Security cameras - Security beat

The Global Security Exchange (GSX) seems smaller this year, which is not surprising given the absence on the show floor of several big companies such as Hikvision and ASSA ABLOY (although their subsidiary HID Global has a big booth). A trend affecting the number of companies exhibiting at GSX 2018, and other trade shows, is industry consolidation, which is impacting the show even beyond the fewer exhibitors this year in Las Vegas. GSX is the new branding for the trade show formerly kno...

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted 351-61 to ban federal agencies from buying Chinese-made surveillance cameras. The measure was passed May 24 as an amendment to House Bill 5515, the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is the funding plan for the military that also maps out a variety of policy priorities. The bill is at least several months away from becoming law, and it must still be considered by the Senate and then by a House-Senate conference committee...

Arecont Vision is a company in transition to say the least. With its balance sheet burdened with debt, the company is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and simultaneously being acquired by a private equity firm. The ‘new’ Arecont Vision that will emerge after several months when the process is complete will have a new owner, a clean balance sheet, and be poised to succeed in the competitive world of video surveillance, says Raul Calderon, Arecont Vision CEO and General Manag...

The Middle East security market provides a healthy opportunity for manufacturers who can capitalise on the region’s key verticals. Intersec’s 20th edition show focused more on solutions than on products, including solutions for the growing retail sector and an infrastructure market requiring ruggedised equipment to stand up to harsh environments. Intersec hosted security, safety and fire protection exhibitors from over fifty countries at Dubai’s spacious International Conventi...

Qognify’s security management systems compile information from a variety of sensors to provide situational awareness, and now they can leverage the benefit of a different kind of sensor, what the company calls the “human sensor.” Employees see and hear a lot of information during their work day, and some of it has an impact on security. Now that information can become part of an integrated security system, reported by trusted employees through a smart phone app. Qognify&rsquo...

Despite the increasing popularity of body-worn cameras, the technology has its detractors. For example, this month Big Brother Watch, a British civil liberties and privacy organisation, is raising new questions about the effectiveness of body-worn cameras. Specifically, Big Brother Watch found that 32 of the 45 police forces that have adopted body-cams in the United Kingdom were “unable to say” how often the footage was used in courts. To be clear, being “unable to say” d...

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&rsquo...

How do you make a 63-year-old organisation even better? That’s the challenge for ASIS International as it continues an effort to be more transparent and inclusive, and to adapt to 21st century work environments. Transforming the focus of ASIS International “ASIS International is undergoing a tremendous amount of transition and reexamination, creating a lot of opportunities,” says Amy Fischer, Vice President of Marketing and Communications. There’s a new CEO and there h...

A technology poised to transform the physical security market is deep learning, which is a neural network approach to machine learning, differentiated by an ability to train using large data sets for greater accuracy. In effect, the system “learns” by looking at lots of data to achieve artificial intelligence (AI). Phases of deep learning I heard a lot about AI, including how it can transform the physical security marketplace, when I attended NVIDIA’s GPU Technology Conferenc...

Project registration programmes are a benefit manufacturers provide to systems integrators and security dealers who are bidding on an upcoming installation project. In effect, the integrator registers a project he or she is bidding on with a manufacturer, which offers pricing discounts to that integrator for that specific project. Such a programme seeks to encourage an integrator to specify a manufacturer's products, while making it more difficult for a competing integrator to bid lower on a pro...

The ASIS International 63rd Annual Seminar and Exhibits, held between September 25th-28th in Dallas, will see several changes in 2017. The ASIS Board of Directors has directed ASIS staff members to look for new ways that the yearly show can provide more value, while continuing a 63-year tradition and demonstrated ability to serve the market. Under the general leadership of the Board, ASIS staff members have evaluated feedback from members, exhibitors and attendees to guide them as they seek to r...

The enthusiasm of ISC West 2017 continued through to the final hours of Friday, reflective of a show jam-packed with new technologies to address industry trends. Exhibitors seemed happy enough with booth traffic, which held up even on the final day. Security industry trends Industry trends drove much of the technology. For example, cameras are getting less expensive, which means it’s more cost-effective to specify systems with higher camera counts. Also, cameras are providing more data...

Artificial intelligence and deep learning are poised to transform how video images are used and managed. In today’s surveillance systems, video from more and more cameras leave operators at risk of drowning in data, requiring hours of manual effort to track assets or persons of interest. They need more intelligent systems. Among the new tools is use of neural networks to create video analytics systems that are trained, not programmed. In effect, the systems have the ability to “lear...

No doubt about it: ISC West 2016 was a hit. Every comment I heard during the show (and since) has highlighted how busy the show was. There was plenty of booth traffic, even on the (traditionally slow) final day of the show. Some say it was the best ISC West in the last several years. Others say it was the best show ever. Quite a contrast to some other recent industry shows, plagued by meagre traffic and complaining exhibitors. Instead, there were people everywhere at ISC West, asking questio...

Lower-cost thermal cameras are becoming attractive for more applications every day. Thermal cameras have long been known for their ability to “see in the dark” by sensing temperatures of objects and displaying a video image of temperature variations, but previously their high costs limited their appeal to mostly high-end or military applications. Now lower costs are expanding the possibilities. In particular, combining thermal cameras with video analytics drastically lowers the num...

We don’t usually report on financial news here, but a recent financial move by up-and-coming industry leader Hikvision warrants attention. Specifically, Hikvision in Hangzhou, China, has secured a $3.1 billion line of credit from the government-owned China Development Bank. Companies use a variety of financing tools to provide the currency they need to fuel growth, so in that regard, Hikvision’s move is to be expected. Given their ambitious growth timeline, both in China and throug...

A major industry player is getting even bigger. FLIR’s acquisition of DVTEL will make FLIR a full-spectrum security systems provider, covering the consumer, SMB, Enterprise and large infrastructure segments of the market. The acquisition of DVTEL strengthens and broadens FLIR’s Enterprise market segment, complementing the existing security product lineup by offering a new set of software-based video surveillance technologies. FLIR already has solutions at either end of the tradition...

Hikvision USA’s ascension from virtual obscurity to the upper tier of manufacturers in the U.S. market is being built on the Chinese company’s huge manufacturing capacity – they turn out 50,000 to 60,000 surveillance cameras every day from factories in China. The large capacity enables Hikvision to achieve economies of scale. In effect, they can make high quality video surveillance products at a lower price, a capability that will continue to serve them well as they begin compe...

Can a U.S. manufacturing company compete and thrive in the global security market? Megapixel camera manufacturer Arecont Vision makes a strong case that it can. Dialogue and integration with VMS companies Assembling products in the USA helps Arecont Vision ensure quality. If there is a quality issue, the company can stop the production line and fix it. Although some of Arecont Vision’s components, such as camera housings, are manufactured in low-cost regions of the world, including Chin...

Having leapt to the top of market share reports mostly selling inexpensive cameras, Hikvision USA is now making an aggressive play for large systems business at the top end of the market. Jeffrey He, President of Hikvision USA and Hikvision Canada, acknowledges that much of the company’s success to date has been in the low- to mid-sized systems market based on the “value proposition” of Hikvision’s inexpensive cameras. However, to succeed in the North American market, the...

Frank De Fina’s death this week came as a shock to everyone in the security industry. The industry has lost both a giant presence and a good friend. He made his mark as a talented executive at some of the biggest companies in the security industry. The “Dark Restaurant Society” I saw Frank De Fina a lot in dark restaurants. I was honoured to be among the security industry journalists invited to his twice-yearly press dinners, held at nicely accoutred (if dimly lit) restaurant...

Check out our recent interview with Scott Schafer at IFSEC 2015 hereScott Schafer of Arecont Vision is outspoken about the limitations of standard resolution/VGA video cameras. The megapixel camera company’s Executive Vice President says standard resolution and analogue video cameras are the “most toxic asset” at end user companies because they produce the least value for the money. Megapixel video cameras, like those made by Arecont Vision, are much more cost-effective, says S...

We’re seeing a market trend toward manufacturers seeking to provide “total solutions” rather than components. The trend is reflected clearly in recent industry consolidation, for example. When companies that manufacture various components become part of a single corporate owner, it’s not a stretch to expect the new owners to combine those components into a single end-to-end solution – sooner or later. Manufacturers are also leveraging OEM agreements and other partne...

When you need to view video of an incident or information about an access point, you expect your security system will provide that information. But what happens if a camera or card reader isn’t working for some reason? It’s the security director’s worst nightmare. Sadly, the moment when a system fails is often the first indication an end user has that there is a problem. A useful trend I saw at ISC West this year is growth in various types of diagnostic, monitoring and control...

Phybridge is an unfamiliar name in the physical security market. That’s because the Canadian company first made its mark in the telecommunications market, serving customers transitioning from analogue to digital telephone systems using “voice-over-IP.” The telecommunications transition came six to 10 years before a similar transition happening now in the physical security market, and the infrastructure solutions that succeeded in the former market are also applicable to the la...

Milestone Systems is closing in on a year since their acquisition by Canon’s European subsidiary in June 2014. Throughout the ownership transition, Milestone has reiterated its commitment to open systems and continued to flourish, building its “ecosystem” alongside other industry partners. At the recent Milestone Integration Platform Symposium (MIPS 2015), I had a chance to chat with Lars Thinggaard, Milestone’s president and CEO, about industry trends and what’s ah...

Commoditisation of cameras and downward price pressure are big topics in the video surveillance market. There was an interesting discussion about pricing and its impact on the integrator community at last month’s MIPS 2015 (Milestone Integration Platform Symposium). Participants were several of the major camera manufacturers, who provided a variety of viewpoints. Prompting the discussion – but with no representative on the panel – were the emerging Chinese manufacturers, who a...

In the wake of Canon’s acquisition of Axis Communications, the company faces a communication challenge in the market – to reiterate the camera manufacturer’s commitment to open systems- acknowledges Fredrik Nilsson, General Manager, North America of the Swedish IP camera vendor.    “We say nothing will change, and we will show it in our action as well as say it,” he comments. “There have been companies that have claimed openness, but then don&rsquo...

Given the current trend toward consolidation, the industry has seen more camera manufacturers and software suppliers aligning under the same owner. Bucking the trend is software company Genetec.  “Staying independent will help us innovate,” says Georges Karam, who recently joined Genetec as chief commercial officer. “What’s important for the customer is the end-to-end solution, and our integrators can provide that.” Genetec positions itself at the centre of a...

Surprise – shock, even – was the initial reaction of most in the industry to the announcement earlier this week of Canon’s intent to acquire Axis. Maybe it was the (apparent) suddenness of the move, or its scale ($2.8 billion!) that caught us off guard. Maybe it’s the continuing ripples the move is likely to cause through the industry that has us still talking about it. It’s clearly the biggest story in our market in years. But after you think about it a couple of...