rich set of associated reporting tools. There are also backend implementation decisions to be made, including how a biometric authentication system will be seamlessly integrated into third-party systems. This is another major pain point of biometric technology. To simplify deployment, application programming interfaces (APIs) should be available for direct integration of the biometrics authentication solution with the access control infrastructure. Privacy considerations Properly implemented, biometrics solutions with liveness detection also protect privacy – if you can’t use a fake finger, then even if you did obtain someone’s fingerprint data, it is meaningless. Strong and updatable liveness protection is critical if biometrics are to eliminate the need to use PINs or passwords.Strong and updatable liveness protection is critical if biometrics are to eliminate the need to use PINs or passwords Biometrics data must be handled like all sensitive and identifying information, and properly architected system designs will always consider and protect against both internal and external threats and attacks. New system architectures and data models have been created to protect personal information and maintain user privacy. Beyond the encryption of the data itself, there are now many good alternatives available for building highly secure and well protected systems, including the use of multi-factor and even multi-modal authentication to maintain security even if some identifying data is compromised. Today’s modern fingerprint authentication solutions are on a fast track to deliver a unique combination of ease of use, availability and convenience and higher security to physical access control systems. With their latest improvements in liveness detection, system architectures, performance and ability to be easily incorporated into access control solutions, they seamlessly combine security and convenience to make them a viable option when accessing a facility, networks and services. These solutions deliver a higher confidence of “who” is being admitted through the building’s front door, where it really matters.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has begun investigations into meat wholesalers after a raise in concern for food hygiene. This investigation has impacted businesses such as Wetherspoons, as well as schools and care homes up and down the country. Consumers are beginning to lose trust in businesses that are supplied by untrustworthy production companies and it seems to be becoming more common, if we are to look back to the horse meat scandal in 2013. But what are the benefits of having security systems within these types of production facilities? From ensuring consumer confidence, to maintaining quality control within products, what does it achieve? Finally, what crime exists surrounding the industry and how can the implementation of protective systems boost satisfaction? Instant barriers for unwanted people The world is becoming more advanced and revolutionary technology is allowing us to make the necessary changes to ensure ethical working practices — whether this is protecting people from a physical threat or a threat that is much more devious within our foods. Food factories should start with access control systems. This will put an instant barrier between operations and any entry attempts by unauthorised personnel. Whether this a swiped identification card, biometrics or a passcode way of entry, only authorised personnel will be granted access. Revolutionary technology is allowing us to make the necessary changes to ensure ethical working practices Another security system that could be put in place to help food factories and encourage them to work more efficiently is CCTV. By spring 2018, all slaughterhouses within England are required to have CCTV systems in place that can be reviewed by the FSA who have unprecedented access to footage within a 90-day period — is this something we should be looking to do in food factories to ensure safety for the British people? CCTV is a worthwhile investment for production companies who want to gain visibility of their entire operation and gain the respect from consumers across the country. The benefits for CCTV Customer reassurance — as food factories don’t operate openly and everything is hidden away, this instantly creates suspicion from a consumer’s perspective as they will be the ones buying the final product once distributed to stores around the country. CCTV will counter this issue as it shows that operation centres have nothing to hide — giving them the ability to publish any footage if accused of misconduct. Maintaining quality — using more advanced CCTV within food factories will enable production companies to monitor the production line and maintain the standards that they sell themselves on. Sometimes, a human error is unavoidable on a production line after several hours of non-stop work — being able to detect it instantly is essential. Criminal activity across food factories 89% of manufacturers on a global scale were impacted by fraud in 2015 — 2017 saw a 7% rise on this result. It has been proven that CCTV can deter criminals. By installing these systems, food factories can protect themselves from threats that are external and internal as well as being able to support themselves in any claims of violation. Although produced goods have been at the centre of news stories regarding the integrity and containments of what is being delivered, another common crime within this industry is fraud. 89% of manufacturers on a global scale were impacted by fraud in 2015 — 2017 saw a 7% rise on this result. Common perpetrators in fraud When it comes to the most common types of fraud, information theft stood at 30%, compliance breach at 30% and intellectual property theft standing at 26% of the respondents who were asked — all of which could cause great impacts to production lines. It was also found that those who had recently started working for the company, such as junior employees, were the most common preparators when it came to fraud within a manufacturing factory (39%). Temporary manufacturing workers came in at second place with 37%, while those in senior or middle management positions were at 33% — the same as ex-staff members. However, vendors/suppliers who do not have as much access to your business accounted for 33% too. This clarifies that anyone has the potential to commit a crime within a factory. To ensure protection for the British consumer, food production factories should seriously consider implementing similar systems to UK slaughterhouses. This article was contributed by IP security provider 2020Vision.

Knightscope’s long-term mission is to “make America the safest country in the world,” says William Santana Li, Chairman and CEO. “The company was started six years ago as we had grown tired and horrified by the ongoing violence in our country and decided to do something about it.” But are security robots the solution to crime and violence in the United States? “There are 2+ million law enforcement and security professionals trying to secure 328+ million people across the 50 states,” Mr. Li says. “The math just doesn’t work, which is why our country pays $1+ trillion in negative economic impact annually – a hidden tax we all pay in blood, tears and treasure.”  Robots provide professionals with new tools. “We make really smart eyes and ears that operate 24/7/365 for an affordable price,” says Mr. Li. “We have actually operated more than 700,000 hours in the real world, both outdoors and indoors, across 15 states and are now operating across five time zones – fully autonomous without any human intervention.” Utilising robotics and AI AI helps Knightscope robots interact better with humans and perform activities like identifying peopleKnightscope is a security technology company that utilises self-driving technology, robotics and artificial intelligence to provide security professionals additional eyes and ears to do their jobs much more effectively – as well as provide a consistent around-the-clock physical deterrence to help minimise negative behaviour. Knightscope says its K1, K3 and K5 security robots, and accompanying user interface, the Knightscope Security Operations Center (KSOC), continue to make significant contributions to the safety of its client base. Artificial intelligence helps Knightscope robots interact better with humans and perform activities like identifying people, looking up license plates, detecting rogue wireless devices, having a machine-to-human dialogue and, in the future, detecting dangerous objects in a scene automatically. “Our long-term plan is to have the machines be able to see, feel, hear and smell, so advances in sensor capabilities, efforts in sensor fusion, and the future with 5G capabilities will make for profound advances,” says Mr. Li. Facial recognition software at ISC West 2019 was Knightscope’s fourth time exhibiting at ISC West, and they have also exhibited at GSX/ASIS, ISC East, numerous other trade shows, and have hosted some of their own. Mr. Li has seen the reaction to security robots evolve over the years. People are realising that the technology is not science fiction but science fact and looking to see how it can be an integral part of their respective security programs “At first, it was typically ‘what is that?’ or ‘what does it do?’ But the last 12 to 18 months have been very different. There has been much more meaningful, implementation-focussed dialogue, feedback, requests for new features, etc. Now folks are realising that our technology is not science fiction but science fact and looking to see how it can be an integral part of their respective security programs.” Their ISC West presence this year highlighted facial recognition software that utilises deep learning to detect, analyse and compare faces. Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif., an existing Knightscope customer, is using the beta format on its K1 security robot platform. Additional benefits of using robots Knightscope has raised over $40 million to develop and deploy its technology and is backed by more than 6,000 family offices, accelerators, funds, private investors and four major corporations, says Mr. Li. As the machines get smarter and more capable over time – the number of applications will become endless" Robots also provide additional benefits beyond security, says Mr. Li, such as branding, community relations and public relations opportunities for clients. “In some cases, our clients have utilised our Concierge feature to allow for human-to-machine customer service interactions,” he says. “We have also been able to showcase and inspire STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) students with practical applications of technology for the good of society. And robot selfies have certainly become a thing.” Endless number of applications In terms of vertical markets, in the near term, Knightscope has seen positive scaling and growth on corporate campuses and at logistics facilities, manufacturing plants, hospitals, casinos, commercial real estate and malls. “As the machines get smarter and more capable over time – the number of applications will become endless,” says Mr. Li. They currently drop new software code every two weeks and new hardware typically a couple of times a year. “In my opinion, it is ill advised for early stage technology companies to utilise B2G (business-to-government) sales as the initial go-to-market strategy,” says Mr. Li. “For Knightscope we have been primarily focussed on B2B (business-to-business) sales and actually until 2017 were geographically constrained to California only. What we are doing is technologically extremely difficult as these are effectively self-driving cars. Additionally, despite the never-ending international interest, we are laser focussed on the United States.”

The Middle East security market provides a healthy opportunity for manufacturers who can capitalise on the region’s key verticals. Intersec’s 20th edition show focused more on solutions than on products, including solutions for the growing retail sector and an infrastructure market requiring ruggedised equipment to stand up to harsh environments. Intersec hosted security, safety and fire protection exhibitors from over fifty countries at Dubai’s spacious International Convention and Exhibition Centre on 21st - 23rd January. For the security market, the show was an opportunity to demonstrate how the industry’s latest technologies can benefit end-users in the UAE and globally. While the show hosted many impressively-sized stands from key security players, these tended to reflect the ongoing shift from a product-centric market to a focus on customer problems and solutions. Rather than filling the floorspace with an abundance of products, many brands chose to showcase how their flagship solutions could function in real-world applications. Retail surveillance delivers ROI Numerous companies opted to highlight their retail solutions – a key vertical for Dubai, which is known for its elaborate city shopping hubs. The Axis Communications stand allowed visitors to experience its network video offerings for the retail sector, including integrations with Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) and Point of Sale (POS) technologies. Solutions on show reflected how security systems are increasingly expected to provide a tangible return on investment: With options for queue management and people counting, Axis video technology can be used to provide business intelligence and improve the customer experience, as well as enhancing safety. IP video manufacturer Vivotek also showcased its latest retail offering, including fisheye cameras with built-in crowd detection and heatmap technology, which can help retail managers analyse customer traffic patterns and highly frequented areas. The panoramic nature of Vivotek’s IP cameras makes them ideal for collecting comprehensive data from retail stores.    MOBOTIX CEO Thomas Lausten demonstrates how the company’s dual modular camera delivers high-quality images in extreme weather conditions IP video in extreme conditions The MOBOTIX stand was also less product-driven than at past shows. Instead, the focus was on how the manufacturer combines intelligent IoT technology and robust materials to address real end-user needs. CEO Thomas Lausten, who joined the company in June 2017, was on-hand to demonstrate how the company’s dual modular camera continues to deliver high-quality images in extreme weather conditions including ice, rain and sand. Rugged solutions were a big theme across the show floor. This is unsurprising given Intersec’s location in Dubai – the Middle East provides ample opportunity for the security market to capitalise on large outdoor projects, including the oil and gas industry. Video surveillance manufacturer Videotec showcased its latest HD PTZ cameras built to withstand harsh outdoor environments. The stand hosted an immersive ‘Experience Centre’, where the company’s flagship PTZ cameras moved in sync to a rolling video, demonstrating their use in vertical markets including oil and gas, marine surveillance, and critical infrastructure. Video surveillance manufacturer Videotec showcased its latest HD PTZ cameras built to withstand harsh outdoor environments MENA security market requirements Storage provider Promise Technology showcased its latest portfolio of surveillance solutions, including a cloud-based infrastructure optimised for growing IP video requirements. The manufacturer also introduced its new Vess A700 network video recorder series. This latest NVR offering specifically targets medium- to large-scale applications such as banking and industry. Such a solution is ideal for the growing Dubai market, where strict legislation requires a video retention time of 180 days. Intersec is set to return to Dubai from 20th - 22nd January 2019. Organisers expect over 1,300 exhibitors from across to globe to come together for a bigger, wider ranging and more innovative show.

Amazon Go is a new idea in retailing, now being tested at a store in Seattle, that eliminates the need for customers to go through a checkout line. The so-called “just walk out” experience depends on “the world’s most advanced shopping technology.” Customers simply enter a retail store, choose the goods they want, and leave. The checkout process is automated: The selected goods are charged to the customer’s account automatically. Solving shoplifting Most of the information I have read about the system emphasises its benefits in terms of customer convenience. However, another huge benefit would be to essentially “solve” the problem of shoplifting. Anyone – criminal or not – who enters the store, takes items and leaves will be charged for the goods. Shoplifting has been a huge and intractable cost for retailers for decades. Solving it is no small feat, and the potential money savings could help to pay for wider use of Amazon Go technology. After all, the high costs of the system are cited as one obstacle to wider implementation. Amazon Go smart phone app The Amazon Go system involves a smart phone app that identifies the customer as he or she walks into the store (presumably through a turnstile). In addition, there are computerised systems in place that automatically identify which customers pick up which items from the store shelves, and keep a running, real-time tally of who buys what. No need for check-out lines; it’s all automatic. Customers only need an Amazon account, a supported smartphone, and the free Amazon Go app. There are computerised systems in place that automatically identify which customers pick up which items from the store shelves, and keep a running, real-time tally Currently, the first Amazon Go store is being tested in Seattle; Amazon employees are using the store now in a Beta programme, and it will be opened to the public in 2017. Goods include ready-to-eat food items, as well as grocery essentials ranging from bread and milk to artisan cheeses and locally made chocolates. Future of Amazon Go How fast might the technology become more widespread? The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that Amazon envisioned opening more than 2,000 physical stores in the United States, although the company denies the report, perhaps in the interest of lowering expectations. Amazon describes the technologies involved as “computer vision, deep learning algorithms and sensor fusion.” Suffice it to say the 1,800-square-foot store relies on cameras and microphones, as well as infrared, pressure and load sensors on the store shelves. Surveillance cameras track customers through the store, as does computerised analysis of the sounds they make as they move about. In effect, the store has a continuous awareness of where everything and everyone are at any moment, and movements are analysed to determine what items are being purchased. The system also relies heavily on Amazon’s cloud computing service. Eliminating retail shrinkage Shoplifting accounts for some 38 percent of shrinkage in the retail community. It appears Amazon Go would eliminate most, if not all, of those losses, which could contribute substantially to any return-on-investment evaluation when deciding whether to expand the concept to a wider audience. Customers would likely also be willing to pay a premium for the convenience of not waiting in line, and automated processes tend to lower labour costs. The retail market depends on physical security technologies to fight shoplifting, and is also embracing a variety of those technologies, especially video surveillance, to boost the level of customer service. Amazon Go is a showcase for how far technologies have come, and it also suggests other ways innovation could be used in the physical security market and beyond. By automating the checkout process, while also eliminating shoplifting and adding customer convenience, the concept of Amazon Go might just be a winner. That is, assuming customers wouldn’t rather just shop online and have goods delivered.

Faced with a number of security challenges and planned future expansion, a major airport decided it was time to implement a scalable security surveillance solution. Let’s take a look at how to manage such a scenario to ensure the selected solution provides scalability for growth. With the existing proprietary solution at the airport locked down to one manufacturer and littered with issues resulting in high maintenance and expansion costs, a new solution was required that would allow the airport to scale its surveillance solution in line with future expansion plans. Difficult in identifying people The low-resolution analogue cameras made it difficult to identify people during incidents Not only was the existing surveillance solution analogue and proprietary, it wasn’t intuitive and was difficult for operators to use. There were several ‘satellite’ security installations scattered in the various terminal buildings that weren’t viewable in the centralised Control Room which meant extra operators were required. The low-resolution analogue cameras made it difficult to identify people during incidents and coupled with the lack of video coverage, it gave operators poor situational awareness. Reviewing past events with the existing VMS was difficult as playback wasn’t synchronised and, without bookmarks, it was time-consuming to find important events. The combination of multiple terminal buildings and the Centralised Analogue Architecture resulted in bottlenecks and latency issues as all processing must pass through the centralised server. There was also no redundancy so if there was any failure in the system, the Control Room would no longer have the capability to view live or recorded video. Additionally, as the system was locked down to one manufacturer and the whole system had to be hardwired to the centralised server, there were very expensive expansion costs. Addressing security and scalability concerns New NVRs were specified to cope with the increase in camera streams and an extra NVR for redundancy and failoverThe required solution had multiple requirements to ensure that the existing issues were resolved and that the solution could scale with the planned expansion. With expansion planned to facilitate growing passenger numbers, an open IP based solution was specified to replace the existing analogue solution to improve situational awareness, provide scalability and integrate with a number of other systems operating in the airport. The architecture needed to limit bottlenecks, reduce latency issues, provide redundancy advantages and be scalable to allow for multiple new terminal buildings to be connected with ease. New HD cameras were specified to improve image quality and coverage, with a Video Wall required in order to view and manage the increase in video streams in the centralised Control Room. New large capacity NVRs were also specified to cope with the increase in camera streams and an extra NVR for redundancy and failover. Distributed Architecture reduces data bottlenecks A solution with Distributed Architecture was chosen as it solved multiple issues with the existing solution and facilitated future expansion without the need for a centralised server. Distributed Architecture allows data to be kept close to where it is produced or needed. When cameras, surveillance workstations, NVRs, alarm servers, integration gateways, all participate in a Distributed Architecture, data bottlenecks are minimised as all processing doesn’t need to pass through a centralised server. Distributed Architecture provides a truly unlimited and scalable solution that can easily accommodate the largest airports in the world. Enhancing situational awareness Distributed Architecture enables future expansion as it can support thousands of cameras, workstations and NVRsDistributed Architecture minimised the existing bottlenecks, reduced latency, and provided higher availability and faster access to data. It also allowed all ‘satellite’ security installations to be viewed in the centralised Control Room enhancing situational awareness. New HD cameras were installed and due to the scalability of Distributed Architecture, future cameras can easily be connected when needed. Furthermore, the scalability of Distributed Architecture enabled the airport to build new terminal buildings and connect with ease to the security solution when ready. Distributed Architecture enables planned future expansion as it can support thousands of cameras, workstations and NVRs, dramatically reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The scalability of Distributed Architecture allows the airport to continue with planned expansion and add a single camera/NVR or a whole new terminal when needed.

With its capacity of 32 million tons per year and water frontage of 6 kilometres, Chernomorsk sea port is one of the largest transport terminals in Ukraine, providing trade links with more than 100 countries all over the world. This port is a part of Eurasian transport corridor connecting the Western European countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Asian countries. Its territory embodies the unique multimodal terminal that serves railway-ferry and auto-ferry lines as well as roll-on/roll-off vessels. The mission was to implement round-the-clock monitoring of the port territory and port waters in order to detect violations and prevent them. Monitoring in challenging light conditions PTZ cameras with integrated Axis Lightfinder technology are used for monitoring Experts from Inlimited suggested fitting the port with thermal technology platforms using 11 Axis network thermal cameras aboard (including models with two sensors: optic and thermal). PTZ cameras with integrated Axis Lightfinder technology are used, among others, for monitoring in challenging light conditions with low object contrast or difficult light sources. Thermal network cameras support guard tour function that can be used for continuous monitoring of a particular area according to the preset guard tour. In the context of modernisation, the existing port security system was extended with the following video surveillance solutions: computer-aided continuous visual monitoring of the water frontage, the adjacent port area and the port waters of Sukhyi Estuary, the area along the port perimeter as well as monitoring of vehicles (license plate recognition) and approaches to the mounting locations of the main cameras. Integrated video surveillance Centralised security service control centre offer video analysis capabilities. Video surveillance solutions integrated into a single software and hardware platform provide high-quality digital video real time record and store the archive for a minimum of 30 days. The integrator considered all the challenging conditions that cameras may encounter at sea and in the maritime area Integrated video surveillance and alarm system modernisation project developed by Inlimited Ltd. for Chernomorsk sea port is of strategic importance for the customer since it is aimed at increasing the reliability of the guard tours and critical infrastructure of the port and its entire water area. When developing the architectural concept, the integrator considered all the challenging conditions that cameras may encounter at sea and in the maritime area, such as hurricane hazards, lightning strikes, salt air impact, as well as restricted visibility due to fog, heavy rain, snowfall and direct sunlight. Installation of PTZ network cameras Thermal platforms with Axis PTZ network cameras installed on the top became the ultimate solution for the port. Optical and thermal sensors combined into one system is the specific feature of bispectral modules. With this capability, such a device can substitute a significant number of conventional optical cameras and partially the security alarm system. Hence, the extensive territory of the port was covered by turntables with a total of 11 Axis network cameras: bispectral, optical and outdoor. Due to the intelligent capabilities of Axis network cameras, a real-time detection signal is automatically transferred to operator screen, immediately providing a very clear image of an object and ensuring reliable detection under any visibility and weather conditions. Moreover, the system can also detect suspicious objects even before an intrusion attempt. Recognising person, car or watercraft We chose to go with Axis cameras because they are flexible and yet can be customised to solve particular problems"Automatic systems facilitate the work of security service operators displaying only actual violations, which helps to minimise the percentage of false responses. With this intelligent system, it is possible to immediately recognise a person, car or small-sized watercraft as well as detect possible smoke spread and other abnormal situations. Thus, the security staff has extra time to provide quick response. The video surveillance and alarm system of Chernomorsk sea port is integrated with IP-video control system Milestone Xprotect and vehicle license plate recognition system VIT AutoCode. “We chose to go with Axis cameras because they are flexible and yet can be customised to solve particular problems. Axis network cameras gained an excellent reputation as a part of the video surveillance system currently operating at the port and for this reason, we selected them again for additional security platforms,” noted the Chernomorsk sea port security service.

The high-performance Predator Ultra HD PTZ video surveillance camera from UK CCTV manufacturer, 360 Vision Technology, has entered service at the National Coastwatch Institution’s (NCI) Felixstowe lookout station, to help protect lives along the coastline of the River Deben estuary. Felixstowe Coastwatch is a charity funded, volunteer-based organisation with over 50 highly trained volunteers available to man lookout shifts. It’s also part of the NCI, a voluntary organisation established in 1994 to restore a visual watch along UK shores, after many small Coastguard stations had been closed. Maritime navigation Felixstowe Coastwatch took over operations at the Lookout in April 1996 Under Felixstowe Coastwatch’s territory is the Deben estuary, whose treacherous shifting shingle banks and bar can present quite a challenge for maritime navigation, as Ian Clarke of Felixstowe Coastwatch explains: “Half of all call outs from the RNLI Harwich Lifeboat Station during 2016/17 were to attend incidents in this area, so it was clear that additional observation of the area would be beneficial and help to make it safer.” Felixstowe Coastwatch’s Lookout is built on top of Martello Tower ‘P’, one of the famous ‘Martello Towers’, built in the early 1800s as a defence against a possible invasion by Napoleon. The first lookout was originally built by HM Coastguard (replaced in 1979 by the current structure), who operated the Lookout until 1994. Felixstowe Coastwatch took over operations at the Lookout in April 1996. Experiencing CCTV cameras “Originally, the first idea to tackle the maritime issues at the River Deben estuary was to build an additional lookout tower,” says Ian. “That would have been a prohibitively costly exercise for a charity-based organisation. However, after a visit to the NCI Station at Portland Bill, I was inspired by the use of CCTV there and interested to establish if video surveillance could be deployed to monitor the remote Deben estuary from our existing lookout station.” “The first task was to experience CCTV cameras in action, so we visited the Port of Felixstowe, the Felixstowe Town CCTV system and the Great Yarmouth Port Authority, where we saw the 360 Vision Predator in action. Impressed by the quality of its images, I contacted 360 Vision Technology for a demonstration, at which we were able to record video from the proposed location of the camera mast.” Comprehensive business case 360 Vision Technology had just launched their Predator equipped with a 40x optical zoom" “After the demonstration of the camera’s capability, I was able to prepare a detailed report to our trustees, setting out a comprehensive business case as to why a CCTV camera would offer the best solution to the issues we were facing at the mouth of the River Deben. I was able to use the recorded footage of the demonstration to produce a video highlighting the impressive capability of the imaging technology.” From Ian’s report, approval of the project was granted and the 360 Vision Predator Ultra HD was installed by STC Solutions Ltd, after funds were raised from council-allocated budget and fundraising events organised by Felixstowe Coastwatch volunteers. “When we placed the order, 360 Vision Technology had just launched their Predator equipped with a 40x optical zoom,” Ian continues. Wireless transmission solution “This was an important factor for us, as the entrance to the River Deben is expansive, and identifying vessels and individuals there would be greatly assisted by the optical zoom of the 360 Vision Predator camera.” With no line of sight from the camera to the lookout tower, an innovative wireless transmission solution was employed, using a belfry tower at a midway point in Felixstowe, where the signal is relayed to enable control and recording of the high definition images back at the lookout station. “Now operators can view superb live images of the River Deben, to confirm the identity, position and situation of vessels in the mouth of the river and if necessary, contact HM Coastguard if we observe any problems,” Ian explains. Seamless ONVIF integration Thanks to the broad integration capability of 360 Vision’s Predator Ultra HD, all surveillance video is archived for retrospective investigation, and controlled via a QVIS Viper NVR recorder. In addition, seamless ONVIF integration into Cambridge Pixel’s ‘RadarWatch’, a flexible client display application for radar display and target tracking, allows Felixstowe Coastwatch’s operators to set up virtual tripwire lines across dangerous areas of the river and shallow waters close to the main shipping channel. The trip alarms instantly alert operators and provide immediate verification of a vessel’s precise location Once crossed by a vessel, the trip alarms instantly alert operators and provide immediate verification of a vessel’s precise location, along with high-definition visual verification from the Predator camera. Also displayed as an overlay on screen, via the Predator Ultra camera and Cambridge Pixel technology integration, is Automatic Identification System (AIS) ship transponder information for each vessel, including a compass bearing supplied by the Predator camera’s head, which indicates which way the camera is pointing. Innovative installation “This means we can instantly identify and position any specific vessel we’re seeing with the camera,” says Ian. “We can also view the banks of the river and its beaches, to ensure that no members of the public are in danger.” Taking advantage of 360 Vision Technology’s any colour and any finish design offer, the Predator Ultra camera was supplied in a Marine Grade white paint finish, and along with its powerful 40x zoom lens, is equipped with a ½” Ultra camera module to ensure maximum imaging performance, even in low-light conditions. This innovative installation has been so successful that Felixstowe Coastwatch are currently looking at other areas of the coastline where high-definition 360 Vision Predator Ultra HD cameras could assist with their daily operations, to protect the public and maritime traffic.

It is essential that governments be able to issue identification credentials so citizens can exercise their civic rights and duties, access programs and services, and travel freely to and from other countries. HID Global, globally renowned trusted identity solutions, has enabled numerous African countries to issue millions of these credentials as the company helps to propel a variety of initiatives across the continent aimed at providing “identity for all.” Secure ID card issuance “Secure issuance is a key part of our identity portfolio that is helping nations in Africa and other emerging economies close a big gap between citizens who have a legal way to identify themselves and those who don’t,” said Craig Sandness, Vice President & Managing Director – Secure Issuance with HID Global. We are also actively involved in designing programs for civil servants to securely access government buildings" He adds, “Our successes in Africa range from Angola’s voter ID card program to deployments in multiple countries that enable governments to issue national IDs, driver’s licenses, health cards, work permits and refugee identification credentials. We are also actively involved in designing programs for civil servants to securely access government buildings and government assets such as PCs or server rooms.” HID Global identification program For many countries, an e-Passport is the building block of democracy and cornerstone of citizenship as their first step to launching an identification program. HID Global’s secure issuance offering spans all aspects of creating and managing these and other credentials and issuing them wherever citizens are located. Notable deployments in Africa include: Resident, Healthcare and other National IDs: Eight African countries have either deployed or are developing one or more of these ID card programs using HID Global printers. Several are also in the early stages of deploying systems for issuing government employee ID cards for use by members of their military and police forces. Voter IDs: Angola used HID FARGO DTC5500LMX printers to roll out a voter ID program in over 200 municipalities and cities across the country. Over 650 systems were deployed in Angola to issue over 8 million cards in less than 8 months. ePassports: Several countries in Africa are using HID Global’s ID personalisation systems for ePassports that provide successful identification and an easier travel experience for citizens. Driver’s Licenses: HID Global’s decentralised driver’s license issuance solution is being used by several African governments. Noticeably, one country is using these solutions to speed program deployment for over 25 million citizens. The company is also supplying pre-printed smart cards that include various overt and covert security features. The cards are then personalised locally with photo, variables data, custom holographic laminate and owner biometrics using FARGO HDP5000 printers. Refugee Identification: HID Global is working with international organisations to help connect African refugees with vital resources in multiple countries. HID FARGO HDP8500 and HDP5000 printers are being deployed at refugee camps to issue the necessary credentials for accessing food, water, shelter, financial aid and educational and other services. Student IDs: The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is using HID FARGO Direct-to-Card ID card printers/encoders to improve the efficiency, accuracy and integrity of its educational testing program for more than 2 million students annually. HID FARGO Connect solution HID FARGO Connect solution enables ID cards to be issued from anywhere and any device via a web interface The latest additions to HID Global’s portfolio address the challenges African nations face in issuing credentials to remote locations while also serving high-volume needs of large metropolitan areas. The company’s HID FARGO Connect solution enables ID cards to be issued from anywhere and any device via a web interface in a trusted environment, changing the paradigm for governments whose citizens live in distant, hard-to-reach locations with limited infrastructure. For governments that need to meet the needs of large metropolitan populations, the new HID FARGO HDP6600 printer offers the world’s fastest retransfer throughput for ID card personalisation.

HID Global, provider of trusted identity solutions, announces that the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Grenoble, France has selected HID’s radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and its patented direct bonding technology for automated handling of biological samples at cryogenic temperatures of 196°C (-321° F) in liquid nitrogen. EMBL Grenoble creates high-resolution pictures and 3D atomic models of biological macromolecules using a specialised imaging process called macromolecular crystallography (MX). These images are useful for studying biological materials, developing highly efficient medicine, and fighting cancer more effectively. Limited storage density The images require molecular samples to be prepared in a crystalised form and frozen The images require molecular samples to be prepared in a crystalised form and frozen. Handling these samples is a complex task: tiny crystals must be grown, harvested, frozen on a sample holder at the tip of a tiny needle, and stored in liquid nitrogen at cryogenic temperatures and identified for further processing while remaining cool. Most current sample holders used in MX imaging offer limited storage density and poor initial crystal-positioning, which affects processing and limits the benefits of automated crystal harvesting systems. As a result, EMBL set out to design a storage and identification solution robust enough to function at extreme cold temperatures, but small enough to facilitate high precision and storage density. It also needed to support high-speed, automated handling by robots. Direct bonding technology “The HID Global technology has proven to be reliable against temperature cycling between room and liquid nitrogen temperatures, and the HID team was very supportive in helping us with our new designs,” said Florent Cipriani, Head of Instrumentation Team, EMBL Grenoble. HID’s direct bonding further allows the secure attachment of antennas to chips without the bulk of added modules Embeddable RFID tags and direct bonding technology from HID were chosen for identification in EMBL’s new sample holders due to the tags’ tiny footprint, proven track record to work in cryogenic environments, and ability to be custom designed to meet the needs of EMBL. HID’s direct bonding further allows the secure attachment of antennas to chips without the bulk of added modules, making the units the smallest HF formats available in the market that deliver uncompromised performance. Reliable sample tracking “HID Global’s proven RFID technology has been used in various cryogenic environments for years,” said Richard Aufreiter, Director Product Management, Identification Technology with HID Global. “It was a natural partnership between HID and EMBL to design a tracking system resistant to frosting and other aspects of extreme cold. Our team worked directly with EMBL engineers to ensure the best tracking system was deployed in their newly designed sample storage solution.” With HID technology, EMBL developed two new sample holders optimised for high throughput, precision, and reliable sample tracking of more than 200 thousand crystals per year. The new RFID-enabled sample holders increase throughput by allowing the crystal harvesting, cryogenic storage, and MX beamline feeding process to be fully automated using robot grippers and specifically designed RFID readers. Available memory space in the RFID tags can store additional information about the samples.

Princeton Identity Inc., a provider of secure biometric security systems, has announced the deployment of its Biometric Conex, designed to assist customers with quick and accurate personnel authentication for campuses and facilities. The Conex is a 20-foot long standard shipping container outfitted with on-the-move facial, iris and fingerprint biometric capture technology, which can be operational in less than 24 hours. Biometric Conex Princeton Identity is showcasing the Biometric Conex at the 2018 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition this week in Washington, DC The first two containers will be shipped in October to government facilities. Princeton Identity is showcasing the Biometric Conex at the 2018 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington, DC. The Conex’s combination of patented authentication technology and portable configuration give organisations the flexibility to deploy these high throughput, accurate authentication units anytime, anywhere. Biometric high-throughput system The multi-modal, biometric high-throughput system offers more secure rapid personnel authentication and the following features: Face, dual iris, and 8 fingerprint rapid enrollment of personnel and on-the move multi-modal personnel identification Throughputs of over 15 people per minute Self-contained or networked configurations Allow list and watch list capable Can support large personnel database configurations Climate controlled, air conditioned and weatherproof Can be powered by a generator and comes with UPS backup Facility entry control The Biometric Conex eliminates these issues and provides a more accurate, seamless entry process Current facility entry control procedures generally rely on credentials or limited biometric information to allow entry. In many cases, these procedures can cause excessive queuing, require extensive manpower, and are limited in their identification accuracy. The Biometric Conex eliminates these issues and provides a more accurate, seamless entry process. It contains a rapid enrollment station to simultaneously register subjects’ biometric signatures – fingerprints, face and irises – which takes less than a minute to process. The fusing of these three separate biometric modalities ensures the highest level of identification accuracy and eliminates potential spoofing attacks. When subjects enter the Conex, they walk through at a normal pace without stopping or touching any sensors, gain clearance, and are granted access to the facility. Contactless iris authentication “The government engaged with Princeton Identity to provide these units because we are the only identification firm with patented walkthrough, contactless iris authentication capabilities to support large groups of people,” said Mark Clifton, CEO of Princeton Identity. “Our software and physical hardware provide versatile identity authentication solutions designed to verify and manage individuals’ identities for a wide range of physical security and access applications, and we are already exploring other commercial uses for the Biometric Conex.”

Ensuring privacy is often a concern for video surveillance systems, especially in situations where a system intended for “public” surveillance could somehow, perhaps inadvertently, view private areas or situations. The classic example is an apartment building whose windows are within the range of a video surveillance camera. How can you provide video surveillance without invading the privacy of the apartment dwellers? Integrators and end users often turn to technology for a solution. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Round Table: How can smart camera features (such as privacy masking and programmable pan-tilt-zoom) address concerns about privacy?

Terrorism is in the headlines all over the world. After any such incident, many of us in the physical security market find ourselves asking: What could we have done to prevent it? Assessing risk and preventing catastrophes before the fact are part of our market’s DNA; and yet, too often the random nature of terrorist attacks and their targeting of public places leave us unsure of anything anyone could have done. How can we translate the benefits of our industry’s products into real-world solutions that can prevent terrorist attacks? We presented the question to this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable, and received a variety of interesting responses. Specifically, we asked: How is the recent rise in terrorism impacting the physical security market (e.g., higher demand, different mix of products, etc.)? How should the physical security market respond? What solutions are needed?