Mobile surveillance

Aiphone has announced significant improvements to its full IP IX intercom and security solution. The new and upgraded features built into the new IX2 series include improved audio and camera functionality, large touch screen monitors and communication with up to 9,999 door stations. IX2 IP intercom and security solution “With no server or licence fees, the IX2 system offers highly affordable P2P full IP video entry security, internal communication and multicast paging,” said Wyatt Taylor, Managing Director of Aiphone UK Ltd. “Utilising its ability to connect directly to a network, all these functions can be implemented between remote locations over large areas.” “However, what elevates IX2 above other traditional and IP intercom systems currently available for large scale installations, is the ease at which it can be integrated with third-party systems. As a result, we are able to provide a totally integrated intercom and security solution, including access control, IP network cameras and video management software (VMS), such as Avigilon, ExacqVision and Milestone, as well as Lenel Onguard access control management software out of the box and without the need to buy any licenses.” Scalable solution offering video entry security IX2 has the capacity to provide communication with a practically infinite number of intercom stations IX2 has the capacity to provide communication with a practically infinite number of intercom stations. Video entry security, internal communication, emergency stations and multicast paging are all able to be implemented between remote locations over large areas and distances, making the IX2 system an ideal solution for education campuses, as well as any other type of application involving multiple locations such as airports, railway stations and parking facilities. Key features of IX2 include: No wiring-distance limitations: LAN and VPN connections enable implementation over extensive areas and between remote locations. Peer-to-peer configuration results in space savings, reduced installation time and lower cost. Simply connect the units to Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches. No need for a dedicated server, with the additional benefit of eliminating the risk of system downtime due to server malfunction. 7-inch handset with a touchscreen which can be used in domestic and commercial environments. Hands free touch screen monitors. Picture in picture video can show the door station camera and an overhead camera simultaneously. Video intercom between master monitors. Newly designed IX panels which comply with DDA regulations, e.g. offer clear visual guidance and a blue halo button. Audio and video SIP Integration with Cisco IP phone systems. ONVIF compatibility provides the option for images captured by call panel cameras to be integrated with a video surveillance system. SD card slots on panels and monitors enable video and audio data to be recorded and backed-up. Call log facility on each handset provides data trails. IX2 is also equipped with some advanced functionality rarely found in other IP Intercom POE systems. These include: Call queuing Up to 20 calls can be queued and prioritised on an IX-MV7 master station When multiple calls are made to the same monitor station, the IX2 system places the calls in a queue which is displayed on the LCD screen. On the calling end, users are given notification that their calls are in the queue. Up to 20 calls can be queued and prioritised on an IX-MV7 master station. The importance of each call, e.g. normal, priority or urgent, can be indicated by the display of respective red, amber or green colours on the master station. Higher priority calls are moved automatically to the top of the list. Call transfers Calls and conversations within the IX2 system can be transferred to up to 10 other IX-MV7 monitor stations. The transfers can be done manually or through a variety of system settings. With Delay Transfer, for example, the system automatically transfers calls which are not answered within a pre-set time. An Absent Transfer feature immediately calls another IX-MV7 master station when someone is away from their desk, whilst Scheduled Transfer automatically transfers calls to another IX-MV7 master station during pre-determined times, e.g. out of hours.

Soliton Systems has been named as the winner of the Airbus Critical Apps Challenge Belgium at the recent Astrid event in Brussels. With their new Zao Android App, Soliton has developed an encrypted live streaming video app that can operate on the new Airbus Tactilon Dabat device. Airbus is a pioneer in aeronautics, space and related services with their Defence and Space group as innovators in providing secure communication devices for government agencies that include emergency services. The Tactilon Dabat device is the latest innovation for emergency services in that it combines a traditional TETRA radio used by emergency services, with a ruggedised smartphone that can use 4G for a variety of related data-enabled applications. Emergency service workers Jacques Brancart, who is the Managing Director for the Proximus-Airbus consortium, explains further “As we developed the Tactilon Dabat device, we were keen to work with partners who specialise in apps that can be utilised by emergency service workers to make their jobs more efficient and safer.” A law enforcement officer need not require many different gadgets if they can be all integrated into one tool" “As we see in the corporate world that the Smartphone has become the standard for everyday business apps, we also have the same vision for the communication device used by emergency workers - it should not be restricted to only voice communications. As an example, a law enforcement officer need not require many different gadgets if they can be all integrated into one tool.” Live video streaming Brancart continued “We decided upon the Critical App Challenge in Belgium to open up the floor to all our partners to showcase an app that would benefit emergency services. We had a very large response to the competition with a shortlist of 5 that were selected to exhibit at the recent Astrid event in Brussels. The final winner was selected by the end user attendees at the show voting on their favourite app. We were delighted to announce Soliton as the winner with their encrypted live streaming app.” The 7th edition of the ASTRID User Days, held in Brussels on 3 and 4 October 2018, was a seminar and exhibition for public safety and security agencies with over 1500 people attending. ASTRID manages the voice and data communication network for all emergency and security services in Belgium. The Zao Android App was developed by Soliton Systems to enable high quality and reliable encrypted live video streaming from both the integrated cameras on Tactilon Dabat device, even when there is low signal strength or congestion caused by many users. Live evidence gathering These VMS systems are typically deployed in command and control centres and use a standard called ONVIF that we are compliant with" Shinya Hyakutake, Senior VP of Mobil Broadcasting from Soliton Systems said “The app is very simple to use but it has a lot of rich features under the cover. We are both encrypting and compressing the video using the latest video compression of H.265 with the ability to quickly live stream to existing video management systems.” “These VMS systems are typically deployed in command and control centres and use a standard called ONVIF that we are compliant with. We have an innovative road map going forward and ultimately we see the ability for this app to both enhance and replace body worn cameras that are currently in use.” Video streaming for emergency services can provide a rich source of information for many different applications from live evidence gathering, facial recognition, GPS location, covert operations, special operations, public safety, resource planning, emergency first aid and mobile surveillance. The other four shortlisted finalists for the critical app challenge was United Biometrics, Steerpath, NSION-Core and BIG.

Sensory, a provider of speech and vision technologies that enhance the user experience and security of consumer electronics, announces the release of its fourth generation of TrulySecure FIDO Certified multimodal biometric authentication technology. Now smarter, faster and more secure than ever before, the TrulySecure 4.0 SDK boasts a variety of new AI features that cater to today’s smartphones, mobile apps, and IoT devices, including support for 3D cameras, GPU utilisation for authentication processing, new liveness challenges and options for integrating components of TrulySecure into cloud-based authentication systems. With each subsequent revision, Sensory continues to significantly enhance the performance, security and features offered by TrulySecure. Version 4.0 continues the trend by expanding on Sensory’s market-proven face authentication AI performance and accuracy. Facial recognition solutions A common problem with traditional 2D facial recognition solutions is the inability to authenticate users in challenging lighting or no-light scenarios With version 4.0, TrulySecure’s deep learning AI has been trained on a data set that is an order of magnitude larger than the previous generation, which has improved 2D facial recognition accuracy more than 50-percent. A common problem with traditional 2D facial recognition solutions is the inability to authenticate users in challenging lighting or no-light scenarios. The use of an IR illuminator completely eliminates this problem, essentially allowing TrulySecure to see clearly and authenticate users in all lighting conditions, including complete darkness. 3D camera support also increases the robustness of TrulySecure to varying pose angles, making the system more accurate during casual use across a broader range of conditions, and more resistant to spoof attacks. Biometric authentication data processing TrulySecure's support of 3D camera data has been developed in collaboration with pmd Technologies from Germany, the worldwide 3D Time-of-Flight CMOS-based digital imaging technology supplier. 3D cameras from pmd are already integrated into smartphones, robots, cars and AR headsets. Another major update in TrulySecure is the ability to split the biometric authentication data processing load between a device’s GPU and applications processor. To accomplish this, key processor-heavy components of the core TrulySecure algorithm were isolated, streamlined and specially ported to run on a GPU. In testing, it was found that those isolated components of TrulySecure run as fast or even faster on the GPU than on the AP. Moving heavy processing components of TrulySecure from the AP to the GPU allows the applications processor to either prioritise other tasks, or work in parallel with the GPU to cut the amount of processing time required for the TrulySecure algorithm in half. Liveness detection capabilities The first major leap forward from the previous version of TrulySecure is the use of 3D image data for authentication As an added bonus, isolating and streamlining processor-heavy components of the TrulySecure algorithm has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for porting to other embedded environments in the future. An area of concern for all authentication modalities is spoofing. While previous generations of TrulySecure face and voice recognition featured anti-spoofing and liveness detection capabilities, TrulySecure 4.0 makes spoofing a concern of the past. The first major leap forward from the previous version of TrulySecure is the use of 3D image data for authentication. This allows TrulySecure to not only recognise the user’s face, but the shape and contour of it too – and immediately reject 2D images and videos of the user’s face. Requiring 3D facial imagery serves as an excellent anti-spoofing measure, but not all devices have 3D cameras. For traditional 2D RGB camera applications, Sensory’s TrulySecure now features a face liveness challenge that makes it virtually impossible for anybody but the enrolled user to get in. Cloud-based authentication TrulySecure’s face liveness challenge requires the enrolled user to follow prompts telling them what kind of movement to make in order to be authenticated. Additionally, TrulySecure now features an ‘eyes open’ challenge, that requires the user’s eyes to be open during authentication. Sensory’s technologies have long been the go-to for those looking to integrate powerful AI at the edge, but now TrulySecure can make cloud-based authentication technologies faster, more convenient and more secure. One way that TrulySecure can do this is via its incredibly quick on-device enrollment component for federated authentication. With federated authentication, once a user completes the TrulySecure enrollment process on their device, TrulySecure creates a user enrollment template that can be handed off to the authentication server. Once the template is received by the server, it can be sent to other devices as needed, allowing the enrolled user to authenticate by face on any permitted device or app. Authentication images This mitigates security risks associated with sending photos of a user’s face used for authentication over the internet TrulySecure can also be used to reduce authentication data loads sent to cloud-based authentication systems by moving pre-authentication steps like liveness detection and feature extraction to the edge. TrulySecure’s on-device liveness detection can be used to immediately verify user authentication samples for liveness before sending captured authentication images to the server for processing. Taking it another step further, by enabling TrulySecure’s on-device feature extraction, once the AI detects liveness, it can then immediately convert the user’s facial features into templates (irreversible mathematical data) that can be sent to the authentication server instead of sending multiple images. This mitigates security risks associated with sending photos of a user’s face used for authentication over the internet, and significantly reduces the amount of data sent to the cloud for authentication. Ideal for a wide range of applications, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, personal assistant technologies and robots, Sensory’s SDK for TrulySecure 4.0 face authentication is now available and currently supports ToF 3D cameras from pmd Technologies.

Pulse Secure, the provider of Secure Access solutions to both enterprises and service providers, announces that the company has been recognised as one of the private technology startups in the elite 2018 Red Herring Top 100 Global ranking. “With the pervasiveness of mobile, IoT and cloud, assuring protected access to applications and sensitive information is a key challenge for IT organisations of all sizes. This is exactly the problem that Pulse Secure has addressed with its portfolio of Secure Access solutions for hybrid IT,” said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. “As we rigorously narrowed our list down from hundreds of candidates, we saw the resurgence of the Secure Access market space and Pulse Secure’s expansive position, technology and growth as compelling reasons to name them to our exclusive list of the 100 top technology startups in the world.” Business achievement Red Herring’s recognition of Pulse Secure is another great honor because it is a testament to our focus on customer success" Digital transformation has forced IT organisations to further empower end-user computing and deliver dynamic provisioning of always-on access to business applications and information. This trend has increased endpoint and IoT threats, compliance exposures and operational expenditures – requiring organisations to reassess their technology stack that comprises Secure Access. Pulse Secure provides an integrated suite of software-driven Secure Access solutions that allow organisations to take advantage of hybrid IT in a zero-trust world. “Our customers are moving from cumbersome and costly individual remote, network and cloud security products to our integrated Secure Access suites that offers greater usability, flexibility, manageability and savings,” said Sudhakar Ramakrishna, CEO of Pulse Secure. “Red Herring’s recognition of Pulse Secure is another great honor because it is a testament to our focus on customer success, business achievement and the strength of our development efforts.” Real-time visibility Pulse Secure offers a simple, comprehensive and integrated set of Secure Access solutions spanning remote virtual private network (VPN) and cloud access security; mobile device management (MDM), network visibility, IoT security and network access control (NAC); and virtual application delivery control (ADC). Available as part of its Pulse Access Suite, the award-winning solutions allows organisations to ensure user experience while offering centralised management, real-time visibility and adaptive protection to mitigate data center virtualisation and cloud computing access risks. Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) recently distinguished Pulse Secure as a ‘Top Three’ Secure Access vendor and the only vendor Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) recently distinguished Pulse Secure as a ‘Top Three’ Secure Access vendor and the only vendor, among more than 60 assessed, to achieve the highest ratings across Hybrid IT categories. Frost & Sullivan also recently recognised Pulse Secure as being among the top four major NAC leaders in the SMB to Large Enterprise Segment by market share. Identifying promising companies Red Herring’s Top 100 Global list has become a mark of distinction for identifying promising companies and entrepreneurs. Red Herring editors were among the first to recognise that companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Skype, Salesforce.com, YouTube and eBay would change the way we live and work. Red Herring’s editorial staff evaluated the companies on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technology innovation, management quality, strategy and market penetration. This assessment of potential is complemented by a review of the track records and standing of startups relative to their peers, allowing Red Herring to see past the ‘buzz’ and make the list a valuable instrument of discovery and advocacy for the most promising new business models from around the world.

Pulse Secure, global provider of Secure Access solutions to both enterprises and service providers, has announced the launch of new packaging of its award-winning Pulse Access Suite for Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs). The solution offers service providers an accelerated, cost-effective means to differentiate and build out their service portfolio to meet the massive demand for protected connectivity to cloud applications and hybrid IT resources. Pulse Secure Pulse Secure offers a comprehensive, integrated and highly interoperable set of Secure Access solutions spanning remote, mobile and cloud access security; network visibility and access control; and application delivery. The suite allows service providers to extend lucrative access protection, endpoint compliance, threat response and availability services for the data center, hosted in the cloud or running as SaaS. The service provider packaging optimises capital expenditure through an on-demand, pay-per-use model. MSSPs can spin up or spin down virtual Secure Access instances and licenses at a cost based on the number of concurrent monthly users. On-demand provisioning and tiered, user-based pricing gives service providers needed flexibility for customer onboarding, growth spurts and business downturns. Managed Security Services (MSS) The Managed Security Services (MSS) market 'constitutes approximately 60 percent of the overall security outsourcing market' According to a recent Gartner report1, the Managed Security Services (MSS) market 'constitutes approximately 60 percent of the overall security outsourcing market , generating $18.7 billion in revenue in 2017 and growing at a CAGR of 11 percent through 2021. It is important to view MSS in the context of broader security outsourcing, because large enterprises are increasingly looking for hybrid engagements that include a mix of shared and dedicated service delivery components.' Key market trends in that report include: Moving beyond monitoring of only network-based security technologies, particularly the network perimeter, with increasing focus on the endpoint (e.g. managed EDR services) Increasing movement toward more customised outcomes for buyers Buyer demand for capabilities to monitor popular SaaS applications, and public cloud service providers and IaaS Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) and Network Access Control (NAC) As enterprises are seeking more complete offerings from fewer managed security service providers, MSSPs in turn are seeking to expand service scope while reducing business risk and operational complexity. In comparison to working with point solutions that are limited due to custom integration, disparate management and licensing constraints, Pulse Secure uniquely offers MSSPs integrated Virtual Private Network (VPN), Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM), Network Access Control (NAC) and virtual Application Delivery Controller (ADC) solutions within a unified management framework for data center and hybrid IT implementation. Pulse Secure Access Suite for MSSPs MSSP packaging, including user-based licensing, will be available to authorised channel partners at the end of November through Pulse Secure’s global distributors MSSP packaging, including user-based licensing, will be available to authorised channel partners at the end of November through Pulse Secure’s global distributors. The Pulse Secure Access Suite for MSSPs’ list price starts at $6 USD MSRP per concurrent user per month for the first 500 users with higher discounts available for larger user counts. The solution includes a multi-tenant, centralised management system and licensing server that gives MSSPs operational oversight while also providing clients with dashboard visibility. The solution includes virtual appliance form factors for VMware, KVM and Hyper-V, and supports deployment in hosted cloud environments such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS.  “Ensuring secure access is more challenging than ever given the dynamics of cyber threats, IT consumerisation and software-defined data centers. Enterprises of all sizes are overwhelmed and increasingly looking to MSSPs for expertise and capacity,” said Scott Gordon, chief marketing officer at Pulse Secure. “Pulse Secure gives MSSP leaders an easy, proven and no-risk path to extend services and increase revenues for hybrid IT secure access. More importantly, our new MSSP packaging enables our service provider partners and their customers to deliver ubiquitous access productivity while ensuring compliance.” Managed Access Services “Pulse Secure has been a key vendor for our managed access services. In my team’s experience, Pulse is the only one that has reliably delivered as-advertised stability, performance and manageability, as well as new feature sets that satisfy our highly demanding clients,” said Nicholas Klein, SOC supervisor at GTT Managed Secure Access Group. “With Pulse Secure, our services are backed by a rock-solid, flexible platform paired with a responsive support team, allowing us to focus on the value-add aspects of our managed service for our customers.” “As business, government and educational institutions are building out their cloud-enabled infrastructure, enterprises must consider how to enforce appropriate resource and data access while delivering high usability for their users. indevis offers enterprises the benefit of expertise, resources, and experience to design and implement an integrated data center and cloud access strategy,” said Wolfgang Kurz, founder and CTO at indevis. “We believe Pulse Secure offers a breadth of Secure Access capabilities and interoperability that give our customers greater freedom to optimize and defend their mobile and cloud computing initiatives. We appreciate the operational and licensing advantages that the Pulse Secure packaging provides our customers and us.” Internet of Enterprises Orange Business Services is a leader in the Internet of Enterprises, the emerging digital business ecosystem powered by data" “Orange Business Services is a leader in the Internet of Enterprises, the emerging digital business ecosystem powered by data. We are at the core of our customers’ data journey,” said Nicolas Drogou, head of Orange Cyberdefense APAC. “Ensuring the security of the data and its journey end to end is paramount to us being the trusted partner for their Digital Transformation. Pulse Secure is a cornerstone solution within our managed security services suite. The features and scalability of its Secure Access suite enable us to tackle the complex Secure Access challenges that organizations face in an increasingly volatile threat landscape.” “RKON’s customers are building out significant mobile and cloud investments where potential exposure to cyberattacks, compliance and visibility gaps are top of mind,” said Jeff Mullarkey, CEO of RKON, a leading-edge MSSP based in Chicago. He further added, “Ensuring always-on and protected access to resources is foundational to their businesses. We support enterprises across all verticals with a specific emphasis in the mergers and acquisitions space. Our Managed Secure Access practice leverages the Pulse Secure platform's reliability and broad capabilities.”

A dependable Internet connection is virtually every industry’s sustenance and without it, business dies. Yet many don’t realise how frequently the worst occurs, or how dramatically it could impact their livelihood. According to industry research, network downtime can cost small and midsize businesses (SMBs) anywhere from $5,600 per minute, to between $8,600 and $74,000 an hour. Whether it’s business continuity for users in retail/point-of-sale (POS), construction, banking, insurance, restaurants and hospitality, or its primary connectivity for end users in utilities, transportation, security, municipalities, kiosks, ATMs and digital signage, in addition to the financial drain, IT failures have far-reaching repercussions that can result in permanent client loss, missed deadlines, devalued brands and more. Fleet management and asset tracking SensLynx Seamless Failover automatically rescues lost primary wired or broadband connections to maintain business continuity Though many backup options exist, most are complex or costly, and almost none provide a complete and easy to set up solution. SensLynx, widely known for its popular fleet and asset tracking program, painstakingly designed its new suite of seamless IoT solutions to fill this void. Their integrated plug-and-play bundle comes with everything needed to prevent interruption including software, hardware and connectivity, plus fully managed services and monitoring built-in through their cloud manager services, all wrapped up in one low monthly rate. SensLynx Seamless Failover automatically rescues lost primary wired or broadband connections to maintain business continuity. SensLynx Seamless LTE almost instantly deploys primary connectivity to new or temporary (pop-up) locations, while also functioning as a backup or secondary connection. Its applications encompass trade shows, oil and gas remote monitoring, in-vehicle, mobile or portable uses, disaster recovery and every other primary connectivity category. Both solutions are feature rich and ready-to-go, but it’s the SensLynx Seamless SD-WAN technology that’s truly changing the connectivity game.  SensLynx Seamless SD-WAN technology Initially, SensLynx Seamless IoT Solutions will focus on cellular carriers, master agents, telecom VARs and managed service providers (MSPs) We all need reliable IT connections, but we all want faster speeds and broader throughput. SensLynx Seamless SD-WAN delivers both. This solution is capable of combining multiple wireless or wired networks (e.g. cable, DSL, and broadband), into one seamless and super-quick connection that’s unbreakable. Even if one goes down, the others will continue. That means customers benefit from ‘always on’ connectivity and increased productivity to boot. Traditionally, SD-WAN technology of this caliber is too cost prohibitive for SMBs, but with SensLynx’s introduction of Seamless SD-WAN, what was once unattainable is now accessible. Rob Garry, SensLynx Co-Founder and CEO said, “I’ve worked with the most prominent wireless communications companies in the world and founded two IoT/M2M corporations in the last 20 years but, until now, I’ve never been more confident in the potential success of our new solutions.” Initially, SensLynx Seamless IoT Solutions will focus on cellular carriers, master agents, telecom VARs and managed service providers (MSPs). However, being partner-centric, SensLynx is already in development on a synergistic Channel Partner/Reseller Program to support indirect sales avenues. “By simplifying IoT and providing SMBs with bundled, affordable solutions, worry-free wireless failover and primary connectivity, SensLynx is fulfilling its vision of bettering businesses with cost savings and efficiencies,” said Tom Maguire, COO and CMO of SensLynx.

By 2020, video surveillance using fixed, body and mobile cameras is expected to capture an astounding 859 PB of video daily. Increasing retention regulations and higher resolution cameras, are forcing the video surveillance industry to reassess its approach to data storage. Large capacity primary storage tends to be expensive to procure and costly to implement – especially without a sound architecture that can balance storage performance levels with the speed of access needed to recall video footage. Active archive strategy These challenges are thrusting storage tiers to the forefront of system design. Storage tiers in video surveillance had previously meant simply using a separate archive or attaching add-on capacity directly to network video recorders. Many of the new storage options designed for video surveillance are pulling together different storage tiers into a single storage architecture Many of the new storage options designed for video surveillance are pulling together different storage tiers (and in some cases storage media) into a single storage architecture, such as an active archive solution. This balance can be achieved with an active archive strategy that automates migration of data between different storage types, to ensure the data is on the correct storage type at the correct time to meet performance and retention requirements without blowing the budget. This approach also ensures ease of access while automatically moving content from more expensive tiers of storage to more cost-effective long-term tiers of storage. This allows for greater efficiencies in how recorded footage is treated throughout its lifecycle. In some cases, it includes moving data from edge devices to centralised storage, and then to the public cloud. Scalable video storage solutions As storage demands have increased, video management vendors have turned to storage specialists for solutions that can accommodate large numbers of high-resolution video files, metadata associated with the footage for easy searching, along with much needed scalable solutions. In terms of video management software, this means the integration of video content from different storage types, tiers and physical locations is required, and which considers the performance profile of each storage type. With an active archive solution, video content is searchable and accessible directly by the end users regardless of where it is stored. Deploying an active archive solution enables surveillance users to reduce the complexity and costs of managing data for long term retention As seen in many product categories, camera and storage vendors continue to provide extremely competitive offerings. But, storage-specific solutions for video surveillance have lagged behind the roadmaps for video equipment and, as more and more cameras have entered the market, less attention has been placed on video storage capacities. Tiered storage strategy The surveillance industry has evolved considerably from the days of the 8mm video recorder; however, enterprise storage solutions will be forced to evolve further to cope with changing storage retention requirements. Video storage is quickly becoming one of the most expensive parts in a surveillance solution, but there is hope. Deploying an active archive solution will enable surveillance users to reduce the complexity and costs of managing from terabytes to petabytes of data for long term retention. By finding a storage solution that delivers the ability to implement a tiered storage strategy, users can adhere to regulation requirements to retain video footage and meet their safety and security objectives, while also significantly reducing storage costs and operational expenses.

Small business owners work hard. They are often the first ones there in the morning and the last to leave at night. Even then, they likely bring their work home with them. During that time, everything they do is aimed at making their business as successful as possible. Because of this, many business owners don’t take vacations, and if they do, they spend a lot of time worrying about their business while they’re away. In both cases, the potential for burnout is tremendously high. The primary concern for these individuals is loss, whether from theft, waste, vandalism or other causes. Depending on the degree of the loss, it can have a devastating effect on small business. Therefore, professional security solutions must be top of mind for these businesses. Small business owners can take advantage of advanced technology that can help them work smarter, not harder Video surveillance for small businesses One technology that can address loss, the feeling of helplessness that comes from not being on site and more is video surveillance. Sadly, it’s not always on the radar for small business owners, many of whom think video surveillance is very expensive and out of reach. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are high-quality, relatively inexpensive solutions that don’t require much, if any, configuration, allowing an installer to place cameras, run cable, plug cameras into the recorder and use software to get end users up to speed on remote access. Best of all, almost all of these solutions come with a mobile app or other means of accessing video—both live and recorded—remotely from a smartphone or tablet. In a world where our phones have become our lifeline to a lot of information, including email, banking, inventory management and more, a security system simply has to provide this type of access. Given the availability of cost-effective video surveillance solutions and their ease of use, small business owners can take advantage of advanced technology that can help them work smarter, not harder in a few key areas. Video surveillance solutions come with a mobile app for accessing video remotely from a smartphone or tablet Efficient incident monitoring Having a high-quality video surveillance system with proper coverage means that any time an incident or loss occurs, a small business owner can go back and find it on the video and identify exactly what happened. For example, if something goes missing from a retail store, reviewing the video will reveal exactly what happened, when it happened, how it happened and—depending on lighting, camera resolution and field of view—possibly who took it. Video systems can also be valuable from a liability perspective. Slip-and-fall claims are not uncommon, but in many cases they turn out to be false. Thankfully, cameras can provide video that will support or refute a claim. Without video, such incidents could be costly for small businesses. A simple review of recorded videos will solve any mystery and eliminate the potential for a long argument with no evidence Video recording for incident verification Another example would be a customer who claims they were shorted on the change they received from a cashier. Rather than taking the time to count the money in the drawer and reconcile that with receipts, a small business owner could simply review video from a camera placed above the point of sale to determine if the customer’s claim is correct or if they may have been mistaken. This feature can also help alleviate or avoid a potentially awkward or difficult situation when there’s a difference of opinion with a supplier. Say for instance a delivery driver claims he or she brought three cases of product to the back door, but there are only two cases in the stockroom. A simple review of the video that’s been recorded will solve the mystery once and for all and eliminate the potential for a long, drawn-out argument with no evidence one way or the other. Smartphones for remote monitoring It’s natural for small business owners to feel stressed when they’re not at their physical location. After all, they’re the ones who have invested in the business and are responsible for making sure it runs smoothly and profitably from day to day. For small business owners with surveillance systems, vacations can become not only a reality but also the relaxing time they are supposed to be. For small business owners with surveillance systems, vacations can become not only a reality but also the relaxing time Rather than sitting on a beach and worrying about whether the store opened on time or if employees are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, an owner can pull out his or her smartphone, log in to remotely to the video system and know for sure. That peace of mind is invaluable for small business owners. This is also helpful for business owners with multiple locations. Because no one can be in two—or more—places at once, a video surveillance system can provide eyes and in some cases ears at a location, which can be accessed at the click of a button. Video surveillance for training For a small business, it’s imperative that employees follow established policies and that staffing levels are maintained at the most efficient level possible. These are two other areas where video surveillance can help. If a small business owner sees that something isn’t being done properly, whether by a single employee or if the problem is more widespread, he or she can use video for training purposes. They can sit down with the employee or employees to review the video and explain the proper policies and procedures. Conversely, video can be used to demonstrate proper techniques or even to recognise employees for a job well done. From a staffing standpoint, reviewing video could reveal unexpectedly busy or down times Maintaining staffing levels From a staffing standpoint, reviewing video could reveal unexpectedly busy or down times. A business owner can review video from 3 p.m. on a Saturday to see how many customers are in a location and determine the ratio of employees to customers. Looking at a variety of times over a period of weeks or months could help determine optimal staffing levels, which may lead to the decision to increase staffing on Saturday afternoons when a store is busy. This will help improve customer experience and potentially increase sales. Motion detection for accurate access control Cameras can be deployed with motion-detection sensors to alert business owners when someone enters a certain area, whether during or after business hours. In many cases, detected motion can trigger an alert and/or a video clip to be sent to the business owner’s smartphone so they can review and verify whether something is out of the ordinary. These deployments could be set up to monitor a variety of locations, such as an office, safe, doors and other sensitive areas at all times or just during specific hours. If motion is detected during off hours, the business owner can view video and alert police that an unauthorised individual is at their business. Surveillance videos can be used to demonstrate proper techniques or even to recognise employees for a job well done Cybersecure video surveillance systems From a cybersecurity perspective, manufacturers are constantly releasing firmware updates to protect cameras from malware and/or unauthorised intrusion. Once someone has accessed any device, all systems and devices connected to the same network become vulnerable. Updating these devices tends to be an afterthought for small business owners, who may either forget or simply not have the time to do it. So it should come as no surprise that these important updates often go uninstalled. Today’s advanced video systems overcome this obstacle with easy updating, which can be performed by small business owners or installers to ensure constant protection. Other systems are available with auto-updating capabilities, which remove the onus from small business owners completely. Today’s advanced video systems overcome cyberthreats with easy updating Cost-effective surveillance solutions These are just a few of the many benefits video surveillance systems offer small business owners. What’s important to note is that for each to be successful requires having to have the right camera for the right environment. For instance, a camera positioned at the back door of a business has to have wide dynamic range to deal with changing light levels throughout the day. A camera used to monitor transactions must offer high enough resolution to identify bill denominations. Today’s solutions are cost-effective, easy to use and offer the flexibility to monitor operations from anywhere at any time – giving small business owners the power to work smarter, not harder to grow their bottom line.

Video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) is not just for commercial organisations. Federal, state and local governments can also realise benefits from the technology—and use it to deliver an integrated video surveillance system that addresses some of their unique security needs. Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) What is VSaaS? Simply stated, it’s a cloud-based video surveillance solution that is packaged and delivered as a service over the internet. The price varies depending on the features of your plan (i.e. number of cameras, amount of storage, software features, etc.), and you pay a monthly subscription price to use it. How does it work? Internet Protocol (IP) cameras are installed at site locations, and the video is captured and streamed to a service provider’s data center via an internet connection. The video management software (VMS) runs on backend infrastructure provided by the service provider’s cloud. All video processing is done in the cloud, and all that is required to view the footage is an internet-connected device and a web browser. Retail, health care, education, and transportation all benefit from the flexibility and architecture of VSaas Growing VSaaS providers Solution providers such as Axis Communications, Genetec, and G4S among many others offer VSaaS solutions, and the market is growing. According to IHS Markit, the market is expected to reach $2.3 billion in 2021. VSaaS is a solution with cross-industry appeal. Retail, health care, education, and transportation all benefit from the flexibility and architecture of the solution. But how does VSaaS address the surveillance needs of government institutions? Geographic coverage and access To protect cities and towns, law enforcement must watch over widespread geographic areas. Their work involves monitoring and policing many different neighborhoods, buildings, garages, parks, and walking paths—basically anywhere there is property or people to protect. They rely on video surveillance to help them keep these environments safe. But it’s more than local law enforcement officers who use video footage. From local city officials to federal and state law enforcement agencies, many other people, at times, need access to video footage captured by city surveillance cameras. Centralised remote monitoring How does VSaaS help? VSaaS enables the installation of cameras throughout cities and communities and stream footage to a central location via the Internet. Because the system is centralised, it eliminates the need to manage a lot of different standalone DVRs or NVRs, which enables organisations to monitor a large area from a remote command center. VSaaS enables the installation of cameras throughout cities and communities and stream footage to a central location via the Internet Plus, anyone with proper credentials can access the footage from an Internet-connected device—whether that be a smartphone, laptop, desktop, or tablet. That makes it easier for multiple agencies to work together, which in turn can improve communication and response time to incidents. Budget concerns and flexibility Tight budgets are normal in government. As a result, it’s often a challenge to procure capital for new technology purchases—and that sometimes leads to underfunded projects and difficulty upgrading old technology. VSaaS changes the expense model. It allows you to shift from a capital expenditure (CapEx) model, where large capital funding is required to purchase equipment, to an operational expenditure (OpEx) model, where the costs of the solution become an operating expense. Since the cameras, installation, storage, and software are packaged into a service, you don’t need a large capital outlay up front—you simply pay a predictable expense every month. VSaaS provides the capability for you to increase storage capacity when you need it Feature and storage capacity upgrade features VSaaS also makes it easier to upgrade old technology. When new technology becomes available, you can upgrade to it as part of the service. You no longer have to stick with old technology because of capital budget restrictions. Instead, you can upgrade to better cameras and management software features as they become available. The same is true for storage capacity. As camera resolution increases, the amount of data captured also increases. In addition, with the evolution of smart city technology and big data analytics, video data has become more valuable. As a result, there is a need not only to store more data but also to keep that data accessible for a longer period of time. VSaaS provides the capability for you to increase storage capacity when you need it. You can scale to accommodate growth, and since the storage is delivered as part of the service, you can leverage the “pay for use” model to manage your costs. On-premise storage or hybrid Where should surveillance video be stored? It’s an important question. After all, government entities must always comply with data privacy laws and handle data properly to ensure it can be used as evidence if needed. As a result, officials may prefer to be selective about where they store video data. In fact, the concern over regulatory requirements and security and privacy issues, according to Gartner, will lead governments to implement private cloud at twice the rate of public cloud through 2021. The provider’s ability to store large amounts of data cost-effectively makes VSaaS possible That’s not necessarily a show-stopper when it comes to video surveillance. Some VSaaS providers offer hybrid options. Plus, one of the things that makes VSaaS possible is the provider’s ability to store large amounts of data cost-effectively. Because service providers can manage their storage infrastructures economically, they can offer their service at an attractive price. Multi-tier storage infrastructure In a way, government institutions (as well as commercial organisations) can do the same thing. If a government entity—for example, a small municipality—wanted to store their data on-premise or implement a hybrid configuration, they could solve some of their video storage challenges by implementing a multi-tier storage infrastructure similar to what a VSaaS provider might use to provide the actual service. A multi-tier storage infrastructure uses different storage media—disk, object storage, tape, and cloud—and combines them to deliver the total capacity needed while balancing performance and cost. The diagram below is an illustration of a multi-tier infrastructure: As the diagram shows, storage capacity grows using lower cost forms of media as volume and long-term retention requirements change. Files are moved between tiers based on user-defined policies. When the policies are met, the files are moved to a lower cost tier. Some file systems allow for multiple copies be written at ingest which not only minimises the traffic of moving files across the network, but also provides much needed data protection through a second copy on a lower-cost tier. This scenario enables you to optimise the amount of high-performance media in your infrastructure and lower the long-term cost of retaining files. VSaaS offers many benefits for government institutions and commercial organisations alike Choice of implementations VSaaS offers many benefits for government institutions and commercial organisations alike. But not every implementation has the same needs or requirements. The good news is, when it comes to video surveillance solutions, you have options. You can leverage the benefits of VSaaS, in either a public cloud or hybrid scenario, depending on the service provider. Or if your needs dictate, you can achieve some of the same capacity and cost-saving benefits you would get from a VSaaS solution by implementing an on-premise solution based on a centralised VMS system and multi-tier storage. The choice is yours.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament is bringing 32 national teams and more than 400,000 foreign football fans from all over the world to 12 venues in 11 cities in Russia. Fans are crowding into cities including Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan. Given continuing global concerns about terrorism, security is top-of-mind. Protection of the World Cup games in Russia is focusing on an “integrated safety, security and service approach,” according to officials. Combining the term “security” with the terms “safety” and “service” is not an accident. An aggressive security stance is necessary, but at the end of the day, fan safety is paramount, and a service-oriented approach ensures a positive fan experience. Medical responders will be working side-by-side with police and antiterrorism personnel. Risk management best practices We asked Sean T. Horner and Ben Joelson, directors of the Chertoff Group, a global advisory firm focused on best practices in security and risk management, to comment on security at FIFA World Cup 2018. Although not involved in securing the 2018 World Cup, the Chertoff Group is experienced at securing large events and enterprises using risk management, business practices and security. Integration is another important aspect of protecting the games, says Horner. The use of multiple resources, including Russian military, intelligence and law enforcement, will be closely integrated to provide the best security for the large-scale event in each of the host cities, he says. The approach will be centralised and flexible, with resource deployment guided by effective situational awareness. Primary security and emergency operations centres will be dispersed throughout each host city “There is a unified command structure at the Russian Federation level, and they will keep resources in reserve and shift them as needed to various events and venues based on any specific intelligence, in effect deploying resources where threats are greatest,” says Joelson. “There will also be some regional commands, and resources will incorporate a spectrum of police and military personnel ranging from the ‘cop on the beat’ to the Spetsnaz, the Russian ‘special forces'.” Primary security and emergency operations centres will be dispersed throughout each host city, and additional forces can be shifted as necessary, he notes. Role of law enforcement In Russia, the lines of separation between law enforcement and the military are not as stark as in the United States, for example, where military forces are restricted from deployment for domestic law enforcement by the Posse Comitatus Act. In Russia, there is no such restriction.  A broad range of technology will play a role at the World Cup, Horner and Joelson agree. Technology will be used primarily as a force multiplier and a decision-support tool for security personnel. There are robust CCTV systems in many Russian cities, and mobile CCTV systems, such as camera towers or mobile security centres on wheels, will also be deployed. Technologies will include infrared cameras, flood lights, and ferromagnetic screening systems to scan hundreds of individuals as they walk by. In some locations, facial recognition systems will be used, tied into various intelligence, military and law enforcement databases of known bad actors. Behaviour analytics will be used as a decision-support tool. In addition to security in public areas, private CCTV systems in hotels, at transportation hubs, and inside the venues themselves will be leveraged. Video analytics and detection will help personnel review live view of people who may be acting suspiciously or who leave a bag unattended. In some locations, facial recognition systems will be used, tied into various intelligence, military and law enforcement databases of known bad actors Rigorous anti-terrorism measures A Fan ID card is required to enter the 2018 World Cup Tournament, even for Russian residents. The Russians have an aggressive stance against domestic terrorism, which will also help ensure the safety of the World Cup games, say Horner and Joelson. Terrorist group ISIS has promised “unprecedented violence” at the games, but they make similar threats at every major global event. Russia has been an active force disrupting ISIS in Syria, and experts suggest that losing ground geographically could lead to addition “asymmetric” terrorist attacks. However, Russia is leveraging all their intelligence resources to identify any plots and deploying their security apparatus to disrupt any planned attacks, experts say. Russia’s rigorous anti-terrorism measures include a total ban on planes and other flying devices (such as drones) around the stadiums hosting the World Cup. Private security In addition to military, intelligence and law enforcement personnel, private security will play a have a high profile during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Private security personnel will be on the front lines in hotels and in “fan zones.” They will operate magnetometers at entrances, perform bag checks, enforce restrictions on hand-carried items, etc. Private security will be especially important to the “guest experience” aspects of protecting the games. Private security will be especially important to the “guest experience” aspects of protecting the games Another private security function at the World Cup is executive protection of dignitaries and high-net-worth individuals who will be attending. Executive protection professionals will arrive early, conduct advanced security assessments before VIPs arrive, and secure trusted and vetted transportation (including armoured cars in some cases.) VIPs will include both Russian citizens and foreign (including U.S.) dignitaries attending the games. Private security details will be out in force. Aggressive security approach Overeager and outspoken fans are a part of the football culture, but Russia will deploy a near-zero tolerance policy against hooliganism and riots. An overwhelming force presence will take an aggressive approach to curbing any civil disturbances, and offenders will be removed quickly by Russian security forces. Strict restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcohol will be enforced in the venue cities before and after the matches. Officials will also be cognisant of the possibility of a riot or other event being used as a distraction to draw attention from another area where a terrorist event is planned. It will be a delicate balance between deploying an aggressive security approach and preserving the fan experience. Joelson notes that freedom of speech is not as valued in Russia as in other parts of the world, so the scales will be even more tipped toward security. “The last thing they want is for things to get out of control,” says Horner. “The event is putting Russia on the world stage, and they want visitors to walk away safely after having a great time and wanting to go back in the future.” Attendees should also have good situational awareness, and keep their heads up, scanning crowds and identifying unsafe situations" Precautions for World Cup attendees Attendees to the World Cup in Russia should take some basic precautions, Horner and Joelson agree. For example, Russia requires a translated, notarised letter explaining any prescription drugs. The country has a more aggressive foreign intelligence environment, so visitors cannot depend on their data being private. Joelson recommends the usual “social media hygiene” and privacy settings. Visitors should not post information about their travel plans or locations, and it’s best to travel with a disposable mobile phone that does not contain personal information. Location tracking should be deactivated. Travellers should also beware of talking and sharing information with others, or of saying anything derogatory. “They should also have good situational awareness, and keep their heads up, scanning crowds and identifying unsafe situations,” says Joelson. “If you bring a personal electronic device, you should expect that it has been compromised,” says Horner. Text messages and email will not be private, and he suggests creating an email address used only for travel. Don’t leave drinks unattended. Travellers from the U.S. should register at the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) operated by the U.S. State Department. “Plan before you travel and before you get to the airport,” says Horner.

Working together to develop an intelligent body-worn camera for public safety users, Motorola Solutions and artificial intelligence (AI) company Neurala are demonstrating how AI can be added to everyday devices such as smart phones using existing hardware platforms.  AI software, working at the “edge,” provides the capability to add AI functionality to existing cameras, such as Motorola’s Si500 body-worn camera. An agreement to develop the products follows Motorola’s strategic investment in Neurala in January 2017. “The technology is real, as our prototypes have demonstrated,” says Massimiliano “Max” Versace, Neurala CEO. “The technology will mature dramatically by the end of the year.” A final, marketable product from Motorola might be a year or more away, and the timing will depend on extensive testing in the meantime, he says. The goal is to enable police officers to more efficiently search for objects or persons of interest, such as missing children or suspects. Adapting hardware for artificial intelligence Neurala’s learning capabilities “at the edge” are hardware-agnostic; its software-only focus enables the principles of artificial intelligence to be applied to a variety of hardware platforms, including low-cost platforms used inside smart phones. Typically, cost and the need for speed are limitations that determine what hardware can be leveraged using the software. The goal is to enable police officers to more efficiently search for objects or persons of interest, such as missing children or suspects In the case of the Motorola body-worn camera, AI functionality is being added to existing hardware in the device, which is much like a smart phone encased in the form factor of a body-cam. Today’s smart phones include cameras, gyroscopes and accelerometers to provide sufficient data to drive AI applications. Software adapts existing hardware to transform them into AI devices capable of continuous learning in the field. Finding missing people in crowds Neurala and Motorola are promoting the new agreement with a use case of how a policeman’s body-worn camera could help find a missing child in a crowd. A network “pushes” a photo of a missing child to a network of 1,000 body-worn and/or dashboard cameras in the field, which employ AI to search for the child within each camera’s field of view and then provide an alert when a match is found. The cameras operate passively, without involving police officers, in effect automating the process without police officers having to look at every face in a crowd. AI’s contribution is to eliminate the need for humans to do repetitive or boring work, such as look at hours of video footage. Neurala began working in AI 11 years ago, long before the current buzz in the market. In a sense, awareness has caught up with the company, which has been developing its technologies ahead of the curve. “The same technology could be applied to closed circuit cameras to detect other objects,” says Versace. “The Neurala Brain is neural network software that can be trained to find a variety of objects, such as backpacks or vehicles, in the air or on the ground.” AI’s contribution is to eliminate the need for humans to do repetitive or boring work, such as look at hours of video footage Adding AI to existing security devices Other applications are also being developed. For example, Neurala has applied its technology to help the Lindbergh Foundation fight poaching of elephants and rhinos in southern Africa using video from drones as part of its Air Shepherd Program. Neurala’s software helps human analysts by searching through terabytes of video, including infrared, in real time as the drone is flying, pinpointing animals, vehicles and poachers during the day and at night. Versace expects the first applications of AI on existing products, including cameras and drones, before it is applied to robotics and other new applications. In effect, Neurala provides a “brain plug-in” that can add AI to change an existing solution from a passive sensor to a device that is “active in its thinking,” he adds. AI is here to stay, says Versace. “The market should know that AI has reached a point of no return. Companies that don’t use AI will be left behind. It’s the way to go to amplify your output.” Does Artificial Intelligence threaten humans? However, the technology isn’t perfect and shouldn’t be expected to be. “It’s still a growing technology, so you can’t expect 100 percent correct performance, especially if you deploy it in a constrained environment such as a cell phone,” says Versace. “AI can approximate 90 percent of a human’s ability to detect an object, and it’s tireless and can work 24 hours a day. It’s a liberating technology that takes on jobs that are not interesting, such as looking for a backpack on a computer screen.” AI tends to engender anxiety among some, with people like Elon Musk warning of an existential threat of the technology and a coming AI apocalypse. We should all relax, says Versace. “It’s a liberating technology,” he says. “Anyone who talks about AI as dangerous is not an AI expert. The less you know about AI, the more alarmist you are.” He suggests the physical security market should “learn more about it so they won’t be so scared.”

Add March Networks to the growing list of companies in the physical security market that are addressing the possibility of cyber-threats. Cybersecurity is especially relevant to two of March Networks’ primary vertical markets – banking, whose focus on money requires stringent cybersecurity; and retail, which has been the target of recent cybersecurity attacks. “People just don’t know what to do with cybersecurity,” says Dan Cremins, Global Leader, Product Management at March Networks. “The thing is, you have to figure out how to make your products, solutions and networks more secure, and then let them know what you are doing about it.” Cybersecurity mobile app As the profile of cybersecurity has increased in the physical security market, March Networks has added cybersecurity features to its GURU app. GURU is a mobile app for integrators to use when installing and diagnosing equipment in the field. Using a wireless dongle, the system can read the QR (Quick Response) code on a camera, for example, and provide installation information specific to that camera. As the profile of cybersecurityhas increased in the physicalsecurity market, March Networkshas added cybersecurity featuresto GURU GURU’s new Security Audit tool enables the app to scan a unit and check to make sure it is cybersecure; that is, the right ports have been closed and default passwords have been changed. Simple green, yellow and red coding communicates the cybersecurity status of equipment as it is being installed – and it takes less than five minutes. After installation, the GURU app can be used to conduct an extra check to ensure cybersecurity. There is also a section on the March Networks web site identifying security vulnerabilities (listed by CVE [Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures] number), explaining whether they affect March Networks equipment, and the availability of any patches. “Cybersecurity is the number one threat to any industry, including ours,” says Cremins. “We offer a tool to help people address it. We are trying to be as proactive as possible, and stay ahead of it.” Integrating inventory tracking & video There are other developments at March Networks, too, including a new integration partner in the retail sector. Tracking inventory is critical to retail loss management, and March Networks has integrated its video system with the Zebra RFID system for inventory tracking. Zebra uses radio frequency identification (RFID). Asset tags are used in combination with sensors mounted throughout a facility to keep track of where goods are transported in a retail store, warehouse or other location. If something goes missing,video of that item, tied to trackinginformation from the RFID system,is available instantly to aid withan investigation The Zebra RFID system generates inventory tracking information that is integrated with March Networks video in much the same way that point-of-sale (POS) information has been used with video. Information from inventory tracking is associated directly with each frame of video. The integration allows video cameras to watch equipment as it moves around a warehouse or retail space. If something goes missing, video of that item, tied to tracking information from the RFID system, is available instantly to aid with an investigation. In addition to retail, there are also applications of RFID inventory tracking in medical environments, where expensive equipment is used throughout a hospital, for example. Integration of video with inventory control would allow video cameras to watch medical equipment as it travels from floor to floor and room to room. Video provides a valuable investigation tool if a medical device goes missing. “They can review the video to see where it was and see what happened with it,” says Cremins. HDR cameras for banking applications At the recent ASIS show in Orlando, March Networks introduced the new ME4 series of multi-exposure, 4 megapixel cameras. The cameras are aimed at improving video image performance in situations with varied light, such as a glass-enclosed ATM enclosure, bank branch, or a retail location where bright windows can cause backlighting and other problems. In addition to better image quality and resolution, the cameras have been designed very economically, says Cremins. They strike a balance between video clarity and bandwidth and storage efficiency. The cameras use HDR (high dynamic range) technology designed for the most extreme lighting conditions. Even in an environment surrounded completely by glass, the cameras can still see the person in the foreground and details in the background. Facial details are critical in applications at banks and financial institutions.

More and more police forces in the EU are getting equipped with bodycams. Recently the State Police of Niedersachsen in Germany, the Police of Mechelen in Belgium and the Police in the Czech Republic have signed contracts for the supply of bodycams by Dutch company Zepcam. Body worn video (BWV) and body worn cameras (BWC) Body worn video (BWV) and body worn camera’s (BWC) improve the safety of law enforcement officers Body worn video (BWV) and body worn camera’s (BWC) improve the safety of law enforcement officers, increase transparency and supply video-evidence for criminal investigation purposes. Surveys in the US, where bodycams are used for years now, show that they de-escalate aggression or have a civilizing effect on police-citizen encounters, thus reducing complaints. Also, police forces want to use bodycams as a countermeasure against the public shooting more and more videos of incidents on their smartphones. Unlike public videos, footages captured by law enforcement can be admissible in court. Zepcam, bodycams supplier for police forces globally Zepcam already supplies bodycams to police forces in 15 countries like Switzerland, Germany, Hong Kong and The Netherlands. The Dutch company is global supplier in Europe, with clients in over 40 countries. It both manufactures and supplies the camera systems and the IT structure which automatically stores and processes the captured footages. Zepcam has seen and enormous increase in the use of bodycams by law enforcement in the past five years The State Police of German State Niedersachsen has ordered 500 bodycams in a 4-year contract. Zepcam has won this tender because its cameras and software platform made the best match with requirements of field users and the central IT department. The region of Mechelen is the first police zone in Belgium to deploy bodycams on a large scale. Zepcam was selected after a test period with 7 different bodycam suppliers. Video management software (VMS) integration The Czech Police in the Central Bohemian Region purchased Zepcam bodycams for law enforcement purposes. Also, the company will assist the police force to expand and integrate the new video management software in the management software that is used in over 80 locations in the Czech Republic. Zepcam has seen and enormous increase in the use of bodycams by law enforcement in the past five years. According to the company the cameras help reduce aggression and allow for better transparency. For instance, because situations tend to de-escalate when people know they are being recorded.

Ask a student, or pretty much anyone, what they think about “access control” and you’ll get a shrug. Conversely, all of us are enthusiastic about security and convenience. Students across Europe are discovering SMARTair wireless access control gives them both. Adding SMARTair access control to a door involves just replacing a standard cylinder or escutcheon with a digital, smartphone- or smart-card–operated electronic lock. It’s hassle-free to make the switch to SMARTair. And with a system design focused on user experience, SMARTair takes some of the everyday pain out of student life. Wherever you fit SMARTair, it’s easy to configure access cards to enable payments in the canteen or at vending machines; for changing room locker locks; and for the photocopier or library loans. You can’t do that with a metal key. MIFARE RFID cards At Madrid’s prestigious Colegio Universitario de Estudios Financieros (CUNEF) students now open doors with smart MIFARE RFID cards instead of keys At Madrid’s prestigious Colegio Universitario de Estudios Financieros (CUNEF) students now open doors with smart MIFARE RFID cards instead of keys. CUNEF fitted escutcheons to monitor and ease access to different areas of the university for 1,600 students, without the need for expensive wired door locks. If a student loses their card, there’s no threat to campus security. A manager issues a new credential which automatically cancels the lost card — much faster than changing a lock. When Mezzino took ownership of Rialto Court — apartments for students attending Durham University and Teesside University — they replaced a mechanical master key system with SMARTair. From the company’s point of view, the high annual tenant turnover and a need for scheduled cleaning and summer shutdown were becoming difficult to manage with physical keys. Students also reaped the benefits of their new, user-friendly access system. They have the confidence no previous resident of their flat has copied a physical key. At Funway Academic Resort in Madrid, student rooms are also locked with SMARTair escutcheons. Energy-saving wall devices inside rooms regulate electricity use, and students each have their own safe locked with a SMARTair cabinet lock. The Funway gym, study rooms, games rooms, swimming pool and changing rooms, spa and staff areas are also locked with SMARTair escutcheons — and open with the same smart-card. SMARTair Openow solution The recent launch of the SMARTair Openow solution puts credentials on a mobile phoneThere’s more to come from SMARTair. The recent launch of the SMARTair Openow solution puts credentials on a mobile phone. With SMARTair and the Openow app, students can open their rooms and authorised doors with a smartphone. If you have your phone, you’re already carrying your keys. Student services or facilities managers issue virtual keys over-the-air — and can revoke them whenever they choose — so there’s no need for a key-card handover meeting, at the beginning or end of term. A time-limited virtual key arrives ahead of the first day and automatically expires when it’s time to vacate your halls. Mobile credentials Mobile credentials will be a big hit. Student life goes on inside the handset, as much as IRL (“In Real Life”, for the uninitiated). Last year’s Deloitte Mobile Consumer Survey found a fifth of 18- to 24-year-olds even check their phone for messages in the middle of the night*. From a security standpoint, phone-based credentials have another advantage. Checking our phones is “habitual”, “unconscious” and “repetitive”, according to one study**. We know very quickly if it is missing. How soon would you notice a missing plastic card, especially if you were enjoying yourself on a night out? Biometric security Plus, a virtual key on every student’s smartphone potentially provides an extra layer of biometric protection for every controlled university door Plus, a virtual key on every student’s smartphone potentially provides an extra layer of biometric protection for every controlled university door. Fingerprint, and even face and iris, scanners are commonplace on smartphones. ”Generation Z students were raised as digital natives,” says Felix Moran, SMARTair Product Manager at ASSA ABLOY. ”They expect convenience as a standard feature, not a mechanical solution used in Ancient Egypt. In Europe’s increasingly international, marketized higher education ecosystem, attracting these tech-savvy students is critical, as is keeping them satisfied with the campus experience.” SMARTair TS1000 software The complete SMARTair solution includes wireless escutcheons, cylinders, wall readers, locker locks and more; the intuitive SMARTair TS1000 software; and the enhanced new Openow app functionality. It works out the box and is easy to install — and even easier to operate.

Communication makes the world much, much smaller - but it also becomes critical to everyone. Once life-enriching communication technologies are embraced, not only do we like and enjoy the benefits, but we also become hooked on it day and night. "There is no doubt that the transportation industry is benefiting from always available communications, making sure drivers, mechanics, dispatchers are always connected and can exchange information when necessary," says Sagi Subocki, Vice President of Products and Marketing for MCC technology leader Softil. "However, for the most part until now, the transportation industry has had to rely on the traditional radio or simply standard mobile phones to perform all communications tasks. That's about to change with the advent of Mission Critical Communications over LTE and 5G as defined in the 3GPP Release 13-15 standard," adds Subocki. Mission critical communication over LTE MCC over LTE offers push to talk, push to video, text and multimedia chat, as well as location information for groups and point to point communications Mission critical communication (MCC) over LTE offers push to talk, push to video, text and multimedia chat, as well as location information for groups and point to point communications. Think about a driver who can push a button and instantly talk to all drivers within a 50-mile radius, for example, to inform them of road conditions, accidents, road works and other incidents. In the event of a breakdown, the truck driver can quickly obtain help from experts using video chat, which makes a driver's life a lot easier. Using the same MCC over LTE capabilities, the driver can see the location of all other drivers using the same radios, can engage in chat sessions with nearby garages and much, much more. And let's not forget that MCC over LTE communications can be prioritised over regular public mobile voice and data traffic, which can help in the case of accidents and natural disasters. Advanced communication solutions in Mining While different from the transportation industry, mining's reliance on advanced communication technologies might be even greater than the needs of the transportation market. Subocki explains: "Mission critical push to talk and push to video with guaranteed, prioritised delivery might well make the difference for mining workers. The ability to ask for urgent assistance simply at the push of a button is crucial in the day-to-day operations of an oil rig and a diamond mine." But the benefits of MCC over LTE don't stop there. As MCC over LTE communication is delivered over modern, very capable, rugged smartphones, these devices can be used to interface and collect data from all available sensors - air quality, temperature, radiation, presence of dangerous gases - all this information can be obtained automatically via MCC over LTE integration with IoT and can be used to increase safety. Drones in MCC over LTE In addition to engaging with all sensors, MCC over LTE communications can include drones which would provide video feeds whenever necessary In addition to engaging with all sensors, MCC over LTE communications can include drones which would provide video feeds whenever necessary - and the 3GPP MCPTT Release 16 standard will extend mission critical communication to include robots, which might be priceless. "Think about the implications of sending an MCC enabled robot to investigate a mine explosion and you'll see the future of MCC over LTE and 5G communications in the mining industry," adds Subocki. Market Value and Outlook A report from ABI Research found the total mission-critical communications market for base stations, repeaters, handsets and infrastructure in 2022 will be US$10 billion. The North American market continues to account for more than half of this world market with the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific region in second place with a 20 percent market share. Public-safety radio was the ancestor of critical communications providing mission-critical voice services and continues to represent over half of this market, followed by the industrial, transportation and utility segments. However, the need for mobile broadband data has also entered the equation driving critical communications systems to evolve to digital radio for data handling and spectrum efficiency. As a result, critical communications systems are slowly evolving from the current TETRA, Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) and Project 25 (P25) to coexist and interoperate with Long Term Evolution (LTE)-based systems. Softil's MCC over LTE Leadership Softil is a leader in Mission Critical Communication over LTE solutions for developers. Historically, Softil always focused on the full embrace of open communication standards - starting from close participation in the work of the appropriate SDOs, then developing best-of-breed APIs and implementation of the relevant standards, and most importantly, paying utmost attention to the interoperability of the offered solution by active participation and leading all relevant industry-wide interoperability testing events. Softil actively participates in development of the MCC over LTE standards in 3GPP, as well as interoperability testing at the ETSI Plugtest Events. Most importantly, Softil 3GPP Release 13-15 compliant client SDK implementation had been already commercially deployed on the market - in Korea, Softil powers latest and greatest implementation of the MCC over LTE-R communication devices installed on the newest high-speed train line, such as one connecting Incheon airport to PyongChang during the Olympic games.

A video surveillance solution manufactured by Tyco, the security products division of Johnson Controls and installed by Kings Secure Technologies, is helping deter and detect hate crime directed at worshippers who attend the Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Bradford. HD Illustra IP network cameras 32 high definition Illustra IP network cameras from Tyco have been installed to monitor activity around the site of the Sikh place of worship, to identify anyone showing hostility towards the congregation. The Gurdwara Singh Sabha is sadly not alone in being a place of worship that has been the victim of hate crimes. Throughout society, 2017 saw over 68,000 acts of aggression in the UK being recorded as being motivated by racial or religious prejudices. Integrated video surveillance systems System integrator, Kings Secure Technologies, was one of three companies invited to compete for the contract to install the new video surveillance system System integrator, Kings Secure Technologies, was one of three companies invited to compete for the contract to install the new video surveillance system following on from a risk assessment carried out by a ‘Designing Out Crime’ officer from the West Yorkshire police. “The members of the Gurdwara wanted to take advantage of the very latest video surveillance technology in order to provide the police with high quality video evidence of any incidents or suspicious activity,” said Paul Atherton, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Kings Secure Technologies. “With 32 cameras required to ensure there would be no blind spots, this size of a project might normally stretch the budget of a place of worship, even though Illustra cameras are competitively priced. Fortunately, the Gurdwara was able to successfully apply for help with the cost of installing the new system via the security funding scheme available as part of the Government Hate Crime Action Plan. This was possible because the Gurdwara had been the target of religious based hostility.” Vandal-resistant dome cameras The 32 installed Illustra cameras are a combination of indoor and weatherproof, vandal-resistant 2 megapixel and 3 megapixel mini-domes. With Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) and built-in IR illumination, they are designed to work effectively across a wide range of lighting conditions from bright sunlight to total darkness. As such, they are an ideal solution for when there is a need to capture faces and the vehicle number plates. An Exacq IP04-12T-DT Network Video Recorder (NVR) with 12 Terabytes of storage onboard installed by Kings, ensures that the images captured by all 32 cameras are recorded around the clock. The IP04-12T-DT has 64 camera channels and so provides the Gurdwara with the option to install further cameras should it need to do so in the future. Remote video monitoring using Exacq app We have installed the cameras so that we can assist the police in prosecuting anyone who commits a hate crime" The Gurdwara was originally a pharmaceutical production factory which has been converted into a place of worship and extended to provide space for educational and recreational activities as well functions, such as weddings. “Our Gurdwara is in almost constant use by the Sikh community in Bradford. We have installed the cameras so that we can assist the police in prosecuting anyone who commits a hate crime by being insulting or verbally aggressive towards any of our worshippers or visitors,” said Surjit Singh, a member of the Gurdwara. “The clarity of the images captured by the Illustra cameras is impressive and this has allowed us to pass on to investigating officers’ good quality video evidence of some recent incidents. As well as being able to locally access the images stored on the NVR, we also have the added bonus of being able to use the Exacq mobile App on our smartphones or tablets, enabling us to remotely keep a close eye 24/7 on what may be happening in the immediate vicinity of the Gurdwara.”

HID Global, a worldwide provider in trusted identity solutions, announced that 85-year-old fire protection provider RAEL Automatic Sprinkler Company and integrator Automated Decision have deployed HID Trusted Tag Services at one of Manhattan’s most iconic skyscrapers. The combined solutions help secure, digitise, automate and streamline inspection and maintenance of the building’s massive fire and safety sprinkler system. "HID Trusted Tag Services are a real competitive differentiator for us when we bid for projects now," said David Israel, President, RAEL Automatic Sprinkler Company. "We plan to deploy it in other noteworthy buildings and we’re exploring using it for other mission-critical equipment we inspect and repair as well." The RAEL solution incorporates HID Trusted Tag Services into Automated Decisions’ work order management system and mobile inspection app HID Trusted Tag Services HID Trusted Tag Services empower robust Internet of Things (IoT) applications by attaching unique and trusted identities to virtually any object that can be read by mobile devices. Smartphones and other devices can then be used for innovative use cases, without compromising the privacy of end users. The RAEL solution incorporates HID Trusted Tag Services into Automated Decisions’ work order management system and mobile inspection app. The deployment includes HID’s trusted and tamper-evident NFC tag using dual NFC and QR code technology; unique cryptographic authentication and a unique QR code placed on every component of the RAEL sprinklers. After authenticating to HID’s cloud authentication service, RAEL technicians move through the building, tapping each applied tag with their mobile devices to authenticate upon completion of their component inspection or repair. Proof of presence Each individual tap generates a unique encrypted code appended to a URL to provide proof of presence. This process confirms the technician was physically at the site and conducted the required sprinkler inspections and repairs. "Proof of presence was critical for us,” said Israel, “as property managers are now expected to deliver a much higher level of compliance reporting." The solution also logs the user, tap time and date into the Automated Decisions work order management platform. Mobile online access provides inspectors with service request maintenance records, sprinkler part specifications, diagrams and photographs. Combined HID and Automated Decisions solution has enabled faster, more efficient inspections and repairs Combined tag services and mobile devices "That RAEL and Automated Decisions are leveraging our offering for fire and safety at an immense, iconic skyscraper reinforces the breadth of IoT use cases that our identification and sensing portfolio addresses," said Mark Robinton, Director of Business Development & Strategic Innovation, Identification Technologies with HID Global. "Facility managers are also increasingly seeking to combine the use of HID Trusted Tag Services and mobile devices to automate other safety and security functions, including guard tour and key management, as buildings become more intelligent and connected." In addition to providing peace of mind to RAEL and their property management clients, RAEL also reported the combined HID and Automated Decisions solution has enabled faster, more efficient inspections and repairs, improved first-time fix rates and fewer repeat visits.

To combat robbery and multiple incidences of employee theft and improve profitability, the Subway in Hokes Bluff, Alabama decided it was time to install a high-quality video surveillance camera. After evaluating a number of manufacturers, Kim Jordan, president of operations, for Poore and Company Inc. DBA Subway, chose Hanwha solutions from Hanwha Techwin America. For the Hokes Bluff restaurant, Matt Evans, Jerrett Pearson and Justin Miller of LST handled system design and installation, which included SNV6013 2 Megapixel Full HD Vandal-Resistant Microdome Cameras and SNDL6013R 2 Megapixel Full HD IP WiseNet Lite Dome Cameras. Local, central and mobile monitoring The flexible design of the video system enables local, central and mobile monitoring LST downloads the video and provides long-term storage at its hosting facility. For greater reliability and redundancy, recording is also performed on site using SD card capability integrated into the cameras. The remote viewing capability has proven to be a major benefit by putting even more ‘eyes’ on multiple locations to watch what goes on and in some cases take action to address issues. The flexible design of the video system enables local, central and mobile monitoring, allowing authorised users to view live and recorded video at any time. This monitoring setup makes it more convenient for authorised users to view video from each of the four locations where systems have been installed to date and with plans to install systems at the remaining locations.