Surveillance systems

Percepto, the provider of industrial autonomous drone solutions, announced that it has raised $15M Series A Round Funding, led by U.S. Venture Partners (USVP), with participation from existing investors: NHN, Spider Capital and Emerge. The company has to date raised a total of $27.5M. Previous investors include R&R Venture Partners and Hyundai Motors. CEO of Percepto, Dor Abuhasira explains: “This new investment in Percepto accelerates our rapid trajectory. We have the solution, talent, infrastructure and funding in place to scale our operations and further expand our international presence that already includes energy, oil & gas, mining and other heavy industry businesses in more than ten countries. It also enables us to continue at pace with Percepto’s ground-breaking research and development.” On-site security The Percepto Solution, a recipient of the Frost & Sullivan Global Enabling Technology Leadership Award, is in use around the world, including a number of Fortune 500 organisations in the US, South America, EMEA and South East Asia. Percepto has impressive technology, the right go-to-market strategy and an excellent team" The Drone-in-a-Box (DIB) solution improves on-site security, safety, operations, maintenance and compliance with its unique computer vision and AI technology. This technology enables real-time detection of threats, safety hazards and anomalies, as well as mapping, 3D modelling and emergency response, all can be remotely managed over the cloud.   Commercial drones market Among the company’s customers is Enel, the Italian multinational energy company that uses Percepto’s solution to protect and optimise its operations. The benefits of using the Percepto Solution include increased productivity while reducing costs and minimising risks. The global commercial drones market has a projected value of over $17B by 2026. Dafina Toncheva, Partner and USVP, explains the reason for investing in Percepto: “Percepto has impressive technology, the right go-to-market strategy and an excellent team. It has a proven ability to deliver to critical facilities and heavy industries, unparalleled access to aerial data and perception which unlocks huge commercial value, whilst lowering costs and mitigating risk.”

Digitalisation technologies promise great improvements in an enormous variety of logistics processes. German manufacturer Dallmeier is particularly well positioned for the combination of systems from video technology, sensor systems, data management and intelligent use of elements of AI. At transport logistic 2019 in Munich, from June 4-7, 2019, Dallmeier will present a broad portfolio of solutions especially for customers in general cargo logistics at Stand 620, Hall A3. Dallmeier's customer base also includes the very largest logistics corporations. Logistics management systems The German manufacturer Dallmeier can look back on more than 35 years of experience in the development of cameras, recording systems and software. Solutions for customers in the logistics sector represent a primary focus of the company's corporate strategy. The portfolio includes systems for protecting property, entrance and exit areas, claims management, yard management, and a broad range of logistics management systems from real-time localisation of unit goods up to automatic volume calculation. A very recent development is their cooperation with the SAP integrator T.CON A very recent development is their cooperation with the SAP integrator T.CON. The solutions developed jointly by the two companies enable the transmission of a wide variety of valuable business data straight from video systems into SAP ERP systems and address major challenges in the supply chain, HR and compliance area. SAP standard objects To date, the cooperation between Dallmeier and T.CON has produced two solutions for the supply chain area: The ‘Digital Gate’ automates vehicle registration and consignment notes management with a self-service portal running on SAP Fiori. The system recognises vehicle classes, registration numbers, ID numbers and hazardous substance categories. Depending on the requirement, the system can be integrated in yard management and hazardous substance handling functions. The freight data in SAP is supplemented with the optically acquired data using SAP standard objects. Accordingly, it can be integrated directly in SAP TM or LE-TRA (ECC 6.0). The ‘unit good measurement’ solution enable freight items to be measured and weighed automatically by video systems and wireless weighing forks, and the data can be integrated in SAP EWM or WM. Perimeter protection The many advantages of this innovation range from the optimal use of load capacities to plausibility checks and up to coordinated warehouse storage and retrieval strategies. For perimeter protection, Dallmeier combines its patented Panomera® camera technology with a two-tier object classification system using neural networks. This places customers in the position of being able to reduce the number of false alarms to practically zero This places customers in the position of being able to reduce the number of false alarms to practically zero. At the same time, the role of the cameras is changed so not only do they function as a verification system, they can also assume most of the responsibility for incident detection, and consequently fewer systems are needed to guarantee effective perimeter protection. Optimised vehicle control The combination of the Dallmeier video technology and the proprietary, modular process management software with a sensor system offers logistics companies very many advantages. Most significant among these are systems for real-time localisation of unit goods, permanently solving the problem of misplaced or lost packages, which in many medium-size firms happens to between five and ten percent of all items handled every day. With the Dallmeier system, the position of every package is known from the moment it is received until the moment it is shipped. A similar system also enables uninterrupted package tracking for large logistics businesses and privacy-compliant theft investigation among other capabilities. Other solutions on display at the Dallmeier stand are concerned with optimising the efficiency of all kinds of processes, such as improved yard management and optimised vehicle control, e.g., through the display of loading levels, automatic gate assignment or even optimised claims management.

At InfoComm 2019 (booth 3055), Matrox will be showcasing its complete range of award-winning, IP-based products including quad 4K enterprise encoders, remote recorder appliances, 4K capture/encode/decode and multiviewer cards, 4K IP KVM extenders, lecture capture appliances, and 4K/multi-HD webcasting encoders. Be amongst the first to discover new products and features from Matrox. Matrox will be launching a major addition to its world-class portfolio, unveiling a revolutionary new line of video wall products. Not only will Matrox be revealing this new product alongside a show-stopping demonstration, Matrox will also be holding a raffle, where one lucky guest will take home this innovative new product. Increases operational efficiency Matrox Maevex 6100 Series enterprise encoders are also now supporting IPv6 Matrox Extio 3 high-performance IP KVM extenders will also be showcasing a brand new feature that brings IP extension and switching flexibility to the next level. A live demonstration will show how this feature drastically increases operational efficiency for users working on multiple source systems simultaneously. Matrox Maevex 6100 Series enterprise encoders are also now supporting IPv6, HLS streaming, and MOV recording. These rugged, quiet, and rack-friendly appliances are now equipped with every feature needed for the simplest and most complex encoding made easy—all without sacrificing on quality! Matrox Monarch EDGE will be making its InfoComm debut. Featuring next-generation 3G/12G-SDI and 25 GbE SMPTE ST 2110 connectivity, as well as versatile multi-protocol support—including RTMP, SRT, MPEG2. TS, and RTSP—this 4K/multi-HD webcasting and remote production (REMI) encoder delivers H.264 streams with resolutions up to 3840x2160p60 or quad 1920x1080p60 and profiles up to High 4:2:2. Real-world benefits The AIMS Pro AV Group will be on hand at InfoComm in booth 375 The AIMS Pro AV Group will be on hand at InfoComm in booth 375, showcasing the real-world benefits of open standard approaches for the professional AV and installed systems market. Via a series of theatre presentations, as well as a multi-vendor interoperability demonstration featuring the SMPTE ST 2110 standard, show attendees will discover the benefits of truly flexible, scalable, and interoperable AV-over-IP infrastructures. At the show, AIMS will also be hosting a panel session titled 'Audio and Video Streaming Using Established IP Standards' on Tuesday, June 11 at 1-3 p.m in Room W304E. Featured products Matrox Maevex 6100 Series enterprise encoders - Matrox Maevex 6120 and Matrox Maevex 6150 dual and quad 4K enterprise encoders allow for the simultaneous capture, streaming, and recording of multiple 4K inputs. These powerful all-in-one appliances can feed cloud-based servers to reach internet viewers—including new simplified webcasting to multiple cloud-based and social media sites—push many streams over LAN for audiences on-premises, and record to local or network storage for later editing and viewing, all concurrently. Maevex PowerStream Plus software and APIs ensure easy operation, and are included with all Maevex 6100 Series appliances. Matrox Maevex 6020 Remote Recorder - The Panopto-certified Matrox Maevex 6020 Remote Recorder supports best-of-breed live streaming and recording to the Panopto video platform for education and business with easy 1-2-3 connection to your Panopto account. Users will benefit from simultaneous dual live streaming video and multiple on-device recordings of different qualities per input for the fastest VOD availability. It also boasts one-touch recording controls and whisper-quiet operation, on a rack-friendly, single-purpose appliance. Matrox Mura IPX video wall and multiviewer cards - Matrox Mura IPX video wall and multiviewer cards will exhibit the most advanced capture, encoding, decoding, and/or display capabilities from a single card by streaming and recording desktops, entire video walls, and selected regions of interest—with pixel-for-pixel or scaled-down representation of the display wall—over LAN and internet. Matrox Extio 3 IP KVM extenders will deliver exceptional 4Kp60 4:4:4, dual 4Kp30 4:4:4, and 2Kp60 4:4:4 performanceMatrox Extio 3 IP KVM extenders - Matrox Extio 3 IP KVM extenders will deliver exceptional 4Kp60 4:4:4, dual 4Kp30 4:4:4, and 2Kp60 4:4:4 performance over a standard 1 GbE network—at unprecedentedly low bitrates. Extio 3 will also demonstrate a brand new feature designed to drastically increase operational efficiency for users working on multiple source systems simultaneously. Extio 3 cards and appliances work with COTS network switches, illustrating a scalable and cost-effective KVM matrix over IP to securely route any system to any remote location on the network. Matrox Monarch EDGE 4K/multi-HD webcasting and remote production encoder - The Matrox Monarch EDGE 4K/multi-HD encoder will demonstrate several webcasting workflows, including streaming 4Kp60 content that ensures high-quality viewing experiences on any size device. Attendees will also learn how to leverage Monarch EDGE with multi-channel online video platforms (OVPs) like YouTube, to capture and stream up to four cameras, allowing the viewer to select and/or switch to their preferred camera views. Matrox Monarch LCS lecture capture appliance - The Matrox Monarch LCS multi-source streaming and recording appliance will exhibit how IT administrators can readily integrate these encoders into today’s most popular open video and learning management systems, and how operators can in turn, easily define profiles for live streamed and recorded lectures by mixing camera and presentation material.

Hikvision, the supplier of innovative security products and solutions, launches the latest generation Turbo HD Series - Turbo HD X, which is a complete system to help stopping intruders in real-time, and avoiding damage and loss of property. The Hikvision Turbo HD X series of cameras has a built-in detector that captures infrared light emitted by human bodies, distinguishing it from other visual ‘noise’. Once the camera detects a potential intruder, its built-in siren flashes red and blue light and a loud sound with the aim of frightening the intruder away. Change perimeter protection Users can also receive alarm information remotely, via an application on their mobile devices The Turbo HD X series can support a broad range of perimeter protection and security system processes for in-process warning, and evidence collection after an event. It enables transformation of the traditional monitoring and post-event investigation approach, and helps to change perimeter protection from passive monitoring to active deterrence in order to protect people and assets. It can be used in warehouses, residences, jewellery stores and more. More importantly, the Turbo HD X is a complete and unified system, featuring front-end devices linking to back-end devices and a remote application. As the front-end alarm sends a warning to potential intruders, the system also triggers an alarm at the back-end, to notify security personnel. Users can also receive alarm information remotely, via an application on their mobile devices. False-alarm reduction technology Turbo HD X cameras can also be integrated with Hikvision’s cutting-edge AcuSense DVRs. The intelligent false-alarm reduction technology within these DVRs will disregard irrelevant movements picked up by the camera – such as rain, leaves and animals – and instead focus exclusively on human or vehicle movement. Together, this integrated solution dramatically reduces the number of false alarms, and ensures security staff focus on actual targets for greater efficiency. The last six years of Turbo HD products have delivered a wealth of innovations to the market All of this builds on the impressive functionality that has been delivered by Hikvision’s Turbo HD DVRs and cameras since their launch in 2013. In addition to impressive HD image clarity, the last six years of Turbo HD products have delivered a wealth of innovations to the market, including super-efficient bandwidth and storage usage and ultra-low-light video recording – all helping customers to enhance their security and perimeter protection. Video surveillance records Frank Zhang, the President of the International Product and Solution Center at Hikvision says, “Once again, we are bringing fresh ideas and new possibilities to the industry. Usually, video surveillance records are only searched for evidence after someone has suffered the consequences of an intrusion.” “However, criminals may give up further actions if they believe their behaviour has been detected. By stopping intruders in their tracks, the Hikvision Turbo HD X can help our customers to avoid costly damage and loss of property.”

As part of its ongoing effort to create new opportunities for customers and partners, Synectics establishes an integration partnership with AnyVision, a pioneer in AI-based facial, body, and object recognition. This allows users of Synectics’ systems to utilise facial recognition data within its Synergy 3 command and control platform, and leverage this by combining with site-wide sub-systems data through the intelligent automation capabilities of the platform. This approach to combining and analysing data from multiple systems in tandem with AnyVision’s powerful technology will ultimately enable a more refined level of actionable intelligence not currently found in other surveillance systems available in the market. Cutting-edge solutions Synectics believes partnerships like this one with AnyVision create the foundation" Commenting on the inspiration behind this collaboration, John Roessler, Vice President of Gaming at Synectics, said: “Synectics believes partnerships like this one with AnyVision create the foundation from which our business can adapt to changes in the marketplace and answers the call from our customers to provide cutting-edge solutions. Taking this approach also allows for increased return on investment not only for us, but, more importantly, for our customers and partners.” Greg Alcorn, Divisional Director at Synectics, added: “As we endeavour to deepen our business across key sectors – transportation, infrastructure, oil & gas, gaming, public space, and high security – partnering with the leading technology providers in our industry who have complementary solutions to ours will be a crucial strategic component.” Facial recognition analysis The partnership will immediately allow end users to leverage the capability of AnyVision within the Synergy 3 command and control platform, enhancing the platform’s powerful situational awareness capabilities by marrying AI-driven facial recognition analysis with its suite of video, data, and alarm management tools. Synergy 3 is used worldwide in sectors where surveillance is critical to business and security, from city surveillance, transportation hubs and networks, oil and gas installations, and CNI infrastructure, to high-security sites, casinos, and major public attractions. The partnership is also part of AnyVision’s mission to make its innovative AI-powered technology available to more businesses and environments across the globe. Unlike other software solutions in the market, AnyVision’s software is plug-and-play for new and existing systems, and able to overcome challenges such as occlusions, different angles of view, and poor lighting conditions. Real-world analytics Facial, body, and object recognition have real-world benefits right now" AnyVision currently develops technology for security and surveillance, mobile authentication, access control, and real-world analytics. Boris Gokhman, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at AnyVision, commented: “Facial, body, and object recognition have real-world benefits right now. Collaborating with best-of-breed technology partners to help more organisations ‒ working across diverse sectors ‒ harness new capabilities and achieve those benefits is hugely important to us.” “We are delighted to be working with Synectics on this and look forward to expanding this partnership in the future.” With the aim of creating a true interoperability ecosystem, Synectics recently launched a new Software Development Kit (SDK) to help third-party tech companies and developers write their own integrations to Synergy 3.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) and ISC Security Events announces that the SIA Education@ISC team is seeking quality session proposals for ISC East 2019 and ISC West 2020. Proposals can be submitted for ISC East and West starting Wednesday, May 1. ISC West – North America’s largest security event with an attendance of more than 30,000 – and ISC East – the premier security event in the Northeast, attended by 7,500+ security and public safety professionals – are considered the two U.S. events for the security industry. ISC East 2019 will be held November 20-21 at the Javits Center in New York City, and ISC West 2020 will take place March 17-20 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Technology-specific speakers SIA Education@ISC – the educational conference program within the ISC West and East trade shows – is the top industry resource for vendor-agnostic security and network training, with critical information on the newest technologies and most critical issues and strategies shaping today’s evolving security market. SIA Education@ISC provides attendees with the opportunity to enhance their industry knowledge" “To remain competitive in the security space, professionals must stay current with the latest industry developments and trends and keep up to pace with innovation in technology,” said Elli Voorhees, SIA’s director of education and training. “SIA Education@ISC provides attendees with the opportunity to enhance their industry knowledge and improve competence through hands-on workshops, product training and a wide range of technology-specific speaker presentations.” Security installing firms SIA Education@ISC East session content is particularly designed for two groups: systems integrators/security installing firms and security practitioners. The program at ISC West features content from many aspects of the channel, including unmanned systems, video surveillance and business development. All educational sessions must be commercial free; presenters are prohibited from marketing products or services through the sessions. Security experts, technologists, educators and trainers are all encouraged to submit proposals starting May 1.

Artificial intelligence allows machines to do jobs previously done by people. When it comes to security and surveillance, this technology allows cameras and control room equipment to identify a wide range of threats automatically and in real time across hundreds or even thousands of cameras – allowing security teams to take immediate action to protect people and assets. AI technology and surveillance solutions Artificial Intelligence technology built into surveillance solutions help organisations optimise their security Video surveillance cameras are the electronic eyes of any security operation. In the past, human supervision was needed to make sense of the images captured, and to assess whether certain events posed a security risk or not. With some organisations using hundreds or even thousands of cameras to protect their people and assets, manual review of footage is simply impossible – potentially leaving them vulnerable to security breaches. Advanced Artificial Intelligence technology built into surveillance solutions can help organisations overcome this challenge and optimise their security. This means cameras, control-room equipment and back-end infrastructure can now ‘learn’ about potential threats for themselves by recognising people, vehicles and even behaviours. Detection and prevention The manual interventions needed with traditional security systems mean that teams were frequently reacting to breaches that had already happened. Artificial Intelligence changes all this by recognising potential threats before they impact company’s people or assets – allowing security teams to react immediately to neutralise any potential threat. Artificial intelligence solutions can automatically trigger alerts when a person appears in a restricted area For example, artificial Intelligence solutions can automatically trigger alerts when a person appears in a restricted area, or when a vehicle with a blacklisted number plate enters a site. With alerts delivered in real time, teams can identify and react to security threats and protect people and assets more effectively. And because alerts are automated, potential threats are hardly missed or overlooked. How does artificial intelligence work? Artificial Intelligence systems become more intelligent over time, building databases of potential threats and reacting to new events accordingly. This allows systems to ‘think for themselves’ and to alert teams of any suspicious events or people who are caught on camera. Artificial intelligence technologies use advanced algorithms based on Deep Learning to distinguish between different kinds of security events and threats. Technologies incorporated into the Hikvision portfolio include: Facial recognition which allows law enforcement personnel to identify suspects and commercial teams to identify VIP customers in real time. Vehicle identification which can be used to identify vehicle number plates and recognise different types of vehicles (even down to make and model), or to trigger alerts when vehicles enter restricted areas. Perimeter protection which helps organisations to identify real threats by distinguishing people and vehicles from other moving objects and keeping false alarms to a minimum. Business intelligence which employs people counting, queue detection, and heat mapping technologies, so that organisations can enhance operational efficiency by making use of the data report. Increasing commercial success  Artificial intelligence isn’t just useful for identifying security threats – although this is a key strength of the technology. It can also help organisations increase their competitiveness and commercial success. For example, VIP customers who opt to participate in special marketing promotions or other incentives can be identified so staff can provide the right kind of service at the right time. This gives organisations the opportunity to personalise the service experience, foster loyalty and maximise customer lifetime revenues. Artificial Intelligence can help organisations to better understand customers and meet their needs more effectively In the same way, artificial Intelligence can help organisations to better understand customers and meet their needs more effectively – leading to more commercial opportunities. One feature – called People Counting – allows stores and commercial centres to map footfall at peak times, ensuring that staffing is optimised to meet demand. At the same time, stores can see which areas of the building customers visit most and adjust their merchandising and product positioning accordingly to maximise the sales opportunities. Artificial intelligence at Hikvision Hikvision’s family of artificial intelligence products include the DeepinView network cameras and DeepinMind NVRs. The products help to tackle security with facial recognition; monitoring and counting of people; and recognition and detection of vehicles, to name a few. These features all depend on artificial intelligence technology to recognise, classify and respond to security threats. This article was written by Hikvision.

Across the country, law enforcement officers are finding it increasingly difficult to respond to the near overwhelming number of calls coming from security alarms. Police departments commonly define a false alarm as a call, which upon investigation, shows no evidence of criminal activity, such as broken windows, forced doors, items missing, or people injured. While false alarms bog down police, they can also negatively impact customers and integrators. End users can expect hefty fines for false alarm responses, and when these customers receive large bills from the city, many turn to installers, dealers, and even manufacturers expecting them to accept the responsibility and pay the bill. What first brought the issue of alarm verification to your attention? It is crucial to both see a situation and concurrently listen to any corresponding sounds to gain full insight I’ve been aware of the problem of false alarms for about 5 years. I believed audio capture, through microphone deployment, could be an active part of the solution when used as a second source for indicating ‘out of the norm’ activity and as an equal component with the video surveillance technology. In 2015, I found similarly minded security professionals when introduced to the Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response. After reading PPVAR’s paper on ‘Audio Verified Alarms Best Practices; [April 2015],’ I knew that the Partnership was on to something important. In our lives, two of the five senses we count on day-in and day-out are sight and sound. It is crucial to both see a situation and concurrently listen to any corresponding sounds to gain full insight. What is the false alarm rate? In 2016, the International Association of Chiefs of Police reported that over 98 percent of all alarm calls in the United States were false. This number is obviously staggering, and something we need to work towards correcting. Why did this issue resonate so strongly with you? When I first investigated this issue, I was sure that the security industry would have already recognised this and was acting to ensure improved alarm verification, preferably through a combination of audio and video technologies. However, I quickly saw that this was not the case, or even close to the norm. I have questioned the rationale behind the lack of adoption and found the deployment of audio is often hindered by the concern of privacy. I’ve spearheaded many initiatives to explain the monitoring policies surrounding audio As CEO of Louroe Electronics, I’ve spearheaded many initiatives to explain the monitoring policies surrounding audio. I’ve had to reassure many security personnel and customers how the law supports the use of audio in public places as long as there is no expectation of privacy. By dispelling fears with facts around deploying and implementing audio sensors, customers can confidently include audio in their surveillance systems and gain a more effective security solution. Who is affected by this? Truth be told, everyone from the end user to the manufacturer is affected by this issue. Not to mention the strain this puts on law enforcement who are tired of ‘wasting time’ and effort out in the field on these nuisance alerts. When an end user receives a bill for their false alarm, many of them will immediately blame the integrator and or the monitoring center for a faulty set up and management and expect the integrator to remedy the situation, including carry the burden of paying the fines. The integrator, on the other hand, will turn to the manufacturer, assuming faulty equipment and installation instructions; therefore, looking for reimbursement for the cost. What is the average false alarm fee? It depends on many factors, and especially your first responder assigned location for responseIt depends on many factors, and especially your first responder assigned location for response. According to the Urban Institute, fees generally range from $25-$100 for the first offense, rising as high as a few thousand dollars per false alarm if a location has a large number in a single year. What’s worse, in extreme cases, alarm systems may even be blacklisted by the police dispatch center if they have raised too many false alarms in the past. Why do you believe audio is the ideal technology for secondary source verification? Video surveillance has been the main option for security monitoring and alarm validation for decades, however industry professionals are realising that video alone is not enough. Video only tells half of the story, by adding audio capture, the responsible party gains a turnkey solution with the ability to gather additional evidence to verify alerts and expand overall awareness. In reality, audio’s range is greater than the field of view for a camera. Sound pickup is 360 degrees, capturing voices, gunshots, breaking glass, sirens, or other important details that a fixed camera many not see. How would a secondary source verification system work with audio? Using a video monitoring solution equipped with audio, the microphone will pick up the sounds at the time a visual alert or alarm is triggered. If embedded with classification analytics, the microphone will send alerts for specific detected sounds. The captured audio, and any notifications are immediately sent to the monitoring station, where trained personnel can listen to the sound clip, along with live audio and video from their station. When law enforcement receives a validated alarm, they can better prioritise the response From here, an informed decision can then be made about the validity of the alarm, along with what the current threat is at the location. If the alarm is in fact valid, the information is then passed along to the law enforcement within minutes. When law enforcement receives a validated alarm, they can better prioritise the response. It also provides more information in a forensic evaluation. Are there any additional resources you would suggest looking into? Yes, we would suggest looking into the following to see a few different perspectives on the matter: NSA Support For 2018 Model Ordinance For Alarm Management and False Alarm Reduction Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response Support for the Term “Verified Alarm” and Prioritising Verified Alarm Responses Urban Institute Opportunities for Police Cost Savings without Sacrificing Service Quality: Reducing False Alarms

The rise to prominence of smart cities should not go unnoticed. To the untrained eye, you might not realise just how connected your city is and how it’s helping your everyday life. From crossing the road to monitoring water levels, technology is allowing cities to think quicker and act smarter. Data-driven decisions A recent whitepaper by ABI Research has revealed that the total global cost-saving potential offered by smart cities stands at more than $5 trillion. This shows how technological improvements to the places we live offer a significant opportunity to not only improve our personal lives and wellbeing, but to also ensure our cities are able to continue contributing to the wider economy. One of the major areas of technology that is going to shift how we interact with our cities is the Internet of Things (IoT). One benefit will be the ability to use video surveillance to analyse data on large crowds at sporting events The IoT already accounts for swathes of technology and devices operating in the background. However, we’re increasingly seeing these come to the forefront of everyday life, as data becomes increasingly critical. In an IDC study sponsored by Seagate, Data Age 2025 estimates that by 2025, nearly 20% of data will be critical to our daily lives and nearly 10% of that will be hypercritical. Data is no longer just going to provide simple insights and recommendations, it is going to be making decisions that impact the fabric and quality of everyday life. Analysis and application The decisions that this critical data is attached to must be made quickly. A living, breathing city must constantly be monitoring, assessing and utilising data in order to ensure it keeps people safe and mobile. A prime example of this is in the Dutch city of Almere, where the local police force and parking management teams are using surveillance technology to improve congestion and manage traffic flow. This is hugely important when 20% of city traffic is caused by drivers circling around trying to find a parking space, according to Stuart Higgins, Strategic Lead - Cisco Impact. While older cities such as London may not be as equipped with new technology like modern cities, such as Dubai, an appreciation of the different ways individual cities can adopt technology is vital. For those that have the right infrastructure, one key benefit will be the ability to use video surveillance to analyse data on road congestion, or even large crowds at sporting events or national ceremonies. Using this data to spot patterns of behaviour will enable city planners to develop long term solutions to ensure city life runs smoothly. Instant access to connected devices By 2025, an average connected person anywhere in the world will interact with connected devices nearly 4,800 times per day — that’s one interaction approximately every 18 seconds.   As access to data becomes the central component to a functioning smart city, the way data is stored has become more important than ever It isn’t just new-paradigm services such as Uber that are causing this. Increasingly, the ability to instantly access data relevant to many aspects of our lives will drive our interactions with these devices, and industries around the world are undergoing a digital transformation motivated by these evolving requirements. The benefits of data access is best shown through Project Green Light in the US city of Detroit, where the police department has partnered with gas stations across the city and the community to improve the quality of life within the neighborhood. The result is a strengthened relationship between public services and private businesses operating in the area. As access to data becomes the central component to a functioning smart city, the way data is stored has become more important than ever. When it comes to surveillance in our cities, the need for not only the technology but the hardware to analyse this data is of imperative importance. Real time data storage availability The growth of real-time data will cause a shift in the type of storage needed in the future – with fast, uncompromised access to data being non-negotiable. Data Age 2025 predicts that by 2025 the global datasphere will grow to 163 zettabytes. The security of our data and how it is stored will be the foundation to any future smart city strategy That’s ten times the 16.1ZB of data generated in 2016. This increase in data will propel the need for data to be available in real-time to heighten the focus on low-latency responsiveness from enterprise edge storage, as well as from the endpoints themselves. The rise in edge computing exemplifies how this demand is already present. The stakes are rising and with them, the critical importance of our data’s veracity and timeliness. It is important to identify city-wide data partnerships, architecture, and standards for effective and safe data sharing when developing a data strategy. Securing stored data It’s important to note that the security of our data and how it is stored will be the foundation to any future smart city strategy, ensuring that safety, regulatory, speed and access requirements are all met. Securing the data that underpins life as we know it is circular, not linear. Every company that creates, uses or touches data has to have a role in keeping it secure and should be the backbone of any smart city. What’s evident however is that digital transformation is shaping the surveillance industry and in turn how our cities operate. As a result, data is the fuel that will ensure the impact is a positive one. People, government and businesses all contribute to the cities of today, so no one can afford to ignore the shift we are seeing. The cities that utilise surveillance data when considering any changes to their infrastructure will ultimately become the cities of tomorrow, not only future-proofing, but prospering in the data-driven age.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, present a range of threats, from the careless and clueless to the criminal. While many incidents may seem harmless, the threat to any location at any time depends on a range of factors. Drones are inexpensive for criminals to buy or make, and there are continuously improving battery, airspeed, and payload capabilities. UAVs can also fly without an RF signal to jam or hack. Fortunately, sensor technologies including radar are available for security agencies and personnel to protect assets and the public. Radio-wave signals  Radar works as a deterrent by sending out a radio-wave signal using a transmitter antenna, and a small portion of that signal reflects off objects in its path and returns to a receiver antenna. The highest performing radars use an antenna technology called Active Electronically Scanning Array (AESA), which enables all-electronic reconfiguration of the antennas. When an AESA radar detects an object, it can ‘focus’ its antennas to track the object, in much the same way as the zoom on a camera does. Multiple objects can be tracked while continuing to scan. Kirkland, Washington-based Echodyne offers a radar product that brings these ESA capabilities to non-military security applications at commercial price points. Combining proprietary hardware with intelligent software, Echodyne produces a compact, solid-state, electronically scanning array Echodyne’s ESA radar Echodyne says they are reinventing radar price-performance for security applications in the ground (people, vehicles) or air (counter-UAS) domains. Combining proprietary hardware with intelligent software, Echodyne produces a compact, solid-state, electronically scanning array (ESA) radar that is affordable for commercial, law enforcement, and governmental customers. The company is backed by high profile investors, including Bill Gates, Madrona Venture Group, Vulcan Capital, NEA, and Lux Capital. “Radar is a sensor,” says Leo McCloskey, Echodyne VP Marketing. “It is most applicable when security professionals can both understand its capabilities and define risk assessment and deployment requirements that call for those capabilities. Our customers are primarily security system integrators and consultancies, which integrate the performance of radar into a sensor array that meets mission requirements.” Radar technology for border surveillance Echodyne was selected by the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for its Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) to demonstrate the performance of its radar technology for border surveillance applications. The radar was deployed both in fixed remote surveillance towers and as a lightweight rapid deployment kit for field agents. Able to surveil ground and air domains, the radar combines versatility and commercial price with surveillance capabilities. “We set out to build the world’s best compact, solid-state ESA radar sensor, and we are demonstrating that we’ve reached that objective,” says McCloskey. “We’re excited to introduce these capabilities for other security applications.” Able to surveil ground and air domains, the radar combines versatility and commercial price with surveillance capabilities MESA technology Echodyne’s proprietary technology provides a small true electronically scanning array (ESA) radar. Unlike expensive Active ESA (AESA) phased array radars, MESA requires no physical phase shifters, thus reducing the cost, size, weight, and power by several orders of magnitude while maintaining all the benefits of fast ESA radar. Echodyne combines its MESA technology with an intelligent software suite, Acuity, to produce a configurable, software-defined radar for commercial, law enforcement, and governmental security applications. The capability is also useful for temporary events such as rallies and marathons, and many other market applications “Technology seems to make everything more available to more people over time,” says McCloskey. “What is a retail product today will be a purchased self-assembly kit tomorrow and an improvised self-made drone the following day. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is diligently at work on creating rules for safe UAV operation, though any final rules remain some distance off. As drone volumes increase, delineating friend from foe in the airspace requires clear legal and regulatory frameworks, which are nascent but would help distinguish the threat of nuisance flyers from illegal overflight.” Radar sensor for security applications “Detecting and tracking airspace objects of interest is imperative for airports, chemical plants, oil and gas installations, refineries, water and energy utilities, stadiums and other public spaces”, says McCloskey. The capability is also useful for temporary events such as rallies and marathons, and many other market applications. “As with any product, our applicability will depend on variables like location, terrain, risk assessment, and existing security technologies,” says McCloskey. “Our mission is to deliver the very best radar sensor for security applications.”

Simultaneous suicide bombings at several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on April 21 were of a scale, sophistication and level of coordination that hasn’t been seen since 9/11. Nine suicide bombers targeted three churches and three hotels on Easter morning, and the resulting casualties numbered 359 dead, including 45 children, and about 500 injured. The complexity of the attacks suggests the bombers received help from an outside organisation, likely the Islamic State (IS). Sadly, security warnings from Indian intelligence officials, which might have helped to prevent or minimise the attacks, were ignored by Sri Lanka security weeks earlier. In the wake of the massacre, two of Sri Lanka’s top security officials were asked to resign, and Sri Lanka’s president promised to completely restructure state security. Contradiction to the terrorism report The twin calamities provide a dramatic counterpoint to an observed global decrease in terrorist attacksA motivation for the Sri Lanka tragedy is thought to be the March 15 shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, where 50 people were killed and 50 more were injured. A 28-year-old Australian white supremacist was arrested and charged with murder. Taken together, the twin calamities provide a dramatic counterpoint to an observed global decrease in terrorist attacks, as documented in a recent report. The suicide bombers in Sri Lanka were eight men and one woman, most of them well-educated and coming from the middle or upper class. One was the leader of National Thowheeth Jamaath, the homegrown militant Islamist group the government has blamed with carrying out the attacks. There is also evidence to corroborate a claim of responsibility by IS. Some 60 people have been arrested in the investigation. Even days later, police continued to find explosives and said there was still danger. Multiple attacks One explosion on Easter morning occurred at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, 20 miles north of Colombo, where more than 100 were killed. Another bomb killed 28 people at the Zion Church in Batticaloa, and an unknown number died at St. Anthony’s Shrine, a Roman Catholic church in Colombo. The three hotels that were attacked were all in Colombo – the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury The three hotels that were attacked were all in Colombo – the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Two more explosions happened Sunday afternoon, one at a small guest house and another at the suspects’ safe house, where three officers were killed. Security at houses of worship has been a high-profile concern in the United States in recent years following incidents such as an attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in downtown Charleston in 2015 that killed nine people. Just last October, 11 people were killed and six others injured in a shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Hardening security at churches “It’s no longer enough to pray for a safe and secure environment,” commented Patrick Fiel of PVF Security Consulting in an Expert Panel Roundtable discussion. “Churches are soft targets. Clergy and parishioners will need to work closely with security consultants and local law enforcement to harden their facilities.” Access control, CCTV solutions and mass notification systems are all helpful and can be placed unobtrusively so as not to interfere with aesthetics of the church, Fiel adds. The scale and scope of the bombings in Sri Lanka provide a wakeup call to the global likelihood of terrorist attacksIt doesn’t appear technology would have made much difference in the case of the Sri Lanka attacks, although awareness and vigilance can have an impact. At Zion Church in Batticaloa, for example, a bomber was stopped by pastors from entering the congregation area where some 500 people gathered. Because of their suspicions, the bomb was instead detonated in a courtyard where children were eating breakfast; 28 people died. The scale and scope of the bombings in Sri Lanka provide a dramatic wakeup call to the continuing global likelihood of terrorist attacks. The last territory of the Islamic State in Syria fell in March, but IS and its ideology live on, and continue to be a global terrorism threat. And that’s just one among many possible sources of terrorism worldwide. Hopefully, the recent incidents do not foreshadow more attacks that are even more deadly.

Delivering on high expectations, the first day of ISC West 2019 kicked off with a crowded Sands Expo Center and exhibitors putting forward their best new technologies. Developments seemed more evolutionary than revolutionary, but attendees quickly found plenty of interest. Thermal cameras Hanwha Techwin also showed off a new Android camera that can deploy new apps The largest booth at ISC West, Hanwha Techwin, remained crowded throughout the first day as attendees checked out the company’s eight new thermal cameras offering features such as pan-tilt-zoom, H.265 encoding to minimise storage needs, VGA resolution and detection of temperature changes, all built on Hanwha Techwin’s Wisenet chip. There is also a new 5-megapixel version of Hanwha’s popular 2-megapixel multi-sensor camera, and a new panoramic camera; multi-sensor panoramic cameras ‘stitch’ the images together rather than just aligning them. Hanwha Techwin also showed off a new Android camera that can deploy new apps developed as part of the Korean company’s role as a founding member of Open Security & Safety Alliance (OSSA). Avigilon's H5 series Avigilon is introducing a new line of cameras — the H5 series — with improved imaging and designed to provide deep learning/neural network processing at the edge. Improvements to video analytics will enable the cameras to track multiple moving objects simultaneously in a field of view and to track objects more accurately. More granularity enables better differentiation among types of vehicles, and the cameras enable more detailed data to be pulled from video. The improved analytics engine will also support better face detection and recognition. Operators can view the dashboard and react to information provided in a more digestible format The new version of Avigilon Control Center 7 (ACC7) software will apply principles of AI to enhance an operator’s ‘Focus of Attention’ when monitoring live video. Video is fed into an AI engine that determines which events in the live footage are most worthy of an operator’s attention. Monitoring live video can be a challenge for human operators, whose short attention spans undermine the best surveillance systems. Automation helps to direct that limited attention span to events most worthy of attention. A ‘dashboard’ displays clusters of cameras that are colour-coded to reflect the types of activity that are detected. Rather than watching video, operators can view the dashboard and react to information provided in a more digestible format. Clicking brings up the live video. Quantum Cloud Storage Platform Video storage is another area of innovation at ISC West. The Quantum Cloud Storage Platform is flexible for video surveillance and industrial IoT applications. The architecture is built from the ground up for video surveillance applications and can scale from five cameras to millions of cameras in a simple deployment model — no settings or configurations needed. Products range from a small ‘mini-tower’ configuration for a retail store or gas station up to rack-mount servers that can accommodate thousands of cameras. We make the storage piece so simple that you don’t have to think about it" Quantum introduced the VS-Series in a range of server choices at ISC West. The hyperconverged and software-defined environment will support a combination of video management systems (VMS), along with access control, HVAC and lighting controls. Quantum worked with Johnson Controls to develop the products. “It’s designed for an installer, not for an IT guru,” says Jamie Lerner, Quantum’s CEO, President and Chairman of the Board. “We make the storage piece so simple that you don’t have to think about it.” Quantum is showing its VS-Series publicly for the risk time at ISC West. S2’s Magic Monitor LenelS2 is a newly coined name in the industry — resulting from a recent acquisition. The combination of Lenel and the acquired S2 is playing out to the benefit of both product lines. For example, Lenel’s Blue Diamond mobile credentialing system can now be used along with the S2 Netbox hardware. Lenel’s OnGuard is being combined into S2’s Magic Monitor unified solution that combines video, access control, and digital messaging. OnGuard is also benefitting from Magic Monitor’s graphics maps. The S2 Cumulus cloud-based service, focused on system health monitoring, is being applied to OnGuard. LenelS2 is also developing a full commercial access control as a service (ACaaS) offering The combined LenelS2 is stepping up with new solutions for frictionless access control, too. A ‘phone as a badge’ approach enables a door to be unlocked by a smart phone, even if it is in a pocket, locked and/or the app has not been opened. Another alternative is a ‘shake to open’ action that sends the credential to the nearest reader. LenelS2 is also developing a full commercial access control as a service (ACaaS) offering, which is being previewed at ISC Show and will be released commercially later in the year. Video surveillance product line Mobotix is expanding its MOVE video surveillance product line with six new models announced at the show and broadening its reach into new vertical markets. A solutions approach offers both end-to-end Mobotix systems and other systems offered in conjunction with technology partnerships displayed in the Mobotix booth. Top of the list of new verticals is education, and Mobotix’s edge-based approach includes programmable logic built in so that ‘technology can take over when the human element is the weakest.’ Automated response is faster and ‘seconds equal lives’ during an emergency. In an education scenario, the Mobotix system acts as an Internet of Things (IoT) device that offers more functionality than other manufacturers’ ‘cameras.’ There are 22 steps involved to ensure the cybersecurity of Mobotix products, reflecting a higher level of cybersecurity commitment Mobotix has thermal products that are also finding uses in a variety of verticals, from oil and gas to manufacturing process control. Mobotix systems that can detect defects in products in the manufacturing process are expanding usage in applications beyond the traditional ‘security’ industry. Cybersecurity Commitment Mobotix is looking at the market in a completely different way, redefining how their products can fit into a variety of scenarios, and with a focus on cybersecurity. There are 22 steps involved to ensure the cybersecurity of Mobotix products, reflecting a higher level of cybersecurity commitment than some other manufacturers. “There are so many features within our solutions, and we want to get the word out to the end users, so they understand the features,” says Thomas Lausten, Mobotix CEO. “There is untapped potential.”

Decades of experience, innovative ideas, a strong commitment to quality, and a full range of first-class offset printing services: Mohn Media Mohndruck GmbH, a company of the Bertelsmann Printing Group, is one of Europe’s providers of printing and media services. At its facility in Gütersloh, Germany, some 2,000 employees are involved in professionally creating and executing tailored solutions for customers across a variety of industries. To avoid endangering staff and production, the company also has extremely high standards where the plant’s safety and security are concerned. And Bosch has supported the print specialists with advanced technology and services through multiple system generations. Cutting-edge solution The latest new project involved implementing a networked solution to improve fire safety “Again and again, we’ve been impressed by the innovative solutions that Bosch comes up with for us,” says Jörg Naumann, who heads the company’s fire brigade. “Bertelsmann has been partnering with Bosch for over 35 years, and for good reason.” The latest new project involved implementing a networked solution to improve fire safety in the eight-meter-high waste paper warehouses. On average, around 300 tons of paper are stored there at any given time. Problems in waste paper removal would directly impact production. To enable prompt responses to any fire events in these sensitive areas, the Bosch experts planned and implemented a cutting-edge solution. Fire detection system AVIOTEC, the first video-based fire detection system to be certified by VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH (the VdS is an independent, renowned institution for enterprise safety and security, and harmonised body for international safety standards) plays a key role in it. Intelligent algorithms directly integrated in cameras reliably detect the first signs of any smoke or flame. This technology detects fires at their source much more reliably than conventional detectors Particularly in challenging large-volume buildings, this technology detects fires at their source much more reliably than conventional detectors, which are not triggered until smoke reaches them. The data generated by the new fire protection solution come together in the Bosch Video Management System. If AVIOTEC identifies a potentially dangerous situation in any of the waste paper warehouses, it immediately alerts the continuously staffed emergency service desk of the plant fire brigade. Building integration system The situation can then be checked on a video screen and appropriate steps will be initiated. The use of this innovative technology permits very early detection of any fires. This prevents major damage and resulting production downtimes, thus saving the company a great deal of time and money. To additionally enhance security and efficiency, all of the integrated on-site systems for fire protection and video security are managed by the Building Integration System from Bosch. As required, the security systems can be centrally or locally monitored and controlled by staff as appropriate. Not only Mohn Media benefits from this, but also all of the other companies of the Bertelsmann Printing Group operating at the same site.

This year’s Super Bowl LIII American football game to determine the champions of the National Football League (NFL), has been protected by 360 Vision Technology’s ruggedised-Hybrid Invictus PTZ camera. The cameras were deployed as part of Security Centres International’s high-performance Mobile Advanced Safety Tower (MAST) rapid deployment camera solution. In all, 10 rapid deployment MAST units were deployed in various areas surrounding the brand new, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena in Atlanta Georgia. With over 1 million fans expected to participate in Super Bowl and the 10-day fan festival, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), was keen to complement the existing CCTV networks around the grounds and mass transit point footfall areas, such as bus and rail stations. HD surveillance imaging MAST is the only product of its kind that would readily integrate into the existing CCTV infrastructure" Stuart Bostock, Executive Group President at Security Centres International explains why the 360 Vision Invictus camera based MAST system was chosen by MARTA: “Featuring world-class HD surveillance imaging, leading-edge design, robustness, zero infrastructure requirements and seamless Video Management System (VMS) integration, MAST is the only product of its kind that would readily integrate into the existing CCTV infrastructure. Additionally, MAST benefits from a significantly smaller footprint than similar trailer based stand-alone surveillance systems.” “MAST has been developed to answer the need for a more sophisticated and flexible surveillance system for infrastructure and public space safety, including large crowd gatherings, as in this application. MAST is unique, as it combines a rapidly deployable unit with some of the most advanced safety and surveillance technology available – the very reason why we selected 360 Vision Technology’s Invictus camera for its core imaging technology.” Full 1080P HD PTZ camera Invictus’ low-power consumption greatly assists the longevity of critical battery power when deployed in the field" Mark Rees Managing Director of 360 Vision Technology added: “360 Vision Technology’s Invictus is a high-performance, ruggedized all-in-one PTZ camera with full 1080P HD and ultra low-light camera technology - making it the perfect choice for off-grid temporary/rapid deployment mobile surveillance rigs, such as MAST. Additionally, Invictus’ low-power consumption greatly assists the longevity of critical battery power when deployed in the field – extending MAST’s operational performance for deployment in more remote applications.” “The Invictus camera’s unparalleled mix of competitive cost and advanced Predator low-light camera imaging technology makes it the perfect imaging component for the innovative MAST system.” MAST units at Super Bowl LIII The use of the MAST units integrated to the existing fixed camera points during Super Bowl LIII week proved a huge success with high-definition images transmitted back to the MARTA Emergency Operations Centre via a mobile network. System operators were able to identify and tackle a number of incidents Thanks to the high quality of images received, system operators were able to identify and tackle a number of incidents, including a vehicle theft. Additionally, the images were also used to predict areas of dense footfall, tackle crowd control safety issues, and manage general health and safety concerns. The deployment of the Invictus based camera system at Super Bowl LIII proved such a success that plans are already in place for deployment at other large-scale US sporting events, including the NCAA Final Four Basketball Championship in 2020 and for city centre deployment across Atlanta.

A total overhaul of care and safeguarding measures at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust’s mental healthcare facilities was required following historic failures, including preventable deaths in 2012 and 2013. A root-and-branch reform programme was put in place to improve care, ensure transparency and cut risks. A comprehensive video surveillance solution was sought to underpin these efforts. The first phase project required complete video capture and recording at the Ravenswood House facility for children and adolescents, with further premises to follow in subsequent phases. Affordable surveillance system The surveillance system not only needed to cover all areas of the site but also needed to be affordable, secure against cyber-attacksSouthern Health had a critical need for continuous video evidence capture in all areas at Ravenswood House, in all lighting conditions, without blind-spots. The primary objective was to use the recordings of interactions with patients to improve standards of care, with clinical staff reviewing how incidents are handled, and protecting staff in the event of accusations of mistreatment. Because vulnerable young people are being cared for, any allegation of mistreatment requires that the staff involved are removed from front-line care duties pending investigations, therefore the ability to find and present video evidence quickly is vital. The surveillance system not only needed to cover all areas of the site but also needed to be affordable, secure against cyber-attacks in compliance with NHS requirements, quick to install – as the hospital had to remain in constant use – and easy for clinical staff to use as well as security specialists. Installation of 12MP Super Fisheye cameras The 12MP Super Fisheyes benefit from IDIS’s Smart Failover protection, which ensures continued recording even during network instability or drop-outHigh specification IDIS video technology was identified as the best for the project following a detailed on-site comparison which demonstrated its superior picture quality and ease-of-use. Specialist integrator ISD Tech was brought in to install more than a hundred IDIS 12MP Super Fisheye cameras. These units allow affordable, comprehensive area coverage, typically doing the equivalent job of three or four PTZ cameras. The result is lower installation fees, a reduced maintenance burden and affordable operation, recording the full scene without the need for an operator 24/7. The 12MP Super Fisheyes also benefit from IDIS’s Smart Failover protection, which ensures continued recording even during network instability or drop-out. And IDIS’s Korean-made technology uses proprietary protocols (not off-the-shelf) that makes it fully network-secure, allowing it to be linked to local LANs without the risk of system hacking, which is a key consideration for any IP surveillance solution. Easier and less costly installation The impact on staff is huge when they can’t work in the wards, so this speeded-up process is really valuable"The IDIS video solution was used to quickly and easily replace a previously-installed IP video system which comprised a mix of equipment from different manufacturers, and in comparison, it is easier and less costly to install, maintain and operate. “This will really assist us with evidence gathering and any criminal process. We can now look at the footage ourselves and quickly determine what happened. And we can email video links to the police and local authority designated officers. The impact on staff is huge when they can’t work in the wards, so this speeded-up process is really valuable,” said Tracey Edwards, Head of Security Southern Health NHS Trust. Following ISD Tech’s successful completion of the Ravenswood House upgrade, 250 more facilities across Hampshire are to follow, including clinics, medium secure units and admin centres.

MARSS NiDAR system has been selected to secure and protect a critical national infrastructure (CNI) site in the form of a major dam facility. The NiDAR command and control (C2) system has been selected to integrate a thermal camera and a sonar system to protect the dam from potential underwater and surface approaches. NiDAR is an advanced long-range surveillance system designed to protect maritime and land-based critical infrastructure from air, surface and underwater approaches. Tracking objects in real time NiDAR is sensor agnostic, enabling it to integrate with any existing hardware or systems, and due to its modular design, not only does it meet the current contract needs, but it also offers the flexibility to meet any future expansions or requirements. NiDAR can track, monitor, detect, classify, and respond to multiple objects, 360° in real time NiDAR can track, monitor, detect, classify, and respond to multiple objects, 360° in real time, of over 1000 known and unknown, air, surface and underwater objects thanks to the software algorithms. It can intelligently analyse and rank unknown objects to determine potential threat levels and automatically trigger the appropriate alert. When the user determined warning and alarm zones are breached the system can automatically or manual deploy integrated countermeasures to deter potential approaches and de-escalate threats. Enhanced awareness picture The intuitive C2 interface provides an enhanced awareness picture, in real-time, through a touchscreen user interface and multi touch control. Rob Balloch, Sales Director of MARSS said, “NiDAR was chosen for this critical national infrastructure as it is robust and suited to all environments, however challenging. Its high availability and reliability, low maintenance and cost effectiveness makes it the perfect choice for any future growth, or change of requirements, with minimum disruption.”

On his 2018 two-day visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families, Pope Francis’s scheduled activity was protected by high-performance Predator and Invictus cameras from UK CCTV design and manufacturing company, 360 Vision Technology. Specialists in a wide range of leading-edge CCTV, Access Control, PA, AV and radio communications, County Kildare-based Mongey Communications was chosen to provide the additional security surveillance protection measures necessary to secure the Pope’s visit to Dublin. With the massive crowds expected to see the pontiff, the temporary surveillance installation needed to be minimally disruptive and use mobile radio to provide the multi-scene coverage required during the two-day visit. Multi-site CCTV surveillance The camera images were to be used for co-ordination and management by multiple agencies To support an existing small-scale CCTV installation at the Pope’s final venue of Phoenix Park (the largest enclosed city park in Europe), there was a need for further camera coverage along the park’s approach routes, entrance/exit gates, search areas and general areas of crowd movement and congregation. A similar solution was also required for the Pope’s visit to the Knock Shrine pilgrimage site and the Capuchin Day Centre, where public space CCTV was again already in place but of limited overall coverage. Full integration with the existing CCTV system at the 82,300 capacity Croke Park stadium for a papal address to the Festival of Families extravaganza was also required, with communications and CCTV feeds from all locations required to be transmitted back to local on-site control rooms at each location, and additionally to a central Command and Control room at Dublin Castle. At the main Command and Control Centre, the camera images were to be used for co-ordination and management by multiple agencies, including the Office of Public works (OPW), Garda Síochána, Defence Forces Ireland, Dublin Fire Brigade, HSE / Ambulance Services and Civil Defence. High-definition video security to secure Phoenix Park  “With 300,000 people expected to attend a papal mass at Phoenix Park to close the World Meeting of Families, we were briefed to provide the very best possible reliability and imaging performance from the additional cameras we employed,” explains Kevin McGrath of Mongey Communications. We needed to be confident of camera reliability straight out of the box, along with simple and fast set-up" He further added, “With this in mind, we needed to be confident of camera reliability straight out of the box, along with simple and fast set-up, and quality high-definition video for forward transmission to the various control rooms. Our very positive experience of employing 360 Vision Technology cameras on many high-security installations in the past led us to be confident about the image and build quality of the manufacturer’s cameras, and product support.”  “So, to fulfil the challenges we faced for this high-profile project, we specified the latest version of 360 Vision’s Predator camera, and also their new cost-effective and ruggedised Invictus Hybrid HD PTZ camera.” 360 Vision Invictus Hybrid HD PTZ camera The new 360 Vision Invictus cameras specified for the project employ the latest compact camera modules with a choice of 20:1 or 30:1 zoom and are available with 1/2.8” Sony StarVis or 1/1.9” Sony Exmor (Ultra) sensor packages. Bridging the divide between analogue and IP technology, all Invictus cameras are equipped with Hybrid functionality enabling installation in existing analogue systems and also in full 1080P HD IP video streaming networks. Alongside ONVIF 2.4 Profile S compatibility, this means the Invictus range is not only economical, but simple to install, providing Mongey Communications engineers with a reliable, flexible and high- performance solution with which to enhance the existing electronic surveillance measures for the Pope’s 2018 visit. HD IP video streaming networks An upright camera mount design allows full 360-degree continuous pan and unobstructed field of view Further enhancing camera reliability for this important event, the new Invictus camera range design draws cost-effectively on features usually associated with very high-end cameras, including construction from high grade, hardened aluminium and stainless steel, to ensure a rugged, durable and compact camera. An upright camera mount design allows full 360-degree continuous pan and unobstructed field of view, plus the ability to tilt above the horizon – enabling operators to view targets above camera installation height (i.e. up hills) – an invaluable asset where cameras were being installed in the difficult installation and operational conditions of Phoenix Park. Technical relationship with 360 Vision Technology “Our decision to once again entrust the provision of the best technology available for the project to 360 Vision Technology was proven correct, and we had no issues of consequence with the installation, commissioning and performance of all the cameras - straight out of the box,” explains Kevin. “Because of the condensed set-up period available and challenging terrain of some of the installation areas, we had to act fast to ensure the successful inclusion and full control of the cameras for the multi-agency command and control room,” adds Kevin. “Here our technical relationship with 360 Vision Technology really paid dividends throughout this time-critical project, affording easy integration of all the additional cameras into the control room’s Cathexis VMS. Cathexis VMS Images from the cameras were relayed back to the various event control centres In all, over 60 additional 360 Vision Technology cameras were employed over the various sites throughout the Pope’s visit. With extensive digging and cabling not a practical option, images from the cameras were relayed back to the various event control centres via a network of reliable and secure microwave transmission links, powered by temporary generators and back-up batteries. “The new Invictus cameras were perfect for the role thanks to their low power consumption compared to other similar specification PTZ cameras,” explains Kevin. “Low power consumption really helps when adding multiple cameras to a network with a temporary power system - and meant we could add more cameras for the benefit of maximum scene coverage.” High-speed fibre-optic connectivity High-speed fibre-optic connectivity between the various remote sites and Dublin Castle was installed, together with video walls at the various control rooms. “The Pope’s visit was a great success with no security issues reported,” says Kevin. “Images relayed to the control room from the additional 360 Vision Technology cameras were vital in the smooth running of the visit and allowed all of the state agencies involved to keep a constant update on the movements of the vast crowds drawn over the pontiff’s two-day visit.” “Our long-term technical partnership with 360 Vision Technology and our direct input in to the development of their new products really pays off with high-profile projects like this,” concludes Kevin. “We have many new and exciting installation challenges on the horizon and I’m confident that 360 Vision Technology camera products will continue to be an integral part of those future projects.”

Unlike private sectors, the government-run offices or buildings are the places where people constantly visit for specific purposes, making these official institutions easily become a target for tempted malicious attack by people who might possess strong and negative emotions toward the governments. Despite the fact that these buildings are often guarded with more security staff with arms, it is even more than necessary to set up a solid surveillance system to proactively safeguard the public and its assets. Surveon provides government solutions with product lines including weatherproof cameras with excellent image quality, patent RAID NVRs with spare drive protection, and feature-rich VMS with post VA search. These powerful solutions enable the governments to protect people from most of the threats. Weatherproof cameras with smart WDR Surveon cameras secure the outer spaces of government building with IK10 vandal proof and IP66-rated weatherproof housingTo build a reliable security system for governments, SIs might encounter some challenges such as harsh outdoor conditions and data protection of recorded video. Under these circumstances, Surveon cameras secure the outer spaces of government building like parking lot with IK10 vandal proof and IP66-rated weatherproof housing, giving partners the most reliable outdoor-use option. Moreover, all of Surveon cameras provide excellent image quality with smart WDR, allowing the security guards to recognise crucial details such as license plates even under lighting contrast and prevent any suspicious vehicle from entering. Patent RAID NVR with data protection To avoid the loss of confidential data from surveillance system, the data protection of recorded video is particularly important in terms of planning for government security. Featuring patent RAID function with spare drive data protection, Surveon NVRs provide reliable performance with zero video loss. Featuring patent RAID function with spare drive data protection, Surveon NVRs provide reliable performance with zero video lossBesides, its client-server architecture can offer high I/O, large capacities, and overall system stability. To quickly identify useful information and relative footage from hundreds of hours of video recording, Surveon designs Post VA Search, an efficient management tool, reducing the time and efforts of management staff, making the surveillance system more efficient. Enhancing security system Surveon government solutions have been successfully safeguarded the customs building in Bolivia, the post offices in Cairo, and the border checkpoint in Turkey. “Surveon provides the best C/P value solutions for the customs and improves its whole security system with high-reliability products. We are satisfied with the result and I’m sure we will keep choosing Surveon’s solutions in the future projects,” said VisionLine, Surveon’s major partner in Bolivia. Surveon is dedicated to offering a variety of end-to-end video surveillance solutions catering to different vertical applications, giving partners reliable options for their projects.

Video cameras are everywhere, and hundreds more are installed every day. Our society appears to be reaching a point of perpetual surveillance. It certainly feels as if we are always being watched even though it is not yet the case. But as cameras are becoming more common than ever, we are also entering a new era of privacy concerns and sensitivities, as evidenced by GDPR and other such initiatives. We presented this quandary to this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Surveillance cameras can go anywhere, right? Where is it “not OK?”

Sometimes customers expect more out of a security system. A brand new security system just doesn’t perform as the customer expected it would. In fact, one might argue that the many variables in today’s complex systems make it more likely than ever that some element of a system might not measure up to a customer’s expectations. What happens then? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What happens if a customer’s expectations of system performance are greater than what a physical security system can deliver?

Environmentalism is a universal consideration in most business sectors in 2016. Whether seeking to provide greener products, or looking for new ways to minimise waste of manufacturing processes, most companies are involved to some degree with environmental concerns. Green has not traditionally been a big driver in the security industry, but there are indications the profile of environmentalism is increasing. We asked this week's Expert Panel: How green (environmentally friendly) is the security industry? How should the industry as a whole (integrators and manufacturers) work to improve the industry’s environmental record?