What’s new in the integration of video and access control?

Video and access control technologies expand security teams’ abilities to capture critical signals and address and mitigate threats. This includes knowing who is entering and exiting particular areas of an enterprise, vehicle sightings, and who, within an organisation, has access to proprietary information and certain areas of a building. Integrating these technologies into a holistic protective intelligence platform will create a stronger and more comprehensive system which allows security teams to collect and connect data points to prevent potential threats to their organisation. Connecting these otherwise disparate signals can create a powerful, end-to-end view of the threat landscape. Furthermore, it will better equip security teams to detect suspicious activity, understand and gain context of a situation, and act appropriately by utilising a connected workflow to make overall informed and proactive decisions.

What’s new with video and access control integration is using the video as a credential. By implementing facial recognition, a person's face becomes their card (frictionless access) or is another credential in addition to their card to verify their identity (multi-factor authentication) and gain access. Once in the realm of ultra-high security facilities, using facial recognition with access control is becoming more mainstream and cost-effective. This is not just for traditional access control – it is also being used to validate identification in order to access age-restricted products, such as alcohol and cannabis in retail stores, and for entry to multi-tenant apartment and office buildings. By adding a video-centric technology like facial recognition, you can take the integration of video and access control to another level, increasing security and at the same time enabling faster and easier access for users.

The security industry is already moving beyond simply integrating video and access control. Organisations are embracing unified solutions with a user interface that displays all possible physical security functions. This includes not only access control and video but also license plat recognition (LPR), intercom, fire and intrusion alarms, building management systems and more. The path forward is a unified system that allows operators to leverage every connected system and improve the flow of information across a wide range of activities and functions at every level of the organisation. Whether they are in a security operations center or accessing their system remotely using a web-based application, operators can have one seamless experience. By having the information they need in a single interface, organisations are empowered to be more efficient, make better decisions, and respond to incidents faster.

The basic premise of integrating video and access isn’t a new concept; however, the options available and complexity of the integration has vastly changed. Today, the opportunity to create an amazing user experience is now a reality. Deploying and integrating different systems for access and video introduces a layer of complexity on both the installation and the customer usability. Conversely, a single platform that offers one native user interface for both video and access delivers a great user experience that allows end users to think of their system as a business platform, not a security system. For example, while on the go and using a mobile app, a user can receive a notification that the line at one of their retail locations has exceeded a 10-minute wait, or they can remotely unlock a door and monitor the video to allow a delivery to take place.

Video and access control integration has matured to the point where video analytics and AI technology can also be leveraged as part of the integrated system. ONVIF Profile M, which standardises the handling of metadata and analytics events, enables video sensors to act as credential input devices. A good example of this is a camera using analytics to scan a QR code of a visitor badge or using facial recognition analytics to deliver the credential data to the access control system. While this can be accomplished using proprietary APIs, ONVIF profiles make it easier to combine a variety of cameras from different manufacturers to connect these systems together.

It is a trend for security industry to integrate video surveillance products and access control products into one platform. For enterprises, they can greatly save deployment costs, and can easily manage and receive related messages within a software or APP. At the same time, the linkage can be created in an integrated platform, video surveillance cameras can double-confirm access control events, and video surveillance cameras can also make access control devices respond accordingly based on the different alarm events. Looking into the latest trends, more brands choose to connect and integrate in the cloud. One disadvantage of local integration is that enterprises need to deploy an integration server in each branch and the cost of system expansion will accumulate, and non-centrally managed systems are not easy to maintain. The advantage of integrating through the cloud is that the cost of on-premises deployment can be saved, and the data exchange between devices is not limited by the location of the device.

The merging of video and access control services in the cloud is an exciting new development that promises to add considerable additional benefits for security operators. Backed up by the ever-increasing use of open protocols for integration, this ‘marriage’ of security systems in a combined online space is a great example of how combined solutions are more efficient, easier to install/commission, more flexible, and more straightforward to use. Added to this is the use of ever-more-powerful analytics, which improve the utility of data in solving issues and managing/protecting people, including the safety of lone workers or personnel in dangerous environments. Ultimately these integrated systems generate powerful and accurate data that has the scope to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of an organisation for commercial and operational benefits, just as much as safety and security.

The global pandemic has resulted in many people reconsidering priorities and the way we go about daily life, specifically keeping ourselves and those around us safe. To meet demand, the security industry has developed and implemented new technologies to help minimise the spreading of germs. Top among these are touchless security solutions that eliminate the need for a person to touch a surface or device in order to request or gain access into a facility. Intercom systems have adapted to incorporate touchless elements. When integrated with an access control solution, the intercom system can detect motion within a preset range and send communication to a security officer or front desk attendant. This eliminates the need for a visitor to touch a shared keypad or communal door handle. For both residential and commercial spaces, this offers efficiency with regards to the rising increase in package, grocery, and food deliveries, and satisfies the desire by building managers to leverage intercoms to manage the flow of visitors. Delivery personnel can enter more seamlessly without the need to put anything down or be personally assisted by a staff member or tenant.