Surveillance cameras

PROMISE Technology, an enterprise storage solutions provider, is forecasting massive growth for large data storage, green technology and data compliance following surveillance trends unveiled at the International Security Conference (ISC West) 2021, held in Las Vegas recently. At ISC West, PROMISE Technology noted that the focus was very much on Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence, mainly as a result of the ‘new norm’ brought along by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has brought into focus the necessity for security and video surveillance amid the ‘new norm’ - be it for tracking close contacts, containing new clusters and mutations, or vaccine passports. Access control products In tandem with this increased digitisation, many ISC West participants are offering products that cater to governments and property developers speeding up and reactivate pending smart city projects as economies around the globe recover. This contactless multimodal biometric access control products, touchscreen panels that offers unified home automation and security monitoring and space management systems. The integration of AIoT allows autonomy while increasing efficiency, foresee challenges and opportunities With an increase of smart cities, some ISC exhibitors focused on helping systems run smoothly with Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) which is a key component in businesses to streamline decision making processes with the aid of gathering, analysing and interpreting data without the need of costly and significant system resources. The integration of AIoT allows autonomy while increasing efficiency, foresee challenges and opportunities, and scale proportionately according to the devices connected. Global surveillance industry The large amount of data emerging from the predicted increased surveillance results in a surge of data and requires efficient and large storage solutions to ensure a high efficacy rate. To address the demand for both larger storage and offer enhanced integration, PROMISE Technology converges physical security systems to leverage the accumulating amounts of data being produced. “PROMISE Technology has seen and supported first-hand major changes in the global surveillance industry over the last decade from traditional CVR all the way to AVR (Analytic Video Recorder). We will continue to converge physical security systems to leverage the accumulating amounts of data being produced. For example, our patented SMARTBOOST software provides optimised software features and FRU hardware design to eliminate storage equipment bottlenecks,” said Alice Chang, Chief Sales Officer of PROMISE Technology. Daily business operations PROMISE Technology has also dedicated an entire R&D team over the last 30 years to develop RAID solutionsPROMISE Technology has also dedicated an entire R&D team over the last 30 years to further develop Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) solutions to improve efficiency for daily business operations which provides a solid engine to handle complicated data management requirements in the surveillance industry. This effort is coupled with PROMISE’s focus on eco-friendliness. Noting that incredible amounts of power is necessary to back the new trends, brands are expected to put extra emphasis on green technologies to conserve energy, save costs and keep enterprises as environmentally conscious as possible. PROMISE is also predicting that with AI and IoT devices creating large troves of personal data, the focus on cyberthreats as well as to protect privacy concerns has never been higher. Video surveillance products Thus, there is now a growing concern among manufacturers to provide National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA)-compliant video surveillance products. “PROMISE Technology has made persistent endeavors in green production and compliance with government regulations, resulting in solid business results over the past 30 years. We consistently offer high-quality, reliable government-compliant solutions. By putting customer data protection and security first, we hope to bring peace of mind to our customers and partners worldwide,” said Chang. Large data storage solutions along with ‘green’ technology and strict compliance are only some of PROMISE’s solutions for the global audience. With expected surveillance industry boom in the ‘new norm,’ PROMISE is keeping a close eye on developments to ensure its solutions are in line with different local demands and evolving requirements to provide surveillance companies with tools to tackle new challenges.

Patriot One Technologies Inc. announces it has released Alert Center, a remote-access solution that enables security alert orchestration and delivery via a mobile app. Alert Center extends the functionality and flexibility of Patriot One’s PATSCAN weapons- and threat-detection platform, providing a broad set of options for security operations teams to design security processes to match their business models. Targeted security groups This enhancement to the PATSCAN portfolio enables easy alert configurations and automatically alerts anyone, anywhere - individually or in targeted security groups - about security incidents or issues within stadiums, casinos and other entertainment venues, so they can respond quickly and effectively. Patriot One’s PATSCAN platform uses sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to scan for guns and other weapons accurately and unobtrusively at entry points to facilities, and also to identify disturbances and other safety issues both outside and inside of facilities using AI-based video surveillance. “Alert Center operationalises our AI detection technology by automatically alerting and informing guards on a mobile app when issues are detected,” said Patriot One CEO Peter Evans. Conducting continuous monitoring Patriot One’s AI automates those back-office functions by conducting continuous monitoring “Alert Center provides flexibility for security organisations to design alerting functions that optimise security staffing and response time. It also extends beyond alerting solely at the venue entrance, allowing sharing of critical information and intelligence across key security staff and stakeholders, wherever they are.” Evans added that the flexibility of Alert Center also provides the option to eliminate the need for guards to perform video monitoring and other back-office functions so they can get out from behind the desk and instead perform higher-value activities out in the venue. Patriot One’s AI automates those back-office functions by conducting continuous monitoring, and automatically identifying and escalating situations to the right personnel. Delivering better security When guards receive an alert, the mobile app indicates the reason for the alert (‘Fight,’ ‘Weapon Detected,’ ‘Gun Detected,’ ‘Threat Detected,’ etc.) along with an image confirming the issue. They also have the option to view real-time video that gives them up-to-the-moment situational intelligence. This functionality also can be applied to operational considerations that impact the patron experience, such as identifying long lines at concession stands, spills in hallways, etc. “In a time of chronic security staff shortages, Alert Center digitally empowers security staff members so they can be in the right place at the right time at all times,” Evans added. “This means venues can meet today’s business mandate to deliver better security and a superior patron experience, without having to hire armies of additional people.”

Spectra Logic, a provider of data storage and data management solutions, announces a partnership with StorMagic, a company that simplifies storage and security from the edge to the core, to deliver a complete end-to-end active archive for video surveillance and digital evidence management. The joint storage solution combines StorMagic’s ARQvault, the first active intelligent repository to manage and retrieve digital assets using powerful analytics, and Spectra Logic’s award-winning BlackPearl® NAS system and enterprise-class tape libraries to protect large amounts of data in multiple locations for as long as needed. Video surveillance assets To learn more about the joint solution, please register for the webinar entitled, ‘Building a Complete Active Archive Repository’, to be held on Tuesday 17th August at 4PM BST. The global video surveillance market is expected to record high growth over the next several years as organisations and municipalities collect and save petabytes of video footage to enhance public safety, prevent crime and terrorism, thwart theft, mitigate corruption and capture evidence of criminal behaviour for legal purposes. Organisations are also using video surveillance assets to enhance business processes and identify new opportunities. This growth in video surveillance has accelerated the need for efficient, high-capacity storage of raw video content. In addition, growth in media and entertainment content has compelled organisations with hundreds of thousands of hours of digital video, audio and images to optimise their workflows with storage infrastructures designed for simple retrieval and long-term content repurposing. Digital storage requirements StorMagic and Spectra Logic combines StorMagic ARQvault software’s ability to move data automatically To address these requirements, the new joint storage solution from StorMagic and Spectra Logic combines StorMagic ARQvault software’s ability to move data automatically to Spectra BlackPearl NAS and Spectra Tape Libraries for nearline and long-term storage, and facilitates the fast retrieval of video footage and digital assets when it must be recalled. The simple, scalable solution enables organisations of all sizes with huge digital storage requirements to modernise their security and storage infrastructures for preservation and usage. “We are excited to partner with StorMagic to provide customers with a storage solution that meets industry requirements,” said Matt Ninesling, Spectra Logic Senior Director of Hardware Engineering. Digital asset management “In the case of video surveillance, more and more organisations worldwide are deploying 24/7 surveillance systems with more and higher resolution cameras that require greater storage capacities and faster access to video footage. The joint Spectra and StorMagic solution answers those needs perfectly, providing an end-to-end solution from ingest of video footage to storage to forever access.” “Through this joint solution, StorMagic and Spectra Logic together are delivering intelligent digital asset management, retrieval, analytics, and protection, a collection of our respective products’ best features,” said Brian Grainger, President of StorMagic, Inc. (U.S.), Chief Revenue Officer and Board Member. “We are excited to deliver this simple, scalable, complete archive repository for video surveillance, digital evidence and media and entertainment for organisations of any size.”

Videonetics, world’s AI & DL powered Unified Video Computing Platform (UVCP™) development company, announced that its AI-powered Intelligent VMS 3.0 (IVMS) is now ONVIF Profile ‘Q’ Compliant that allows easy set-up mechanism and basic configuration of IP cameras over the network, directly from the IVMS. It also supports Transport Layer Security (TLS), a secure communication protocol, that allows ONVIF devices themselves to communicate with clients across a network in a way that protects against tampering and eavesdropping. ONVIF ‘Q’ compliance On this achievement, Mr. Tuhin Bose, VP & CTO, Videonetics expressed, “Adding ONVIF ‘Q’ compliance to our existing S, G and T certifications is an achievement for us. By having new ONVIF standard in our Intelligent VMS 3.0, users can avail the benefit of secured communication between our VMS and ONVIF Q compliant devices.” Videonetics is committed to continue adopting open standards for better interoperability and openness" “It also empowers users for quick discovery and basic configuration of profile Q conformant IP cameras or network devices using IVMS 3.0, hence streamlining set-up and deployment process without needing to access configuration settings of individual devices. Videonetics is committed to continue adopting open standards for better interoperability and openness.” Videonetics Intelligent VMS 3.0 Building on more than a decade of R&D in the domain of video computing, computer vision, artificial intelligence and machine learning-based technologies, Videonetics Intelligent VMS 3.0 delivers a next-generation user interface, military-grade security, rugged with unprecedented levels of high availability and a future-ready solution, for any size of deployment across various industry verticals such as smart & safe cities, critical infrastructure, industrial, mass transit, education, healthcare and retail to name a few. It encompasses multiple video computing services in a unified, homogenous software architecture platform and goes beyond the mere ‘capture-record-display’ generation of Video Management. Videonetics has been ranked #1 Video Management Software provider in India, and among the top 5 in Asia.

To meet rising consumer demands for parcel delivery, particularly for goods bought online, logistics companies need to manage their loading docks as effectively as possible. However, dock managers often lack the real-time information they need to make fast, accurate decisions. They may not be able to see, for example, which docks are available, which are in use, and which will soon be free. Without these vital insights, vehicles often wait unnecessarily, when they could be loading or unloading, causing delays and negatively impacting productivity, and the throughput of goods through the facility. As an additional challenge, managers are often unable to see which truck parking areas are available. This means drivers often simply park where they can, blocking important areas of the site, or slowing down other vehicles trying to reach their allocated docks. Dock management with intelligent video  Hikvision has built Smart Dock Management features into its logistics solution portfolio To address the challenges of ineffective and manual dock management, Hikvision has built Smart Dock Management features into its logistics solution portfolio. Using an intelligent dock camera at every loading and unloading bay, the solution provides real-time information that enables dock managers to make accurate, timely decisions across many more docks than would otherwise be possible. The Smart Dock Management feature incorporates several key capabilities that help to automate and optimise dock management operations. Key capabilities of the solution include: Dock occupation detection The Hikvision cameras can detect, in real-time, if trucks are loading or unloading at docks, or whether they are unoccupied. The solution also recognises the truck’s number plates to identify the vehicle that is occupying the dock. This information is relayed to an interactive map, giving managers instant visibility of the load and unload operations and docks that are available, 24 hours a day. Based on these real-time insights, drivers can be dispatched to available docks quickly and efficiently via a mobile app. Parking optimisation Information from dock cameras and other site cameras also provides a real-time view of available parking spaces across the site. This allows managers to dispatch trucks to available parking spaces where they can wait without blocking key corridors and routes on the site. Monitoring for truck loading and unloading Using cameras positioned inside and outside loading bays, the Hikvision solution creates a record for later reference. This is essential for determining responsibility and liability in the event of goods going missing, or if an accident occurs such as fragile goods falling from a truck or pallet. Security checks To maximise security, information for barcode scanners is cross-referenced with video records. This enhances goods tracking and provides an audit trail to ensure goods never ‘leak’ from the supply chain. Automation of inbound and outbound processes The Hikvision solution eliminates the need to calculate transport costs for parcels manually based on their weight and size. Instead, it uses product information from barcode scanners to automate the process, reducing operating costs and maximising throughput. Efficient dock management with a digital dashboard interface The solution provides a digital dashboard that displays all docks, showing if they are available or occupied. The dashboard also displays historical performance data, allowing staff to optimise operational efficiency, optimise scheduling and staffing decisions, and speed up the time between vehicles arriving and leaving. Together, these benefits serve to improve the overall operating efficiency of the logistics park. Using an intelligent dock camera at every loading and unloading bay, the solution provides real-time information that enables dock managers to make accurate, timely decisions across many more docks than would otherwise be possible. Key benefits of Smart Dock Management With Hikvision’s Smart Dock solution, logistics operations can improve their throughput and performance, while also providing far better experiences for dock managers and truck drivers. Top benefits include: Increased operational performance and efficiency With features that help managers dispatch drivers to available docks more quickly, Hikvision Smart Dock helps to maximise dock utilisation. This allows logistics operations to increase their overall throughput, and to drive revenues as a result. In addition to this benefit, throughput is increased with features that automate a range of key processes, including goods tracking, security checks, sizing, and weighing. This all helps to improve operating efficiency, delivering significant cost savings for logistics operators. End-to-end goods monitoring and security By monitoring and recording the entire goods loading and unloading process, the Hikvision solution creates an audit trail for every product passing through the site. This helps to improve the security of goods and to prevent loss of inventory, while also helping to determine responsibility where goods are lost or damaged. Information from barcode scanners can be cross-referenced with video footage to track goods and to detect and view incidents quickly and easily. Excellent experiences for dock managers and drivers Using the Hikvision solution, dock managers can handle their workloads much more easily and make the best decisions across a large number of vehicles and allocated docks. Additionally, drivers get clear instructions on where to park and where to wait and are able to load or unload much more quickly than would otherwise be possible. This gives them a far better experience and allows them to meet their demanding schedules.

Edge360 announced the launch of its new Video Management Software (VMS), Surveill VMS, which is the first fully containerised VMS running on micro services. Surveill VMS Surveill VMS was originally created to support the U.S. government on a global scale and now offers the private sector a true-enterprise surveillance technology that can scale with their business. “Edge360 makes products that are operationally-appropriate, specifically designed to answer to real-world issues in mission-critical environments,” said John Rezzonico, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Edge360. True enterprise solution John Rezzonico adds, “Surveill VMS was built with purpose. To provide a true Enterprise solution that scales horizontally with a reduced hardware footprint in a solution that is easy to maintain, even on a global scale.” Features of Surveill VMS include, but are not limited to: Containerised platform - Multiple micro services running on a single server, communicating in a virtual environment. Built-in fail over and redundancy. Active-Active Clustering. API-First Technology ready to integrate with third-party security solutions. Meeting modern security needs Surveill is available now, offering options for organisations of any size. Edge360 is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), built to bridge the gap between intelligence analytics and security imperatives. Edge360’s software platforms are tailor-made to address the most pressing security needs of the time and are scalable to take on future challenges.

As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes and sporting venues open-up to full capacity, a new disturbing trend has hit the headlines - poor fan behaviour. Five NBA teams have issued indefinite bans on fans, who crossed the line of unacceptable behaviour, during the NBA playoffs. Major League Baseball stadiums have a recurring problem with divisive political banners being strewn over walls, as part of an organised campaign, requiring fan ejections. There was a brawl between Clippers and Suns fans after Game 1 of their playoff series. And, the U.S. vs. Mexico Nations League soccer game over the Fourth of July weekend had to be halted, due to fans throwing objects at players and screaming offensive chants. Cracking down on poor fan behaviour Security directors are consistently reporting a disturbing uptick in poor fan attitude and behaviour With players across all major sports leagues commanding more power than ever before, they are demanding that sports venues crack down on poor fan behaviour, particularly when they are the targets of that behaviour. Whether it’s an extension of the social-media divisiveness that’s gripped society, or people unleashing pent up negative energy, following 15 months of social isolation, during the COVID-19 global pandemic, security directors are consistently reporting a disturbing uptick in poor fan attitude and behaviour. They’re also reporting a chronic security guard shortage, like many businesses that rely on relatively low-cost labour, finding candidates to fill open positions has been incredibly difficult. Low police morale To add the third component to this perfect storm, many police departments are struggling with morale issues and officers are less likely to put themselves into positions, where they could wind up in a viral video. According to the Police Executive Research Forum, police officer retirements in the U.S. were up 45% in the April 2020 - April 2021 period, when compared to the previous year. Resignations were up 18%. In this environment, officers may be less likely to undertake fan intervention unless it’s absolutely necessary. This can seem like the worst of times for venue security directors, as they need more staff to handle increasingly unruly patrons, but that staff simply isn’t available. And, because the security guard staffing industry is a commoditised business, companies compete almost solely on price, which requires that they keep salaries as low as possible, which perpetuates the lack of interest in people participating in the profession. Digital Transformation There is only one way out of this conundrum and that is to make security personnel more efficient and effective. Other industries have solved similar staffing and cost challenges through digital transformation. For example, only a small percentage of the total population of restaurants in the U.S. used to offer home delivery, due to cost and staffing challenges of hiring dedicated delivery personnel. Advent of digital efficiency tools But with the advent of digital efficiency tools, now virtually all restaurants can offer delivery But with the advent of digital efficiency tools, such as UberEATS and DoorDash, now virtually all restaurants can offer delivery. Likewise, field-service personnel are digitally connected, so when new jobs arise, they can be notified and routed to the location. Compare this to the old paper-based days, when they wouldn’t know about any new jobs until they picked up their work schedule at the office, the next day and you can see how digital transformation makes each worker significantly more efficient. Security guards and manned guarding The security guard business has never undergone this kind of digital transformation. The state-of-the-art ‘technology’ has never changed - human eyes and ears. Yes, there are video cameras all over stadiums and other venues, but behind the scenes is a guard staring at a bunch of monitors, hoping to identify incidents that need attention. Meanwhile, there are other guards stationed around the stadium, spending most of their time watching people who are doing nothing wrong. Think about all the wasted time involved with these activities – not to mention the relentless boredom and ‘alert fatigue’ from false-positive incident reporting and you understand the fundamental inefficiencies of this labour-based approach to security. Now think about a world where there’s ubiquitous video surveillance and guards are automatically and pre-emptively notified and briefed, when situations arise. The fundamental nature of the security guards profession changes. Instead of being low paid ‘watchers’, they instead become digitally-empowered preventers. AI-based screening and monitoring technology This world is happening today, through Artificial Intelligence-based screening and monitoring technology. AI-powered weapons-detection gateways inform guards, when a patron entering the venue is carrying a gun, knife or other forbidden item. Instead of patting down every patron with metal in their pockets, which has been the standard practice since walk-through metal detectors were mandated by sports leagues following 9/11, guards can now target only those who are carrying these specific items. Video surveillance and AI-based analytics integration Combining surveillance video with AI-based advanced analytics can automatically identify fan disturbances Combining surveillance video with AI-based advanced analytics can automatically identify fan disturbances or other operational issues, and notify guards in real time, eliminating the need to have large numbers of guards monitoring video feeds and patrons. The business benefits of digitally transformed guards are compelling. A National Hockey League security director says he used to have 300 guards manning 100 walk-through metal detectors. By moving to AI solutions, he can significantly reduce the number of scanning portals and guards, and most importantly redeploy and gain further operational efficiencies with his overall operational strategy. Changing staffing strategy This changes the staffing strategy significantly and elevates the roles of guards. Suddenly, a US$ 20-per-hour ‘job’ becomes a US$ 40-per-hour profession, with guards transformed into digital knowledge workers delivering better outcomes with digitally enabled staffs. Beyond that, these digitally transformed guards can spend a much higher percentage of their time focused on tasks that impact the fan experience – whether it’s keeping weapons out of the building, pro-actively dealing with unruly fans before a broader disruption occurs, or managing business operations that positively impact fan patron experience. Digitally transforming security guards Perhaps most important, digitally transforming security guards elevates the profession to a more strategic level, which means better pay for the guards, better service for clients of guard services, and an overall better experience for fans. That’s a perfect storm of goodness for everyone.

Prices and delivery times for essential components in CCTV systems are being driven up as demand soars from other industries. Secure Logiq’s Robin Hughes explains the current state of the market. Challenges Component shortages and supply chain challenges are a hot topic in just about every industry based on semi-conductors and silicon chips right now, and security is no exception. It’s common knowledge that the global Covid lockdown caused a shutdown in the mining of silicon and spherites as large industries such as motor manufacturing cancelled or postponed their chip orders – this has caused a supply gap that every industry is feeling. However, there is a second challenge that is hitting the security sector particularly hard, and it may not be one you are expecting – cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies and security When people discuss cryptocurrencies and security, thoughts often turn to cybersecurity and ransomware payment tracking. But the issue for the majority of the security industry comes from crypto mining. When it comes to cryptocurrencies, GPUs are intrinsic for ‘proof of work’ mining GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) are a key component in CCTV, they decode images and display them onto screens. With the increase of video analytics, these have also become key to running the complicated algorithms required for creating the metadata and presenting it in a meaningful way for end-users. However, when it comes to cryptocurrencies, GPUs are intrinsic for ‘proof of work’ mining. Demand for GPUs When Bitcoin prices were relatively low, it was hard to justify the cost of a GPU and the associated power consumption for Bitcoin mining applications. But as the price of Bitcoin has increased exponentially, demand for GPUs to do the number-crunching has grown dramatically causing a major shortage and huge price hikes. This rise in prices is not correlated with an increase in technological performance on the new GPUs, it is entirely a case of demand outstripping supply and a resulting bidding war. To put this in context, cards are currently going new for around twice the original price and manufacturers simply cannot keep up with the demand. Chia On top of this, there is a new cryptocurrency creating a new threat to a different part of the CCTV industry. A new ‘environmental’ cryptocurrency called Chia has dispensed with the processing power and electricity demands of traditional GPU mining, instead of utilising the spare storage space on hard drives (HDD) to verify blockchain transactions (‘proof of space’). The demand for this particular cryptocurrency has to date called on 30 Exabytes of storage since May this year – that’s 30 Billion Gigabytes of data, and it’s not just HDDs, high-capacity SSDs are also in demand. This is causing massive hard drive supply issues globally, thus rocketing prices for those that are available. HDD consumption The security industry sits comfortably in the ‘Big data’ category and with storage retention times running from 30 days to 6 months Of course, this has a particularly large knock-on for the CCTV market. There is nothing more data-intensive than video, other than multiple streams of HD video. With this in mind, the security industry sits comfortably in the ‘Big data’ category and with storage retention times running from 30 days typically up to 6 months and longer in some regions/applications, the CCTV market consumes more HDDs than many other markets. Growth of data centres While you would think that this would make security an important area for HDD manufacturers, our market is a relatively small player. IT vendors will always focus on their core customers, and the rise of the gaming market, as well as the growth of data centres due to remote working in the pandemic, has created a more important sector to serve – and these customers will always come first. Imagine the daily storage space required if 5 Billion people uploaded just one image a day to ‘the cloud’! Component manufacturers These factors combined with the lack of raw materials leading to longer lead times for component manufacturers mean that the prices for hard drives and GPUs are likely to remain inflated well into 2022 while factories play catch up on the backlog. The market for IT hardware is currently strong enough to continue even with the increase in component prices and the extended lead times for products. If you can get your hands on any HDDs, the delivery times from most distributors are around 6-8 weeks. Increased delivery times All of this has had a serious impact on the security industry. CCTV projects are now facing the combined issue of increased delivery times and higher costs. Many manufacturers, integrators, and distributors are doing their best to absorb the price increases where they can, but this is unsustainable over the long term. So what can be done? Second-hand applications Some people are getting more creative by purchasing from the second-hand market Some people are getting more creative by purchasing from the second-hand market. However, it is unlikely that commercial applications will be willing to risk potential downtime or data losses by using second-hand components that have been pushed hard for months on end mining cryptocurrencies. Making early purchases While I can’t comment on what other manufacturers have done, at Secure Logiq we have been watching this market trend closely. We always try to keep a close eye on anything that has the potential to significantly impact our manufacturing capabilities and try to offset any potential challenges with early purchases before the impact is fully felt. As such, we have been able to secure enough products to continue manufacturing as normal for more than six months. Increased demand as a challenge While we have this existing stock to meet current and anticipated orders, we continue to scour the market for any available stock to make sure we are at the top of the list when any fresh products come on the market. This has meant that throughout our 10-year history we have never failed to deliver a customer order within 7-10 working days. The delays with component manufacture and the ongoing increased demand will continue to present a huge challenge to the CCTV and wider security industry. However, good planning and intelligent design will allow projects to remain on track. Security technology manufacturers are not alone in this challenge, but the dual-threat is perhaps unique. It will take a while for this threat to be overcome, but with robust planning and by paying close attention to the market forward-thinking CCTV manufacturers can still deliver projects for their clients.

Perimeter security is by no means a new concept. A phrase used to describe solutions with the primary purpose of limiting access to any area that is prohibited to the public at large, perimeter security has been prevalent for millennia. From Hadrian’s Wall that was built by the Roman Empire in Britain back in AD 122 to the Great Wall of China that winds almost 22,000 kilometers through the Asian country’s eastern regions, it is a concept that remains a fundamental part of global societies today. Fast forward to today and no longer are we reliant on 50-foot-high, 20-foot-thick stone blockades to protect our safety. Perimeter security has evolved over the centuries moving from empires and structures to products and cutting-edge technology and continues to grow today. In fact, in 2020 Perimeter Security was a $61.3 billion industry as more businesses and industries have the need to protect against modern-day threats. This colossal and growing market is powered by industry innovators that are providing advanced solutions that are reliable, integrated, and cost-effective. Layered Perimeter Security Defense The number of perimeter intrusions is a large reason behind the continued surge in security investment, propelled by increasing urbanisation, a growing terror threat, and a plethora of other concerning factors. Most organisations are better equipped to protect people and assets today, yet there is still a need for solutions that can grow with our future needs and the unforeseen challenges ahead. For many, this means moving beyond siloed solutions into a multi-layered, integrated physical security strategy – one that provides the best security posture possible. There are a variety of innovative technologies that can create a holistic perimeter security solution that will transform the defences of any organisation. The question is, what are the technologies and trends shaping perimeter security in 2021 and beyond? Next-Generation Video Surveillance By combining two powerful visualisation technologies in a single form factor, rich data can be captured and deliver more accurate awareness In today’s surveillance market, cameras and video management systems are nothing like those that were available a mere half-decade ago. Cameras now readily feature ultra-HD and 4K resolution that provide an extremely high level of detail, enhancing security teams’ ability to capture evidence and identify perpetrators. This enhanced detail bolsters not only investigation sequences but equally transforms video analytics capabilities, like facial recognition that unlock additional business benefits. Where are cameras heading in the future? Let’s look at Oyla’s cameras as an example. These cameras fuse together artificial intelligence (AI), video, and 3D data, offering a depth camera that can be used to define very accurate intrusion detection perimeters. Its advanced motion detection activates an alert when a user-defined perimeter has been crossed, or if there is a presence in a user-defined area or volume space. By combining two powerful visualisation technologies in a single form factor, rich data can be captured and deliver more accurate awareness and better application of deterrence measures in real-time, versus the evidentiary use of cameras today. Thermal Cameras Thermal cameras are a relatively novel yet growing security phenomenon, having come to the forefront during the pandemic. Where such technology was once a novelty, their widespread application in detecting raised temperatures which might indicate a COVID-19-related fever has seen them become increasingly applied to a broader market in the past 18 months. Not only are these cameras now more accessible, but they have also advanced from a technical perspective. Modern thermal cameras now offer a more accurate thermal resolution, longer detection ranges, ONVIF compliance and edge-based analytics for the benefit of VMS solutions. They are also a useful technology for solving visibility challenges in complete darkness. Radar Radar is a technology that’s increasingly being used in physical perimeter security applications. Capable of conducting 360-degree scans of a property on a continual basis every couple of seconds, it is an extremely powerful intrusion detection technology. Radars stand up better than other technologies in difficult conditions such as smoke and fog. When paired with other sensors, false alarms can also be reduced in these conditions – something that is a major challenge more broadly. While law enforcement responds to millions of security alarms every year, a study from the United States Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services previously showed that between 94 and 98 percent of these turn out to be false, costing as much as $1.8 billion a year in wasted police time and resources. LiDAR What is LiDAR? LiDAR has been around since the 1960s, with one of LiDAR’s first use cases was being attached to aircraft to emit laser light towards the surface of the earth to provide distance readings. Spurred by its necessity for the coming autonomous driving revolution, today, the application of LiDAR technology has become more widespread. It is technologies such as these, designed to reduce the burden of security personnel by conducting the heavy lifting in alarm validation According to research by Fortune Business Insights, the size of the global LiDAR market is set to surpass $6.7 billion by 2026, a monumental increase on the $1.32 billion spent on LiDAR in 2018. In the security space, LiDAR technology is already proving it carries a string of benefits and upgrades on what is currently available on the video surveillance market. The major upside of LiDAR is that like video, it brings a high level of detail to a physical environment that other sensors simply cannot provide. Pairing Lidar with video, machine learning, AI, and other advanced sensor technologies can help validate alarm accuracy. Indeed, it is technologies such as these, designed to reduce the burden of security personnel by conducting the heavy lifting in alarm validation, that we can expect to become increasingly prevalent soon. Drones Often referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones are another technology that is becoming both more accessible and more capable from a security perspective. In sizable areas of land or hard-to-reach critical infrastructure sites, drones can be dispatched instead of security personnel as a means of first response to an intrusion alert. They can also work in tandem with thermal imaging, radar, lidar, and next-generation video surveillance technologies, either incorporating them onboard directly or supporting them in wider, integrated security infrastructures. Developing the Right Multi-Layered Perimeter Security Strategy These are just a handful of some of the more progressive perimeter security-centric technologies on the market today. The challenge for many organisations is knowing which solutions will suit their needs and address the challenges of tomorrow. Take the time to understand what you need to protect. Is it people, data, or assets? Where do you feel your potential vulnerabilities may lie? By assessing your risks, you will better understand potential target areas and address them accordingly. For perimeter security, a multi-layered solution will likely be the most secure approach. From basic needs to the more advanced, there are a broad variety of possible solutions available. Yet taking the time to understand which solutions are the most successful, cost-effective, and relevant to your business will yield the best results.

A new generation of video cameras is poised to boost capabilities dramatically at the edge of the IP network, including more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and higher resolutions, and paving the way for new applications that would have previously been too expensive or complex. Technologies at the heart of the coming new generation of video cameras are Ambarella’s newest systems on chips (SoCs). Ambarella’s CV5S and CV52S product families are bringing a new level of on-camera AI performance and integration to multi-imager and single-imager IP cameras. Both of these SoCs are manufactured in the ‘5 nm’ manufacturing process, bringing performance improvements and power savings, compared to the previous generation of SoCs manufactured at ‘10nm’. CV5S and CV52S AI-powered SoCs The CV5S, designed for multi-imager cameras, is able to process, encode and perform advanced AI on up to four imagers at 4Kp30 resolution, simultaneously and at less than 5 watts. This enables multi-headed camera designs with up to four 4K imagers looking at different portions of a scene, as well as very high-resolution, single-imager cameras of up to 32 MP resolution and beyond. The CV52S, designed for single-imager cameras with very powerful onboard AI, is the next-generation of the company’s successful CV22S mainstream 4K camera AI chip. This new SoC family quadruples the AI processing performance, while keeping the same low power consumption of less than 3 watts for 4Kp60 encoding with advanced AI processing. Faster and ubiquitous AI capabilities Ambarella’s newest AI vision SoCs for security, the CV5S and CV52S, are competitive solutions" “Security system designers desire higher resolutions, increasing channel counts, and ever faster and more ubiquitous AI capabilities,” explains John Lorenz, Senior Technology and Market Analyst, Computing, at Yole Développement (Yole), a French market research firm. John Lorenz adds, “Ambarella’s newest AI vision SoCs for security, the CV5S and CV52S, are competitive solutions for meeting the growing demands of the security IC (integrated circuit) sector, which our latest report forecasts to exceed US$ 4 billion by 2025, with two-thirds of that being chips with AI capabilities.” Edge AI vision processors Ambarella’s new CV5S and CV52S edge AI vision processors enable new classes of cameras that would not have been possible in the past, with a single SoC architecture. For example, implementing a 4x 4K multi-imager with AI would have traditionally required at least two SoCs (at least one for encoding and one for AI), and the overall power consumption would have made those designs bulky and prohibitively expensive. By reducing the number of required SoCs, the CV5S enables advanced camera designs such as AI-enabled 4x 4K imagers at price points much lower than would have previously been possible. “What we are usually trying to do with our SoCs is to keep the price points similar to the previous generations, given that camera retail prices tend to be fairly fixed,” said Jerome Gigot, Ambarella's Senior Director of Marketing. 4K multi-imager cameras “However, higher-end 4K multi-imager cameras tend to retail for thousands of dollars, and so even though there will be a small premium on the SoC for the 2X improvement in performance, this will not make a significant impact to the final MSRP of the camera,” adds Jerome Gigot. In addition, the overall system cost might go down, Gigot notes, compared to what could be built today because there is no longer a need for external chips to perform AI, or extra components for power dissipation. The new chips will be available in the second half of 2021, and it typically takes about 12 to 18 months for Ambarella’s customers (camera manufacturers) to produce final cameras. Therefore, the first cameras, based on these new SoCs, should hit the market sometime in the second half of 2022. Reference boards for camera manufacturers The software on these new SoCs is an evolution of our unified Linux SDK" As with Ambarella’s previous generations of edge AI vision SoCs for security, the company will make available reference boards to camera manufacturers soon, allowing them to develop their cameras based on the new CV5S and CV52S SoC families. “The software on these new SoCs is an evolution of our unified Linux SDK that is already available on our previous generations SoCs, which makes the transition easy for our customers,” said Jerome Gigot. Better crime detection Detecting criminals in a crowd, using face recognition and/or licence plate recognition, has been a daunting challenge for security, and one the new chips will help to address. “Actually, these applications are one of the main reasons why Ambarella is introducing these two new SoC families,” said Jerome Gigot. Typically, resolutions of 4K and higher have been a smaller portion of the security market, given that they came at a premium price tag for the high-end optics, image sensor and SoC. Also, the cost and extra bandwidth of storing and streaming 4K video were not always worth it for the benefit of just viewing video at higher resolution. 4K AI processing on-camera The advent of on-camera AI at 4K changes the paradigm. By enabling 4K AI processing on-camera, smaller objects at longer distances can now be detected and analysed without having to go to a server, and with much higher detail and accuracy compared to what can be done on a 2 MP or 5 MP cameras. This means that fewer false alarms will be generated, and each camera will now be able to cover a longer distance and wider area, offering more meaningful insights without necessarily having to stream and store that 4K video to a back-end server. “This is valuable, for example, for traffic cameras mounted on top of high poles, which need to be able to see very far out and identify cars and licence plates that are hundreds of meters away,” said Jerome Gigot. The advent of on-camera AI at 4K changes the paradigm Enhanced video analytics and wider coverage “Ambarella’s new CV5S and CV52S SoCs truly allow the industry to take advantage of higher resolution on-camera for better analytics and wider coverage, but without all the costs typically incurred by having to stream high-quality 4K video out 24/7 to a remote server for offline analytics,” said Jerome Gigot. He adds, “So, next-generation cameras will now be able to identify more criminals, faces and licence plates, at longer distances, for an overall lower cost and with faster response times by doing it all locally on-camera.” Deployment in retail applications Retail environments can be some of the toughest, as the cameras may be looking at hundreds of people at once Retail applications are another big selling point. Retail environments can be some of the toughest, as the cameras may be looking at hundreds of people at once (e.g., in a mall), to provide not only security features, but also other business analytics, such as foot traffic and occupancy maps that can be used later to improve product placement. The higher resolution and higher AI performance, enabled by the new Ambarella SoCs, provide a leap forward in addressing those scenarios. In a store setup, a ceiling-mounted camera with four 4K imagers can simultaneously look at the cashier line on one side of the store, sending alerts when a line is getting too long and a new cashier needs to be deployed, while at the same time looking at the entrance on the other side of the store, to count the people coming in and out. This leaves two additional 4K imagers for monitoring specific product aisles and generating real-time business analytics. Use in cashier-less stores Another retail application is a cashier-less store. Here, a CV5S or CV52S-based camera mounted on the ceiling will have enough resolution and AI performance to track goods, while the customer grabs them and puts them in their cart, as well as to automatically track which customer is purchasing which item. In a warehouse scenario, items and boxes moving across the floor could also be followed locally, on a single ceiling-mounted camera that covers a wide area of the warehouse. Additionally, these items and boxes could be tracked across the different imagers in a multi-headed camera setup, without the video having to be sent to a server to perform the tracking. Updating on-camera AI networks Another feature of Ambarella’s SoCs is that their on-camera AI networks can be updated on-the-fly, without having to stop the video recording and without losing any video frames. So, for example in the case of a search for a missing vehicle, the characteristics of that missing vehicle (make, model, colour, licence plate) can be sent to a cluster of cameras in the general area, where the vehicle is thought to be missing, and all those cameras can be automatically updated to run a live search on that specific vehicle. If any of the cameras gets a match, a remote operator can be notified and receive a picture, or even a live video feed of the scene. Efficient traffic management With the CV52S edge AI vision SoC, those decisions can be made locally at each intersection by the camera itself Relating to traffic congestion, most big cities have thousands of intersections that they need to monitor and manage. Trying to do this from one central location is costly and difficult, as there is so much video data to process and analyse, in order to make those traffic decisions (to control the traffic lights, reverse lanes, etc.). With the CV52S edge AI vision SoC, those decisions can be made locally at each intersection by the camera itself. The camera would then take actions autonomously (for example, adjust traffic-light timing) and only report a status update to the main traffic control centre. So now, instead of having one central location trying to manage 1,000 intersections, a city can have 1,000 smart AI cameras, each managing its own location and providing updates and metadata to a central server. Superior privacy Privacy is always a concern with video. In this case, doing AI on-camera is inherently more private than streaming the video to a server for analysis. Less data transmission means fewer points of entry for a hacker trying to access the video. On Ambarella’s CV5S and CV52S SoCs, the video can be analysed locally and then discarded, with just a signature or metadata of the face being used to find a match. No actual video needs to be stored or transmitted, which ensures total privacy. In addition, the chips contain a very secure hardware cyber security block, including OTP memory, Arm TrustZones, DRAM scrambling and I/O virtualisation. This makes it very difficult for a hacker to replace the firmware on the camera, providing another level of security and privacy at the system level. Privacy Masking Another privacy feature is the concept of privacy masking. This feature enables portions of the video (say a door or a window) to be blocked out, before being encoded in the video stream. The blocked portions of the scene are not present in the recorded video, thus providing a privacy option for cameras that are facing private areas. “With on-camera AI, each device becomes its own smart endpoint, and can be reconfigured at will to serve the specific physical security needs of its installation,” said Jerome Gigot, adding “The possibilities are endless, and our mission as an SoC maker is really to provide a powerful and easy-to-use platform, complete with computer-vision tools, that enable our customers and their partners to easily deploy their own AI software on-camera.” Physical security in parking lots With a CV5S or CV52S AI-enabled camera, the camera will be able to cover a much wider portion of the parking lot One example is physical security in a parking lot. A camera today might be used to just record part of the parking lot, so that an operator can go back and look at the video if a car were broken into or some other incident occurred. With a CV5S or CV52S AI-enabled camera, first of all, the camera will be able to cover a much wider portion of the parking lot. Additionally, it will be able to detect the licence plates of all the cars going in and out, to automatically bill the owners. If there is a special event, the camera can be reprogrammed to identify VIP vehicles and automatically redirect them to the VIP portion of the lot, while reporting to the entrance station or sign how many parking spots are available. It can even tell the cars approaching the lot where to go. Advantages of using edge AI vision SoCs Jerome Gigot said, “The possibilities are endless and they span across many verticals. The market is primed to embrace these new capabilities. Recent advances in edge AI vision SoCs have brought about a period of change in the physical security space. Companies that would have, historically, only provided security cameras, are now getting into adjacent verticals such as smart retail, smart cities and smart buildings.” He adds, “These changes are providing a great opportunity for all the camera makers and software providers to really differentiate themselves by providing full systems that offer a new level of insights and efficiencies to, not only the physical security manager, but now also the store owner and the building manager.” He adds, “All of these new applications are extremely healthy for the industry, as they are growing the available market for cameras, while also increasing their value and the economies of scale they can provide. Ambarella is looking forward to seeing all the innovative products that our customers will build with this new generation of SoCs.”

Imagine a world where video cameras are not just watching and reporting for security, but have an even wider positive impact on our lives. Imagine that cameras control street and building lights, as people come and go, that traffic jams are predicted and vehicles are automatically rerouted, and more tills are opened, just before a queue starts to form. Cameras with AI capabilities Cameras in stores can show us how we might look in the latest outfit as we browse. That’s the vision from Panasonic about current and future uses for their cameras that provide artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities at the edge. Panasonic feels that these types of intelligent camera applications are also the basis for automation and introduction of Industry 4.0, in which processes are automated, monitored and controlled by AI-driven systems. 4K network security cameras The company’s i-PRO AI-capable camera line can install and run up to three AI-driven video analytic applications Panasonic’s 4K network security cameras have built-in AI capabilities suitable for this next generation of intelligent applications in business and society. The company’s i-PRO AI-capable camera line can install and run up to three AI-driven video analytic applications. The AI engine is directly embedded into the camera, thus reducing costs and Panasonic’s image quality ensures the accuracy of the analytics outcome. FacePRO facial recognition technology Panasonic began advancing AI technology on the server side with FacePRO, the in-house facial recognition application, which uses AI deep learning capabilities. Moving ahead, they transitioned their knowledge of AI from the server side to the edge, introducing i-PRO security cameras with built-in AI capabilities last summer, alongside their own in-house analytics. Moreover, in line with the Panasonic approach to focus more on collaboration with specialist AI software developers, a partnership with Italian software company, A.I. Tech followed in September, with a range of intelligent applications, partially based on deep learning. Additional collaborations are already in place with more than 10 other developers, across the European Union, working on more future applications. i-PRO AI-capable security cameras Open systems are an important part of Panasonic’s current approach. The company’s i-PRO AI-capable cameras are an open platform and designed for third-party application development, therefore, applications can be built or tailored to the needs of an individual customer. Panasonic use to be a company that developed everything in-house, including all the analytics and applications. “However, now we have turned around our strategy by making our i-PRO security cameras open to integrate applications and analytics from third-party companies,” says Gerard Figols, Head of Security Solutions at Panasonic Business Europe. Flexible and adapting to specific customer needs This new approach allows the company to be more flexible and adaptable to customers’ needs. “At the same time, we can be quicker and much more tailored to the market trend,” said Gerard Figols. He adds, “For example, in the retail space, enabling retailers to enhance the customer experience, in smart cities for traffic monitoring and smart parking, and by event organisers and transport hubs to monitor and ensure safety.” Edge-based analytics offer multiple benefits over server-based systems Edge-based analytics Edge-based analytics offer multiple benefits over server-based systems. On one hand, there are monetary benefits - a cost reduction results from the decreased amount of more powerful hardware required on the server side to process the data, on top of reduction in the infrastructure costs, as not all the full video stream needs to be sent for analysis, we can work solely with the metadata. On the other hand, there are also advantages of flexibility, as well as reliability. Each camera can have its own individual analytic setup and in case of any issue on the communication or server side, the camera can keep running the analysis at the edge, thereby making sure the CCTV system is still fully operational. Most importantly, systems can keep the same high level of accuracy. Explosion of AI camera applications We can compare the explosion of AI camera applications to the way we experienced it for smartphone applications" “We can compare the explosion of AI camera applications to the way we experienced it for smartphone applications,” said Gerard Figols, adding “However, it doesn’t mean the hardware is not important anymore, as I believe it’s more important than ever. Working with poor picture quality or if the hardware is not reliable, and works 24/7, software cannot run or deliver the outcome it has been designed for.” As hardware specialists, Figols believes that Panasonic seeks to focus on what they do best - Building long-lasting, open network cameras, which are capable of capturing the highest quality images that are required for the latest AI applications, while software developers can concentrate on bringing specialist applications to the market. Same as for smartphones, AI applications will proliferate based on market demand and succeed or fail, based on the value that they deliver. Facial recognition, privacy protection and cross line technologies Panasonic has been in the forefront in developing essential AI applications for CCTV, such as facial recognition, privacy protection and cross line. However, with the market developing so rapidly and the potential applications of AI-driven camera systems being so varied and widespread, Panasonic quickly realised that the future of their network cameras was going to be in open systems, which allow specialist developers and their customers to use their sector expertise to develop their own applications for specific vertical market applications, while using i-PRO hardware. Metadata for detection and recognition Regarding privacy, consider that the use of AI in cameras is about generating metadata for the detection and recognition of patterns, rather than identifying individual identities. “However, there are legitimate privacy concerns, but I firmly believe that attitudes will change quickly when people see the incredible benefits that this technology can deliver,” said Gerard Figols, adding “I hope that we will be able to redefine our view of cameras and AI, not just as insurance, but as life advancing and enhancing.” i-PRO AI Privacy Guard One of the AI applications that Panasonic developed was i-PRO AI Privacy Guard Seeking to understand and appreciate privacy concerns, one of the AI applications that Panasonic developed was i-PRO AI Privacy Guard that generates data without capturing individual identities, following European privacy regulations that are among the strictest in the world. Gerard Fogils said, “The combination of artificial intelligence and the latest generation open camera technology will change the world’s perceptions from Big Brother to Big Benefits. New applications will emerge as the existing generation of cameras is updated to the new open and intelligent next generation devices, and the existing role of the security camera will also continue.” Future scope of AI and cameras He adds, “Not just relying on the security cameras for evidence when things have gone wrong, end users will increasingly be able to use AI and the cameras with much higher accuracy to prevent false alarms and in a proactive way to prevent incidents." Gerard Figols concludes, “That could be monitoring and alerting when health and safety guidelines are being breached or spotting and flagging patterns of suspicious behaviour before incidents occur.”

Growth is accelerating in the smart cities market, which will quadruple in the next four years based on 2020 numbers. Top priorities are resilient energy and infrastructure projects, followed by data-driven public safety and intelligent transportation. Innovation in smart cities will come from the continual maturation of relevant technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), fifth-generation telecommunications (5G) and edge-to-cloud networking. AI and computer vision (video analytics) are driving challenges in security and safety, in particular, with video management systems (VMSs) capturing video streams and exposing them to various AI analytics. Adoption of disruptive technologies “Cities are entering the critical part of the adoption curve,” said Kasia Hanson, Global Director, Partner Sales, IOT Video, Safe Cities, Intel Corp. “They are beginning to cross the chasm to realise their smart city vision. Cities are taking notice and have new incentives to push harder than before. They are in a better position to innovate.” “Safety and security were already important market drivers responsible for adoption of AI, computer vision and edge computing scenarios,” commented Hanson, in a presentation at the Milestone Integration Platform Symposium (MIPS) 2021. She added: “2020 was an inflection point when technology and the market were ripe for disruption. COVID has accelerated the adoption of disruptive technologies in ways we could not have predicted last year.” Challenges faced by cities Spending in the European Union on public order and safety alone stood at 1.7% of GDP in 2018 Providing wide-ranging services is an expanding need in cities of all sizes. There are currently 33 megacities globally with populations over 10 million. There are also another 4,000 cities with populations over 100,000 inhabitants. Challenges for all cities include improving public health and safety, addressing environmental pressures, enabling mobility, improving quality of life, promoting economic competitiveness and reducing costs. Spending in the European Union on public order and safety alone stood at 1.7% of GDP in 2018. Other challenges include air quality – 80% of those living in urban areas are exposed to air quality levels that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) limits. Highlighting mobility concerns is an eye-opening statistic from Los Angeles in 2017: Residents spent an average of 102 hours sitting in traffic. Smart technology “The Smart City of Today can enable rich and diverse use cases,” says Hanson. Examples include AI-enabled traffic signals to help reduce air pollution, and machine learning for public safety such as real-time visualisation and emergency response. Public safety use cases include smart and connected outdoor lighting, smart buildings, crime prevention, video wearables for field agents, smart kiosks and detection of noise level, glass breaks and gunshots. Smart technology will make indoor spaces safer by controlling access to a building with keyless and touchless entry. In the age of COVID, systems can also detect face mask compliance, screen for fever and ensure physical distancing. 2020 was an inflection point when technology and the smart cities market were ripe for disruption, Kasia Hanson told the MIPS 2021 audience. Video solutions Video workloads will provide core capabilities as entertainment venues reopen after the pandemic. When audiences attend an event at a city stadium, deep learning and AI capabilities analyse customer behaviours to create new routes, pathways, signage and to optimise cleaning operations. Personalised digital experiences will add to the overall entertainment value. In the public safety arena, video enables core capabilities such as protection of people, assets and property, emergency response, and real-time visualisation and increased situational awareness. Video also provides intelligent incident management, better operational efficiency and faster information sharing and collaboration. Smart video strategy Intel and Milestone provide video solutions across many use cases, including safety and security Video at the edge is a key element in end-to-end solutions. Transforming data from various point solutions into insights is complicated, time-consuming and costly. Cities and public venues are looking for hardware, software and industry expertise to provide the right mix of performance, capabilities and cost-effectiveness. Intel’s smart video strategy focuses around its OpenVINO toolkit. OpenVINO, which is short for Open Visual Inference and Neural network Optimisation, enables customers to build and deploy high-performing computer vision and deep learning inference applications. Intel and Milestone partnership – Video solutions “Our customers are asking for choice and flexibility at the edge, on-premises and in the cloud,” said Hansen in her presentation at the virtual conference. “They want the choice to integrate with large-scale software packages to speed deployment and ensure consistency over time. They need to be able to scale computer vision. Resolutions are increasing alongside growth in sensor installations themselves. They have to be able to accommodate that volume, no matter what causes it to grow.” As partners, Intel and Milestone provide video solutions across many use cases, including safety and security. In effect, the partnership combines Intel’s portfolio of video, computer vision, inferencing and AI capabilities with Milestone’s video management software and community of analytics partners. Given its complex needs, the smart cities market is particularly inviting for these technologies.

Custom Consoles announces the completion of a six-bay security control room desk from its SteelBase range for one of the most prestigious museums in the Middle East. The project also includes a large MediaWall multiscreen video display mounting system and Ergotron desk-mounted monitor arms. “SteelBase and MediaWall continue to be a popular choice for security and process control applications in Europe and around the world,” says Custom Consoles’ sales manager Gary Fuller. “The desk we have provided in this case is a 4.25 metre wide rectangular unit configured for use by two or three operators.” MediaWall Each of its six bays holds computers and related devices which can be reached easily via front or rear access doors" “It faces straight on to the MediaWall with sufficient space between the two to allow access for routine maintenance of installed equipment. Each of its six bays holds computers and related devices which can be reached easily via front or rear access doors. The installed MediaWall supports eight large display screens in a four wide by two high configuration.” “It is augmented by Ergotron monitor support arms mounted to the rear of bays one, two, five and six. Each arm is capable of holding a flat panel display of typically 24 inches diagonal screen size. These can be used to view the output from the remote cameras.” “The desk surface above bays three and four is left clear to accommodate additional equipment. Worktop facilities along the desk include camera controllers plus communications panels.” Efficient monitoring "SteelBase was developed to withstand round-the-clock use, every day of the year,” adds Custom Consoles’ managing director Neil Reed. “It also offers high ergonomic efficiency, meaning it is comfortable to use during long duty sessions. When installed alongside MediaWall, it allows efficient monitoring of activity across a very wide area, including multiple rooms and multiple sites. The combination has proved a popular and effective choice for security, defence and process control applications in many countries.” Custom Consoles’ SteelBase is a high-strength desking system to withstand the demands of heavy-industry Custom Consoles’ SteelBase is a high-strength desking system developed to withstand the demands of heavy-industry. Built around steel frames with hinged lockable front and rear doors, SteelBase can be configured for use by individual operators or teams of practically any number without the cost and long delivery time usually associated with project-specific furniture. Cable management Each bay includes a sliding shelf which gives easy access to internally stowed PCs. Predrilled monitor arm mounting points are positioned at the rear upper edge of each bay. Cable management features include a removable worktop section with dual brush strips providing an uninterrupted cable exit for telephones, monitor cables and computer peripherals. Integral cableways allow heavy-duty wiring to be fully concealed within the desk structure while retaining easy access for routine maintenance or adjustment. Cables can be routed laterally across and between bays as well as vertically to floor level. Internal 19-inch racking is available as a standard feature. Desktop equipment pods can be specified if required. Careful attention has also been paid to styling with a choice of front, side and desktop finishes. SteelBase desktops are available in a choice of 120 cm (standard) or 100 cm (SteelBase Lite) front-to-back sizes with a choice of hard-wearing Marmoleum or laminate work surfaces. All elements are guaranteed against component failure for five years of normal use. Continuous horizontal display Individual or multiple frames can be used in fully self-supporting configurations or coupled directly to a wall Developed for use in technical control rooms, Custom Consoles’ MediaWall allows flat-screen monitor displays of practically any size to be constructed from standard horizontal and vertical support elements. Individual or multiple frames can be used in fully self-supporting configurations or coupled directly to a wall. Screens can be positioned so that the edges meet exactly to form a continuous horizontal display limited only by the boundary of the monitor panel. All wiring is fully concealed and can enter or leave the structure at any desired point. MediaWall is available in any required element widths. All Custom Consoles desks can optionally be fitted with Ergotron monitor arms. The LX Arm is available in single-monitor, vertically stacked dual-monitor and side-by-side dual monitor versions. The lateral and tilt angle of all Ergotron arms can be separately adjusted to match each operator’s preference. A proprietary support mechanism allows the mounted display to be lifted, tilted or horizontally swung. All LX arms are supplied with clamp and through-fixing options. Each arm is constructed from durable polished aluminium. Longevity is a key feature, typically 10 times the expected life-cycle of competing brands.

SAFR from RealNetworks, Inc., a pioneer in high accuracy, low bias facial recognition, announces a collaboration with Dains, a Korean company that specialises in unmanned people and asset counting solutions. As part of the collaboration, SAFR is providing its AI-based computer vision technology to increase the accuracy of people counting to prevent duplicates of customers and employees. The combined solution was recently deployed at the National Memorial Hall of the Korean War Abductees in Paju, Gyeonggi-do. Unmanned counting system Since there is no entrance fee for the memorial, accurate statistics on the number of unique visitors were required. Dains developed an unmanned counting system with a feature to prevent counting duplication by utilising SAFR's face recognition technology. Using SAFR facial recognition, the system can ignore multiple re-entries from visitors With ceiling-mounted camera counting systems, it is difficult to avoid duplicate counts when the same person enters or exits the premises multiple times. Employees entering and exiting would also skew count accuracy. Using SAFR facial recognition, the system can ignore multiple re-entries from visitors while opted-in staff can be removed from the total count entirely. Ceiling-mounted cameras Ceiling-mounted cameras can rarely be used to identify individuals due to their limited field of view. SAFR facial recognition enables cameras to be installed at standard surveillance mounting heights so as to reliably capture individuals and events. Dains plans to expand the unmanned counting product using SAFR's face recognition technology to additional markets. It also plans to offer options for analysing visitor gender and age, enhanced employee attendance management, and access control.

Hanwha Techwin a global supplier of IP and analog video surveillance solutions announced that We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort has selected Hanwha cameras for its new state-of-the-art video surveillance system. First established as a bingo-hall style building by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation in the early 1990s, the facility received approval to be revamped into a fully-fledged gaming facility in 2017. To ensure the safety of staff and visitors, this also included a new video surveillance system. Quality cameras When it came time to build the new facility, the Tribal Regulatory Agency, having learned from its earlier attempts, knew they had to find a vendor that wouldn’t let them down. Explains Lee Brown, Lead Surveillance Technician for the Fort McDowell Tribal Regulatory Agency, “We were looking for a manufacturer that had a variety of camera offerings to give us what we wanted and that also had a good reputation for quality.” They found what they were looking for with Hanwha Techwin. Camera coverage The cameras available from Hanwha Techwin enabled them to choose the right camera for every situation The number of cameras available from Hanwha Techwin was a key differentiator for the We-Ko-Pa Resort as it enabled them to choose the right camera for every situation. The range of options was especially important when it came time to design camera coverage for the slot floor in the new facility. This area proved to be challenging in part because it was designed to be flexible and modular. The new design allows the Casino to be dynamic in terms of where they place machines. The challenge then was how to ensure coverage of every machine even as they move around daily. Flexible 4k cameras They initially considered attaching cameras to the ‘cloud’ ceiling so that they could be moved as the configuration changed. But, because it floats below a concrete ceiling, this was not possible. The Casino decided instead to use the higher resolution P series 4K cameras and place them strategically throughout the space. Says Brown, “We had to give very careful consideration to where we placed our cameras. We wanted high quality and flexibility to avoid having to reconfigure and reinstall cameras all the time. The image quality with the Hanwha Techwin cameras gave us the edge we needed to work within our ceiling constraints.” WDR technology The new Casino has over 800 Hanwha Techwin cameras, including the XNV-8080R, PNV-9080R, and PNF-9010R models The new Casino has over 800 Hanwha Techwin cameras, including the XNV-8080R, PNV-9080R, and PNF-9010R models. According to Brown, their favorite feature is the quality they deliver at low bitrates. He says, “The majority of our cameras face intense and volatile lighting changes against a backdrop of complex scenery with many moving objects. Hanwha Techwin cameras and their advanced WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) technology can easily be configured to accommodate these conditions without sacrificing quality or producing obnoxious data streams.” Wisenet wave VMS While part of the interest in Hanwha Techwin was based on the build and image quality of the cameras and variety of the offerings, the Casino was also drawn to the Wisenet WAVE VMS (Video Management System). Says Brown, “We were attracted to the WAVE VMS because our virtualised server and client operating systems are 100% Linux based, and the WAVE client and server applications are well supported on Linux. It works exceptionally well with the Hanwha Techwin cameras and other devices, like HDMI encoders and third-party cameras.” Live central monitoring WAVE also helps operators with live monitoring. As part of their daily routines, operators at the Casino have to actively watch a variety of events and occurrences, including deliveries and vendors on site. Says Brown, “The layout system in WAVE makes it easy for us to organise our cameras into groups. So, when an operator follows someone through the Casino, rather than thinking in terms of which camera covers which machine or specific area, they think more in terms of the geography of the location.” Motion detection To reduce the storage requirements for video surveillance footage, they use motion-based high/low recording Every casino must comply with strict retention requirements in part because forensic examination and maintaining a clear chain of custody are extremely important. At the We-Ko-Pa Resort, they have a one-week minimum retention rate with some cameras keeping video for 30 days. Currently, We-Ko-Pa has 500 terabytes (TB) of redundant ZFS-based network storage. To reduce the storage requirements for video surveillance footage, they use motion-based high/low recording. Explains Brown, “We use motion detection to save on storage. If no motion is detected in a frame, the camera is set up to record at very low quality and low frame rate. If the camera detects motion, then the recording automatically shifts to high-quality mode.” Video surveillance system Moving forward, the Casino is excited about future possibilities for their system, including people counting and using their WAVE VMS to make data-driven decisions. The Casino and Tribal Regulatory Agency aren’t the only ones who recognise the outstanding features and functionality of their new Hanwha Techwin system. The Arizona Department of Gaming, which provides specific mandates for gaming operators in the state, is also impressed. According to Brown, “We have even received compliments for our video surveillance system from the state inspector who was quite impressed with the image quality and the smoothness of the recordings.”

Exeter Science Park is a business park developed by the Exeter Science Park Company, a partnership between Devon County Council, the University of Exeter, the Exeter City Council, and the East Devon District Council. It is a 26-hectare site located on the outskirts of the city of Exeter next to junction 29 of the M5 motorway. Sustainable solution The site has 2 entry lanes and 3 exit lanes. A vehicle access control solution was required to resolve problems at these entry and exit points. It was necessary to reduce staff involvement in barrier control, relieve congestion at the barriers, and improve reporting data using a sustainable solution that has low maintenance costs. Long-range tag reader Upon approach to the entry barrier, the uPass reader senses the RFID tag Each entry and exit lane has been fitted with a barrier, an HD ANPR camera, and an uPass long-range tag reader. The tag reader is used as the primary method of access control. Staff members will attach their RFID tags to their windscreens. Upon approach to the entry barrier, the uPass reader senses the RFID tag. The uPass Reader passes the information the barrier control, which opens the barrier. The whole process takes approximately 3 seconds. The same procedure is used on the exit barriers. HD ANPR cameras For staff that don’t have RFID tags and visitors, a secondary system using HD ANPR cameras provides access control. This removes the need for any ticket issue/chip coin at entry, avoiding human involvement and resulting in a faster throughput on entry and exit. Further staff and tenants can be added to a limitless categorised white list using the vehicle number plate as the ID. The white list can be used to allow automatic entry of visitors without the driver having to press the intercom button. Benefits Cost-effective and reliable hands-free access control Windscreen tags are read at up to 5 metres Prevents unauthorised vehicle access Allows vehicles to be tracked “The uPass long-range tag reader has allowed a quicker throughput through the barrier, whilst improving security on vehicle access. We are extremely happy with the positive impact the product has had on our client,” said Mustafe Omar, Business Development Manager, Newpark Solutions.

Anviz Global is pleased to announce the successful integration of VF30 Pro - fingerprint access controller into the new OnMed™ station, the only self-contained medical unit in the world. OnMed station supports with a life sized, real-time encounter between the patient and clinician. An easy to setup station, bringing health care via high-definition video and audio to patients, through advanced technology, including thermal imaging, ultraviolet sanitisation and biometric code and Key locks, to create a safe and secure experience. Becoming increasingly sophisticated The OnMed station even allows doctors to prescribe and dispense hundreds of common medications through a secure, automated vault, saving patients a trip to the pharmacy. These vaults are secured using Anviz VF30 Pro biometric fingerprint devices. Biometrics scanners are becoming increasingly sophisticated and is convenient to use. Anviz team is contriving to meet market demands.

Genetec Inc, a technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, announces that Seagate Technology Holdings plc, a provider of data storage and enterprise storage systems, has deployed Genetec™ Security Centre to secure their global campuses and regional offices. At the heart of this large-scale global deployment is the Genetec unified security platform which includes Security Center, Genetec Omnicast™ IP video management system (VMS) to manage more than 1,150 cameras, Genetec Synergis™ IP access control system (ACS) to manage more than 22,000 card holders, Sipelia to manage communications between intercoms and security operation, and Seagate’s own high-efficiency, high-performance Exos™ X 5U84 mass capacity storage system. Unified security platform All sites are connected using the Genetec Security Centre Federation feature to centralise monitoring, reporting, and alarm management across the entire organisation. The solution enables Seagate to pull in up to 1.3 petabytes of high-definition video in a single disk enclosure from hundreds of cameras and other IoT devices without losing a single frame or data packet. The solution enables Seagate to pull in up to 1.3 petabytes of high-definition video “Video, and especially multi-source, high-definition video, provides a stringent performance test for any storage solution,” said Ken Claffey, Senior Vice President and General Manager of enterprise storage systems at Seagate. “Likewise, the data availability expectation of a robust, unified security platform like Genetec™ Security Centre is formidable. The sheer volume of high-definition video streams, frames and metadata coupled with increasingly long retention periods, represent one of the most challenging IT infrastructures to deploy.” Physical security environment This enterprise scale deployment provides a clear blueprint for a state-of-the-art, unified, high performance physical security environment for modern, large scale facilities. “Enterprises with global campuses and data centre environments have mission critical requirements, and securing a growing number of assets across huge facilities, while staying ahead of emerging threats is increasingly challenging,” said Christian Morin, Vice President of Product Groups at Genetec Inc. “Through our partnership with Seagate, this enterprise scale deployment provides a great example of how enterprises can implement a holistic approach to security, that encompasses physical and cyber security, while ensuring compliance with fast-changing regulatory mandates.”

Adoption of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the European Union in 2016 set a new standard for data privacy. But adherence to GDPR is only one element, among many privacy concerns sweeping the global security community and leaving almost no product category untouched, from access control to video to biometrics. Because privacy concerns are more prevalent than ever, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the impact on the physical security market?

Many of us take critical infrastructure for granted in our everyday lives. We turn on a tap, flip a switch, push a button, and water, light, and heat are all readily available. But it is important to remember that computerised systems manage critical infrastructure facilities, making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The recent ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline is an example of the new types of threats. In addition, any number of physical attacks is also possibilities. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of protecting critical infrastructure?

The topic of video analytics has been talked and written about for decades, and yet is still one of the cutting-edge themes in the physical security industry. Some say yesterday’s analytics systems tended to overpromise and underdeliver, and there are still some skeptics. However, newer technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are reinvigorating the sector and enabling it to finally live up to its promise. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What new technologies and trends will shape video analytics in 2021?