Hybrid security

viisights, Inc., developer of behavioural recognition systems for real-time video intelligence, will be attending ISC West in Las Vegas, July 19-21, 2021, representing its innovative video analytics solutions and revenue-generating partner program. Pat Aiello, viisights’ VP Business Development & Sales, North America, will present a session entitled “Behavioral Recognition for Realtime Video Intelligence” as part of the SIA Education @ ISC program. Company representatives will also be meeting with systems integrators to discuss new revenue streams made possible by the company’s partner program, which provides systems integrators a competitive edge while helping their clients achieve more proactive security. Advanced video analytics technology The education session “Behavioral Recognition for Realtime Video Intelligence” will cover viisights advanced video analytics technology that is capable of understanding and recognising an object’s behavior and interactions in a live video stream, essentially analysing the story that is unfolding in the video. Session attendees will be shown the exceptional value of behavioural recognition video analytics Session attendees will be shown the exceptional value of behavioural recognition video analytics, a knowledge that will give them the ability to identify security challenges that can be resolved using this automated technology. The session is scheduled to take place Tuesday, July 20, at 1:15 PM. ISC West attendees can register for the session on the company website. Behavioural analytics A benchmark in video intelligence, viisights behavioural analytics provide systems integrators with a new unique selling proposition for existing and new customers that will lead to business growth. viisights personnel will be at the show to discuss these opportunities in one-on-one meetings with potential technology partners and systems integrators during ISC West. The company offers extensive support for integrators including project registration; price protection to protect and secure bids; engineering, design, and implementation support; installation documentation and setup tools; training and certification for technical staff; application consulting for specialised projects; software demo licenses; and more.  AI-based video intelligence systems “viisights leverages artificial intelligence technologies that facilitate human-like pattern prediction to create fully autonomous video intelligence systems,” said Asaf Birenzvieg, CEO at viisights. “viisights goes further than simple object recognition by analysing full-motion video for objects and their behaviour in the context that they operate in." "Our real-time behavioural analytics transform video streams into actionable insights by autonomously recognising behaviours that demand immediate attention, allowing customers to be more proactive.”

HID Global, trusted identity solutions announced the TouchChip TC series of capacitive fingerprint sensors have been awarded Level 1 certification by independent third-party testing house iBeta Quality Assurance. This conformance – conducted per ISO/IEC 30107-3 – affirms the HID Global biometric device functions to the highest standards, achieving 0% penetration during repeated test spoof attempts.  Level 1 ISO PAD designation “We design our identity verification solutions to serve as a natural extension to users’ security systems and applications, with a commitment to producing products with outstanding accuracy, reliability, and secure access,” said Vito Fabbrizio, Managing Director, Biometrics Business Unit, Extended Access Technologies, HID Global.  “This Level 1 ISO PAD designation from iBeta confirms the diligence and purposeful security efforts our engineers built into the TouchChip product family to deliver trustworthy authentication across banking, government, healthcare, legal, retail, and other industries where fingerprint verification drives efficiencies and prevents fraud.”  Quick and compact biometric authentication The TouchChip capacitive fingerprint sensor family provides quick and reliable biometric authentication The TouchChip capacitive fingerprint sensor family provides quick and reliable biometric authentication. Its compact design and durability make it ideal for high-traffic environments such as point-of-sale and multi-user applications utilising virtualisation platforms such as Citrix or VMWare. Patented authentication technology captures high-quality images for a variety of fingerprint and liveness detection verification uses. Attack detection The importance of presentation attack detection testing is to determine the strength of biometrics technology when faced with attempts to gain unauthorised access through the use of fake fingerprints. It is recommended that PAD testing be applied to all devices where security is a priority. Testing was conducted on the EikonTouch™ Model TC510-A3 sensor and associated TCS PAD Emulator v0.05 Windows 10 application in April 2021. iBeta was unable to gain unauthorised access through 360 presentation attacks (PAs) with six species of attack. The PA success rate resulted in 0%. The Imposter Attack Presentation Match Rate (IAPMR) was also 0%, demonstrating no unauthorised access was achieved with the artefacts applied. Fingerprint authentication technology For HID Global, this represents the fifth perfect score achieved in fingerprint authentication device compliance testing based on the application of Deep Learning Neural Network-based PAD Technology. These are just some of the advanced AI innovations being designed into HID’s precise threat detection technologies.  iBeta is a FIDO Alliance Accredited Biometric Laboratory and nationally accredited as a test lab by the National Voluntary Lab Accreditation Program (NVLAP) to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017. iBeta’s quality assurance experts work with a wide variety of biometric technology companies to ensure products function to the industry’s highest standards.

Evolution, the integrated fire and security systems business, has continued to invest in the growth of its Risk & Design team, with two new appointments. Ex-Army  person appointment David Watson joins Evolution Risk & Design as Operational Risk Manager. With more than 10 years served in the British Army, David has spent the last 15 years working in various different roles and sectors within the domestic and international security industry, managing risks for sites in hostile environments, protecting high net worth individuals, and high-profile commercial clients. In his new role, David will be responsible for engaging with clients to provide integrated collaborative solutions to their Risk Profiles and utilising the end-to-end processes Evolution can offer in the market.  Ex-air force person appointment Following a wide-ranging 23-year career in the Royal Air Force working as a Weapons Technician including roles in Bomb Disposal and Aircraft Operations, Kevin Stephenson joins the team as Operational Risk Adviser and will be applying his expertise gained in managing risks in the dynamic airworthiness and air safety environments to the security industry to deliver effective risk appreciation and assurance to new and existing clients. The experiences and disciplines gained from serving in the forces can prove extremely valuable in the security industry Domestic and international security Brendan McGarrity, Director of Evolution Risk & Design, says supporting ex-servicemen and women and the skills they can bring is very important to the business, “The experiences and disciplines gained from serving in the forces can prove extremely valuable in the security industry.”  “If you’ve worked on or fixed a highly complex radar or weapons system, then there’s a good chance that can be easily transferred to a commercial environment,” Brendan says. “I’m delighted to welcome David and Kevin to the team, and look forward to harnessing their expertise and capabilities.” Evolution pledged its support to the defence and armed forces community in 2020 by signing the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) and also joined the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (Bronze).

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the 2021 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards, the flagship awards program presented in partnership with ISC West recognising innovative security products, services, and solutions. Top among the winners – who were recognized June 17 during a virtual awards show – was Lumeo, receiving the 2021 Best New Product Award. SIA New Product Showcase Since its inception in 1979, the SIA New Product Showcase has been the security industry’s premier product awards program. New products are reviewed by a panel of judges with extensive industry experience, and in 2021, following significant deliberations, the 35 judges presented awards for technologies covering 25+ product and service categories. The 2021 SIA New Product Showcase entries will be on display July 19-21 in Booth 14073 on the ISC West show floor. Best new product Lumeo received the Best New Product honor for its Lumeo product, submitted in the Emerging Technologies category. Lumeo received the Best New Product honor for its no-code video analytic builder  “Lumeo is the first and only ‘no-code' video analytic builder that provides integrators, software vendors, and solution providers with the ability to create and deliver custom analytics in minutes and with no technical skills needed,” said Lumeo. “Using drag-and-drop tools, pre-built analytic building blocks, and AI models, Lumeo lets providers instantly add AI-powered analytics to their own solution, or extend existing VMS and camera installations to increase revenue and bottom line. Lumeo’s cloud-managed analytics can run in the cloud, on-premises, or a hybrid model so you can optimise for convenience or cost.” Judges’ Choice Award The prestigious Judges’ Choice Award was presented to Teleportivity for the QR Video Intercom product, submitted in the Emerging Technologies category. “Imagine being able to install an app-like ‘video intercom’ experience, anywhere, simply with a QR code,” said Teleportivity. “There’s no hardware needed, and no app required for the visitor. Simply scan with a smartphone and access. Intercom owners can add a whole range of other self-serve experiences into their code. Install onto a digital directory, letterbox, a door, a wall…Anywhere.” New ideas and technologies “The 2021 entrants to the SIA New Product Showcase are a remarkable group, and we were impressed by the many notable ideas and new technologies that came in this year,” said Christopher Grniet, chair of the SIA New Product Showcase Committee. “It was a challenge making the final award determinations in this year’s highly competitive program following hours of panel-driven judging and technology demonstrations. Thank you to our dedicated judges for volunteering your time, expertise, and efforts to make the 2021 SIA New Product Showcase a success.” Merit Award SIA New Product Showcase program – received the New Product Showcase Merit Award Additionally, Marc R. Tardiff –  founder of MRT Security Consulting LLC and an active volunteer judge in the SIA New Product Showcase program – received the New Product Showcase Merit Award, which recognises an individual or company who, through their support of the New Product Showcase, demonstrates a commitment to the vision and mission of the program, contributes to its success and promotes the advancement of SIA and the security industry overall. “I am honored to be named the 2021 SIA NPS Merit Award winner and would like to thank Sandra Jones, who first gave me the chance to serve on the SIA NPS Committee, as well as SIA, Reed, and our NPS Committee members for the work that has been going on for quite some time,” said Tardiff. “I’d also like to thank our previous chair, Jennifer Martin, and current chair Chris Grniet for allowing me to continue to serve.” Recognising all the honorees “SIA is thrilled to recognise the 2021 SIA New Product Showcase honorees, whose products, services, and contributions represent the most innovative new security offerings on the market,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA congratulates all the 2021 award winners, and especially Lumeo and Teleportivity, whose solutions stood out among the impressive field of entrants to earn the Best New Product and Judges’ Choice honors. Additionally, we congratulate Marc R. Tardiff on being named the 2021 SIA NPS Merit Award recipient in recognition of his dedication and valuable contributions to this flagship awards program.” Winners of the 2021 Product Showcase The 2021 SIA New Product Showcase award winners are: Best New Product Award Winner:  Lumeo – Lumeo Judges’ Choice Award Winner:  Teleportivity – QR Video Intercom New Product Showcase Merit Award Winner: Marc R. Tardiff, founder, MRT Security Consulting LLC Category Awards Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware – Wireless Winner:  Master Lock – Master Lock Vault Enterprise Bluetooth Door Controller Honorable Mention: Bird Home Automation GmbH – DoorBird D1812 Access Control Software, Hardware, Devices & Peripherals – Wired    Winner: Honeywell International Inc – Pro-Watch Integrated Security Suite Honorable Mention: Alvarado from dormakaba Group – MST-TE Touch-Free Full Height Turnstile Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Winner: Bullistic Barriers LLC – RaDeBuRe Commercial Monitoring Solutions Winner: Evolon – Verify Honorable Mention: Optex – Optex 12 Channel Bridge Communications and Networking Solutions Winner: M2M Services – MINI-LTE-M-AV Convergence and Integration Solutions Winner: BioConnect – BioConnect Enterprise 5.0 Design, Diagnostic, and Installation Tools Winner: Axis Communications, Inc. – AXIS Plugin for Autodesk Revit Emerging Technologies Winner: Teleportivity – QR Video Intercom Honorable Mention: Lumeo – Lumeo AiP Monitoring – SafeAtHome App Environmental Monitoring Systems Winner: IPVideo Corporation – HALO 2.2 Fire/Life Safety Winner: NOTIFIER by Honeywell – Notifier Inspire Self-Test Smoke Detection Hosted Solutions/Managed Services Winner: Soloinsight Inc. – CloudGate SmartSpace Identification Management and Credentialing (Non-Biometrics) Winner: SISCO – ThermalPass Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solutions (Physical) – Wired Winner: OPTEX Inc. – Redscan Pro Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solutions (Physical) – Wireless Winner: Intelligent Automation, Inc. – ARGUS Perimeter Security Solutions Key/Equipment Assets Management Solutions Winner: CyberLock Inc. – CyberAudit-Web 9.4 Law Enforcement/Public Safety/Guarding Systems Winner: Active Guardian – 3xLOGIC Gunshot Detection Lock and Key Solutions Winner: Medeco Security Locks – Medeco 4 High-Security Key System Mobile Solutions (Connected) Winner: IronYun Inc. – Vaidio Cam App Smart Home Solutions Winner: Alarm.com – Flex IO Honorable Mention: 2GIG – 2GIG EDGE Security and Automation Panel Threat/Risk Management Software Applications Winner: Gallagher – Proximity and Contact Tracing Report Video Analytics Winner: IronYun Inc. – Vaidio AI Vision Platform 5.0 Video Surveillance Cameras (HD/Megapixel) Winner: Hitachi Kokusai Electric, Ltd. – KP-HD3005G-R5/IF-PCB Video Surveillance Data Storage Winner: Premio Inc. – AI Edge Inference Computer (RCO-6141E-4U2C-2060S) Video Surveillance Management Systems Winner: Immervision Inc. – Immervision HTML 5 Web SDK During the 2021 SIA New Product Showcase virtual awards ceremony, in addition to the presentation of the overall and category-specific awards, attendees enjoyed hearing insights from New Product Showcase judges into innovations driving product advancements in the security industry. The 2021 SIA New Product Showcase entries will be on display July 19-21 in Booth 14073 on the ISC West show floor.

Over a third, (36 percent) of employees say they have picked up bad cybersecurity behaviours and found security ‘workarounds’ since working remotely, according to a new report from Tessian, the human layer security company. Cybersecurity behaviours The report, which analysed ‘Back to Work’ security behaviours, also revealed that nearly a third of employees (30 percent) believe they can get away with riskier security behaviours when working remotely, with two in five (39 percent) admitting the cybersecurity behaviours they practice while working from home are different to the behaviours practiced in the office. Shockingly, nearly half (49 percent) say the reason for this is because they feel they aren’t being watched by IT. Furthermore, the data revealed that over a quarter of employees have made a mistake that has compromised company security that they have never told anyone about, due to fear of disciplinary action or having to take part in more security training. Therefore, 70 percent of IT leaders think that the return to office will encourage staff to follow company security policies around data protection and privacy. Increased risks of malware 69 percent of IT leaders believe that ransomware attacks will be a greater concern in a hybrid workplace The report revealed other security concerns IT leaders could face when staff return to the office. For example, over half of IT leaders (54 percent) are worried that staff will bring infected devices and malware into the workplace when businesses transition back to the office, while 69 percent of IT leaders believe that ransomware attacks will be a greater concern in a hybrid workplace. What’s more, 67 percent predict an increase in targeted phishing emails in which cyber criminals take advantage of the transition back to working in the office. Hybrid work-related scams Tessian’s platform data revealed a spike in ‘hybrid work’ related scams when lockdowns eased in the UK in May 2021. In the week commencing 10th May 2021, Tessian found that the number of suspicious emails related to ‘hybrid work’ was 39% higher than the overall weekly average of ‘back to office’  themed emails flagged by Tessian since the start of 2021. Cybersecurity risks and challenges Lastly, six in 10 IT leaders said the return to business travel will pose greater cybersecurity challenges and risks for their company. These risks could include a rise in phishing attacks whereby threat actors impersonate airlines, booking operators, hotels, or even senior executives supposedly on a business trip. There is also the risk that employees accidentally leave devices on public transport or expose company data in public places. Building a security culture The transition to a hybrid work model is challenging, particularly when it comes to employees behaviours" Tim Sadler, CEO, Tessian comments, “The shift to an all-remote workforce was one huge challenge for IT leaders, but the next transition to a hybrid work model is poised to be even more challenging - particularly when it comes to employees behaviours.” “Employees are the gatekeepers to data and systems, but expecting them to be security experts and scaring them into compliance won’t work.” “IT leaders need to prioritise building a security culture that empowers people to work securely and productively, and understand how to encourage long-lasting behavioural change over time if they’re going to thrive in this new way of working.”

Intelligent Security Systems, a provider of intelligent VMS and native analytics globally announced an expansion of the company’s presence in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, into a larger workspace. The new office is located at Jumeirah Lake Towers, a large development consisting of 80 towers built along a scenic waterway. The ISS office in Dubai provides sales, technical support, and maintenance services, along with local development and software customisations and integration. New appointment ISS also supports customers in the region with its presence in both Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The company recently hired Raheel Ahmed Jalili as the new Technical Sales Manager for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Raheel manages ISS’ sales strategy, alignment of verticals, channel expansion, and technology partnerships. “Saudi Arabia is a great market within our industry, with plenty of opportunities for which our solutions are perfectly matched.  Since our establishment in the country, ISS has witnessed impressive growth, which has propelled our market share to the next level,” Jalili said. SecurMiddleEast symposium As a sponsor of the SecurMiddleEast symposium, ISS is underscoring its commitment to the Middle East market. This event in Dubai is taking place on June 17th, 2021. Qatar and Saudi events are scheduled for September. The event will focus on innovation and best practices in enterprise security. Key themes among the speakers and delegates at the symposiums will be city surveillance, critical infrastructure security, and intelligent traffic solutions — all solutions in which ISS specialises.

With the continued rolling back of COVID restrictions in the UK, there is a palpable sense of relief. A mixture of mass vaccinations, widespread testing, and track and tracing of the infection is helping to enable a healthy bounce back for businesses – with secure access control taking an important role in facilitating this. However, rather than just being a reaction to the wake of the pandemic, there is every sign that the economy, and consequently the security sector as well, are both rebuilding and reshaping for the long-term new normal. Prioritising Safety Already deemed an essential service even during the first wave of the pandemic, the security industry has of course taken a vital role in protecting people and property throughout the crisis. Now that venues in the UK are starting to reopen again, our services are key to occupancy management and ensuring that disease transmission is limited as far as possible. Access control is also key in reassuring people that their safety is a priority. Making the upgrade It’s all been about choosing the most suitable components and technology that already existed with a few “tweaks”  Businesses and organisations have a duty of care to their employees and the safety of visitors – so controlling access, employing lateral flow testing, and deploying suitable Track & Trace mechanisms are all key components. I think those outside our industry are surprised to learn that most of the technology being deployed and used hasn’t just magically developed since COVID appeared – it’s all been about choosing the most suitable components and technology that already existed albeit with a few development “tweaks” or adjustments for the situation at hand. This includes using or installing facial recognition readers rather than using fingerprint or contact tokens, it is swapping to automatic request to exit sensors instead of buttons; it is using powered secure doors rather than having people all grab the same handle. Using mobile credentials is also a key technology choice – why not use the highly secure, easy to manage, cost-effective, and of course contact-free benefits of this approach? Touchless solutions We have seen a clear shift in organisations looking to protect their staff and visitors. For instance, we have a big utility customer in Southeast Asia that has just replaced close to 200 sites using fingerprint readers with an additional facial recognition capability. We have also seen a big rise in demand for touchless request to exit sensors and Bluetooth Low Energy Readers for use with smartphone authentication. Working together Integration of security systems is of course nothing new, but in the post-pandemic or endemic age, it has perhaps never been more important. Installations need to be simple, straightforward, and rapid to help maintain safe distancing but also to ensure systems can be deployed as soon as they are needed. The world is changing and developing rapidly and there is simply no place for systems that don’t work with others or cause the end-user considerable cost and inconvenience to upgrade. This flexible delivery of security solutions perfectly matches the evolving and increasing demands of the market. It’s clear that end-users want systems that work well and can easily integrate with their existing systems – not only security but all the other business components which work in unison with each other over a shared network. Great opportunities ahead The recent work-from-home trend is also clearly changing the way organisations and businesses interact with the built environment. Lots of companies are downsizing, offices are being split up, there is lots of revitalisation and reuse of existing office space – all of which creates considerable opportunities for security providers. UK inflation more than doubled in April 2021 with unemployment figures dropping and the Pound rising in value There are also, in the UK at least, clear signs that the construction industry is rapidly growing again -with a forecast of 8% rebound and growth this year. UK inflation more than doubled in April 2021 with unemployment figures dropping and the Pound rising in value – all positive signs for UK-based security providers. Undoubtedly the highly successful UK vaccination rollout has helped considerably, but there are signs that the Eurozone looks set to improve considerably over the next few months as well. Using integrated access control Undoubtedly the pandemic has made security markets around the world more aware of the benefits of integrated access control in managing the needs of the new normal COVID endemic environment. For example, as a business, we have always had keen interest from the UK healthcare sector, but over the last 12 months, we have seen a big growth in previously modest international markets including Morocco, Kuwait, Bahrain, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand – all of which are very keen to adopt improved access control solutions. Learning the lessons Nobody would deny the last year or so has been unprecedentedly tough on everyone, as a society we have had to make huge changes and sacrifices. Governments, organisations, and businesses all need to be better prepared in the future, to understand the things that went wrong and those that were successful. However, there is a world beyond the immediate pandemic and its effects. Flexible working practices and the changes these will have to the way we live and work will undoubtedly present great opportunities for the security sector in helping the world evolve. The pandemic has been a wake-up call for many organisations with regards to their duty of care to employees – particularly when it comes to mental health and providing a sensible work/life balance. Where we work and the safety of these facilities has received far more scrutiny than before. Flexible security systems Integrated security solutions have a vital role to play in not only protecting the safety of people during the post-lockdown return to work but also in the evolution of the built environment and move towards smart cities - which inevitably will now need to consider greater flexibility in securing home working spaces rather than just traditional places of work. Importantly, powerful access control and integrated security systems need to be flexible to the uncertainties ahead. The COVID pandemic has shown that nothing can be considered certain, except the need for greater flexibility and resilience in the way we operate our professional and personal interactions.

The SolarWinds cyberattack of 2020 was cited by security experts as “one of the potentially largest penetrations of Western governments” since the Cold War. This attack put cybersecurity front and centre on people’s minds again. Hacking communication protocol The attack targeted the US government and reportedly compromised the treasury and commerce departments and Homeland Security. What’s interesting about the SolarWinds attack is that it was caused by the exploitation of a hacker who injected a backdoor communications protocol.  This means that months ahead of the attack, hackers broke into SolarWinds systems and added malicious code into the company’s software development system. Later on, updates being pushed out included the malicious code, creating a backdoor communication for the hackers to use. Once a body is hacked, access can be gained to many. An explosion of network devices What has made the threat of cyberattacks much more prominent these days has been IT's growth in the last 20 years, notably cheaper and cheaper IoT devices. This has led to an explosion of network devices. IT spending has never really matched the pace of hardware and software growth Compounding this issue is that IT spending has never really matched the pace of hardware and software growth. Inevitably, leading to vulnerabilities, limited IT resources, and an increase in IoT devices get more attention from would-be hackers. Bridging the cybersecurity gap In the author’s view, this is the main reason why the cybersecurity gap is growing. This is because it inevitably boils down to counter-strike versus counter-strike. IT teams plug holes, and hackers find new ones, that is never going to stop. The companies must continue fighting cyber threats by developing new ways of protecting through in-house testing, security best practice sources, and both market and customer leads. End-user awareness One of the key battlegrounds here is the education of end-users. This is an area where the battle is being won at present, in the author’s opinion. End-users awareness of cybersecurity is increasing. It is crucial to educate end-users on what IoT devices are available, how they are configured, how to enable it effectively, and critically, how to use it correctly and safely. Physical security network Monitor™ is a software platform that provides a top-down view of the physical security network and ecosystem A valuable product that tackles cybersecurity is, of course, Razberi Monitor™, which is new to ComNet’s portfolio. Monitor™ is a software platform that provides a top-down view of the physical security network and ecosystem. It monitors and manages all the system components for cybersecurity and system health, providing secure visibility into the availability, performance, and cyber posture of servers, storage, cameras, and networked security devices. Proactive maintenance By intelligently utilising system properties and sensor data, Razberi’s award-winning cybersecurity software prevents problems while providing a centralised location for asset and alert management. Monitor™ enables proactive maintenance by offering problem resolutions before they become more significant problems. Identifying issues before they fail and become an outage is key to system availability and, moreover, is a considerable cost saving.

Imagine a home surveillance camera monitoring an elderly parent and anticipating potential concerns while respecting their privacy. Imagine another camera predicting a home burglary based on suspicious behaviors, allowing time to notify the homeowner who can in turn notify the police before the event occurs—or an entire network of cameras working together to keep an eye on neighborhood safety. Artificial Intelligence vision chips A new gen of AI vision chips are pushing advanced capabilities such as behavior analysis and higher-level security There's a new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) vision chips that are pushing advanced capabilities such as behavior analysis and higher-level security to the edge (directly on devices) for a customisable user experience—one that rivals the abilities of the consumer electronics devices we use every day. Once considered nothing more than “the eyes” of a security system, home monitoring cameras of 2020 will leverage AI-vision processors for high-performance computer vision at low power consumption and affordable cost—at the edge—for greater privacy and ease of use as well as to enable behavior analysis for predictive and preemptive monitoring. Advanced home monitoring cameras With this shift, camera makers and home monitoring service providers alike will be able to develop new edge-based use cases for home monitoring and enable consumers to customise devices to meet their individual needs. The result will be increased user engagement with home monitoring devices—mirroring that of cellphones and smart watches and creating an overlap between the home monitoring and consumer electronics markets. A quick step back reminds us that accomplishing these goals would have been cost prohibitive just a couple of years ago. Face recognition, behavior analysis, intelligent analytics, and decision-making at this level were extremely expensive to perform in the cloud. Additionally, the lag time associated with sending data to faraway servers for decoding and then processing made it impossible to achieve real-time results. Cloud-based home security devices The constraints of cloud processing certainly have not held the industry back, however. Home monitoring, a market just seven years young, has become a ubiquitous category of home security and home monitoring devices. Consumers can choose to install a single camera or doorbell that sends alerts to their phone, a family of devices and a monthly manufacturer’s plan, or a high-end professional monitoring solution. While the majority of these devices do indeed rely on the cloud for processing, camera makers have been pushing for edge-based processing since around 2016. For them, the benefit has always been clear: the opportunity to perform intelligent analytics processing in real-time on the device. But until now, the balance between computer vision performance and power consumption was lacking and camera companies weren’t able to make the leap. So instead, they have focused on improving designs and the cloud-centric model has prevailed. Hybrid security systems Even with improvements, false alerts result in unnecessary notifications and video recording Even with improvements, false alerts (like tree branches swaying in the wind or cats walking past a front door) result in unnecessary notifications and video recording— cameras remain active which, in the case of battery powered cameras, means using up valuable battery life. Hybrid models do exist. Typically, they provide rudimentary motion detection on the camera itself and then send video to the cloud for decoding and analysis to suppress false alerts. Hybrids provide higher-level results for things like people and cars, but their approach comes at a cost for both the consumer and the manufacturer. Advanced cloud analytics Advanced cloud analytics are more expensive than newly possible edge-based alternatives, and consumers have to pay for subscriptions. In addition, because of processing delays and other issues, things like rain or lighting changes (or even bugs on the camera) can still trigger unnecessary alerts. And the more alerts a user receives, the more they tend to ignore them—there are simply too many. In fact, it is estimated that users only pay attention to 5% of their notifications. This means that when a package is stolen or a car is burglarised, users often miss the real-time notification—only to find out about the incident after the fact. All of this will soon change with AI-based behavior analysis, predictive security, and real-time meaningful alerts. Predictive monitoring while safeguarding user privacy These days, consumers are putting more emphasis on privacy and have legitimate concerns about being recorded while in their homes. Soon, with AI advancements at the chip level, families will be able to select user apps that provide monitoring without the need to stream video to a company server, or they’ll have access to apps that record activity but obscure faces. Devices will have the ability to only send alerts according to specific criteria. If, for example, an elderly parent being monitored seems particularly unsteady one day or seems especially inactive, an application could alert the responsible family member and suggest that they check in. By analysing the elderly parent’s behavior, the application could also predict a potential fall and trigger an audio alert for the person and also the family. AI-based behavior analysis Ability to analyse massive amounts of data locally and identify trends is a key advantage of AI at the edge The ability to analyse massive amounts of data locally and identify trends or perform searches is a key advantage of AI at the edge, for both individuals and neighborhoods. For example, an individual might be curious as to what animal is wreaking havoc in their backyard every night. In this case, they could download a “small animal detector” app to their camera which would trigger an alert when a critter enters their yard. The animal could be scared off via an alarm and—armed with video proof—animal control would have useful data for setting a trap. Edge cameras A newly emerging category of “neighborhood watch” applications is already connecting neighbors for significantly improved monitoring and safety. As edge cameras become more commonplace, this category will become increasingly effective. The idea is that if, for example, one neighbor captures a package thief, and then the entire network of neighbors will receive a notification and a synopsis video showing the theft. Or if, say, there is a rash of car break-ins and one neighbor captures video of a red sedan casing their home around the time of a recent incident, an AI vision-based camera could be queried for helpful information: Residential monitoring and security The camera could be asked for a summary of the dates and times that it has recorded that particular red car. A case could be made if incident times match those of the vehicle’s recent appearances in the neighborhood. Even better, if that particular red car was to reappear and seems (by AI behavior analysis) to be suspicious, alerts could be sent proactively to networked residents and police could be notified immediately. Home monitoring in 2020 will bring positive change for users when it comes to monitoring and security, but it will also bring some fun. Consumers will, for example, be able to download apps that do things like monitor pet activity. They might query their device for a summary of their pet’s “unusual activity” and then use those clips to create cute, shareable videos. Who doesn’t love a video of a dog dragging a toilet paper roll around the house? AI at the Edge for home access control Home access control via biometrics is one of many new edge-based use cases that will bring convenience to home monitoring Home access control via biometrics is one of many new edge-based use cases that will bring convenience to home monitoring, and it’s an application that is expected to take off soon. With smart biometrics, cameras will be able to recognise residents and then unlock their smart front door locks automatically if desired, eliminating the need for keys. And if, for example, an unauthorised person tries to trick the system by presenting a photograph of a registered family member’s face, the camera could use “3D liveness detection” to spot the fake and deny access. With these and other advances, professional monitoring service providers will have the opportunity to bring a new generation of access control panels to market. Leveraging computer vision and deep neural networks Ultimately, what camera makers strive for is customer engagement and customer loyalty. These new use cases—thanks to AI at the edge—will make home monitoring devices more useful and more engaging to consumers. Leveraging computer vision and deep neural networks, new cameras will be able to filter out and block false alerts, predict incidents, and send real-time notifications only when there is something that the consumer is truly interested in seeing. AI and computer vision at the edge will enable a new generation of cameras that provide not only a higher level of security but that will fundamentally change the way consumers rely on and interact with their home monitoring devices.

The mission of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is to ensure the reliability of the North American bulk power system (BPS). While electric utility companies are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the electric grid, regulators such as NERC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) are charged with the overall responsibility of ensuring reliability and security. NERC develops and enforces Reliability Standards, annually assesses seasonal and long-term reliability, monitors the bulk power system through system awareness, operates the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) and educates, trains and certifies industry personnel. Normal everyday operations of the system are the responsibility of utility owners and operators. Protecting critical infrastructure An attack by a disgruntled former employee, ideologically motivated activist, or a criminal could inflict significant damage Currently, a significant reliability threat to the U.S. grid is associated with squirrels and balloons, and not religiously inspired terrorists. However – and more applicable to grid operators – we have recently seen noteworthy interest in disabling or destroying critical infrastructure. Coordinated attacks can target the grid, and an attack by a disgruntled former employee, ideologically motivated activist, or a criminal stumbling across a “soft target,” could inflict significant damage. With an interconnected grid of over 450,000 miles of high voltage transmission lines (100 kV and higher) and over 55,000 substations (100 kV and larger), the targets of opportunity are endless. Data capture form to appear here! According to the Department of Energy, the number-one cause of most power outages in the U.S. is bad weather, which costs the economy between $18 billion and $33 billion every year in lost output and wages, spoiled inventory, delayed production and damage to grid infrastructure. The number-one cause of most power outages in the U.S. is bad weather, which costs the economy between $18 billion and $33 billion every year Large power transformers A large power transformer (LPT) is an enormous, custom-built piece of equipment tailored to customers’ specifications. They usually are not interchangeable with each other, and they are not produced for spare-part inventories; so if one blows, a lot of companies and homes could be without power for more than six months. They are not cheap, either. According to EEP (Electrical Engineering Portal), $10 million is a fairly average cost, but that doesn’t include transporting the gargantuan piece of equipment or installing it, which usually adds an additional 35 percent to the bill. Protecting power grids is essential to deliver electricity that serves millions of consumers. Transmission substations are a component of the power infrastructure that presents unique security challenges. These important facilities often sit out in the open, in remote locations, and were historically protected by little more than cameras or chain-link fences. According to EEP, $10 million is a fairly average cost for a large power transformer NERC/CIP guidelines The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC/CIP) guidelines address security needs of electrical substations. Every facility has a baseline requirement for perimeter security protection around the site, although medium- and high-impact sites will have more stringent requirements. The geography surrounding sites – Is it an urban area or rural? Does the surrounding elevation provide additional lines of sight? – also impacts the types of systems they require. Electricity coming from coal, nuclear or hydroelectric plants goes to local utilities The U.S. power grid is divided into three sections: The Eastern Interconnection for states east of the Rocky Mountains, The Western Interconnection for states from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, and the smallest—the Texas Interconnected system—covering most of Texas. Electricity coming from coal, nuclear or hydroelectric plants goes to local utilities and they distribute power to homes and businesses, to millions of personal devices, lights, refrigeration, computers, and to other “loads,” that tap it. Inherited challenges According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the nation’s electric infrastructure is “nothing but a patchwork system” that has evolved wildly since the first substation was erected by Thomas Edison in 1882, on New York City’s Pearl Street. Contributing to the challenges of securing the grid are the crazily disparate ages and capacities of the grid’s equipment. There are many possible targets, too. Approximately 300 control centres around the country monitor voltage and watch the data from SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems, which are placed at transformers, generators and other critical areas. Ideally, this allows engineers to monitor the data for signs of trouble and then communicate with each other to deal with whatever is happening to the grid, but SCADA has cybersecurity issues.

Intelligent solutions, such as those derived from artificial intelligence, help critical infrastructure organisations make sense of vast amounts of data. These integrated applications, such as advanced video analytics and facial recognition, can automatically pinpoint potential breaches and significant events, and send alerts to the appropriate personnel, departments, and agencies. These solutions can be powerful in unifying disparate command centre technologies, fusing critical data input from emergency calls and responder activity to enhance situational awareness. Electrical substations are particularly vulnerable (and in need of extra security) due to their role in power distribution and the nature of their equipment. The challenge power utilities worldwide are facing is finding an affordable solution, which can help detect, deter and facilitate an informed response to a substation security event. Data capture form to appear here! U.S. regulations In the United States, this need is furthered by the physical security mandate CIP-014 issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), calling for identification of security issues, vulnerability assessments and deployment of appropriate processes and systems to address. CIP-014 identification of security issues, vulnerability assessments and deployment of appropriate processes and systems to address CIP-104 specifically calls for implemented security plans that include measures to deter, detect, delay, assess, communicate, coordinate and respond to potential physical threats and vulnerabilities. Manufacturers of video and other systems are designing products to serve the critical infrastructure market. For example, Dahua Technology offers explosion-proof cameras with a combination of rugged reliability and superior optics that is a fit for surveillance of explosive and corrosive environments, including chemical plants, refineries, and other facilities in the oil and gas industry. This explosion-proof series of cameras are housed in enclosures that are certified to the ATEX and IECEx standards for equipment in explosive atmospheres. Each explosion-proof camera features Dahua’s Starlight technology for ultra low-light sensitivity and high-definition sensors that deliver clear images in real-time. They are IP68-rated to prevent water and dust ingress. Each explosion-proof camera features Dahua’s Starlight technology for ultra low-light sensitivity and high-definition sensors that deliver clear images in real-time Video footage in extreme temperatures Another manufacturer, Videotec, offers a range of cameras and housings that provide video footage regardless of aggressive external factors, such as ice cold, scorching heat, desert sand, the force of sea or wind, total darkness, pollution, corrosion and even explosive agents. SightSensor thermal systems enable a utility to detect and respond to substation security incidents across multiple sitesSightLogix smart thermal camera systems have been deployed to protect substations for electric utilities and other critical infrastructure facilities. SightSensor thermal systems enable a utility to detect and respond to substation security incidents across multiple sites, ranging from copper theft to vandalism while also meeting regulatory compliance. At each substation facility, Thermal SightSensors are positioned along the perimeter, and are paired with a high-resolution pan-tilt-zoom camera for alarm assessment. When a Thermal SightSensor detects an intruder, the target’s location information is sent over the network to a SightTracker PTZ controller, which automatically zooms and steers PTZ cameras to follow the intruder. The target’s location is also displayed on a topology site map to provide real-time situational awareness. Alarms are sent to the utility’s 24-hour security operations centre, which will contact law enforcement in real time when unauthorised intrusions are detected. Integrated intrusion detection and lighting systems The Senstar LM100 hybrid perimeter intrusion detection and intelligent lighting system is simplifying security at one U.S. electrical utility company. For years, the utility company had integrated its perimeter intrusion detection and lighting systems. The company has now installed the Senstar LM100 which provides detection and lighting in one product and saves them over $80,000 per site. The savings are a result of the reduction of electrical requirements, conduit, grounding, and associated labor, as well as the removal of certain equipment from project scope that are required for the two-system integration. The Senstar LM100’s perimeter LED-based lighting acts as an initial deterrent. If an intruder persists and an attempt to cut, climb or otherwise break through the fence is detected, the closest luminaire begins to strobe, and an alert is sent via a security management system. The intruder knows immediately they have been detected and that their exact location is known by security and others in the vicinity.

Verkada was founded by three computer scientists and security experts who studied together at Stanford University. They connected with a former founder of Meraki and created Verkada with a mission to “modernise the world of physical security”. The fast-growing company currently focuses on delivering an all-in-one hybrid cloud video security solution powered by edge processing inside the camera. On the surface, the product is simple: cameras record video, connect to the internet, and push data to the cloud. “What sets us apart is the system architecture that drives our solution,” says Brandon Davito, Verkada’s VP of Product and Operations. “Starting with edge processing, all data is instantly analysed and processed at the camera. This enables enterprise users to scale coverage without traditional limitations like bandwidth consumption or the costs of supporting additional equipment for processing footage. Simultaneously, all footage is stored directly on each camera and can be streamed securely via Verkada’s centralised management platform to any device.” The product is simple: cameras record video, connect to the internet, and push data to the cloud Hybrid cloud architecture Verkada’s goal is to make it easy to buy, deploy and manage large-scale enterprise video security systems across hundreds of cameras and dozens of sites. The hybrid cloud architecture makes it easy to access video footage from hundreds of cameras across any platform (web, mobile apps, tablets, and AppleTV). Verkada is appropriate for any business, school or enterprise that needs a scalable, secure and reliable video security solution, says Davito. “Our system streamlines surveillance management, removes the need of supporting equipment, and is ready to use, out-of-the-box, without the need for technical configurations,” says Davito. The simplicity and scalability of the end-to-end solution is attractive to security professionals, simplifying the day-to-day of surveillance management and providing insights that drive a business forward in other areas of the organisation. “This approach also allows us to provide customers with a complete experience, as we build our hardware and software to work seamlessly together,” Davito adds. Verkada does not integrate with other equipment or systems. “Taking an end-to-end approach ensures that we are able to develop and roll out features more quickly and take advantage of the edge-processing capabilities of our cameras,” Davito says. The simplicity and scalability of the end-to-end solution is attractive to security professionals Defending against IoT threats An end-to-end solution also increases defenses against threats in today’s Internet of Things (IoT) space. IP cameras have historically been some of the most vulnerable devices. Verkada cameras save time by updating automatically, and they are unable to accept 3rd party software (and the risks that come with it). Verkada partners with many of the leading channel distributors and is always recruiting new integrator/reseller partners. “The solution is easy to sell. It's a bolt-on value-add that doesn't require altering or configurations to existing infrastructure,” says Davito. “Sales cycles are also much shorter because implementation is simple and streamlined; it’s creating a lot of business efficiency.” The world of physical security is always evolving, so Verkada’s ongoing challenge is to continue delivering on the potential of hybrid cloud management of physical spaces. “We are always launching new features and enhancements, as well as ensuring the security and integrity of our customers’ environments,” says Davito. “We will look to continue to push the boundaries of physical security and deepen our use of technologies like machine learning and future advancements in video analytics and AI technologies.”

Congress Rental Network Partner, Smart Choice Audiovisuais (Smart Choice), has installed a large Dicentis conferencing and interpretation system from Bosch Security Systems GmbH, at the Centro Cultural de Belém, the Portuguese EU Presidency Headquarters, situated in Lisbon, Portugal. A total of 70 Dicentis and 50 Dicentis Wireless Discussion devices with touchscreens provide the main input. Dicentis Wireless Discussion devices The solution can be used to deliver in-person meetings at the venue, as well as remote and hybrid meetings, so as to overcome the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The core of the discussion and interpretation system is identical across all three of the rooms – the main plenary hall, a smaller meeting room and a press room – only varying in the number of discussion devices. “One of the requests from the EU presidency was to have the latest interpretation equipment – the latest models and the most up-to-date technology,” explains Patricia Barbosa, from the Marketing Department of Smart Choice. Bosch’s discussion and interpretation system We have always invested a lot in having modern equipment, so we were the best equipped for the job" Patricia adds, “We have always invested a lot in having modern equipment, so we were the best equipped for the job. Added to that, our CEO Manuel Lopes has been involved in all the previous Presidencies that took place in Portugal and Spain and we have a history of delivering big events with complex logistics. We offered quality and trusted service and very good technicians who have the latest Bosch certifications.” The solution also needed to be able to connect to external streaming platforms to allow remote meetings to include participants that were not able to travel to Portugal. The wired units make up the main systems in the three rooms while the wireless solution adds flexibility when required. Dicentis Interpreter desks with video output In addition to this, simultaneous interpretation is catered for by 20 interpretation booths, featuring the ISO 20109 compliant Dicentis Interpreter desks with video output. With the Dicentis System server acting as the brain of the system, remote participants can be connected into the meeting thanks to the Omneo2Dante Gateway. This Dante gateway allows for audio distribution to various streaming platforms, such as Zoom and WebEx, as well as floor distribution between rooms for socially distanced meetings. In addition to the on-site equipment, six remote booths have been created to function as an interpretation hub away from the Presidency HQ. Communications hub Instead of interpreters travelling with delegations to Presidency meetings in different cities, or asking them to use a standard office set up that they could have at home, this hub provides them with high-quality language-feeds, with the Dicentis Interpreter desks located at the Smart Choice office buildings. As such, interpretation can continue for meetings away from the Lisbon HQ as if the translators were there in person.

Videoloft is bolstering its presence in the United States by hiring new U.S.-based sales staff and integrating with established brands in the US market, including Digital Watchdog, exacqVision, Vivotek, and Lorex.  Cloud surveillance systems Videoloft focuses on transforming traditional professional surveillance systems into cloud-connected solutions via the Videoloft Cloud Adapter. The company was born from the innovative technology created for the Manything app in 2012, which turned old smartphones and tablets into ad-hoc DIY home-monitoring cloud cameras, and now boasts over 1 million+ user. Cost-effective cloud solution The versatile and highly cost-effective Videoloft cloud solution can serve either as a backup to local recorders or as a primary recording method, sending video footage direct to the cloud at up to 8MP resolution. Videoloft end-users have remote access to its cloud video surveillance system via the Videoloft mobile app or web-based VMS The solution employs rigid security protocols to ensure all video is transmitted and stored securely in the Videoloft cloud, which is hosted on Amazon's AWS. Videoloft end-users have remote access to their cloud video surveillance system from anywhere and at any time via the Videoloft mobile app or web-based VMS. It makes security systems highly proactive and personalised and instantly upgrades legacy systems with new features.  Remotely installed Videoloft’s partner pricing is extremely competitive and is approximately 8 to 10 times less expensive than other cloud providers. The platform is compatible with leading brands, has an impressive feature set including video analytics and remote installation, as well as a proven ability to send video to the cloud over real-world uplink speeds. VSaaS solution Selling predominantly via the channel, Videoloft’s cloud-based VSaaS solution is rapidly being adopted by professional security dealers and systems integrators who add the Videoloft cloud to their customers’ surveillance systems. The solution is being used with exceptional results by a wide variety of users ranging from homeowners to restaurant chains, and healthcare facilities to cannabis growers and dispensaries.   Available versions Videoloft offers two white label versions of their platform, with over 150+ white label solutions already deployed by national distributors and integrators. Videoloft users span 160+ countries and generate the equivalent of 25 years of video monitored by the Videoloft cloud every day.

Situated at an altitude of 5500 feet above sea level, Namchi (means Sky High) is one of the famous and biggest tourist destinations in Sikkim, a state of northeast India. Surrounded by the spectacular view of the mountains, emerald, and green forest, Namchi is well-known for its old monasteries, sacred temples, and annual festivals such as Namchi Mahotsav. Smart Cities Mission Namchi was selected to be part of the Smart Cities Mission, an ambitious programme of Govt. of India. Under this programme, the city aspires to be a ‘world-class’ tourist destination and simultaneously maintain ecological balance with a vibrant community, offering an enriched quality of life supported by a robust local economy. In recent years, the city infrastructure has also shown rapid growth and welcoming thousands of tourists each year, hence, making the city vulnerable to threats driven by overcrowding, chaotic traffic, haphazard parking in addition to other law & order issues. In the first phase of the project, Namchi Smart City Limited wanted to cover its citizens as well as tourists with a robust surveillance system with proper traffic management without disrupting the normal day-to-day activities. The solution Videonetics designed a modular and scalable unified solution, based on its Intelligent VMS and AI & DL powered Video Analytics After a thorough assessment of the requirements and consequent discussions with the officials of Namchi Smart City Limited, Videonetics designed a modular and scalable unified solution, based on its Intelligent VMS and AI & DL powered Video Analytics, aimed to ensure continuous monitoring, efficient traffic monitoring, quicker response times and faster access to evidence in case of investigations and law & order management.  Eyeing on every corner of the city A group of over 120 IP Cameras has been installed at the important locations to monitor the entry and exit points connecting to the city, public ways, transport hubs, tourist attractions, markets, streets, traffic junctions to name a few. Now, security operators can easily view and manage citywide deployed IP cameras with the intuitive interface of Videonetics Intelligent VMS, having complete situational awareness, and can respond smartly to critical situations. Moreover, the smart navigation feature of Intelligent VMS allows simultaneous viewing of the life and the recorded videos in the same interface, which helps in prompt investigation of past activities without taking their eye off from the current incidents. Parking and directional analytics Namchi being a hilly terrain has narrow roads with the limited scope of turning it into broader ones, the authorities used to manage the traffic by declaring some of the roads as a one-way carriage. Frequently, the city faced chaotic traffic congestion and accidents, due to unauthorized parking and wrong-way driving. The unified solution empowers command control operators to receive real-time insights and predict unusual behaviour To address such concerns, Videonetics Artificial Intelligence-powered video analytics including No Parking Detection and Wrong-Way Movement Detection were deployed to detect such situations. Operators are notified as soon as any vehicle is parked in a restricted zone and if any vehicle moves in the wrong direction. The Videonetics unified solution empowers command control operators to receive real-time insights from the city and upon recognition or prediction of unusual behaviour, they receive an immediate alert and notify the authorities. Centralised view of the city Videonetics Intelligent VMS and Video Analytics application are seamlessly integrated with Namchi Operations Center (NOC), an Integrated Command Control Center (ICCC), to simplify the response coordination between stakeholders and speeding up incident resolution. Working in conjunction with city administration, control room operators can switch from camera to camera using dynamic maps, which empowers them to obtain critical event information as well as manage emergencies by alerting respective stakeholders for quick action. And when necessary, Videonetics's unified solution makes it possible to share forensic videos across departments, facilitating more collaborative and successful response efforts. Open architecture solution The sagacious collaboration between Videonetics, Astrikos Consulting, and Namchi Smart City Ltd, has become an exemplary model for other cities. AI-Unified Solution has exceeded the city administration’s expectations in terms of its intuitive functionalities Videonetics Unified Solution has exceeded city administration’s expectations in terms of its intuitive functionalities, identifying suspicious activities, and ensuring smooth traffic movements.  And the solution’s open architecture allows the seamless addition of more cameras and integration with other security systems as the city continues to grow and identify more needs. It signifies future development potential with maximum impact on people. Situational awareness Furthermore, the integrated solution has been extremely helpful for the city authority in aggregating and visualising the video data collected over time, to deliver critical statistical information such as directional traffic data, traffic flow insights, hotspots of public gathering, etc. Eventually, increasing the situational awareness, standardising response protocol and implementing SOPs at the city level and enhancing collaboration across various departments/bodies emphasising “the citizens come first” mindset of Namchi city.

Gujarat Medical and Education Research Society is an initiative taken up by the State Government of Gujarat to improve the Human Development Index in the state by establishing new medical colleges. This, in turn, will increase the availability of qualified doctors and ensure the spread of health care services and medical knowledge. GMERS Ahmedabad is also one such initiative. Spread across five buildings, the campus has a hospital setup with a capacity of 720 beds. Challenge faced Centralised monitoring and management - Being aware of the various security challenges that an education hub faces, GMERS Ahmedabad had already installed 400+ cameras to secure the campus. However, they faced difficulty while centrally monitoring the entire system. Also, since the campus is divided into five buildings, it was challenging to manage all at once. Real-time security - Due to the large area, it was difficult to extend quick and real-time security to various parts of the campus. Being a medical college, they needed a technically sound system that could provide notifications in real-time during critical situations. Matrix VMS VMS allowed the flexibility of incorporating other brand’s cameras and integration with other security systems Matrix offered SATATYA SAMAS as the solution. It is a video management software that provides a common platform for all the existing security systems. Existing 400+ cameras were configured in the software and thus, could be centrally monitored from a dedicated room. Apart from this, VMS allowed the flexibility of incorporating other brand’s cameras and integration with other security systems as well, like Fire Alarms. User-control Moreover, with the availability of user-based control, it was ensured that the surveillance system is being managed by the right security personnel. For example, the security guard was restricted to viewing rights, and only the IT personnel was given administrator rights. This assures data security. SMS and Email alerts for notification were also configured to provide prompt support in case of urgency. Furthermore, features like E-Map enabled swift notifications about the health status of cameras and devices. Results Unified platform for centralised control Instant aid during urgency The flexibility of future expansion

March Networks, a global video surveillance and video-based business intelligence solutions provider, is pleased to announce that one of California’s busiest transportation authorities will standardise its entire bus fleet on the company’s RideSafe mobile solution. RideSafe solution The US$ 4 million contract will see more than 400 buses deployed with March Networks’ complete end-to-end RideSafe solution. The contract includes cloud-based monitoring of all of the transportation authority’s mobile cameras and recorders, a services contract providing annual and recurring revenue for March Networks for up to 7 years. RideSafe solution enables transit operators to maintain the highest security for passengers and employees, respond quickly to emergency situations, and resolve liability claims faster with integrated surveillance video and vehicle metadata. It also provides peace of mind with sophisticated monitoring through March Networks’ Insight Monitoring and Resolution Service. Insight Monitoring and Resolution Service With Insight, March Networks’ managed services professionals proactively monitor all video devices and troubleshoot issues remotely, saving customers’ time and money by eliminating unnecessary truck rolls. If a physical update is required, March Networks immediately dispatches a technician to conduct onsite repair services. All activity is logged online, giving customers a complete view of their network via a secure web browser. RideSafe GT Series Hybrid Transit NVRs Fully integrated with Insight is March Networks’ RideSafe GT Series Hybrid Transit NVRs Fully integrated with Insight is March Networks’ RideSafe GT Series Hybrid Transit NVRs (Network Video Recorders), the backbone of the RideSafe solution. The highly reliable, Linux-based recording platforms are purpose-built for transportation environments, with industry-recognised SAE J1455-standards and tamper-proof enclosures that protect against dust and moisture. They allow operators to quickly access live and recorded video and search for incidents based on vehicle information, such as GPS location, when managed by March Networks Command for Transit video management software (VMS). Mobile cameras deployed As true hybrid appliances, the NVRs support a mix of analogue and IP cameras, allowing transportation agencies to migrate to IP video cost-effectively and at their own pace. The California transportation authority will also deploy March Networks’ ruggedised mobile cameras, including its new SE2 Fleet Dash Camera and SE2 Fleet Wedge Camera. Both cameras deliver 2MP resolution and feature industry-first LED flicker mitigation technology, which suppresses the strobing in the recorded video caused by LED light sources. Eliminating flicker in surveillance video ensures brake lights and other light sources are not mistaken for flicker and allows for more accurate post-incident investigations. Cloud-based monitoring solution “By offering the most reliable video surveillance technology and secure cloud-based monitoring services, March Networks is meeting the needs of transportation customers and rapidly growing the services side of our business,” said Net Payne, March Networks’ Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. Net Payne adds, “Almost 27 million people rely on this transportation authority’s buses each year. We are proud that our RideSafe solution was chosen to help safeguard this ridership.”

Meeting a challenge is what business is all about. Challenges are beneficial to any company, providing a valuable learning opportunity and a means to demonstrate expertise, skill, and an approach to solving a problem in a unique or innovative way.   Working in partnership with Oslo Airport to install the RTT110 EDS system presented Rapiscan Systems with not just one, but two unique challenges.  Challenges faced by Rapiscan The first was creating a proprietary water cooling system that worked in tandem with the airport’s green initiatives, and the second a ‘Level 4’ review option running in parallel to the traditional baggage screening process.   Both would be challenges enough for a well-established technology, but the Oslo Airport project came at a formative time in the RTT’s history. A key step for RTT110 “We had a machine that was very much in its infancy, that still had its fair share of teething problems,” explains Craig Chitty, Head of International Aviation Programmes. “It was a big undertaking at a very early stage of our experience installing the RTT out in the field.” Steve Revell, Senior Director of Aviation CT at Rapiscan explains that the Oslo Airport project was a key step for the RTT. “The first major airport in Western Europe to take on the RTT was Oslo Airport. It’s a very prestigious and forward-thinking airport, and the operators were not afraid to take pioneering risks.”  Eco-friendly system Rapiscan's water-cooling solution would allow the RTT to integrate with Oslo’s eco-friendly concept  The standard throughout the industry is for EDS and baggage scanning systems to employ Air Conditioning to cool machinery and manage the thermal load. However, as a result of Oslo Airport’s commitment to environmentally responsible construction (the first Oslo Airport terminal was considered the greenest in the world at the time construction finished in 2017), Rapiscan was tasked with designing an entirely unique water-cooling solution that would allow the RTT to integrate with Oslo’s eco-friendly concept of operations – to think outside the ‘cooling box’. “The curveball was that ordinarily, you would use air conditioning, but Oslo wanted to use chilled water to help reduce carbon emissions,” Steve Revell explains.   Integrating water cooling system This was a challenge that sent the Rapiscan design team back to the drawing board, as Craig Chitty recalls. “We had to work with our supplier to come up with a solution that met the airport’s requirement to use reclaimed snow, which is melted down and pumped around the airport. We had to design a method of integrating this water cooling concept into our system, meeting some very stringent criteria that the airport set.” “It was incredibly challenging because the original design of these water-cooled AC’s needed a specific pressure and temperature, which the airport couldn’t provide us with as their supply fluctuated too much. We had to go back to the drawing board, to redesign our system to make it more robust.”  World’s first RTT system Rapiscan's flexible RTT technology became the world's first such technology This innovation put Rapiscan at the forefront of flexible RTT technology, resulting in a world-first; “To this day we are the only company who can provide the RTT as an externally water-cooled system, or an internally cooled air-conditioned system,” Steve Revell summarises.  This example of NRE, or ‘Non-Recurring Engineering’, was not the only instance of Rapiscan’s commitment to working alongside partners to develop bespoke solutions to the challenges of each application. Oslo not only necessitated an original approach in terms of product design but also process implementation – recurrent Level 4 image analysis.   Security screening for baggage As baggage travels through an airport, it is subjected to multiple levels of security screening and imaging, both by human operators and computer algorithms. Baggage that is deemed to contain a potential security threat is escalated to higher levels of scrutiny by multiple operators, balancing the consistent throughput of baggage and passengers against ensuring constant levels of safety. Oslo required an extra level added to the normal ‘flow’ of screening. “If a bag is rejected by a Level 3 operator it goes into a Level 4 area within the BHS (Baggage Handling System) of the airport”, explains Craig Chitty. “It shows up on a screen. It is a concept of operations that we don’t employ in any other airport even now; it is still very unique to Oslo.”   Concept of operations  Rapiscan’s Director of Business Development for EDS, Martin Zborovjan, explains further, “We had to do some development to allow that concept of operations to happen. They decided they wanted to re-screen baggage for a second time using the same machine.” “Usually this would rely on a machine decision, but in this case but the operator sees the second image automatically, right next to the image from the first screening, and the machine does not make a decision. It’s a very unusual concept.”  Benefits of Level 4 function The Level 4 function enabled processing bags more quickly and more correctly Steve Revell is quick to identify the benefits the Level 4 function provides both the airport and the passengers, “We were the first to establish a Level 4 system in Oslo. If technology is able to produce a machine decision very quickly, and if that’s a reject decision to get that image off to an operator very quickly, the only two things it can do are to process bags more quickly and more correctly.” “By default, more bags are getting onto the right airplane, people are standing in queues for less time and the airside customer experience is much improved.”  Going an extra mile While many companies will consider a project as ‘job done' when equipment is installed and running, for the Rapiscan team the Oslo project was a committed partnership from the initial tender phase, through the design process, and on into the future. “Oslo was effectively our first competitive tender,” Martin Zborovjan explains. “We were willing to listen to Oslo and to go the extra mile. This behaviour was the underlying theme of the interaction with Oslo”. The project was more than just a sales opportunity; “Complex projects allow us to learn something.”  Forming a partnership  The working partnership between Rapiscan and Oslo is something Steve Revell is very proud of. “It [was] and is a very long-established partnership; from the start of engaging with us at contract award, through to going operationally live was just under three years,” he explains.  “There was lots of testing, analysis, and development, lots of joint agreements with the government. We agreed on the final solution which we very much wanted to do as a partnership.”  Delivering a successful project “There were also problems, which gave us an opportunity to showcase our most important tool which is how we behave when things are going wrong. We never shied away from our responsibilities, we took every problem presented to us and worked together to find the solution.” “A strong working partnership developed; we were always on the end of a phone with the Oslo team, or on a plane for face-to-face meetings. This partnership continues today and is the backbone to delivering this complex but successful project,” Revell summarises.   Adopting new technology The aviation industry thrives on partnerships, on service providers working to meet challenging requirements through innovation and cooperation. Taking a technology that was, at the time, still in its infancy and working to adapt this technology to a stringent set of requirements is a clear example of Rapiscan’s dedication to working with its partners – a commitment the company makes to every project, both now and into the future.

When technology performs a required task effectively, there is little reason to upgrade to the ‘next big thing’. In this regard, the physical security market is notoriously slow to change. Much of yesterday’s most robust and dependable equipment is still in place at thousands of customer sites, still performing as well as the day it was installed. However, there comes a point when any technology becomes outdated. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Which security technologies are becoming outdated or obsolete?

Video storage has been a challenge since the days of VCRs and videotape. Storing images is a central need for any video systems, especially one that is focused on the forensic and investigative aspects of video. Today, digital video is stored on hard drives and even in the cloud. Increasingly, video is considered “data” that drives a variety of video analytics and even artificial intelligence (AI) applications. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the new trends and opportunities in video storage?

Will 2016 see faster adoption of video analytics? Will cyber-security have more impact on physical security? Is the market likely to see greater use of cloud-based products and services? Will technology help to drive greater involvement by everyday citizens in public safety initiatives? Could the market focus shift from selling products to selling solutions?  We asked this week’s SourceSecurity.com Expert Panel to look ahead to 2016, and these were some of the surprises they see in our industry’s near future. Specifically, we asked this week’s panel: What will be the biggest surprise in 2016 for the security market?