Transport security

The 2021 International Security Conference is set to host an impressive line-up of security experts from the British Transport Police, Global Secure Accreditation Ltd, City of London Police and more, when it makes its debut at the International Security Expo 2021, taking place from September 28 - 29, 2021. Split across two days, the new CPD-certified conference will cover important sector-specific challenges and practical case studies looking at Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), aviation and transport, night-time economy, public sector and major events/stadiums. Day 1: CNI, transport and aviation Sponsored by Adani, day one of the conference will be dedicated to CNI, transport and aviation. With significant changes, such as the rapid expansion of healthcare facilities and the changes in the volume of traffic through airports, and along the rail networks, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many might argue that the security landscape has shifted too. The conference aims to examine where things have changed and the shifting priorities, which are challenging security decision-makers. Robert (Bob) Quick, Founder and Director of Global Secure Accreditation Ltd will kick off the first session, taking a deep dive into the proposed travel risk standard, ISO 31030 certification and how it can help drive improvements in safety and security, in fields of travel and hospitality. In this session, he will discuss how these sectors should respond to emerging travel risks and create a best practice approach. Use of behavioural detection Regardless of whether it’s aviation or rail, a key aspect of transport security is the ability to recognise unusual behaviour Regardless of whether it’s aviation or rail, a key aspect of transport security is the ability to recognise unusual behaviour, among passengers and staff. In a session on operational deployment and use of behavioural detection, Darren Stanton, The Human Lie Detector, will be joined by Richard Foreman, Director of Profile Aware Ltd, to outline the importance of behavioural detection and how the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) developed their behavioural detection model. Promising a fun and interactive discussion, they will carry out a series of practical exercises, so as to offer tips and teach attendees, some basic techniques in protective security. Session on cyber-crime and the railway industry Other highlights on day one of the conference include Richard Gentile, Detective Constable at British Transport Police, delivering a session on cyber-crime and the railway industry. In this presentation, Richard will use examples to discuss domestic and international cyber threats, the impact on the railway and its supply chain, as well as the solutions and preventative measures that can protect organisations. Day 2: Night-time economy, public sector, events/stadiums Crowded places are the most challenging areas to protect and the new Protect Duty (Martyn’s Law) brings a mandated responsibility to those in charge, for the first time. Set to have an immense impact on the physical security community, the second day of the conference, sponsored by Patriot One, will aim to help security professionals prepare for this legislation and understand their strengths, and weaknesses, when combined with other current legislative requirements.  A session on protecting complex public spaces from vehicle ramming attacks (VRA), delivered by Christian Schneider, Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Advisor at IniBsp / Germany, HVM Advisors, will open the second day of the conference. Ultimately improving protection, his session will explore the increasing role and flexibility of contemporary security from thoroughly elaborated HVM-Schemes, and how multi-purpose driven progress is positively affecting the global application of HVM measures. Introduction to hostile reconnaissance Bill Nelson, Managing Partner at Rose Associates, will take a closer look at the key components of the night-time economy Referencing recent case studies, Sergeant Peter Lucas, Community and Business Engagement, National Project Servator Team, at the City of London Police, will focus on how operations, community engagement and communications can be used to disrupt hostile activity at major events, with an introduction to hostile reconnaissance. Elsewhere, Bill Nelson, Managing Partner at Rose Associates International Ltd, will take a closer look at the key components of the night-time economy, the risk-generating threats these components face and how these risks can be mitigated. Night-time economy Speaking about what attendees can expect from his upcoming session, Bill Nelson stated, “I’ll start by defining exactly what we mean by the night-time economy, looking at the various components that make up the night-time economy, and the threats which generate risk. We’ll also look at what’s being done today to mitigate these risks and what we can do going forward to enhance this process.” Bill Nelson adds, “What we shouldn’t forget is that the night-time economy is estimated to generate some six per cent of the UK GDP. In pre-pandemic terms, that’s around £123 billion, so surely that is something we should be looking after.” Session on integrated security concepts of operations Other highlights from the second and final day of the conference include Pete Dalton, Protective Security & Major Event Consultant at PAD Command Consultancy, who will deliver a session on integrated security concepts of operations for major events. Through this session, attendees will be able to gain a better understanding of the threats to major events, as well as how to develop an integrated command, control, communication and coordination structure, for event management and incident response.

Interphone has launched an all-in-one rental solution that enables building owners and occupiers to adopt the latest building security systems without the need for a large initial capital outlay. This unique finance package will be available for any type of commercial or public sector property, with flexible agreement terms to suit most operating budgets and cash flow, while also providing added protection against unforeseen maintenance or support costs. Installing latest equipment “The outright purchase of security systems can be costly, requiring a sizeable capital outlay to install and maintain the latest equipment”, explains Julian Synett, CEO of Interphone Limited. “Justifying this expenditure and then either raising funds or competing for an already overstretched internal budget can be a complicated process. We aim to create a rental solution to remove this financial barrier, so businesses can avoid delays to critical work that is putting buildings, occupants, and products at unnecessary risk.” High-quality and robust security system The single rental package will combine all the equipment, installation, and ongoing maintenance needed for a high-quality and robust security system, including affordable yearly payments that are spread over the length of the contract. It will be available across Interphone’s entire product range including access control, biometrics, CCTV, door entry, and automated gates and barriers. Meanwhile, comprehensive planned and reactive maintenance cover is designed to minimise any system downtime, avoid operational disruption and gain added peace of mind. Future-proof rental option Its new rental option is future-proofed, allowing a security system to be adapted depending on circumstances All agreements will be internally approved by Interphone’s in-house finance team, based on 60 years of experience in the security systems sector and without the use of any third-party leasing partners. This means that customers can benefit from quick decision-making typically within forty-eight hours based on industry-specific risk assessment to achieve a high approval success rate. It is providing budget certainty, with no unexpected or hidden overheads, so there is no longer a need for compromise in terms of timings, scope, or quality due to budget limitations. Its new rental option is also future-proofed, allowing a security system to be adapted depending on changing circumstances or the availability of newer, more effective technology. This added flexibility ensures that it can best meet the needs of its customers.

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.

CARRIDA Technologies, a globally renowned provider of ALPR software solutions, has appointed Pedro Bento as Chief Sales Officer (CSO) to lead the International Sales and Business Development. The company also launched a new website to showcase its state-ofthe-art ALPR software engine and solutions, as well as ALPR Edge Devices. CARRIDA ALPR engine Special to CARRIDA Technologies is the unmatched CARRIDA ALPR engine that can be flexibly deployed as OEM library, web-GUI solution for easy startup and configuration of edge devices, or with the CARRIDA App for any Android device. On top of that, the company offers validated platforms and matching components that enable easy, quick, and cost-effective development of individual ALPR applications. Pedro Bento joined CARRIDA as Chief Sales Officer (CSO). In his new role, he will lead the international sales and business development of the ALPR software provider and strengthen its growth in applications, such as access control, fleet management and parking, safety and law enforcement, as well as traffic management, smart city and tolling projects. In-depth experience in the Mobility Industry CARRIDA offers the most advanced ALPR software with latest technologies, such as AI and Deep Learning" Pedro Bento has in-depth experience in the Mobility Industry and has held several Management level positions previously, e.g. in Verra Mobility as Vice President Europe, A-to-Be (part of Brisa Group) as Chief Sales Officer and Q-Free as Vice President for Europe and Latin America. Pedro Bento stated on his appointment, “CARRIDA offers the most advanced ALPR software with latest technologies, such as AI and Deep Learning. A lot of applications ranging from traffic management to smart cities can benefit from our solutions. I’m looking forward to supporting many projects to get the most out of the CARRIDA offerings and to take the lead in their markets with our developments.” New website for solutions portfolio Along with Pedro Bento’s introduction, CARRIDA Technologies also launched its new website. It shows the extensive CARRIDA software solutions portfolio, ranging from a powerful OEM library for ALPR and make/model recognition, to CARRIDA Edge, a web-GUI solution for easy startup and configuration of edge devices, and the CARRIDA App for Android devices. Beyond software, it also shows the CARRIDA validated platforms and components that enable developers to setup their own ALPR devices faster and easier as ever before.

For those looking for a new and intelligent approach to fire detection, AVIOTEC, the artificial intelligence-based fire detection camera from Bosch Security Systems, detects fires quickly and reliably in challenging settings, such as dusty, humid, and dark areas. It is vital to detect fire as early as possible. AVIOTEC is an IP camera with built-in video analytics. The trained algorithm detects flames and smoke directly at the source. The device can, therefore, detect fires faster than a common point-type detector on a ceiling. AVIOTEC IP starlight 8000 camera The fire detection camera offers a lot of advantages in challenging environments. Bosch Security Systems’ AVIOTEC IP starlight 8000 camera can be deployed in varied conditions, including: Ambient Conditions - Dust, dirt and condensation obstruct the reliable operation of standard detectors. When installed in the housing, AVIOTEC works reliably and with low maintenance effort in these conditions, in order to ensure reliable fire monitoring. High Ceilings - Smoke dilutes before it reaches the ceiling detectors. Airflow and ventilation blows smoke away. AVIOTEC detects fires where they start, enabling immediate alarm verification. This speeds up reaction times and improves rescue response. Light Conditions – Darkness/low light/changing light conditions. Separate additional infrared illumination allows for the monitoring of unlit applications and of premises during nighttime. The system switches automatically between night mode and day mode, depending on whether ambient light is below or above a pre-defined threshold. Changing Crowd Activity - AVIOTEC offers scheduled sensitivity adjustments for fire detection, enabling up to three individual surveillance modes, depending on the activity levels of the monitored areas and the time of the day. Half-Open Spaces - Detecting fires in half open spaces is hard due to wind influences. AVIOTEC offers outdoor fire detection close to buildings, where almost no other detection technology is available. It enables the detection of smoke and flames also in windy circumstances. The Artificial Intelligence-based algorithm reduces unwanted false alarms and optimises detection reliability. Video-based fire detection AVIOTEC IP starlight 8000 camera is machine learning and AI-enabled to offer enhanced smoke and flame detection Video-based fire detection is based on the capability of various analysis techniques that examine live images for fires. Compared to infrared and thermal imaging cameras, AVIOTEC uses optical analyses to detect flames and smoke. The fire detection technology has grown in its variety of applications and stability, over the last few years, thanks to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The AVIOTEC IP starlight 8000 camera is machine learning and AI-enabled to offer enhanced smoke and flame detection. Deployed for varied applications Bosch Security Systems’ AVIOTEC IP starlight 8000 camera can be deployed for a wide range of applications, such as: Paper mills - Being independent of ceiling height and the video image, AVIOTEC can monitor the production process. Installed in housing, it is resistant to ambient influences and contributes to very early detection, thereby preventing the fires from spreading and becoming devastating. Airports - Due to high ceilings, it is difficult to monitor airport hangars with traditional detection methods, as they cause many false alarms and are not fast reactive. With the combination of flame and smoke recognition, AVIOTEC goes beyond video smoke detection and enables users to identify a fire very early at the ground, before it spreads. Industry/Warehouses - During the nighttime, burglars can spy on possible intrusion targets due to missing visible light or light sources. There is a need for a fire detection solution for the premise that also detects fire hazards when no visible illumination is used. AVIOTEC combines intelligent video analytics to track down intruders without visible light. Thanks to separate additional infrared illumination, unlit applications can be monitored with video-based fire detection, so as to deliver pin-sharp images. Tunnels - Through air circulation in tunnels, linear heat detectors can have the problem of not detecting fires at all. AVIOTEC can detect even if smoke and heat move sideways. It is not only an effective fire detection solution but also works as a security camera in parallel, using the automatic incident detection from the known Bosch cameras. Stopping cars, pedestrians in tunnels, cars moving in the wrong direction, lost objects, line crossing are some examples for analytics, which can run in parallel to fire detection. By offering different lens options, AVIOTEC ensures effective detection up to 100 metres distance from the camera installation point. This enables the combination of intelligent video analytics, fire and long-distance detection in one device. Additional benefits of the AVIOTEC IP starlight 8000 camera include: Redundant alarm transmission - AVIOTEC delivers the possibility of redundant alarm transmission. On top, during a network shutdown, the camera relay transmits the fire alarm to the fire detection system. Analytics inside - Choose AVIOTEC to ensure that data processing is under control. A local, camera-based image processing analyses video sequences for fires, without giving data out of the application/network. Highest quality - The coordination of camera, optics, algorithms and accessories gives the best results, even in harsh environments. AVIOTEC facilitates trust in constant performance, even in changing environmental conditions and bad illumination. Certified - AVIOTEC is VdS certified. In Australia, AVIOTEC is certified according to the CSIRO standard. Free firmware update - Download the latest firmware version from the catalogue – free of charge.

Optilan, the globally renowned security and communication solutions company in the energy, infrastructure, pipeline, and rail sectors, is delighted to announce that it has won another major Network Rail contract, to deliver essential station system upgrades, as part of the Crossrail project. Optilan has already delivered communications and security systems to four other stations: Forest Gate, Goodmayes, Gidea Park and Harold Wood. Station information and surveillance systems With this latest contract, Optilan will deliver station information and surveillance systems to improve safety, security, and communications at Maryland, Manor Park, Seven Kings, Chadwell Heath, and Brentwood and driver operated cameras at Shenfield station. The new systems will ensure passengers will have access to timely and vital information. With a strong portfolio in rail projects and a proven successful track record of working with Network Rail, Optilan is perfectly positioned to deliver on the contract. Rail travel has been singled out by the UK Government as a key area for infrastructure investment in recent years, with both Crossrail and High Speed 2 (HS2) progressing. This is considered a major area of growth for Optilan. Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme  Optilan has successfully passed its Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) audit Optilan is also delighted to share that it has successfully passed its Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) audit, which ensures the Company is on track to achieve its strategic Rail Plan. By maintaining accreditation status and its principal contractors licence with Network Rail, Optilan can work and bid directly with Network Rail and the wider rail community, in order to strengthen its partnership in the future. Crossrail projects Bill Bayliss, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Optilan, said “We are incredibly proud of our strong track record on rail projects, having delivered on Crossrail previously, as well as on the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP).” Bill Bayliss adds, “We have earmarked rail as a key sector of growth as businesses and individuals alike look to reduce their car travel and gradually increase their use of more environmentally friendly modes of transport, such as rail.”

The evolution of smart video technology continues at pace. As in many other industries, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic expedited timelines and the artificial intelligence (AI) video world is continuing its rapid evolution in 2021. As video demand and the use of AI to make sense of the visual data increase, the number of cameras and subsequent data produced are growing rapidly, and these are forcing the creation of new edge architectures. Cameras and AI in traffic management ‘Smart factories’ can leverage AI to detect flaws or deviations in the production line in real time In addition, a new generation of ‘smart’ use cases has developed. For example, in ‘smart cities’, cameras and AI analyse traffic patterns and adjust traffic lights, in order to improve vehicle flow, reduce congestion and pollution, and increase pedestrian safety. ‘Smart factories’ can leverage AI to detect flaws or deviations in the production line in real time, adjusting to reduce errors and implement effective quality assurance measures. As a result, costs can be greatly reduced through automation and earlier fault detection. Evolution of smart video The evolution of smart video is also happening alongside other technological and data infrastructure advancements, such as 5G. As these technologies come together, they’re impacting how we architect the edge. And, they’re driving a demand for specialised storage. Listed below are some of the biggest trends that we’re seeing: Greater volume means greater quality The volume and variety of cameras continue to increase with each new advancement, bringing new capabilities. Having more cameras allow more to be seen and captured. This could mean having more coverage or more angles. It also means more real-time video can be captured and used to train AI.  Quality also continues to improve with higher resolutions (4K video and above) Quality also continues to improve with higher resolutions (4K video and above). The more detailed the video, the more insights can be extracted from it. And, the more effective the AI algorithms can become. In addition, new cameras transmit not just one video stream, but also additional low-bitrate streams used for low-bandwidth monitoring and AI pattern matching. Smart cameras operate 24/7 Whether used for traffic management, security or manufacturing, many of these smart cameras operate 24/7, 365 days a year, which poses a unique challenge. Storage technology must be able to keep up. For one thing, storage has evolved to deliver high-performance data transfer speeds and data writing speeds, to ensure high quality video capture. And, actual on-camera storage technology must deliver longevity and reliability, critical to any workflow. Real world context is vital to understanding endpoints Whether used for business, in scientific research or in our personal lives, we’re seeing new types of cameras that can capture new types of data. With the potential benefits of utilising and analysing this data, the importance of reliable data storage has never been more apparent. Considering context when designing storage technology As we design storage technology, we must take the context into consideration, such as location and form factor. We need to think of the accessibility of cameras (or lack thereof), are they atop a tall building or maybe amid a remote jungle? Such locations might also need to withstand extreme temperature variations. All of these possibilities need to be taken into account, so as to ensure long-lasting, reliable continuous recording of critical video data.  Chipsets are improving artificial intelligence (AI) capability Improved compute capabilities in cameras means processing happens at the device level, enabling real-time decisions at the edge. New camera chipsets deliver enhanced AI capability We’re seeing new chipsets arrive for cameras that deliver improved AI capability, and more advanced chipsets add deep neural network processing for on-camera deep learning analytics. AI keeps getting smarter and more capable.  Cloud must support deep learning technology Just as camera and recorder chipsets are coming with more compute power, in today’s smart video solutions most of the video analytics and deep learning is still done with discrete video analytics appliances or in the Cloud. To support these new AI workloads, the Cloud has gone through some transformation. Neural network processors within the Cloud have adopted the use of massive GPU clusters or custom FPGAs. They’re being fed thousands of hours of training video, and petabytes of data. These workloads depend on the high-capacity capabilities of enterprise-class hard drives (HDDs), which can already support 20TB per drive and high-performance enterprise SSD flash devices, platforms or arrays.  Reliance on the network Wired and wireless internet have enabled the scalability and ease of installation that has fuelled the explosive adoption of security cameras, but it could only do so where LAN and WAN infrastructures already exist. 5G technology aids camera installations Emerging cameras that are 5G-ready are being designed to load and run 3rd party applications 5G removes many barriers to deployment, allowing expansive options for placement and ease of installation of cameras at a metropolitan level. With this ease of deployment comes new greater scalability, which drives use cases and further advancements in both camera and cloud design. For example, cameras can now be standalone, with direct connectivity to a centralised cloud, as they’re no longer dependent on a local network. Emerging cameras that are 5G-ready are being designed to load and run 3rd party applications, which can bring broader capabilities. Yet with greater autonomy, these cameras will need even more dynamic storage. They will require new combinations of endurance, capacity, performance, and power efficiency, to be able to optimally handle the variability of new app-driven functions. Paving the way for the edge storage revolution It’s a brave new world for smart video, and it is as complex as it is exciting. Architectural changes are being made to handle new workloads and prepare for even more dynamic capabilities at the edge and at end points. At the same time, deep learning analytics continue to evolve at the back end and the Cloud. Understanding workload changes, whether at the camera, recorder, or the Cloud level, is critical to ensuring that new architectural changes are augmented by continuous innovation in storage technology.

Urban populations are expanding rapidly around the globe, with an expected growth of 1.56 billion by 2040. As the number of people living and working in cities continues to grow, the ability to keep everyone safe is an increasing challenge. However, technology companies are developing products and solutions with these futuristic cities in mind, as the reality is closer than you may think. Solutions that can help to watch over public places and share data insights with city workers and officials are increasingly enabling smart cities to improve the experience and safety of the people who reside there. Rising scope of 5G, AI, IoT and the Cloud The main foundations that underpin smart cities are 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Cloud. Each is equally important, and together, these technologies enable city officials to gather and analyse more detailed insights than ever before. For public safety in particular, having IoT and cloud systems in place will be one of the biggest factors to improving the quality of life for citizens. Smart cities have come a long way in the last few decades, but to truly make a smart city safe, real-time situational awareness and cross-agency collaboration are key areas which must be developed as a priority. Innovative surveillance cameras with integrated IoT Public places need to be safe, whether that is an open park, shopping centre, or the main roads through towns Public places need to be safe, whether that is an open park, shopping centre, or the main roads through towns. From dangerous drivers to terrorist attacks, petty crime on the streets to high profile bank robberies, innovative surveillance cameras with integrated IoT and cloud technologies can go some way to helping respond quickly to, and in some cases even prevent, the most serious incidents. Many existing safety systems in cities rely on aging and in some places legacy technology, such as video surveillance cameras. Many of these also use on-premises systems rather than utilising the benefits of the cloud. Smart programming to deliver greater insights These issues, though not creating a major problem today, do make it more challenging for governments and councils to update their security. Changing every camera in a city is a huge undertaking, but in turn, doing so would enable all cameras to be connected to the cloud, and provide more detailed information which can be analysed by smart programming to deliver greater insights. The physical technologies that are currently present in most urban areas lack the intelligent connectivity, interoperability and integration interfaces that smart cities need. Adopting digital technologies isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. Smart surveillance systems It enables teams to gather data from multiple sources throughout the city in real-time, and be alerted to incidents as soon as they occur. Increased connectivity and collaboration ensures that all teams that need to be aware of a situation are informed instantly. For example, a smart surveillance system can identify when a road accident has occurred. It can not only alert the nearest ambulance to attend the scene, but also the local police force to dispatch officers. An advanced system that can implement road diversions could also close roads around the incident immediately and divert traffic to other routes, keeping everyone moving and avoiding a build-up of vehicles. This is just one example: without digital systems, analysing patterns of vehicle movements to address congestion issues could be compromised, as would the ability to build real-time crime maps and deploy data analytics which make predictive policing and more effective crowd management possible. Cloud-based technologies Cloud-based technologies provide the interoperability, scalability and automation Cloud-based technologies provide the interoperability, scalability and automation that is needed to overcome the limitations of traditional security systems. Using these, smart cities can develop a fully open systems architecture that delivers interoperation with both local and other remote open systems. The intelligence of cloud systems can not only continue to allow for greater insights as technology develops over time, but it can do so with minimal additional infrastructure investment. Smart surveillance in the real world Mexico City has a population of almost 9 million people, but if you include the whole metropolitan area, this number rises sharply to over 21 million in total, making it one of the largest cities on the planet. Seven years ago, the city first introduced its Safe City initiative, and ever since has been developing newer and smarter ways to keep its citizens safe. In particular, its cloud-based security initiative is making a huge impact. Over the past three years, Mexico City has installed 58,000 new video surveillance cameras throughout the city, in public spaces and on transport, all of which are connected to the City’s C5 (Command, Control, Computers, Communications and Citizen Contact) facility. Smart Cities operations The solution enables officers as well as the general public to upload videos via a mobile app to share information quickly, fixed, body-worn and vehicle cameras can also be integrated to provide exceptional insight into the city’s operations. The cloud-based platform can easily be upgraded to include the latest technology innovations such as licence plate reading, behavioural analysis software, video analytics and facial recognition software, which will all continue to bring down crime rates and boost response times to incidents. The right cloud approach Making the shift to cloud-based systems enables smart cities to eliminate dependence on fibre-optic connectivity and take advantage of a variety of Internet and wireless connectivity options that can significantly reduce application and communication infrastructure costs. Smart cities need to be effective in years to come, not just in the present day, or else officials have missed one of the key aspects of a truly smart city. System designers must build technology foundations now that can be easily adapted in the future to support new infrastructure as it becomes available. Open system architecture An open system architecture will also be vital for smart cities to enhance their operations For example, this could include opting for a true cloud application that can support cloud-managed local devices and automate their management. An open system architecture will also be vital for smart cities to enhance their operations and deliver additional value-add services to citizens as greater capabilities become possible in the years to come. The advances today in cloud and IoT technologies are rapid, and city officials and authorities have more options now to develop their smart cities than ever before and crucially, to use these innovations to improve public safety. New safety features Though implementing these cloud-based systems now requires investment, as new safety features are designed, there will be lower costs and challenges associated with introducing these because the basic infrastructure will already exist. Whether that’s gunshot detection or enabling the sharing of video infrastructure and data across multiple agencies in real time, smart video surveillance on cloud-based systems can bring a wealth of the new opportunities.

The explosion of artificial intelligence used to enhance business processes, propel innovative products, and further automation has touched essentially every industry to date. The security sector, notable for its maturity and complexity, is not exempt from the AI tidal wave. In fact, quite the opposite, the security sector and more specifically the domain of video surveillance have seen an emergence of AI-powered solutions both hardware and software. The widespread adoption of IP cameras, cloud computing capacities, and smart sensors have paved the way for new AI products and solutions to function at scale. AI-powered video analytics  One application of artificial intelligence for the video surveillance sector is the use of video analytic solutions to analyse video streams in order to extract pre-determined objects, behaviours, or situations. To give some examples, AI video analytics can be used to monitor perimeter crossing for border control, detect fevers or masks in airports or public spaces, arms detection in casinos, or be used to filter out alarms triggered by benign movements versus real intrusions. This application of artificial intelligence leans on its specific branch, machine learning, which uses a complex series of AI models to analyse the content of the video flow, autonomously identifying and classifying the videos according to predefined rules. Adopting technology AI video analytics yields promising benefits, a reduction in operational costs, and an increase in safety and a decrease in risk When AI video analytics are used effectively, they yield very promising benefits. A jump in video flow analysis from an average of 10% by humans to 100%, a reduction in operational costs, and an increase in safety and a decrease in risk. The use of AI video analytics for surveillance sounds simple enough, however, there are several perceived factors inhibiting security organisations from adopting the technology. Adopting AI into your video surveillance operation The security industry is capital intensive, complex in its IT structure, and diverse in situational business needs. Therefore, resulting in a perception of high effort, time and costs required to successfully integrate AI into your video surveillance operation. However, these effort constraints can be debunked due to the flexibility of video analytic solutions. Three areas that deter security organisations from adopting AI Existing capital A surveillance operation contains a network of cameras that film with a range of video qualities. AI video analytics can analyse a range of videos from low to high resolution in thermal, infrared and visible formats AI video analytics often operate on smart cameras that have the appropriate video image quality for the capacity of content analysis. The costs involved in overhauling legacy camera systems, converting videos into higher quality, or waiting until the current camera network is ready to be replaced in order to integrate AI is expensive, time-consuming, and often unfeasible. However, not all AI video analytic solutions need to be deployed on edge with smart cameras. Instead, video analytics can be deployed both directly on to the camera or have server-based integration maintaining and scaling to your existing camera network. AI video analytics can also analyse a range of videos from low to high resolution in a variety of formats: thermal, infrared, visible. Complex IT structure A single central command centre or in-house security network operates in a multi-manufacturer environment. This means cameras, video management systems, and technology partners can be provided by several manufacturers therefore increasing the complexity of successful IT workflows and integrations. Theft or perimeter infringement can take place in a matter of minutes, therefore the transfer of information between solutions is required to function at top speed. To overcome this complexity, the successful integration of solutions in a multi-manufacturer environment is assured through industry enforced standards set by non-profit organisations. This allows for third-party solutions such as AI video analytics to be easily integrated into the bulk of software and hardware technologies. Diversity in security needs To obtain high performance in a diverse security setting is inherently built into AI video analytic machine  The objective of a surveillance operation can vary greatly from one organisation to another. Retailers prioritise theft detection, while city governments may be concerned about arms detection or people counting. The capacity for AI to function with high performance, meanwhile adapting to several organisation’s security needs requires algorithms to be trained accordingly. To obtain high performance in a diverse security setting is inherently built into how AI video analytic machine learning model’s function. AI can be trained to adapt to different environments and uses progressive learning to increase performance overtime. A collaborative effort between security experts, data scientists and business strategists will ensure high performance and an appropriate application of AI to fit each organisation’s specific needs. Surveillance innovation moving forward While for some video surveillance organisations, the costs and time associated with successfully integrating AI into their network may seem daunting, there are ways to adapt new technology into an existing operation with minimal effort. The emerging presence of smart cameras and IoT products will only accelerate the adoption of AI moving forward. If your organisation is looking to enhance its operation with emerging technologies, now can be the time.

Following its recent acquisition, Vidsys will continue to operate, now as an ‘An ARES Security Company’. The Vidsys brand is known worldwide for its PSIM (physical security information management) solution and the acquisition will accelerate the next generation of products that incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance their value to Vidsys clients and the overall market.  ARES Security Corporation has developed and deployed security and public safety software solutions for the past 20 years, solving complex physical security challenges. Their AVERT security software solution supports the full lifecycle of physical security operations: risk and technology assessment and design, training, and intelligent real-time incident response. AVERT security software AVERT security software helps clients by increasing security effectiveness and reducing cost AVERT security software helps clients by increasing security effectiveness and reducing cost. Clients are in many market segments including Corporate, Military, Government, Power, Data Centres, Transportation and Ports. Vidsys’ PSIM will immediately be improved by incorporating AVERT C2 (Command & Control), allowing clients access to expanded capabilities and an advanced technical roadmap. “Over time we will migrate the Vidsys technology to our state-of-the-art, multi-tenant SaaS architecture that includes secure, multi-site data sharing, an updated library of connectors, and integration to the AVERT digital twin, artificial intelligence/machine learning and automation capability,” said Ben Eazzetta, ARES Security Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Technical roadmap for upgrading to AI-PSIM platform “We are a client-centric company, and we will continue to support Vidsys clients,” stated Ben Eazzetta, adding “We will focus initial efforts towards closing any required and promised capability gaps and offer a significantly improved technical roadmap for the platform to be upgraded to AI-PSIM.” Additional AVERT products will be made available to Vidsys clients in a ‘cost-effective way’. They include technology for assessment and design, virtual tabletop and virtual reality training and enhanced AI and robotics capability surrounding the digital twin. A ‘digital twin’ is a digital representation of a physical object. Rapid incident response and robotic sentries interfaces ARES/Vidsys solution offers capabilities with extremely high levels of automation for rapid incident response ARES has a strong market position in several verticals that require a robust and automated next-generation AI-PSIM. The ARES/Vidsys solution offers capabilities with extremely high levels of automation that enable rapid incident response and incorporate advanced features, such as interfaces to robotic sentries. “These capabilities, along with a more automated deployment process, will allow Vidsys to scale their acquisition of customers across key verticals in which ARES is already active. This automated deployment process will also open new opportunities to work with system integrators who have shied away from PSIM projects in recent years,” stated Ben Eazzetta. Optimising security operations ARES believes the physical security market is underserved by technology that optimises operations. Ben Eazzetta adds, “All of our products are designed to optimise security operation, and the acquisition of Vidsys allows us to accelerate the development of the next generation PSIM that is adaptive and intelligent, powered by AVERT’s AI, and Modelling and Simulation system.” Vidsys pioneered PSIM in the security industry and created a robust library of connectors, providing an integrated real-time incident response system powered by a rules engine. Together, the AVERT/Vidsys solution seeks to transform the way security operations centres (SOCs) operate and respond to emergencies. Vidsys pioneered PSIM in the security industry and created a robust library of connectors Managing security at multiple sites Ben Eazzetta said, “There’s no denying that some in the security industry see PSIM as a four-letter word. But PSIM exists because it meets a need in the security operations centre that cannot be met by either video management or incident management systems. It is critical that PSIM evolves to meet the rapidly changing demands of enterprise clients.” He adds, “Our clients need to manage security at multiple sites, each with different security plans and threats, they need adaptive rules engines to manage complex incidents and emergency responses, and they need automation to seamlessly command and control all security assets, including robotic assets.” Flexible and intelligent software Future of command-and-control will need to be flexible, intelligent software with extremely high levels of automation “The future of command-and-control will need to be flexible, intelligent software with extremely high levels of automation that enables very rapid incident response and incorporates advanced capabilities such as interfaces to robotic sentries,” said Ben Eazzetta. He adds, “To achieve this, we are replacing the brittle, difficult-to-configure rules engine of today’s PSIM with machine learning and AI capabilities that can produce automated/optimised responses or recommendations in near real time.” SaaS-enabled and remotely hosted system The systems will be SaaS-enabled, remotely hosted and easily configurable to reduce the cost and time of deployments for large enterprise implementations and easily supported by end-users, and system integrators. In a post-Covid-19 world, it is critical that enterprise security software solutions be adaptive, intelligent, automated and offer the ability for disparate teams to share information and collaborate in a meaningful way, while responding to incidents and emergencies in real-time. The ARES/Vidsys offering is a lifecycle solution that meets the needs of enterprise security operations. Next-generation of AI-PSIM “ARES has always pushed the needle of what is possible with our AVERT solution, ever since development of our digital twin technology began in 1999 to protect our nation’s nuclear stockpiles,” said Ben Eazzetta, adding “Today, we continue to innovate with the next generation of AI-PSIM.”     So what’s ahead for ARES and Vidsys in 2021? “A lot of Zoom calls!” laughs Eazzetta, adding “We are excited to leverage the decades of hard work that both teams have put into our solutions. We all realise the fantastic opportunity we have been given to create a next-generation AI-PSIM and to open new markets for all of our products and solutions.” He adds, “Combining the two companies will lead to improved development/support capability and significantly improved roadmaps for our clients. We will provide immediate ROI for clients by lowering deployment costs and leveraging the entire suite of products to provide more immediate value while continuing to deliver as promised, like ARES always does.”

The cloud is here to stay. Its resilience and ability to connect the world during during the COVID-19 pandemic has proved its worth, even to the uninitiated who have now witnessed first-hand the value of connected systems. Video and access control as a service provides a flexible and fluid security and business solution to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry, where the changing threat landscape means investing in the cloud is an investment towards success. This article will look back at our articles in 2020 about the growing popularity of cloud solutions for physical security, with links to the original content. Product offering While most people agree on the definition of “cloud,” there are several points about the terminology that may require clarification. Private cloud or public cloud? VSaaS or unlimited storage for video? Beyond the basics, the terms become foggy, reflecting a variety of notions about how cloud services fit into the broader physical security marketplace. As cloud usage becomes more popular, it’s important that marketers be precise in their terminology, and that integrators and end users be diligent in understanding the specifics of available product offerings. Different meanings “The cloud has many different possible connotations, depending on the context,” says Yu Hao Lin of Rasilient Systems, one of our Expert Roundtable panelists. For example, corporate CIOs will more likely understand the cloud to be a private cloud platform. As such, the public cloud is a ubiquitous term while the private cloud is more specified. Cloud system security Security of cloud systems is an ongoing discussion in the industry, especially how cloud system cybersecurity compares to that of on-premise systems. Our Expert Panel Roundtable weighed in on this question. “While both kinds of security systems serve their purpose, it can be argued that the streamlined updates that are commonplace with cloud-based solutions may put them at more of an advantage when it comes to data security,” says panelist Eric Widlitz of Vanderbilt Industries. “Also, most reputable cloud-based solutions are running in secured data centers by companies such as Google, Microsoft or Amazon, so you also get to take advantage of all the security layers they have protecting your data.” Hybrid cloud video security solution A growing list of cloud players reinforces the importance of the cloud in the future of physical security There are several relatively new companies pushing cloud in a big way. Verkada is fast-growing company currently currently focusing to deliver an all-in-one hybrid cloud video security solution powered by edge processing inside the camera. The growing list of cloud players reinforces the importance of the cloud in the future of physical security. Combining AI and cloud video One company investing in the cloud is Eagle Eye Networks, which has raised $40 million of Series E funding from venture capital firm Accel to finance the realisation of their vision to combine AI and cloud video. The money will allow Eagle Eye to continue its steep growth curve and leverage AI on its true cloud platform to reshape video surveillance. “The investment will make video surveillance smarter and safer for end-users,” says Ken Francis, President. Eagle Eye offers an application programming interface (API) to enable the integration of best-in-breed third-party AI and analytics systems to leverage the video. Eagle Eye is also investing in its own AI development and hiring additional development and customer service personnel. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus and MobilisID Identiv introduced the Hirsch Velocity Cirrus cloud-based Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) solution and MobilisID smart mobile physical access control solution. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus is an optimal solution for both end-users and integrators, with lower upfront costs, reduced maintenance, enhanced portability, and the future-proof assurance of automatic security updates and feature sets.  MobilisID is a smart mobile physical access control solution that uses Bluetooth and capacitive technologies to allow frictionless access to a controlled environment without the need to present a credential. Advantages and disadvantages Advantages of cloud-based physical security technologies are many, when supporting staff  The advantages of cloud-based physical security technologies are many, and have wide-ranging applications for all areas of the transport sector; across stations, transport hubs and vehicles. When used to support staff and complement existing processes, such systems can prove invaluable for transport professionals in helping to create a safer working environment, promoting confidence among personnel and passengers, and assuring passengers who are fearful about the current pandemic that all possible precautions are being taken during their journey. 5G supporting cloud-based applications 5G is the first communication environment that is cloud-native. As such, such, 5G networks will support cloud-based applications in a way that 4G, 3G and 2G can’t support. For instance, sensors (e.g. in a manufacturing plant) often have small internal storage and rely on synced devices (e.g. gateways) to interact with the cloud. Soon, these sensors will be able to work more efficiently, interacting with the cloud via the ultra-low latency and the edge computing capabilities supported by 5G networks. Increasing use of IoT Unlike current IoT services that make performance trade-offs to get the best from these existing wireless technologies, 5G networks will be designed to bring the high levels of performance needed for the increasing use of IoT. It will enable a perceived fully ubiquitous connected world, with the boosted capacity offered by 5G networks transferring exponentially more data at a much quicker rate.

Many employers faced a need to ramp up hiring of drivers to meet a higher demand for product deliveries and transportation logistics during the COVID-19 pandemic. To meet the demand for drivers, employers had to make quick hiring decisions while also ensuring products were still being delivered in a timely fashion.  Safe work environment Businesses have a duty of care to provide a safe working environment for their employees and contractors. It is therefore important to limit exposing drivers to risk, to put in place proper safety and security protocols, and to clearly outline them in company policies. Whether an employee or contractor, these drivers represent the brand they work for. If they do not adhere to company-mandated safety and security rules, because the business did not make them aware or they intentionally did not comply by acting with malice, this can put the drivers, other employees, customers and the company at risk financially, legally and with regard to their reputation.   Adherence to safety protocols Operating in haste typically results in forced errors and mistakes within the business" “This need to hire drivers quickly resulted in many businesses lowering their standards and accepting certain risks to meet the increased demand. Operating in haste typically results in forced errors and mistakes within the business, potentially leading to harmful events and a damaged brand reputation,” stated Thomas Kopecky, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder, Ontic Technologies (Ontic), a unified protective intelligence software platform. In the conversation presented below, Kopecky outlines the safety and compliance requirements needed to manage the risks while meeting the demand for drivers. Q: What risks do employers face as they ramp up hiring to meet higher demand for drivers? Thomas Kopecky: There have been instances in which a transportation contractor with multiple violations has simply established the business under a new name but continues to operate dangerously. Hastily hiring such a firm without proper enhanced vetting increases the risk from a safety, as well as a business continuity standpoint. Having to terminate a contract and replace a contractor midway can also have significant financial repercussions.   In addition to problems created by executing too quickly, employers are now required both to mitigate their own general liability risks and to manage the perceived risk they may create due to the pandemic. For example, if a delivery driver tests positive for COVID-19, there is the potential they have also exposed customers. Employers must consider contactless delivery or other methods and protocols to mitigate this presumed risk of the pandemic. Q: What are the elements of safety and compliance involved in onboarding new drivers? Thomas Kopecky: When onboarding new drivers, corporations must think about more than clean background checks and adequate infrastructure. Whether employees or contractors, organisations must focus on what other risks the drivers bring with them. As part of this review, an open source scrub should be conducted at the outset to discover the driver’s online activity. Through this exercise, a whole host of questions can be addressed including, for example, whether their morals and values align with those of the company. Are they involved with fringe or radical interest groups? Do their actions conflict with the culture of the organisation, and could they have a negative impact? These are all questions that employers should be considering when hiring new drivers or contracting a new company. Q: What tools are available to help companies vet their driver fleets and how can these tools make a difference? Employers should also consider State Business Records for potential red flags Thomas Kopecky: To vet their driver fleets, corporations can use several tools and resources that will strengthen the organisation’s overall security. Ideally this is a software platform that brings all this information into one place so vetting, real-time data and concerning activities are not siloed but can be connected in order to assess potential risks and threats. Logically, businesses should consider reviewing Department of Transportation Records, which allow organisations to check whether drivers are licenced and appropriately insured. Employers should also consider State Business Records for potential red flags, such as whether an organisation is delinquent or no longer functioning in a given state. Finally, it’s beneficial to review civil records as these can highlight any active or past cases associated with an organisation. This includes fraud, bankruptcy, poor business practices, and more. Q: What should be the standard methodology to investigate and collect data on new driver programs? Thomas Kopecky: Corporate culture and company policies impact the level of vetting required (determined by company policy), which varies from business to business. Quite often, most valuable investigative content is associated with an actual fleet company owner and not a recently created business entity so it behooves corporations to research this information first. Then verify the information provided is correct, and whether any other conflicting information exists. As previously noted, employers should review civil and criminal records at the state level and cases at the federal level, as it is often the fleet company or owner involved in litigation that could reflect negatively on a brand. Media coverage and consumer complaints are another critical source for negative mentions that may not always appear in public records. You should also ask if the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulates this contract or driver; and if they were once a provider and are now re-applying, is it under a new name? If the answer is yes to either question, it will be necessary to check DOT records for adequate licencing or insurance coverage to ensure providers applying under a new name aren’t trying to circumvent the vetting process. Q: What are the privacy concerns, and how can potential employers ensure they do not violate issues of privacy as they vet drivers (and/or other employees)? Businesses must conduct their operations in a fair, lawful, and transparent manner Thomas Kopecky: Businesses must conduct their operations in a fair, lawful, and transparent manner. Employers often dictate their own guidelines and requirements from company to company. Companies must ensure they follow the law and handle data used for vetting driver fleets in a manner compliant with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). When utilising software platforms, those that aggregate public record data in real-time and efficiently to provide actionable insights will be key for protecting corporate driver fleets and businesses overall. Q: How is addressing these issues different in the case of a contracted service versus a company employee? Thomas Kopecky: Addressing these issues will vary from company to company, but it will be important for clients' legal counsel to help interpret the law in the respective state they operate in and make this final determination. This will help shape policy and the employer’s compliance requirements in the area of operation. In some jurisdictions, contractors are vetted and treated like employees who are protected by FCRA. In contrast, there are more broad interpretations of what level of vetting and continuous monitoring can take place on contractors versus employees in other jurisdictions. Q: What is at risk if companies fail to address these issues? Thomas Kopecky: If companies fail to address security issues with managing their driver fleets, they risk major liability, business continuity and brand reputation. Every employee and contractor is in essence an ambassador of the brand, and in many instances, they are the only customer-facing representative for the enterprise. Imagine you are a contractor driving for a major delivery service. If you were to get into an accident and tragically kill someone driving their branded truck, the repercussions of that accident would harm the brand as opposed to the small contracting company by which you are employed. This can have a disastrous impact on the enterprise, both from a reputation and financial standpoint. When proactive steps are not taken to evaluate fleet companies or their owners, this can be viewed as negligence. Consider another example: A brand hires a driver company that has committed fraud while operating under another company’s name. What is the brand’s cost to conduct an initial onboarding assessment of this company versus the cost of investigating an issue, terminating the contract, and dealing with any potential litigation that might follow? The latter is clearly the financial burden. Corporations must proactively address risk associated with their driver fleets to mitigate risk before it occurs. Q: What is the biggest misconception (in the industry and/or the public at large) about employee vetting requirements? Enhanced vetting today often includes looking into a contractor’s background or its company Thomas Kopecky: We have passed the days where everything is all about criminal background checks and instant alerts when a driver receives a DUI. We are entering a world where business continuity and resiliency are necessary. Companies are so reliant on contracted services or seasonal employee pools that if that roster of operators were found to be unsuitable, the business itself would not meet the demands of its customers. Before the digital age, people only understood the driver vetting process to be based around a search of felony convictions. Enhanced vetting today often includes looking into a contractor’s background or its company from a different vantage point. Employers must begin to think about litigation history, negative media coverage and vocal social platforms, history of poor business practices or fraud, and more. These are factors that need to be considered for a business to mitigate risk and maintain continuity of service in an era where timeliness and instant gratification are highly valued.

Smiths Detection, a globally renowned company in threat detection and security inspection technologies, has secured a contract with Japan Customs, to provide two Hi Energy 9 MeV, interlaced, dual view HCVS high-performance cargo inspection systems for screening trucks and cargo containers, to Tokyo Customs, at Jyonanjima and Kobe Customs, at Mizushima, in Japan. Installations will start in April 2022. HCVS X-ray screening system This improved HCVS X-ray stationary screening system utilises a new upgraded conveyor mechanism, which optimises security checks, by scanning whole trucks (cabin included), containers, and vehicles for threats and contraband. The HCVS reduces the need for manual inspection while producing rapid and reliable results With the ability to discriminate between organic and inorganic materials, the HCVS reduces the need for manual inspection, while producing rapid and reliable results. It is already deployed at various ports, across Japan and at international ports, such as Belgium’s Port of Antwerp and Israel’s Haifa Port. Japan, major importer and exporter of goods Japan is the world’s fourth largest importer and exporter of goods, making trade essential for the country’s economy. In August 2021, imports and exports rose by over 20 percent, on a year-on-year basis, as Japan’s economy continues to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “As the volume of goods and trade increases globally, being technologically innovative is vital for establishing trust between stakeholders and maintaining the flow of goods, through our local and global markets,” said Kevin Davies, the Global Director of Ports and Borders for Smiths Detection. Ease of trade and securing movements of cargo Kevin Davies adds, “Smiths Detection is proud to support Tokyo and Kobe Customs, in creating the safest port environments possible. With state-of-the-art technology and our global team, we look forward to strengthening the region’s ease of trade and securing movements of cargo, around the world.”

Ipsotek, an Atos company and a pioneer in Artificial Intelligence-powered video analytics, has announced the fulfillment of its contract with Sydney Trains, the operator of rail services across the metropolitan Sydney area, to increase security capabilities at 13 railway stations. Following a competitive tendering process, Ipsotek was selected by Sydney Trains, to deliver an AI-based video analytics solution. This has seen the train operator, Sydney Trains, integrate a range of Ipsotek’s AI-powered video analytics solutions with its security cameras, to identify incidences of tunnel and track intrusion at its 13 stations, located across the metropolitan Sydney area. AI-based video analytics solution Ipsotek’s AI solutions are at the core of Atos Computer Vision Platform, a unique end-to-end computer vision platform that offers pre-trained & customisable AI models, powered by the BullSequana server range, enabled by NVIDIA GPUs and enriched by worldwide expert labs. Mark Edmonds, the Manager of Security Capability for Transport at Sydney Trains, commented “Sydney Trains chose Ipsotek, after an extensive comparison of a number of products. Ipsotek’s proven track record in the AI Video Analytics space, its partnership with Genetec and its work with Innovate UK’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) for railway-focused AI applications, made it a well-deserved choice.” Enhancing security at Sydney Trains’ stations The project with Sydney Trains is the second transportation project in the region for Ipsotek Chris Bishop, Sales Director APAC & Marketing Director at Ipsotek, said “As a British SME, competing against some of the industry’s big-named companies, we are delighted to have been chosen by Sydney Trains, to deliver this project. It represents a welcome validation of our expertise within the transportation and more specifically, the rail sector and we are proud to have supported Sydney Trains with its commitment, to delivering enhanced security practices across its network.” The project with Sydney Trains is the second transportation project in the region for Ipsotek, which is working with accelerated computing solutions firm, NVIDIA on implementation. Ipsotek, member of NVIDIA Metropolis partner group Ipsotek is a member of the NVIDIA Metropolis partner programme, which brings together a computing platform and extensive ecosystem of specialists, to help create smarter spaces and solve some of the world’s most pressing problems, which involve operational efficiency and public safety. Sudarshan Ramachandran, the Country Manager, Enterprise, ANZ at NVIDIA, commented “As an NVIDIA Metropolis partner, Ipsotek delivers incredibly valuable capabilities, solving deeply challenging video-analytics problems using AI and the NVIDIA GPU accelerated computing stack.” AI video analytics for public transport Ipsotek’s project with Sydney Trains follows the company’s previous success in delivering an initial programme of work via the Innovate UK SBRI initiative, for the development of AI video analytics, to enhance the rail experience for passengers and staff in the UK.

Founded in 2010, Avolon is the third-largest aircraft leasing company in the world with 824 aircraft and 145 customers in 62 countries. Its new global headquarters in Dublin is comprised of 6,967 sq m (75,000 sq ft) of secure office space across six floors that houses its IT, catering, legal, and communications departments. Need for a centralised monitoring solution Avolon’s new premises in the upmarket Ballsbridge area of Dublin provided an opportunity for the company to rethink its approach to building security. Avolon was looking for an innovative, flexible solution that could be personalised to individuals, easily accessed, and managed remotely. Additional requirements included: the need to provide different levels of security clearance in different areas of the building, the ability to manage individual security clearances, the facilitation of access outside of the usual workday, and secure parking lot access for employees and visitors. As a global company, Avolon wanted a solution that could be deployed worldwide to provide a consistent experience for its employees, regardless of their location. HID’s flexible access control solution Powered by Seos® technology, the solution uses BLE and iCLASS® readers to create a secure access control solution Avolon partnered with systems integrator Summit Security Systems Ltd and deployed HID Mobile Access at its Dublin headquarters. Powered by Seos® technology, the solution uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and iCLASS® readers to create a secure, convenient, and flexible access control solution for its headquarters. The building’s security system enables credentials on smartphones via an app rather than on physical access cards and uses iCLASS SE® mobile-enabled readers installed at points of access. Key benefits of a mobile access system include: Employees are less likely to forget smartphones, which they always carry than an access badge Security clearances are more efficient and easily changed because security status is provisioned to an app A cloud-based central control system provides security administrators with easy oversight, access to a complete set of metrics, and the ability to manage a network of premises around the globe Employing various access control measures Avolon has implemented a range of different solutions for different parts of its premises that can vary by time of day. For example, elevators utilise access control measures to ease the flow of people within the building during work hours, while assuring that after-hours access is more controlled. Employees simply twist their iOS or Android™ phones when they approach the parking readers to gain entry The ease-of-use and security also extend to the parking lot, which benefits from HID’s “Twist and Goes” feature. Employees simply twist their iOS or Android™ phones when they approach the parking readers to gain entry. Avolon encourages its employees to cycle to work and has extended mobile access to a secure employee bike parking area that links directly into the shower and changing facilities. Advantages of mobile access solution The HID Mobile Access Solution provides many advantages over the previous card-based system including after-hours access (vital to a 24/7 business like Avolon), ready access to secure rooms, and easy management of security clearances. With HID Mobile Access, fine-grained security access for a global network of offices is controlled centrally through a cloud-based portal. Access levels can be set on an individual basis so they are very flexible and can be modified as needed. “Using a mobile phone is much more convenient than access cards. People forget their access cards, but their mobile phone is with them all the time,” said Allan Dawson, facilities project manager at Avolon. “It’s much more efficient. For example, we now have much lower instances of people leaving the perimeter and having to ask for re-entry because they’ve left their pass in the office.” Worldwide installation of physical access solution In the future, Avolon anticipates expanding its new physical access solution across its global campuses. “As well as deploying in our Dublin head office we have also deployed in our New York, Florida, and Hong Kong offices,” said Dawson. “The benefit of using a global platform means our people can travel between offices with their security status intact and ready to go for each location.”

As the need for counter terrorist devices grew, Delta Scientific Corporation (Delta Scientific) answered the call and began building and crash testing barriers that would stop an attacking vehicle, allowing no infiltration to the premises. Over the years, Delta Scientific has designed, patented and crash tested numerous barriers, to meet the needs of specific government agencies and facilities. Collaboration with US agencies Over the last few decades, Delta Scientific has worked with many branches of the government, including all branches of the US Military, Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of State (DOS), Department of Overseas Building Operations, Pentagon Force Protection Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Water and Power, Department of Veteran Affairs and the US Center for Disease Control (US CDC), along with municipal, county and state government agencies. The United States of America has repeatedly entrusted Delta Scientific to build the right crash rated barrier solution for critical infrastructure and to protect the nation’s citizens, in the service of their country. DSC633 and DSC635 single shallow foundation bollards DSC633 and DSC635 single shallow foundation bollards provide the highest level of protection against a vehicle attack Delta Scientific’s new patent pending DSC633 and DSC635 single shallow foundation bollards provide the highest level of protection against a vehicle attack. Tested to the new F2656-20 ASTM M30 and M50 standards, these new bollards provide the stopping power needed for modern threats. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches (60.96 cm) and the ability to have single units, both bollards offer the flexibility and ease of installation, so as to cater to perimeter security needs. DSC630 Series bollards  Quite often, just stopping the bomb-laden truck is not enough. If the explosives in the truck detonate, all can be lost, irrespective of whether the truck was brought to a halt or not. The Delta DSC630 Series bollards feature static and dynamic penetration levels that hinder bomb loads to be moved, while still stopping the threats that they pose. Tested and proven to not only stop but also destroy the vehicle, Delta’s DSC630 Series bollards will keep a vehicle from repeatedly trying to breach the perimeter. The DSC635 bollard has a height of 44 inches (111 cm) and a diameter of 15.75 inches (40 cm) with a cover. Furnished with an array of decorative covers The DSC633 bollard has a height of 44 inches (111 cm) and a diameter of 13.75 in (35 cm) with a cover. Delta Scientific’s bollards can be furnished with an array of decorative covers, in order to enhance the look and match the aesthetic of the surrounding structures. These covers include stainless steel, powder coated aluminum, and fiberglass, with custom styling and painting also available. Lights, beacons, and audible devices can be added to the bollards for additional safety protocols. Shallow foundation bollards Delta’s shallow foundation bollards are often used to protect building perimeters and sports stadiums Delta Scientific has been manufacturing shallow foundation bollards and barricades in 24 inches (60.96 cm) or less height for decades. Shallow foundation bollards are the perfect solution for sidewalks, campuses, parking structures and government buildings, and corporate facility perimeters, where underground utilities and space limitations pose a problem for traditional deep foundation bollards. Delta’s shallow foundation bollards are often used to protect building perimeters and sports stadiums, as static arrays and used in conjunction with Delta’s active bollards and vehicle barricades, at entrances and exits. Delta Scientific Corporation is a worldwide renowned manufacturer of vehicle access control equipment, with over 260,000 square feet of production facilities in Palmdale, California. Delta’s three product lines consist of high-security vehicle barricade systems, parking control equipment, and guard booths.

Vision-Box, a world pioneer in biometrics seamless travel, automated border control, and digital identity solutions has announced the launch of a Frontex awarded trial to implement an innovative pilot project at two land borders in Bulgaria, in the context of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The EES is a landmark framework set to replace traditional border controls of Third-Country Nationals with interoperable digital data processing and automated biometric data collection in 2022. The Frontex pilot, which went live in June 2021 in Bulgaria in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Border Police will be for coaches, cars, and pedestrians at the entry of Kapitan Andreevo BCP from Turkey for phase 1, and exit at Kalotina BCP to Serbia for phase 2. Impact on border crossing points The implementation of the EES will influence the flow of travellers and the technology deployed at the border to collect the required data, to cope with the variety of sites and related complexities. This effect will possibly be more important at the EU land border crossings, which are more constrained environments as compared with airports and ports, as many travellers arrive in their vehicles. Therefore, the introduction of EES will have a significant impact on travellers’ flow at those border crossing points (BCP). Self-Service Enrolment System Self-Service Enrolment System executes real-time intensive queries into the Bulgarian national border control systems The purpose of the pilot project is to deliver a Self-Service Enrolment System to enable travellers to perform a self-service collection of travel document data, biometric data, and other information (e.g., questionnaire on entry conditions). It also executes real-time intensive queries into the Bulgarian national border control systems, in combination with an EU EES backend simulator. After the enrollment, travellers are invited to go to an open corridor and be identified on the move to directly cross the border, or to be redirected to the manual control booth to be verified by a border guard with last generation Coppernic handheld technology. EES Frontex pilot The secured linkage and encrypted communications with the national and EU border control systems, performing border checks on all travellers and EES registration/verification on third-country nationals, are jointly performed by Vision-Box and the respective border agencies. The EES Frontex pilot applies to short-stay visa and visa-exempt third-country nationals as well as EU citizens entering or leaving the European Union. Eliminates manual data collection and verification The pilot ecosystem (enrolment kiosks, biometric corridor, handheld tablets) is powered by Vision-Box’s award-winning Orchestra™ Identity & Border Management Platform. Orchestra™ removes the time-consuming task of manual data collection and verification, meaning that travellers do not need to physically interact with touchpoints or manually exchange travel documents and biometrics at counters. Touchless process The whole process leverages identity and biometrics tokenisation to digitise the operation in a touchless manner. This also reduces long queuing at checkpoints and curtails crowding at clearance hotspots, allowing travellers to navigate the border a lot quicker and safely with biometric recognition technology. Facial recognition & fingerprint sensors Facial recognition biometrics offers the highest level of convenience for traveller identity proofing  Facial recognition biometrics offers the highest level of convenience for traveller identity proofing, in compliance with the EU regulations, combined with touchless fingerprint sensors for combined verification against the EU EES biometric backend systems. The solution drives significant improvements over the traditional manual and touch-based identification procedures in terms of hygiene, accuracy, and privacy protections. EU GDPR compliant The powerful Orchestra™ Service Platform is compliant with EU GDPR through its unique Privacy-by-Design certification. It operates under user-centric business rules and is the kernel of the advanced management of Identity proofing and flow monitoring of traveller processes at the border. The platform’s powerful capability allows it to process the full extent of national border passenger volume, thanks to its future-proof scalable design and resilient architecture. Maintaining the pilot For this pilot delivery, Vision-Box has hired the services of PwC Luxembourg, to help sustain the definition of the use cases, their testing, and overall pilot reporting. In addition, Bulgarian system integrator - Global Sat, is supporting Vision-Box in the deployment of the solution on the ground and its maintenance during the overall 6 months’ operation of the two pilot phases at the two different land borders. Exploring Frontex pilot Speaking about the pilot project, Jeff Lennon, Vice President Strategic Sales & Global Partnerships at Vision-Box, said: “We are thrilled to run this Frontex pilot for exploring the future of EES in Bulgaria and Europe, in partnership with the Ministry of Interior and the Border Police as long-time customers, PwC and Global Sat.” Maximises process efficiency “This innovative undertaking will allow all of us to stress-test ground-breaking technology in a very challenging environment, yet at a small scale. It will also help us establish the foundations for expanding the technology at the national level for any type of land border environment, minimising the footprint of the solution at stake while maximising the process efficiency for the border guards and the travellers.” “This is also a great opportunity for understanding the flow of border-crossings at two of the largest EU land border sites, to effectively expand our solutions in the EU context for Smart Borders as we are already doing in Finland since 2019 among other EES projects with additional member states.” Collaborative testing with EES Frontex and Bulgarian's authorities collaborate in testing the European EES at two critical land border control points" Serge Hanssens, Partner at PwC for Smart Borders said: “Frontex and Bulgarian's authorities collaborate in testing the European Entry-Exit System (EES) at two critical land border control points in Europe.” “This is a unique opportunity and milestone to try out these new processes in real conditions. PwC Luxembourg is so pleased to be part of the adventure supporting Frontex and Bulgarian's authorities to make the EES deployment a success; securing the entry and exit to the European Schengen Area of all third-country nationals." Automated border control Tsvetan Mutafchiev, Executive Director at Global Sat said: “We at Global Sat are excited to be part of this very innovative PoC project. EU land border crossings create several new challenges for automated border control due to the specifics introduced by different types of vehicles used by passengers.” System integration “We do believe that the pilot project will successfully prove the concept of the Vision Box‘s platform and will also provide valuable feedback from Bulgarian border police officers. The implementation of self-service enrolment systems, when applied in full scale at the EU's external borders, will facilitate efforts against illegal migration and will contribute to the security of European countries with a full commitment to personal data protection.” “The Global Sat team is proud to be at the forefront of this endeavour. With our experience as a system integrator, we will continue to contribute to its success.” Safe and efficient travel Vision-Box’s technology is proving crucial in guaranteeing safe and efficient travel processes With the industry expected to resume travel as restrictions begin to ease, Vision-Box’s technology is proving crucial in guaranteeing safe and efficient travel processes. Over the past months, Vision-Box has also inaugurated Automated Border Control eGates at Malta International Airport in collaboration with the Malta Police Force, implemented an integrated Biometric experience for Emirates Airline at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, and secured a regional strategic partnership with AirAsia Group, to implement industry-leading, identity management technology across its network of 152 airports.

Teleste will provide an on-board solution to Alstom for the Marseille metro network in France, ordered by the Aix Marseille Provence Metropole, AMP.  Teleste’s deliveries will include onboard TFT displays as well as systems for passenger information, public address, CCTV, and wireless train-to-ground functions for 38 4-car driverless metro trains, with an option for an additional 5 vehicles. The system deployments will start in 2021, and the first trains will enter into service in 2024. Flexibility and efficiency in metros “Introducing automated services to metro networks will increase flexibility and efficiency in operation, while also setting high requirements for the train technology, especially when it comes to real-time train to the ground transmission of audio, video, and passenger information content.” “Our onboard systems are well-equipped to meet the challenge by enabling reliable, real-time connectivity between moving trains and the ground system, reinforced by seamless integration also with third-party systems." "We are pleased that Alstom selected our solution for their project and are looking forward to providing a safe and smooth travel experience for the passengers of Metro Marseille,” commented Jarkko Vehkala, Head of the Rolling Stock Manufacturers business line at Teleste. Driverless metro operations Teleste’s on-board solution seamlessly supports fully automated, driverless metro operations Teleste’s on-board solution has been designed for the seamless support of fully automated, driverless metro operations, which will be taken into use in the Marseille metro by the end of 2026. This means that the trains will then be controlled without any staff on board from the operator’s train control system, and a reliable interface between the new and legacy systems will be deployed. Seamless remote operations Teleste’s solution meets the requirements by seamlessly combining onboard systems such as a public address, CCTV, and the delivery of passenger information with an advanced train-to-ground transmission system. This allows the operator to manage onboard operations remotely while, for example, getting 24/7 access to live camera views from the metro cars to ensure the safety and security of passengers during their journey. Also automatic and manual offload of video recordings, system diagnostics as well as automatic updates, and version control of the train software are enabled. With interfaces to third-party systems, the solution also empowers seamless operation of the onboard functionalities as part of larger transport ecosystems.

In the past few weeks, the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel has brightened, providing new levels of hope that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Dare we now consider what life will be like after the pandemic is over? Considering the possible impact on our industry, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Which security technologies will be most useful in a post-pandemic world?

We are several weeks into 2021, and it is already shaping up to be an eventful year. The happenings and trends from 2020 will likely carry over into the new year, but in a fast-moving industry such as ours, there will also be additional trends to watch. Looking toward the year ahead, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What will be the biggest security trends in 2021?

They call it “critical” for a reason. The so-called “critical infrastructure” is composed of the basic services that citizens have come to depend on, and which are necessary to support society and ensure national stability. The term includes high-visibility segments such as airports, refineries, transportation, wastewater, nuclear reactors, electric utilities, pipelines, and more. Because these functions are so critical, the stakes of providing security are higher than for any other market. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of critical infrastructure facilities?