Network / IP security

Larson Electronics, a Texas-based company with over 40 years of experience spearheading the industrial lighting and equipment sectors, announced the release of an explosion-proof network IP camera with built-in infrared light. This remote inspection camera is designed for use in hazardous locations and is explosion, dust and ignition proof, weatherproof and tamper resistant. This camera provides the operator with a live feed from inside tanks, reactors, vessels or other locations. Clear images in low-light conditions The camera offers a wide-angle fixed lens with an 83-degree field of view and is made to cover large areas and workspacesThe EXPCMR-IP-POEP-4MP-IR-1XLE3 explosion-proof network IP camera features a built-in 1/3-inch progressive-scan CMOS image sensor that delivers up to 4.0MP resolution at 20 FPS. This unit offers a wide-angle fixed lens with an 83-degree field of view and is made to cover large areas and workspaces. This 17-watt camera provides a crisp and clear image and captures images in low-light conditions. An NVR is necessary for stream recording, or live-view can be done without an NVR system via report access to the camera. Larson Electronics’ explosion-proof camera is available in spot and floodlight configurations and features four Edison Edixeon three-watt LEDs, producing 180 lumens, arranged in rows and paired with high purity 10-degree optics to produce a narrow spot beam. This unit is compatible with PoE+ devices and links up to a customer provided DVR system via a customer provided RJ45 Ethernet cable. The device is suitable for use in the remote observation of external facilities, monitoring of cleaning and more.

LILIN Americas, an entity of Taiwan based IP video manufacturer Merit LILIN, has further strengthened its line of IP cameras with the MR832 bullet camera. Designed to help security professionals easily deploy an outdoor surveillance system, the MR832 features a 4mm fixed lens with an IP66 environment rating, an operating range of -40° to 122°F, along with 30M IR LED illumination and Day/Night imaging. "As IP technology has evolved, so have the expectations of our customers," said Joe Cook, VP/GM of LILIN Americas. "They want IP outdoor cameras that are easy to install, configure and maintain, that integrate seamlessly, offer high resolution HD images, even in complete darkness, and are competitively priced. The new MR832 delivers these capabilities, and much more." LILIN MR832 IP cameras feature 2D wide dynamic range, which provides accurate video capture in high-contrast lighting 3D Noise Reduction for maximum clarity LILIN MR832 IP cameras feature 2D wide dynamic range, which provides accurate video capture in high-contrast lighting and use 3D Noise Reduction for maximum clarity in low light conditions. Energy-efficient IR LEDs automatically illuminate scenes in complete darkness for discovering subjects at a range of up to 30 meters (98 ft.). To save installation time, the MR832 camera is designed with a multi-angle adjustable wall/ceiling mount bracket for flexibility and ease of use. In addition, the camera supports ONVIF Profile S and is powered by either PoE or DC12V. The MR832 delivers full 1080P HD resolution at 30 FPS while being remarkably compact and lightweight for wall or ceiling mount applications.

In its continued effort to innovate and meet market needs, Axis Communications, the global provider of network video, announced the launch of the 7th generation of their chipset. ARTPEC 7 will bring an array of new capabilities and features to Axis network cameras, namely even better imaging, enhanced security features, powerful compression and ability to run analytics on the edge. Moreover, since the chip is fully developed by Axis, it provides a layer of control that is crucial for effective cybersecurity. “We’re one of only a few manufacturers that develops our own chipset, therefore the creation of ARTPEC 7 is a key differentiator for us and a significant benefit to our customers,” said Fredrik Nilsson, VP, Americas, Axis Communications, Inc. The ARTPEC 7 improves all the signature Axis technologies that have been created to address difficult light conditions “In this generation of ARTPEC we’ve included many important features, such as upgraded security. Also, unlike other chips, it’s not a generic design. Rather, it’s 100% optimised for creating high-quality Axis network video solutions. This launch truly exemplifies our vision to innovate for a smarter, safer world.” Better imaging in low-light conditions Due to a completely redesigned image processing pipeline, the ARTPEC 7 further improves all the signature Axis technologies that have been created to address difficult light conditions. For example: Lightfinder 2.0 will deliver more saturated and realistic colours than ever before in low-light, along with the sharpest images of moving objects even in the darkest areas. Forensic WDR will provide clearer images of moving objects as well as enhanced detail in backlit scenes, or scenes with big differences between the lightest and darkest areas. Increased sensitivity to light also significantly extends the range of illumination for Axis cameras with IR. Enhanced security features Future Axis cameras will let users choose between H.264 and H.265 video encoding depending on what best suits their systemARTPEC 7 enables ‘built-in’ security features for Axis cameras, including signed firmware so only secure authorised firmware can be installed, and secure boot, which prevents booting of unauthorised firmware. Future Axis cameras will also let users choose between H.264 and H.265 video encoding depending on what best suits their system and surveillance needs. Either encoding standard in combination with Axis Zipstream technology will now require even lower bandwidth and storage space without sacrificing image quality. In addition, users are free to re-evaluate their choice of codec at any time if their requirements should change. Real-time object detection engine Finally, this chip features a real-time object detection engine that will make it possible for Axis and Axis partners to develop powerful analytics to automatically detect and differentiate between people, faces and objects. Moving forward, ARTPEC 7 will be the basis for the majority of Axis network video products. One of the first cameras to include this chip is the AXIS P1375, which is set to be showcased at ISC West at booth #14051.

Matrix, a manufacturer and provider of telecom and security solutions, is conducting Matrix Insight 2019 Jeddah and Riyadh on 18th and 22nd April respectively from 09:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Matrix welcomes everyone in the telecom and security industry from new prospects, strategic partners to existing customers and suppliers. At the event, Matrix will highlight ETERNITY NENX, newly launched unified communication platform for SOHO and SMB. Increasing number of small and medium organisations are migrating to leverage benefits of IP, for such applications, Matrix ETERNITY NENX is a perfect fit. Enhance guest experience Matrix Hospitality solution which is specifically designed to enhance guest experience at Hotels will also be one of the major highlights Matrix Telecom domain will also be showcasing its comprehensive telecom solutions which includes IP-PBX, communication endpoints, media gateways, mobile application and much more. Along with that, Matrix Hospitality solution which is specifically designed to enhance guest experience at Hotels will also be one of the major highlights. Hotel staff can enhance guest experience and improve staff productivity with hospitality features, front desk, PMS integration, staff mobility extensions and voicemail with personalised greetings. In the events, Matrix will showcase futuristic technologies from the security domain. Matrix access control and time-attendance domain will showcase its newly launched face recognition technology for authentication through IP cameras/tablet/mobile. The technology enables contactless authentication with precise and accurate authentication. Apart from this, Matrix will display our high-end cloud based time-attendance and access control solution. Access control solution Mobile being the next generation technology in the security domain, Matrix will showcase mobile based access control solution whereby user can either scan QR code or just twist his/her phone for authentication. User can mark attendance automatically using GPS or Wi-Fi through mobile application. Matrix being the front face in innovation, Matrix is going to show some extraordinary biometric door controllers useful for applications in time-attendance, access control, visitor management, cafeteria management and many more. Furthermore, access control being the prime requirement in terms of security, Matrix will present its standalone access control solution with license free environment, whereby a single panel can handle up to 255 doors and 25,000 users. Get a glimpse into the cutting-edge Matrix biometric solutions with multiple credentials such as face, fingerprint, palm vein, RF card and PIN options at Matrix Insight, Jeddah and Riyadh. Better bandwidth optimisation The entire solution focuses on automating processes, easy integration with Access Control and enhancing efficiency of organisations Matrix will also be showcasing an enterprise-grade IP video surveillance solution designed, engineered and built specifically for growing multi-location organisations. The entire solution focuses on automating processes, easy integration with access control and enhancing efficiency of organisations. Matrix will also be showcasing a new range of audio compatible and compact professional series IP cameras powered by SONY STARVIS series sensors with EXMOR technology. This gives the cameras an edge over others in terms of exceptional low light performance, consistent image quality during varying light conditions (True WDR), better bandwidth optimisation and many other features. Intelligent software Furthermore, Matrix will be showcasing new extreme series of Network Video Recorder (NVRX) at the event. This NVR is equipped with 4K decoding capacity and characteristics like cascading (up to 20 NVRs), camera-wise recording retention and database level integration. Moreover, these latest NVRs are also backed with an intelligent software that helps detect threats and send instant notifications for real-time Security. “Events like Matrix Insight are important to us because they give us the chance to connect with our partners, SIs and prospects. We look forward to explore and spread our footprints in the territory through this product expo, showcasing our innovative solutions that can help accelerate business growth”, said Ganesh Jivani, Managing Director.

Senstar, global company that offers perimeter protection and VMS solutions, is slated to showcase latest access control and intrusion detection solutions, including next-gen Senstar Symphony Access Control (AC) and the FiberPatrol FP400 zone-based intrusion detection systems for fence applications at ISC West 2019. Symphony AC access control Symphony AC is an open software solution designed to support the industry’s most trusted brands of access control and intrusion hardware. Available as an extension to the Symphony Video Management Software (VMS), the module provides a full set of access control functions, including enrollment, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting. The FiberPatrol FP400 is one of the most affordable fiber optic perimeter intrusion sensors on the market. Each processor provides up to 4 zones of detection and supports insensitive lead-in enabling electronics to be installed up to 12 mi from the perimeter fence. It is ideal for small sites with concerns over EMI, lightning, or conductive elements on the perimeter. FiberPatrol FP400 intrusion detection “Symphony AC and FiberPatrol FP400 are examples of Senstar’s continued commitment to developing products to meet the evolving security needs of our customers," said Kristen Cory, Vice President Sales, North America. "Both these products address very specific site requirements, allowing Senstar to offer more options to our customers and continue to build on our success as one of the industry’s most trusted and reliable security providers." Other award-winning products on display at ISC West Booth 17109 include the Senstar LM100 hybrid perimeter intrusion detection and intelligent lighting system, FlexZone ranging fence-mounted intrusion detection system, and the Senstar Thin Client PC-alternative for video management.

DTC Broadcast has announced a formal and extensive North American partnership with U.S. based Wave Central, a major provider of wireless broadcast camera and transmission technologies. High-end Radio Frequency (RF) solutions  Wave Central specialises in providing high-end RF solutions for major sports venues across North America. The partnership is structured in a way that gives Wave Central full access to the DTC product portfolio. DTC’s OEM technology will continue to be used within Wave Central’s product portfolio, providing the North American market with regional sales and support, reinforced by Wave Central’s vast RF expertise. Wave Central’s General Manager Tom Doyle, said, “The benefits of being able to quickly sell, service and support these powerful, well-proven technologies across North America will be huge for fans of Wave Central and DTC’s professional wireless products.” DTC transmitters Wave Central now has a major hand in augmenting and extending our technology roadmap" Existing DTC transmitters and other broadcast technologies will gradually be re-branded in North America to reflect the new association with Wave Central. The first official public showcase for the partnership and products is at NAB 2019 in Booths C6934 and C1108. DTC Vice President, Broadcast Sales, JP Delport said, “This partnership with Wave Central is not only one of selling product, but also providing world class customer support. Wave Central now has a major hand in augmenting and extending our technology roadmap with more tailored solutions to suit the various markets that exist within North America. The partnership is a major milestone in the ongoing growth and success of DTC Broadcast worldwide.” Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology Wave Central Executive Vice President, Anthony Sangiovanni, concurs, “North American customers demand cutting-edge technology, require custom solutions and expect good value for their investment. This new partnership with DTC Broadcast will deliver on these demands and so much more. By combining both our companies’ strengths, we can better serve North American broadcasters with world class technology and the after-sales service they deserve.”

Where are video surveillance cameras headed? At the core of next-generation Internet Protocol (IP) cameras are advanced chips with artificial intelligence (AI) at the edge, enabling cameras to gather valuable information about an incident: scanning shoppers at a department store, monitoring city streets, or checking on an elderly loved one at home. Thanks to advanced chip technology, complex analytics operations are becoming more affordable across the full spectrum of surveillance cameras —professional to consumer — fueling the democratisation of AI in the IP camera market. Complex analytics operations are becoming more affordable across the full spectrum of surveillance cameras Expanding the global IP camera market  The video surveillance equipment market grew to $18.5 billion in 2018 and is expected to increase this year, according to IHS Markit. The latest research points to video everywhere, edge computing, and AI as the top technologies that will have a major impact in both commercial and consumer markets in 2019. Computing at the edge means that the processors inside the camera are powerful enough to run AI processing locally, while still encoding and streaming video, and are able to do it all at the low-power required to fit into the limited thermal budget of an IP camera. New SoC chips will be able to perform all of the processing on camera and provide accurate AI information, with no need to send data to a server or the cloud for processing. Instead, data can be analysed right in the camera itself, offering high performance, real-time video analytics, and lower latency — all critical aspects of video surveillance. This new AI paradigm is made possible by a new generation of SoCs, a key driver behind the market growth of IP cameras. Complex analytics operations are becoming more affordable across the full spectrum of surveillance cameras to fuel the advent of AI in the IP camera market Micro-processor-enabled video analytics Next-generation video cameras will be able to create heat maps of stores to see where people spend the most time Microprocessor-enabled analytics allow users to more easily extract valuable data from video streams. How about an insider’s view into retail customer behavior? Consider video cameras at a department store, monitoring shoppers’ behavior, traffic patterns, and areas of interest. Next-generation cameras will recognise how long a shopper stays in front of a specific display, if the shopper leaves and returns, and if the shopper ultimately makes a purchase. Next-generation video cameras will be able to create heat maps of stores to see where people spend the most time, so retailers will be able to adjust product placement accordingly. Analytics will also help identify busy/quiet times of the day, so retailers can staff accordingly. By understanding customers’ behavior, retailers can determine the best way to interact with them, target specific campaigns, and tailor ads for them. Cue the coupons while the shopper is still onsite! Analytics will also help identify busy/quiet times of the day, so retailers can staff accordingly Fast processing for rapid response at city level City surveillance and smart cities are depending on advanced video surveillance and intelligence to keep an eye on people and vehicles, identify criminals, flag suspicious behavior, and identify potentially dangerous situations such as loitering, big crowds forming, or cars driving the wrong way.Quick local decisions on the video cameras are also used to help analyse traffic situations Quick local decisions on the video cameras are also used to help analyse traffic situations, adjust traffic lights, identify license plates, automatically charge cars for parking, find a missing car across a city, or create live and accurate traffic maps. Real-time HD video monitoring and recording When it comes to home monitoring, what will next-generation video surveillance cameras offer? Real-time monitoring and notification can detect if a person is in the back yard or approaching the door, if there’s a suspicious vehicle in the driveway, or if a package is being delivered (or stolen). Advanced video cameras can determine when notifications are and aren’t required, since users don’t want to be notified for false alerts such as rain, tree branches moving, bugs, etc. Next-generation video camera capabilities can also help monitor a loved one, person or pet, helping put families at ease if they are at work or on vacation. For example, helpful analytics may be used to detect if someone has fallen, hasn’t moved for a while, or does not appear for breakfast according to their typical schedule. City surveillance and smart cities are depending on advanced video surveillance and intelligence to keep an eye on people and vehicles, identify criminals, flag suspicious behavior, and identify potentially dangerous situations Next-gen IP cameras When evaluating next-generation IP cameras (cameras on the edge), look at the brains. These cameras will likely be powered by next-generation SoCs chips. Here is what this means to you:       Save on network bandwidth, cloud computing and storage costs. There is no need to constantly upload videos to a server for analysis. Analysis can be performed locally on the camera, with only relevant videos being uploaded. Faster reaction time. Decisions are made locally, with no network latency. This is critical if you need to sound an alarm on a specific event. Privacy. In the most extreme cases, no video needs to leave the camera. Only metadata needs to be sent to the cloud or server. For example, the faces of people can be recognised in the camera and acted upon, but the video never reaches the cloud. The cameras can just stream a description of the scene to the server “suspicious person with a red sweater walking in front of the train station, has been loitering for the last 10 minutes, suggest sending an agent to check it out.” This could become a requirement in some EU countries with GDPR rules. Easier search. Instead of having to look through hours of video content, the server can just store/analyse the metadata, and easily perform searches such as “find all people with a red sweater who stayed more than five minutes in front of the train station today.” Flexibility/personalisation. Each camera at the edge can be personalised to work better for the specific scene it is looking at, compared to a generic server. For example, “run a heat map algorithm on camera A (retail) as I want to know which sections of my store get the most traffic; and run a license plate recogniser on camera B (parking lot) as I want to be able to track the cars going in/out of my parking lot.” No cloud computing required. For cameras in remote locations or with limited network bandwidth, users have the ability to perform all analytics locally, without relying on uploading video to a server/cloud. Higher resolution/quality. When AI processing is performed locally, the full resolution of the sensor can be used (up to 4K or more), while typically the video streamed to a server will be lower resolution, 1080p or less. This means more pixels are available locally for the AI engine so that you will be able to detect a face from a higher distance than when the video is streamed off camera. AI at the edge Professional-level IP cameras capable of performing AI at the edge are coming soon with early offerings making their debut at this year’s ISC West. As we enter 2020, we will begin to see the availability of consumer-level cameras enabling real-time video analytics at the edge for home use. With rapid technology advancement and increased customer demand, AI is on the verge of exploding. When it comes to image quality and video analytics, IP cameras now in development will create a next-generation impact at department stores, above city streets, and keeping an eye on our loved ones.

Las Vegas is a city that bombards you with choices: dozens of glitzy hotels and casinos, a plethora of restaurants and eateries to satisfy any craving and an endless variety of entertainment guaranteed to delight and amuse. With so many options, it’s hard to decide where to spend your time. The same goes for ISC West. Like the city in which it’s being hosted, ISC West 2019 is going to bombard you with more options than ever before. Dozens of new technologies and vendors as well as old familiar faces will be vying for your attention. With only three days, it’s nearly impossible to explore every booth and every vendor. Ultimately, you’ll want to focus your limited time on companies whose partnership can lead to your organisation’s long-term success. In that context, I’d like to suggest a few things to think about as you wend your way through this year’s tradeshow. The next wave in IP technology  The fact that the whole world is going IP is nothing new. The network-based connectivity trend has been ongoing for more than 25 years. What’s changed is the nomenclature. Today it’s all about the Internet of Things (IoT).  What was once exclusively an analogue-based video surveillance market has shifted predominantly over to IP For the security industry, the concept of IoT really began with connecting DVRs through a network. Then in 1996, IP cameras – the first true IoT devices – hit the market. Since then, what was once exclusively an analog-based video surveillance market has shifted predominantly over to IP, providing exceptional growth opportunity for any company wanting to be on the leading edge. Today, however, that market is relatively saturated and growing at a much slower rate. In response, consolidation of the market has started to accelerate. Many vendors are disappearing while a select few are becoming stronger. Though the IP video revolution is now a fait accompli, there are still a few ancillary security technologies that are just beginning to jump on the IP convergence bandwagon. I’m referring to two in particular: IP audio systems and IP intercom solutions.  Like their IP video cousins, these relatively new IP systems are built on open platform standards and provide the same benefits for convergence as happened in the camera space: better scalability and ROI, more functionality, and easy integration with third party systems. The technology is a great complement to a customer’s existing IP surveillance system or an ideal replacement for an antiquated analogue audio system. So I’d recommend spending time at booths showcasing this technology. Listen to the crystal clear sound quality. Learn from the various vendors how easy IP audio systems are to custom configure, remotely manage and scale. And discover the different ways the IP technology can be used, from paging, public address and broadcasting background music to augmenting security systems and perimeter protection solutions. The potential markets that can benefit from this latest IP technology are wide and varied, everything from hotels, hospitals and transportation hubs to educational institutions and retail chains. So it’s well worth your time to take a look at this growing opportunity. AI has proven to dramatically improving the accuracy of Traffic Incident Detection analytics. But it’s too early in the game to assume that AI can be applied across the board Artificial intelligence: hype vs. reality Video intelligence or video analytics was the big trend a decade ago. But it quickly fizzled out when hype crashed into reality. In the ensuing years algorithms have greatly improved, leading to more reliable analytic performance. Now it’s commonplace for video surveillance solutions to include a wide range of analytics from motion detection and people counting to dwell time analysis, object left behind and license plate recognition.    The latest hype to capture the imagination is self-learning systems, often referred to as Deep Learning and Artificial intelligence (AI) With analytics gradually becoming mainstream, the latest hype to capture the imagination is self-learning systems, often referred to as Deep Learning and Artificial intelligence (AI). These self-learning applications parse event data and use what they’ve learned from the experience to make determinations or predictions that can increase the accuracy of future alerts. Before you get swept up in all the big promises that have yet to prove deliverable, take time at ISC West to educate yourself about the current state of the technology. AI works well in some areas.  For instance, AI has proven to dramatically improving the accuracy of Traffic Incident Detection analytics. But it’s too early in the game to assume that AI can be applied across the board. Talk to some of the AI vendors at ISC West to learn when and if AI might be right for your organisation’s analytic applications. See who has actual, field-proven solutions and who is just offering ideas that might take many years to prove useful in real applications. Connecting with the right partner Think of ISC West as the ultimate meet-and-greet. Look around the tradeshow floor and see who might by likely partners Choosing the right partner is as important in business as it is life. Think of ISC West as the ultimate meet-and-greet. Look around the tradeshow floor and see who might by likely partners. You’re sure to find a number of new companies entering the field this year. Also be sure to notice which companies are absent. Have they left the surveillance industry? Are they struggling financially and can no longer afford to show up? If you partnered with them in the past, where does that leave your business today?  As you explore potential vendor relationships, make sure you not only look at the arc of their technology development, but also their long-term financial stability and the kind of support services they offer. Cybersecurity should be front and center on your radar, along with timely updates, product integration with your existing technology and ongoing training to gain the most benefit from your investment. Look into how eco-friendly the vendor’s products are, what they’re doing to recycle, minimise waste and lower their carbon footprint Think of ISC West as the ultimate meet-and-greet - look around the tradeshow floor and see who might by likely partners Another important thing to find out is whether their business ethics align with yours. Is sustainability important to your company? How about corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion? Ultimately you want to do business with healthy, innovative companies that share your core values.   If being green is a fundamental principal of your company, look into how eco-friendly the vendor’s products are, what they’re doing to recycle, minimise waste and lower their carbon footprint. If striving for better global citizenship is your corporate mantra, you need to know how the vendor is assuring their operation complies with environmental laws and regulations. In terms of maintaining social and ethical standards, it’s important to know where the vendor stands on issues such as human rights violations, compulsory child labour, fair wages and sourcing minerals from countries in armed conflict.  Go in with a plan There’s so much to discover at ISC West this year that four days isn’t nearly enough time to see it all. So you’ll have to strategically pick and choose which booths and vendors to visit. I’d advise that you plan out your days in advance so that you can get the most value from the choices you make.

Public spaces in cities and suburbs are important places for community development and promoting outdoor recreation. These areas may include main streets, parks, promenades, band shells and fields. Such locations are often utilised by public event planners for community activities, including summer festivals, wintertime ice skating rink installations, music concerts and art fairs. As the year drew to a close, holiday and Christmas markets as well as major New Year’s Eve events, presented cities with constant public event security needs. The public nature of these events increases risks of incidents with high-speed vehicles that put attendees in danger. Fortunately, there are three ways for public space managers to prevent casualty-causing collisions and further promote the use of local public areas. Developing an effective action plan    When strategising how to react to an alert, think about what time of the year and time of day the event is occurring It is important to have a plan developed before an incident or accident occurs. Warning systems, utilising doppler radar and digital loop technologies, alert guards to abnormal vehicle velocity changes in the surrounding area. Managers of public areas should organise a meeting with public safety authorities and local agencies to discuss what must immediately occur when a high-speed vehicle is approaching a public event. When strategising how to react to an alert, think about what time of the year and time of day the event is occurring. Having such a reaction plan in place combines technology and strategic planning to ensure everyone is on the same page to effectively target a threat and promote overall event safety. Securing public areas  Ideally, there will be no need to implement a well-conceived action plan. After all, taking preventive measures to secure public areas where events take place is important to keep people safe from accidental vehicle collisions and intentional attacks. Protect attendees by clearly separating pedestrian and vehicle locations using security devices such as – Barricades Portable barriers Bollards Install guard booths  Avoid the risk of vandalism and theft, making sure people are safe when walking back to the cars at night by keeping parking areas illuminated with flood lights. Install guard booths with employees who monitor activity in the parking area and who are prepared to react if an alert is triggered. Furthermore, prevent accidental collisions by clearly marking the parking area with informative warning signs and using barricades to direct traffic. These three tips can be used by public area managers to promote security at the next community event. Additionally, the technologies used to secure an event can also be used as infrastructure for year-round security. Installing gates that shut when the public space is closed or using aesthetically pleasing bollards are steps any public area manager can take to promote community safety.

Attendance has been growing steadily year-over-year for ISC West, and the 2018 show exceeded 30,000 total industry visitors for the first time. So it’s safe to expect ISC West 2019, April 10-12 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, will be bigger than ever. Preregistration for the 2019 show is on track to bring even more visitors than last year. “This is a show for everyone, for converged security,” says Mary Beth Shaughnessy, Event Director for Reed Exhibitions. “We bring a lot of different verticals together with IT and network security, physical security and robots and drones. It’s one-stop shopping and the number one security show in North America.” Identifying buying influencers The event organisers of ISC West make a concerted effort to bring the industry’s top buyers to the show The event organisers of ISC West make a concerted effort to bring the industry’s top buyers to the show. The ISC West Executive’s Club is a ‘top buyer program’ created to welcome high-level buying influencers who have current projects in the pipeline. The program works throughout the year, networking, researching and identifying buying influencers among end users, integrators, dealers/installers and consultants who are working on current projects. Approximately 1,300 attendees are participating in the program this year. An Executive’s Club member might be an integrator working with several large projects or represent a school system that is building a new campus or retrofitting their systems. During the trade show, these guests get the VIP treatment with a variety of benefits, including a lounge, cocktail receptions, and continental breakfasts. Personalised matchmaking programs ISC West also provides personalised matchmaking programs to bring together these buyers with companies that can meet their needs. The Executive Club members are also led on guided exhibit hall tours, based on product interest, that highlight new and innovative solutions. The program also contributes to ISC West’s goal to grow its end user audience. In this case, it is a group of eager buyers with immediate needs. Another growing aspect of ISC West is its role shaping exhibiting companies’ technology roadmaps, in particular the timing of new product releases. Many new products and technologies are announced at ISC West, and attendees are conditioned to attend the show to see what’s new in the marketplace. “Vendors try and work to get whatever solutions they are promoting together in time for ISC West,” says Shaughnessy. “Vendors know that attendees have fresh budgets and new initiatives early in the year.” Network security products ISC West will partner with the Security Industry Association (SIA) to make educational sessions available April 9-11 ISC West showcases the latest products, services, and technology including access control, video surveillance, disaster recovery, IT security products, network security products, wireless security products, and thousands more helping ensure safety by giving attendees the right tools and defenses to protect against security risks. In addition to the exhibition, ISC West will partner with the Security Industry Association (SIA) to make educational sessions available April 9-11. SIA Education@ISC will kick off the day before the start of the exhibition. The comprehensive program includes 85+ accredited sessions covering a range of industry topics aimed at providing the critical knowledge attendees need to protect and defend against developing threats in today's security landscape.

Safety and Security Things GmbH (SAST) will be both a first-time exhibitor at ISC West and also feature a larger booth – 1,800 square feet. The Bosch startup is looking to make a big splash in its first-time appearance at the largest security trade show in the United States. The International Security Conference & Exposition (ISC West) will be held April 10-12 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. Founded in September 2018 and based in Munich, Germany, SAST is building a new Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem for the security and safety industry, including an app store, an open and secure camera operating system, a software developer environment, and a portal for providing knowledge and functionalities tailored to integrators. SAST’s open IoT platform The open IoT platform is based on an open standardised operating system for video security cameras The open IoT platform is based on an open standardised operating system for video security cameras that creates a common basis for innovation and growth for the security industry. Apps built on SAST will enable airports, restaurants, stadiums and other facilities to transform security cameras into smart devices. The first partners are already developing apps based on the SAST ecosystem. “We will bring all the partners of our platform together and will showcase the first applications already realised on the platform,” says Nikolas Mangold-Takao, SAST Vice President of Marketing and Product Management. “In order to showcase this effectively at ISC West, we will create a space to demonstrate solutions effectively. At the same time, we are using the booth as our meeting space and will create a collaborative environment for our partners and all participants.” IoT and access control  “We want to ensure that all visitors of our booth (No. 10073) are getting to see first-hand solutions which are already realised based on first apps and cameras using our Operating System,” he adds. “We also want to demonstrate the benefits of the SAST platform for solution developers, integrators and manufacturers.” SAST is about bringing different players from the industry together in order to deliver better solutions" SAST will be looking for measurable results at ISC West. “On the one hand, we measure results by hard facts, such as the number of new partners who will join us and how satisfied our current ones are with the output,” says Mangold-Takao. “On the other hand, direct feedback from visitors at the booth, especially professionals from our industry and end-customers, is also extremely important to us, and we will measure it. SAST is about bringing different players from the industry together in order to deliver better solutions.” Openpath Access solution Another new exhibitor with a relatively large booth is Openpath, whose booth (No. 23051) will be 1,200 square feet. Openpath Access combines cloud-based software and sleek hardware with an app to enable hands-free access to an office using a smartphone that doesn’t need to leave your pocket.  Although large for first-time exhibitors, the Openpath and SAST booths fall squarely in the “medium range” of overall exhibit sizes at ISC West – larger than the smallest 100-square-feet exhibits typical for many first-time exhibitors, but still smaller than the largest booths such as Hanwha Techwin America (5,500 square feet). In addition to the new exhibitors on the main show floor, the Emerging Technology Zone, located in the Venetian Ballroom, will welcome new startups in the security marketplace.

As the Internet of Things (IoT) and other trends drive the convergence of physical and information security, integrators and end users attending ISC West may be struggling to keep pace with new areas of responsibility and expanding roles in the larger security ecosystem. Help is here. The Connected Security Expo, co-locating with ISC West, focuses on building a holistic security strategy for the connected enterprise. Exhibitors will focus on how physical and information security can be used together to mitigate new and emerging cyber-threats in a hyper-connected world. Connected Security Expo provides attendees access to cutting-edge products and technology in both the physical and IT secure realms. It is clearly a growth factor in the market. Here’s a look at some of the companies on display in the 2019 Connected Security Expo: Integrated video cloud service The AI-powered video analysis software suite delivers high-speed object search and facial classification Arcules provides the Arcules integrated video cloud service, which combines untapped video and sensor data with the latest technologies in cloud, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to deliver actionable business and security intelligence for modern organisations. The cloud-based service is designed to ensure security, scalability, streamlined operations, and bandwidth management — all from a single, easy-to-use interface. Hardware-accelerated solutions BrainChip Inc. is a global developer of software and hardware-accelerated solutions for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications. The AI-powered video analysis software suite delivers high-speed object search and facial classification for law enforcement, counter terrorism and intelligence agencies. PSIM software platform CNL Software Inc. is an open, adaptable, scalable and secure Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) solutions provider. The IPSecurity Center PSIM software platform helps law enforcement, government agencies, the military, public and private critical infrastructure, transportation networks, corporations and campuses to integrate, automate and manage systems, allowing better security intelligence and improved operational efficiency. Facial recognition software IOmniscient Corp. provides facial recognition software that can recognise multiple faces even in crowded and uncontrolled scenes IOmniscient Corp. provides facial recognition software that can recognise multiple faces even in crowded and uncontrolled scenes. Matching faces with an existing database, the system can detect an unauthorised person and track him or her across non-overlapping cameras. Enhance situational awareness Oncam offers 360 and 180-degree video technology. The company has the largest range of wide-angle cameras that are open platform and easy to integrate. Unique dewarping technology allows the creation of award-winning video solutions for stakeholders from the C-suite to the security officer in wide range of industry segments. Oncam’s products greatly enhance situational awareness. Enterprise-class security Pivot3 is a provider of intelligent solutions using hyperconverged infrastructure. Pivot3’s intelligent infrastructure is optimised to deliver performance, resilience, scalability and ease-of-use required for enterprise-class security, video surveillance and IoT deployments. Electronic physical security The UL 2900-1 standard offers general requirements for software cybersecurity for network-connectable productsUL LLC is working to increase the prominence of the Underwriter Laboratories brand in cybersecurity with the UL Cybersecurity Assurance Program (CAP). The UL 2900-1 standard, the standard that offers general requirements for software cybersecurity for network-connectable products, was published in 2016 and in July 2017 was published as an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard. The standard was developed with cooperation from end users such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. National Laboratories, and other industry stakeholders. UL 2900-2-3 – the standard that focuses on electronic physical security/life safety & security industry, was published in September 2017. Proactive automated system Viakoo is a provider of the security industry’s first proactive automated system and data verification solution. Create significant value Vidsys is innovating and accelerating a transition to Converged Security and Information Management or CSIM. The company is committed to educating and supporting customers with their evolving needs to provide a more holistic view of risk and throughout the overall business process re-engineering necessary to create significant value across the entire organisation.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES Council) is extending its Videalert CCTV enforcement platform with the installation of additional cameras for its approved class C clean air zone (CAZ) that gives exemptions to private cars but charges higher polluting buses, coaches, HGVs, LGVs/vans, private hire vehicles and taxis. Videalert was awarded the contract to ensure full and seamless integration with the council’s existing hosted digital video platform which is already being used to enforce a wide range of restrictions including bus lanes, bus gates and permit parking.  Videalert CCTV enforcement platform B&NES Council was one of 28 councils directed by the government to prepare an action plan to urgently reduce high levels of nitrogen dioxide (caused by vehicle emissions) to within EU and national limits by 2021 at the latest. The authority had originally proposed a Class D CAZ, charging all higher emission vehicles, including cars, to drive in the city centre. However, following further ongoing technical work and a public consultation in December - which garnered an unprecedented 8,421 responses - a class C option with additional traffic management, was agreed. According to Chris Major, group manager for Transport and Parking at B&NES Council: “The new charging class C CAZ will achieve compliance by 2021 apart from a single exceedance caused by localised traffic issues. We believe this will be resolved by installing traffic signals at two junctions.” HD ANPR cameras Videalert will be installing HD ANPR cameras to enforce the new CAZ scheme at key road junctions across the designated boundary Videalert will be installing HD ANPR cameras to enforce the new CAZ scheme at key road junctions across the designated boundary. The hosted Videalert platform will automate the management and enforcement of this new zone, providing real-time identification including vehicle make, model, colour and euro standard rating for pre-filtering and updating the whitelist of compliant vehicles held at the edge to minimise transmission costs. Information on non-compliant vehicles will then interface with the UK government’s new national clean air zone database for vehicle validation and payment. The system will also provide detailed analytics and impact analysis highlighting the reduction in non-compliant vehicles entering the zone over time. Support multiple applications Tim Daniels, Sales and Marketing Director at Videalert, added: “The award of this high-profile contract confirms Videalert’s ability to handle the evolving requirements of clean air and low emission zones. It also demonstrates how a single video data platform can support multiple applications, enabling councils to address the challenges of improving traffic congestion and air quality simultaneously.” The CAZ should commence operation at the end of 2020. The daily charge will be £9 for non-compliant taxis, private hire vehicles and light goods vehicles (the minimum standard being euro 6 for diesel and Euro 4 for petrol), and £100 for buses, coaches and HGVs (the minimum standard being euro 6).

The Security Industry Association (SIA), the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and ISC West are partnering to provide education on the critical issue of stadium security at ISC West 2019, occurring April 9-12 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. As part of this partnership, SIA Education@ISC will host The Stadium of the Future, a presentation bringing together a panel of industry experts to discuss current technology and capabilities gaps in security for the sports and entertainment industry. Research conducted by the NCS4 provides evidence of a need for innovation and technology transfer in this multi-billion-dollar industry Research conducted by the NCS4 provides evidence of a need for innovation and technology transfer in this multi-billion-dollar industry. In this key education offering, Dr. Lou Marciani, director of the NCS4, will moderate a discussion featuring Scott Dunn, senior director of business development, solutions and services at Axis Communications; Greg Moya, global pre-sales director at Dell Technologies; and Ryan Zatolokin, business development manager and senior technologies at Axis Communications. 360-degree video walls “The race to build the most cutting-edge sports stadium in the world has already begun. With 360-degree video walls, retractable roofs and interactive, virtual fan experience areas, the next generation of sports stadiums focuses on the convergence of the physical and digital experience,” said Dr. Elli Voorhees, director of education and training at SIA. “High-tech advancements are being made to enhance the fan experience at every turn, and this education session will highlight how technology capabilities are being leveraged to improve safety and security.” During this special session, industry experts will share the latest updates and findings regarding stadium and public venue security, highlight the NCS4’s work and share how attendees can participate in upcoming projects and initiatives. Public venue and stadium security Attendees will have the opportunity learn from leading industry experts and participate in a hands-on learning exercise “The sports and entertainment industry is moving away from traditional stadium structures to mega-venues which affix residential, office and retail spaces to large sports complexes,” said Marciani. “As technology advances and stadiums evolve into multi-purpose centers, security solution providers need to learn about the current and future needs of commercial sport and entertainment facilities – to meet growing market demands and to stay competitive in their product development.” Attendees will have the opportunity learn from leading industry experts and participate in a hands-on learning exercise. The Stadium of the Future will take place during ISC West on Thursday, April 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Sands 302. Following the session, attendees will enjoy a cocktail reception sponsored by SIA. SIA Education@ISC West To attend The Stadium of the Future and other education sessions at ISC West, sign up for SIA Education@ISC West. Featuring 85+ sessions on a variety of hot topics and providing critical information on the newest technologies in security, SIA Education@ISC West is your top industry resource for vendor-agnostic security and network training. The program qualifies for continuing education hours with many relevant industry accreditation bodies.

Kunsthalle Mannheim is a museum in Germany which contains a major collection of important art. Reliable technology, integrated in a networked solution from Bosch, ensures all-round protection on a total of 3,600 square meters of exhibition and storage space. A special focus of this is optimally safeguarding people and property without interfering with visitors’ encounters with priceless works of art. Customised security solution and integration Since its inauguration in 1909 over a century ago, Kunsthalle Mannheim has acquired a global reputation as a very special place to experience modern art. The complex comprises a building in Art Nouveau style dating from 1907, underground storage rooms, a main building, and the newer Hector Building, completed in 2018. Coinciding with the opening of the Hector Building, a customised security solution installed and integrated by Bosch experts also debuted. The system’s components are almost invisibly connected with the various exhibition areas. The modular alarm system UGM 2040 and around 260 state-of-the-art video cameras monitor the interiors of Kunsthalle Mannheim as well as the open areas around. Fire protection All of the security equipment is controlled by the Building Integration System from Bosch Comprehensive fire protection is provided by a fire alarm system spanning 700 detection points. There are 330 speakers in case it should ever be necessary to evacuate visitors and employees. All of the security equipment is controlled by the Building Integration System from Bosch. Modular alarm system Thanks to this new solution, Kunsthalle Mannheim is facing the future with confidence. The modularity of the alarm system UGM 2040 allows fast, cost-effective implementation of modifications and extensions. Professional service technicians from Bosch regularly maintain it and perform any required repairs to ensure highly reliable operation and low overhead.

OpenView Security Solutions, the UK’S largest privately-owned independent security company and a national supplier of electrical and mechanical services, has completed a major upgrade to the CCTV security systems used at Cardiff Airport, the national airport for Wales and a key gateway to the UK.  Upgrading airport security The project included a software upgrade for 40 cameras and replacement of a further 110 cameras with the latest high definition devices. The security network was expanded with an additional 80 cameras to meet the requirements of Cardiff Airport which is one of the UK’s key strategic assets that welcomes over 1.58 million passengers annually. Ian Godsell, IT Technician and GDPR Data Protection Officer at Cardiff Airport, said: “We have been impressed by the professional approach and expert advice provided by OpenView throughout the successful completion of this significant upgrade to our CCTV security systems. The safety and security of our staff and customers is our number one priority and the advanced technology in place supports our efforts to constantly monitor activity across the airport. This in turn supports our commitment to minimise risk and remain compliant in terms of regulatory standards.” IP cameras and VMS The first phase saw OpenView upgrading the CCTV control room with Indigo Vision’s Control Centre OpenView Security Solutions was invited to propose a solution for the staged upgrade of the security network as it was the airport’s incumbent CCTV systems maintainer and had received recommendations from Indigo Vision, which supplied the cameras, Video Management System (VMS) and Network Video Recorders (NVRs). The first phase of the upgrade project saw OpenView upgrading the CCTV control room with Indigo Vision’s Control Centre, the company’s latest VMS platform and a new video wall to give operators the clearest view of the expanded camera network. It also provides department heads with browser-based access to video footage to quickly review events and enhance decision-making. Indigo Vision NVRs Additional Indigo Vision NVRs were installed to capture and store images from all cameras for a 31-day period with an additional unit for failover applications. The upgrade was planned and completed to minimise disruption to the airport operation and ensure continued security vigilance throughout the process.  OpenView then replaced existing cameras which were obsolete and, as soon as new cat 5 cabling had been installed by the airport’s third-party contractor, was able to complete the new installation locations across the Airport including fire stations, management suite and hangars. HD CCTV surveillance system This upgrade confirms OpenView’s ability to handle major infrastructure projects for safety critical organisations throughout the UK" “With extensive experience of working with airports and a nationwide network of strategically located offices, this upgrade confirms OpenView’s ability to handle major infrastructure projects for safety critical organisations throughout the UK,” added Andy Ward, Sales Director at OpenView Security Solutions. Several challenges had to be overcome whilst completing this upgrade, including having to unexpectedly replace collapsed ducting in some of the car parks and the handling of all intricacies involved in risk assessments relating to working at height throughout the airport. OpenView continues to provide a high-quality maintenance support service to ensure the system consistently operates at peak efficiency and is working closely with the IT team to further enhance the CCTV network as the airport continues to expand.

Dundee’s rejuvenated waterfront has breathed new life into the city, and not far from the new V&A Museum building is Foxlake Dundee, an exciting new water sports facility. Taking advantage of the regenerated docks area, Foxlake Dundee offers cable wakeboarding – where boarders are propelled by an electric cable rather than a boat – paddle boarding and Scotland’s first urban Aqua Park. Hikvision thermal video solution Foxlake Dundee was the second Foxlake water park to open, following the very successful adventure park in Dunbar, East Lothian, on the Scottish coast. The Dundee facility, which opened fully in summer 2018, includes a large floating assault course, which has proven hugely popular with visitors, featuring huge obstacles, slides and rafts, and a giant 3.5m inflatable tower known as ‘the Mountain’. Unfortunately, due to its city centre location, the assault course and the wider facility was likely to be something of a magnet for unauthorised activity, primarily of the inebriated variety, explains Zak Hegarty, Foxlake Dundee’s manager. “Because of our location, right in the heart of Dundee city centre, we’re quite near a lot of pubs,” Hegarty adds. “And sometimes a 3.5m floating inflatable tower looks pretty inviting to someone with a quantity of ale in their system – it looks like an irresistible challenge.” Remote HD CCTV monitoringI introduced myself as I saw they were opening and was invited initially to look at a CCTV system" The concern was that accidental or deliberate damage or vandalism to the equipment was a real risk – and along with that came the danger of injury or worse to those attempting to exploit the park, at night, in the dark, unsupervised on the water. Hegarty’s first instinct was to investigate the option of manned guarding: having a security officer on-site during those out of hours periods overnight when the facility was at its most vulnerable. But an approach from Brian Davidson of Webster Security & Fire was to change his mind. Davidson had noticed the development in the docklands with interest. He approached Hegarty to see if Webster Security & Fire might be able to help with securing the site. “I introduced myself as I saw they were opening and was invited initially to look at a CCTV system,” Davidson says. “This then blossomed during further conversations into a proactive, remotely monitored CCTV solution. They were looking at going down the route of employing manned guarding for when the site was closed, but we thought this would provide a cost-effective and workable solution that offered the same level of protection.” GJD motion detectors The challenges presented by the Foxlake Dundee site were not insignificant. The system needed to be remotely monitored and based on some form of movement detection – on a site which itself was constantly moving, due to the changing tidal water levels. Davidson and Webster Security & Fire got in touch with Hikvision in Scotland and together they designed a solution to meet all of Foxlake’s needs. The centrepiece of the system proposed by Davidson and Webster Security & Fire was the use of Hikvision thermal cameras to detect activity on the jetties. This is complemented by the use of GJD motion detectors and Hikvision cameras to pick up movement on approach areas, further Hikvision cameras which monitor the internal office reception areas, and additional Hikvision cameras providing a security, health and safety and management overview of the both the assault course and the paddle and wakeboarding facility areas. A public address tannoy system is also connected to the surveillance solution. Hikvision thermal bullet cameras The Hikvision thermal bullet cameras highlight areas of heat difference in the field of view The Hikvision thermal bullet cameras highlight areas of heat difference in the field of view – so a human body is always visible as hotter than its surroundings, particularly in a marine or waterfront environment. Hikvision’s thermal cameras also utilise behaviour analysis technology, so figures moving into specific zones in the image can automatically generate alarms. The advantage of thermal cameras for a water-based site like Foxlake is that they can operate in all weather conditions – they’re not impeded by fog, mist, heavy rain, snow or other environmental factors, the sorts of conditions which could severely impede even the most advanced of conventional cameras. Hikvision 8-channel DeepinMind NVRs The other cameras in the Foxlake Dundee system benefit from Hikvision’s Darkfighter technology, allowing for video monitoring and recording in even the lowest of light conditions. And the whole solution records to a Hikvision 8-channel DeepinMind network video recorder, which utilises powerful AI technology to learn to filter out false alarms and accurately raise alerts. In the evening, after normal operating hours, the site is locked up and alarms are set. It’s then remotely monitored by the Corps of Commissioners, who are alerted when the thermal cameras or motion detectors pick up any movement on the site. Operators check the live cameras to confirm that intrusion has occurred. If an intruder is detected, they immediately contact Foxlake management via phone, and are also able to contact police if required. At the same time, the Corps operatives can use the PA system to issue warning announcements to allow the intruders to know they are being monitored. The effect is almost instantaneous, Hegarty says. Enhanced intrusion detectionThe overall reception for the video surveillance solution has been extremely positive “We’ve had three incidents since the system was installed,” he says, “and the response by the intruders is pretty remarkable. I’ve reviewed the footage and compared it to the time notification I’ve received a missed call on my phone: you can see the intruder on the video footage hear the warning, and then they’re off. They just leave straight away. It’s amazingly effective.” The overall reception for the video surveillance solution has been extremely positive. “We’re really happy with the system,” Hegarty says. “The video footage quality is very high and we’re glad we haven’t had to go down the manned guarding route, as similar facilities have done. We appreciate that Webster and Hikvision took the time and thought to design something that would work for us in our specific circumstances. Of course, the proof is in the performance, and the fact that a number of intruders have been quickly and effectively warned away is evidence that it is doing the job it was designed for.”

3xLOGIC, Inc., a provider of integrated, intelligent security solutions, and a three-time Deloitte Technology Fast 500 winner, working alongside Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale, is pleased to announce the completion of a highly-anticipated security system upgrade for Junior Achievement of South Florida (JASF) at the organisation’s JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion (JA World). JA World is located on the Broward College North Campus in Coconut Creek, Florida. With over 60,000 square feet of learning areas, rentable meetings rooms, and the Huizenga Catering Kitchen, JA World is the largest Junior Achievement facility in the world. Each year, more than 21,000 5th grade and 20,000 8th grade students from Broward and south Palm Beach counties visit the facility. The 5th graders learn basic economic concepts, workplace skills, and personal and business finances in a simulated city built for young students; the 8th graders focus on how their educational choices will impact their future earning potential, managing a budget and learn about high growth industries to help spark their career exploration. The initial security system included remotely managed access control, verified audio intrusion detection, and analogue camerasRequirement of IP camera technology “Each day, 450 students participate in JA BizTown and JA Finance Park simulations at JA World. Their safety and the safety of our volunteers, staff, and guests is of the utmost concern to us,” said Laurie Sallarulo, President & CEO, JASF. Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale started working with JASF in 2008, in the early design/build phase of the facility, and through its completion in 2009. The initial security system included remotely managed access control, verified audio intrusion detection, and analogue cameras. At the time, IP cameras were considered too expensive. “Previously, we had 18 analogue cameras on the system,” explained Leni Smith, Director of Operations for JASF. “As time went on, it was clear that we needed to bring more areas inside and outside the building under surveillance, we wanted to access more cutting-edge IP camera technology, and we wanted to have all our surveillance under one Video Management System (VMS).” Installation of 3xLogic hybrid NVR Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale installed a 3xLOGIC hybrid NVR, enabling JASF to protect their analogue camera investmentWorking in tandem, Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale and 3xLOGIC designed a system upgrade that, through a combination of discounts and donations, JASF could afford. It also helped that John Ray, President of Sonitrol Fort Lauderdale, is a long-time, active JASF Board member. In order to fit JASF’s budget, Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale installed a 3xLOGIC hybrid NVR, enabling JASF to protect their analogue camera investment, while adding in higher-resolution IP cameras for expanded coverage. The hybrid solution also creates a migration path, allowing JASF to continue improving visibility with new IP cameras over time as their budget allows.  “As part of ongoing security and safety improvements, our staff participates in an annual active shooter training,” explained Monica McNerney, VP Operations, “and during those trainings, two things became clear. We needed to cover more areas with surveillance, and we needed to partner more closely with local law enforcement to give them real-time access to our system in case of an emergency.” Viewing discrete areas with VIGIL software JASF has a number of discrete areas under surveillance and manages to view them through use of the 3xLOGIC VIGIL server softwareJASF has a number of discrete areas under surveillance and manages to view them through use of the 3xLOGIC VIGIL server software. These include the reception area, two loading dock areas, other exterior doors, their large meeting rooms, and the student areas, known as JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, where 450 young people spend most of their time each day at JA World. The receptionist controls public access to the building by viewing who is requesting entry, and buzzing that person in. The receptionist also monitors the loading dock area and notifies the appropriate staff member when a delivery has arrived. Leni Smith, who manages day-to-day security matters, reviews video after an incident is reported to her. “I really like how with the upgraded system, I can use motion detection alarms to hone in on exactly the video I need to review—I bet we’ve cut the time for review easily in half, if not more. I also really value how I can draw a box in a camera view and zoom into that area easily and quickly to find out exactly what happened.” Working with community partners We work very closely with our community partners to help them understand and access our facility and security system"Monica McNerney expanded on how the upgraded system is positively impacting another aspect of the JASF security program. “We work very closely with our community partners like Broward College security and local law enforcement to help them understand and access our facility and security system. We also routinely ask for their expert feedback on whether we’re managing our security effectively. “So far, they’ve told us we’re doing exactly what we need to be doing, and they’re excited about the expanded access they have to our camera views, although we hope that no event ever warrants that need.” TotalGuard solution for emergency situations Jennifer Thomas, Vice President of Operations for Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale, also discussed continued improvements that are planned for JA World. “We are actively designing phase II of the camera upgrade, which will include improved coverage and image clarity for camera views outside the front doors. TotalGuard allows JASF personnel to alert the Sonitrol central station and transmit real-time audio and video to the monitoring centre “We are also ready to deploy our latest technology for the main lobby area—TotalGuard. TotalGuard is a great solution for emergency situations, it allows JASF personnel to alert the Sonitrol central station and transmit real-time audio and video to the monitoring centre, for prioritised verified police response.” Sallarulo had a final thought on how things have been going with the system upgrade, “As for Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale, they always provide us an amazing response. As a non-profit, we could not do what we do without the help of partners like Sonitrol. We are very grateful for their support and service.”

When security topics become a part of current events, it is usually in a negative light. Security generally only becomes news when it fails, sometimes in a dramatic, high profile and tragic way. However, security failures can also shed light on lessons learned and opportunities to improve. Working toward better security can translate into the purchase of more goods and equipment supplied by our market. For additional insights into the intersection of security and current events, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Good news or bad news? How do news reports and/or current events influence the general public’s opinion of physical security?

The year ahead holds endless promise for the physical security industry, and much of that future will be determined by which technologies the industry embraces. The menu of possibilities is long – from artificial intelligence to the Internet of Things to the cloud and much more – and each technology trend has the potential to transform the market in its own way. We tapped into the collective expertise of our Expert Panel Roundtable to answer this question: What technology trend will have the biggest impact on the security market in 2019?

The new year 2019 is brimming with possibilities for the physical security industry, but will those possibilities prove to be good news or bad news for our market? Inevitably, it will be a combination of good and bad, but how much good and how bad? We wanted to check the temperature of the industry as it relates to expectations for the new year, so we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How optimistic is your outlook for the physical security industry in 2019? Why?