Banks Invest in Comprehensive Security

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 7/8/2010 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Banks secure countless personal, corporate and national assets, making them a target for crime. Despite the global economic downturn, security demand in the financial segment continues to grow.

A bank robbery in Philippines resulted in 11 deaths. This tragic loss of life went
unrecorded, as the perpetrators forced security guards to turn off electronic security systems first. This massacre left no video evidence of the robbers, crucial for a court trial. Similar incidents like this take place all over the world, highlighting the dire need for reliable and comprehensive security solutions at banks.

With limited budgets and existing architectural constraints, banks seek high-level
security solutions that are cost-effective. Customized solutions give users more
options for different installations. Megapixel cameras are increasingly adopted, driving the migration to IP-based or hybrid surveillance solutions. Biometric identification, dual-technology detectors, metal detectors, safe solutions and ATM tracking sensors are receiving more attention. More solutions integrate the latest technology with communication to a central control station, effectively notifying security personnel and police in case of emergency.

However, uptake for IP-based technology and total solutions is slow, despite a great deal of hype. Existing analog equipment poses a challenge for the adoption of networked solutions, as most banks purchase solutions by product category rather than replacing all equipment. While banks are at the forefront of state-of-the-art rollouts, system integrators play an important role in accelerating the transition to new technology. The trend for pure IP solution is growing, although it is only seen in new branches for international banks.

Banks have other concerns beyond technology. Building design, locations of ATMs and thorough employee background checks also affect bank security. A complete solution requires careful planning and design, to keep valuables and people safe.

While the financial industry bore the brunt of the market downturn, security demand continued to grow. The FBI found 6,062 reported bank robberies, burglaries and larcenies took place in 2009. Loot was  aken 91 percent of the time, with losses worth US$45.9 million.

“Growth for the security market slowed due to the global economic downturn, but the adoption of IP-based technology in banks increased in 2009 and 2010,” said Oh Tee Lee, Regional Director for South APAC, Axis Communications. “Bank security projects continue to grow on a worldwide scale. Currently, about 15 to 20 percent of banks are deploying IP-based technology.”

Threats
As banks are attractive targets for robberies, the traditional high-risk security areas in banks are locations affecting customer and employee safety. This includes entrances and exits, bank lobbies, teller lines, teller stations and ATMs, said Steve Langford, Director of Solutions Marketing, March Networks. Apart from public areas, safe vaults, cash counters and data centers are other sensitive areas. Having a risk analysis team can minimize the risk and threats for those locations, said Sri Hartati Kurniawan, CTO of RCG.

Increased ATM fraud can result in significant losses. "Banks are continuously challenged with securing ATM areas rom vagrants and ambushes, as well as during cash replenishment,” said Jim Fitzpatrick, Manager of Corporate Accounts, Financial, Global Security Products Group, UTC Fire & Security. “Increased surveillance and remote video monitoring provides banks with virtual escorts during ATM cash replenishment and live video of who is accessing the ATM during a transaction.”

ATM card skimming is another risk for banks. “Skimming is one of the most rapidly growing crimes in the financial industry today. We offer an antiskimming device that helps deter skimming activities by detecting the presence of a skimming device and alerting the monitoring center while the device works to prevent the skimmer from reading the card,” Fitzpatrick said.

Solutions
For physical security, the main objectives are to minimize the real risk prior or during an incident. Different solutions can be used throughout a bank.

At the door, entrance control systems screen patrons for weapons as they pass through an entry cabin. “If a weapon is detected, an audio and video interface allows branch personnel to conduct a simple assessment, and manually provide access, or turn away anyone who may pose a threat,” Fitzpatrick said.

Analytics can be used to ensure higher security. “Face detection analytics can be integrated with the access control system to help manage entry to all or only the remote facilities, ensuring a clear facial image is captured before anyone enters the premises,” Langford said.

After business hours break-inspose another threat . “Large screen moniters are becoming more prevalent in retail banking and are a target for thieves, so 24-hour monitoring can provide more complete protection than an individual security guard,” Fitzpatrick said. “In addition to central monitoring services, UTCFS offers remote video monitoring services for tighter security, reducing cost for guards or false alarm dispatches.”

Surveillance is crucial at banks and usually mandated. “A typical large bank would have about 3,000 to 4,000 cameras installed. For each branch, there would be at least four to eight cameras,” Lee said.“Megapixel cameras are increasingly used to reduce the number of cameras required.”

With surveillance monitoring needed 24/7, having powerful video search functions makes sifting through footage easier. “The ability to ‘tag' video for searching based on the activation of a ‘panic alarm' at a teller station, for example, also aids this process. Integration with access control systems also enables video to be tagged for each after-hours incident,” Langford said. “The use of encryption technology, tamper-proof seals on evidence and other features ensures the credibility of the video footage.”

Teller Counter
Bank tellers risk robbers threatening them at gunpoint, which is why bullet-proof glass was used as a proactive measure. Unfortunately, as more institutions have adopted this method, criminals have found ways to be more violent, threatening customers or bank staffs outside the protective cash area to demand cash.

Cameras are installed at the teller counters, facing the customers. “Personal attack buttons and kick bars are installed underneath the tables for sending emergency alarm signals to the central monitoring station or police in case of robbery,” said Vincentius Liong, Head of PEC, Building Management Systems and Security Systems, Schneider Electric.

Clear surveillance images are needed to provide forensic evidence in case of a security breach. “Ever better video capture and compression technologies allow better quality video to be gathered and retained on incident,” said Langford. “This includes support of high-definition (HD) network cameras in strategic bank locations if desired, providing the ability to zoom in on the suspect in a very detailed fashion.”

ATMs
Security measures for ATMs depend on where they are installed. I f ATMs a re ins t a l l ed in the bank's premises, the architectural design plays an important role in minimizing security risks. “If the ATMs are installed within the bank, the bank would have more control over the physical environment of the ATM, including the construction of the floor and walls, building alarms and video surveillance systems,” said Douglas Russell, Director, DFR Risk Management.

“In other locations, the owner of the ATM often needs to rely on the operator of the building, such as a retail mall, to implement the perimeter security,” Russell said. “Additional security features, such as higher-grade security enclosures, independent alarm systems and ATM-integrated cameras must be specified and added.”

ATM surveillance is usually combined with manned patrols. “Most of the ATMs that are installed either inside or right outside the bank branch only have one camera inside the machine, with one security guard monitoring the premises,” said Raymond Koh, Regional Sales Manager for Southeast Asia, Axis Communications. “However, if the ATM machines are located in an isolated location, the banks would usually deploy two cameras — one monitoring the vicinity of the ATM and the other one monitoring the transaction.”

Analytics used at ATMs can detect loitering or card skimming. “When linked to the transaction system, it can also generate alarms if someone is at an ATM but is not conducting any transactions within a tested threshold,” Langford said.

Safes and Vaults
High-level security is required for access to safes and vaults. “We install heavy-duty magnetic contact, vibration and seismic detectors for safes and vaults,” Liong said. “Inside the vault room, we generally install sound detectors and dual-technology motion detectors, such as PIR and microwave detectors.”


Integrated solutions helps banks manage safes efficiently and gives users peace of mind. “Heavy-duty magnetic contacts and vibration and seismic detectors are also armed and monitored centrally 24/7,” said Liong. “All systems are connected to the central monitoring station or the police.”

Vaults and safes should be easily configured for each site's layout. “Safe solutions that are flexible and easy to adapt to the site configuration make a cost-effective solution,” said Emmanuel Harir-Forouch, Product Line Manager for SafeStore Auto, Gunnebo. “Instead of being installed directly at the self-service terminal, lockers can also be installed above or below it, on a different floor. Savings can be made by placing the lockers in the cheaper office space, such as the cellar.”

Safe deposit boxes must be secure, yet accessible to customers. “The access for the terminal is at ground floor, tailored made to meet the needs and expectations of the banks,” Harir-Forouch said. “This solution also gives clients aroundthe- clock access to their locker contents resulting in a better, much more convenient service.”

Cash Replenishment
Each bank has different security  requirements for cash-in-transit solutions. Transporting truckloads of cash means there is a high risk of attack. “A fully armored vehicle includes ballistic composite and steel exterior armor, an automatic sound-locking system for driver and passenger doors, GPS and video surveillance to track vehicle location and interior condition, and an installed safe in each vehicle that cannot be opened until it has returned to the depot,” Fitzpatrick said.

The security staff must be trained thoroughly. “In Hong Kong, UTCFS provides cash-in-transit service through our Guardforce brand,” said Fitzpatrick. “Our guards minimize risk by enforcing key guidelines throughout the business, some of which include armed cash-in-transit teams, fully armored vehicles and strict adherence to the pavement limit. Each cash-in-transit team must include at least one armed guard.”

Installing all the ne cessary equipment to battle outside attack does not guarantee complete security. Security procedures must take place to reduce internal threats. This is most effectively solved by conducting background checks. They can be done in-house or through an outside source for all personnel hired at banks.

Integration
While integrated solutions are a hot topic, they are unusual at banks. “The expression of ‘total solution' is widely used but rarely actually delivered or implemented,” said Russell.

Issues with existing technology hinder the uptake of total solutions. “Legacy infrastructure often restricts banks from fully integrating a suite of solutions that cover a large number of different threats. Banks, like many other large businesses, often prefer to only have to manage a small number of suppliers,” Russell said. “We help our clients in such situations by working closely with the clients' existing suppliers and encouraging them to source critical components from third-party vendors when appropriate.”

This way, the banks do not need to increase their suppliers, but benefit from the components best suited to protect their assets, Russell said.

The market for total solutions has increased, due to large international banks. “Prime and large international banks are increasingly looking for fully integrated solutions from one vendor or system integrator. In rare cases, they select systems from multiple vendors or system integrators, because a one stop shop provides them peace of mind with a total solution,” Liong said. “Well-known brands and system integrators are preferred, and after-sales service is highly needed and valued.”

Banks in the Middle East and China prefer integrated singlevendor solutions to reduce the complexity of buying products from different vendors, Kurniawan said.
At banks that combine solutions from multiple vendors, their system integrator must be able to smoothly integrate new solutions with existing equipment.

Beyond Equipment
Technology enhances security at banks, but deploying it is not the only solution. “We generally propose comprehensive security solutions to banks, which will include the latest integrated security technologies, central monitoring station, security guard patrols and a quick response team,” Liong said. “All of these are managed and operated based on specifically customized SOP to meet the bank's unique requirements.”

No matter what defenses are implemented, there will always be risk. “Criminals are constantly modifying their techniques and updating their tools to improve their chances of success. Often criminals will learn from successful attacks in other countries and cause crime echniques to migrate across geographies,” Russell said. “Therefore, reviewing security needs to be an ongoing process rather than a simple one-time exercise.”

There are several approaches to strengthening their security measures. “The first is to carry out a yearly detailed and objective assessment to ensure that the security measures currently in place are still fit for purpose and have been properly maintained,” Russell said.

“The second is to have a response plan in place so that when intelligence reports highlight new threats it triggers a review of the likely impact to the client's estate. The last is at every new purchasing cycle, the specification is validated as being still valid given the latest criminal attack methods identified globally.”

HSBC Deploys Rainbow Cameras for Mexican Branches

Editor / Provider: Rainbow | Updated: 6/18/2010 | Article type: Commercial Markets

More than 3,000 of Rainbow's 1/3" WDR cameras have been used by HSBC at branches in Mexico city.


These are units whose firmware suits lighting conditions created by the client's glass-clad buildings. The cameras are modified versions of Rainbow's models which capture highlight and shadow detail in the same scene while also offering true day and night images through use of a moving filter.


The bank is benefiting from 540 TVL and an ability to obtain footage at minimum illumination of 0.6 lux. These cameras have an on-screen display and the generic equivalent models in Rainbow's standard range are supplied with a three-year warranty.


While glass coverage has “green” benefits in terms of heating and lighting, it can be problematic for suppliers of surveillance products. Traditionally, cameras suffer from lack of detail in high-contrast and back-lit situations, low clarity when shadow is predominant and image washout from glare reflection which is a problem in banks if the teller is separated from customers by a glass partition.


HSBC is enjoying superior color rendering and optimal exposure across a wide range of lighting situations including lobbies, main vault areas and within treasury office spaces.


The engineering values in these units reduce pixel blooming, vertical smearing and camera blindness, factors often known as noise. The choice of camera was made by local integrators TECSIS who drew on extensive experience to conduct site surveys. Evaluation was made of the client's precise requirements, and the optical performance of many camera types was compared under these unusual conditions. TECSIS have worked closely with the client to enable bank staff to identify clear-cut incidents as well as observing unusual patterns of behavior.


HSBC are recording the footage provided by the Rainbow WDR cameras to stand-alone DVR units from March Networks.


HSBC's Mexico headquarters are in an affluent area of downtown Mexico city adjacent to The Angel of Independence. About 2,800 people work at this 12,000-square-foot tower, which has 36 stories and cost US$150 million.

Seeing More with Improved Image Sensors

Editor / Provider: by a&s International | Updated: 3/5/2010 | Article type: Component

Image sensors boast more pixels, sensitivity and dynamic range today. They deliver real results for effective video surveillance.


Image sensors make or break video quality, making them a top priority in camera selection. With more suppliers, camera manufacturers have extra options.


The market experienced the recession firsthand. "Image sensor revenue across all surveillance cameras will decline from more than US$700 million in 2008 to $435 million in 2013," In-Stat said in a prepared statement.


Video surveillance cameras have little margin for error. Downtime could result in the loss of footage, thus requiring cameras to perform stably for long periods of time.


A surveillance image sensor must be up for the task. "Security cameras need low-light performance, WDR and higher speeds than average consumer products," said Cliff Cheng, Senior Business Development and Marketing Manager, Aptina.


Security video requires quality over quantity for resolution. "Consumer products such as digital still cameras and mobile phones are heavily focused on increasing megapixels, while security applications require the best possible low-light sensitivity and image quality," said Roy Karunakaran, Product Marketing Manager, OmniVision Technologies.


Cameras monitor constantly, helping human operators. "If the ultimate aim of a security camera is to replace a human observer at the scene, WDR is essential," said Clairpixel, a CMOS provider. "The human visual system is efficient at extracting information in extreme conditions. A camera must do the same or better."


Unique security requirements include low-light performance — surveillance imagers can be 30 times more sensitive than consumer ones. "Another is global electronic shutter, which removes the problem of rolling shutter artifacts," said John Monti, VP of Marketing and Business Development, Pixim. Fluorescent flicker reduction is also exclusive to security.


Sharp Images
Image sensor improvements have resulted in higher resolution video. "When selecting image sensors, we look for HD support at 720p or 1080p, as well as small data packet size," said Hong Yuan Chu, Engineer, Dali. The manufacturer deploys Sony CCDs in several cameras.


Sensor resolution affects manufacturer purchase decisions. "As a manufacturer of network cameras, we rely on sensors that can support the highest quality resolution," said Daniel Cremins, Product Marketing Manager, Edge Devices, March Networks. "It's important to note that high video resolution affects more than just a camera or recorder specification."


HD's large file sizes require efficient video compression for real-time transmission. "Effective compression for higher resolution, which is H.264, is essential," said Christine Lim, International Sales, iCanTek. The manufacturer deploys Pixim CMOS for several network cameras.


Capturing larger images makes video analytics easier. "Smart cameras are a small segment of the market, but Pixim sees them continuing to grow at faster rates than the overall camera market," Monti said. "The primary contribution an image sensor can make to an intelligent camera is to capture low-noise, color-accurate, WDR video with the fewest image artifacts."


Other image sensor providers corroborate a spike in edge devices. "We are seeing more new camera designs incorporating analytics," Cheng said. "Aptina is putting in features like statistic engines, WDR and context switching in our sensors, assisting intelligent algorithms to run more efficiently."


Network versus Analog
In general, traditional analog cameras use CCDs, while network cameras deploy CMOS.


Each technology offers unique benefits. "CCD sensors typically deliver high performance in low-light environments, while CMOS sensors are better at providing WDR," Cremins said. "However, advances are being made in both areas, and we constantly look to evaluate new technology as it becomes available."


The large pixel size of CCDs captures light better, but means fewer pixels can fit on a single sensor compared to CMOS, Cheng said. CMOS have lower power consumption, enabling PoE on network cameras.


A single CMOS chip fits in more features compared to a CCD one. "CMOS technology enables all the functionality of a complete camera to be integrated on a single chip, versus more expensive and bulkier multichip solutions used in CCD," Karunakaran said.


Sensitivity
Imager sensitivity depends on the application. "Outdoor applications require a camera with good low-light sensitivity to ensure the capture of high-quality images regardless of the time of day or the weather," Cremins said. "Cameras with WDR are needed in sites with a combination of lighting sources, such as a campus building with large windows and significant natural sunlight."


An Aptina sensor enables sub-0.1 lux image performance, Cheng said.


The Pixim solution provides low-light and WDR performance, with 0.5-lux minimum illumination in color, Monti said.


Chip Size
Imager sizes vary by application. Pixim estimated 1/3-inch sensors account for 90 percent of all cameras shipped, making it the de facto sensor format.


Aptina offers 1/3-inch sensors as well as other sizes. "For the low-end market, our 1/4-inch format VGA sensor supports dual output — digital and analog," Cheng said.


Smaller sensors use smaller pixels, hurting low-light performance. "For this reason, 1/4-inch image sensors have largely been relegated to consumer and DIY applications where the best low-light performance is not an application requirement," Monti said.


High-resolution cameras prefer imagers with bigger surfaces for more pixels. "For the 1/2-inch market, we supply multimegapixel sensors — 3-megapixel,
5-megapixel and 10-megapixel — which require high-resolution and electronic PTZ functions," Cheng said.


Larger sensors come at a cost, along with taking up more space. "All 1/2-inch image sensors used for video applications are niche products, as the lens infrastructure for the 1/2-inch format is limited, and so the lenses are expensive," Monti said. "Pixim estimates 1/2-inch image sensors have less than 1-percent share in the security market."


Standards
The migration to IP enables greater connectivity, but true integration is still a long way off.


Standard compliance is considered for solutions. "We're monitoring the movement on standards, such as ONVIF and PSIA," Lim said.


Openness is becoming part of product design. "Although emerging IP standards from ONVIF and PSIA don't directly affect how we, as a manufacturer, select components, they are necessary to ease integration challenges," Cremins said. "Manufacturers, integrators and customers alike can look forward to a time when the industry abides by one standard to ensure that any IP video edge device can work with any VMS or networked DVR system. This will also allow customers to mix and match best-in-class products from different manufacturers more easily."


Standards, however, do affect component integration. "Compliance with industry standards is becoming a requirement for security equipment suppliers," Monti said.


The HDcctv standard promises to upgrade analog devices to broadcast-compliant HD video at a lower cost than megapixel cameras. At the same time, ONVIF and PSIA are tackling one of the growth inhibitors of the network camera market — vendor interoperability.


On the Horizon
A highly usable solution trumps a complex one, even if it has the latest bells and whistles. "Increasingly, organizations are demanding products that are quick and easy to install, which is forcing manufacturers to think more about the whole user experience when designing their products," Cremins said. "From camera mounting and positioning to loading software or updating firmware, you can expect technical specifications to reflect features that make system installation a more straightforward process."


Designing for ease of use will feature in component development. "The security market values easy-to-install, no-excuses, low-maintenance products," Monti said.

Business Intelligence Maximizes Security Investments

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 12/2/2009 | Article type: Hot Topics

Security equipment can be used for collecting data for an enhanced shopping experience and better business intelligence.


The economic downturn dampened the spirits of consumers and retailers, as layoffs and foreclosures curtailed spending. While a crime wave has not emerged, an uptick in shrinkage makes security a retail priority. The National Retail Security Survey found shrinkage formed US$36.5 billion or 1.52 percent of retail sales in 2008, up from $34.8 billion or 1.44 percent in 2007, according to the National Retail Federation and the University of Florida. As profit margins narrow, shrinkage is an expensive problem.


To combat theft, retail employs complete security solutions with surveillance, intrusion and PoS integration. Advances in IP and processing have resulted in more accurate business intelligence, using data from security devices to increase productivity and revenue. Instead of watching for shoplifters or dishonest employees, business intelligence identifies patterns in shopper behavior, such as where they stop longest. While the security equipment does watch for illegal events, it also offers value-added information to improve business.


IMS Research considers business intelligence a potential driver for video analysis adoption, according to "The World Market for Video Content Analysis — 2009 Edition" report. "Business intelligence analytics, such as people counting or queue length monitoring, have a number of installation advantages over typical security applications such as perimeter protection," said Niall Jenkins, Market Analyst at IMS Research. "In security applications, end users cannot afford to miss a potential security breach; however, business intelligence algorithms can provide reliable trend information despite not always counting every person that enters a retail or commercial location."


Solutions
Object recognition identifies what's onscreen, be it cars, people or luggage. It is deployed in abandoned object analysis for security uses. In retail applications, it can distinguish between a person and an animal, along with speeding up transactions.


Video Inform uses object profiles to identify shoppers. "We are able to detect separately men, women and children," said Ronen Saggir, CTO of Video Inform. "Our solution has the ability to classify the objects by user-defined categories, not just count them."


The solution can account for outdoor activity. "We use the same profiling technology to count people and cars indoors and outdoors," Saggir said. "Our special technology creates an object profile and has the ability to have interactive feedback with the system."


Object recognition has another niche: identifying retail goods. Evolution Robotics Retail uses object recognition-enabled cameras at checkout lanes to check the bottom of the basket of shopping carts for items, without scanning barcodes, said Alec Hudnut, CEO of Evolution Robotics Retail. It sends this information to the PoS system, requiring cashier verification to complete the transaction. This makes sure all items are paid for and virtually eliminates sweet hearting, when employees deliberately ring up fewer items for a friend.


Customer Service
Understanding customers is an underlying premise of business intelligence. It provides unobtrusive insight in an inexpensive way, compared to observation studies.


BVI Networks produces intelligent video solutions targeted for retailers and consumer product manufacturers. "BVI's solution brings the same concepts of customer tracking and analytics that permeate the online commerce environment to the in-store environment," said Kathryn Howe, VP of Sales and Marketing, BVI Networks. "The solution provides in-store retailers and brand manufacturers with capabilities that will allow them to get closer than ever before to understanding the very behavior of shoppers in the store. This means they can better connect and serve those shoppers."


Two key metrics delivered by the BVI system are shopper engagement rate and display or product exposure rate. "These metrics enable retailers to understand which promotions work best for their store by measuring how many shoppers stop, evaluate and view an actual display or product area," Howe said.


By measuring traffic and dwell times for any area of the store, the BVI solution identifies store hot spots by reporting how many shoppers are in each location and where they spend the most time. "People counting can be done by store entrance, aisle, display or specific locations," Howe said. "Traffic numbers are then automatically coupled with store layout and PoS data to provide conversion rate; measuring effectiveness of product placement, packaging, display and messaging."


Counting analytics provide hard data for retailers. "The software has the capability of measuring occupancy — the real-time running count of how many persons are occupying a specific area of interest, like a conference room," said Ed Troha, MD of Global Marketing, ObjectVideo. "The software can also accurately measure dwell time, which is the average amount of time a person stops to peruse a retail display or digital signage in a train station."


Targeted Advertising
Business intelligence can customize the shopper experience. “We offer integration with digital signage," Saggir said. "Judging by the age and gender of the person, we can directly adjust the digital/commercial signage."

Some solutions read body language. "Intellio's face analytics-based software can detect the movement of human faces," said Szonja Balogh, Head of Communications, Intellio. "If installed in retail stores, the system can provide information on the demographic composition of shoppers and their behavior. The data extracted can be used to make more reliable market analysis and better placement of billboards or advertisements."


Reports
Business intelligence generates timely reports, allowing retailers to see what works and improve weaknesses. It increases effectiveness and reduces labor, such as manually counting occupancy.


Up-to-date reporting can aid investigations. "Analytics can identify theft and fraud quickly by integrating transaction data from banking ATMs or retail PoS systems with synchronized video evidence," said Peter Wilenius, VP of Marketing, March Networks. "The integrated solution also enables organizations to rapidly access high-quality, high-definition video evidence of criminal activity based on dates, card numbers and more. These images can be provided to authorities to help identify and apprehend criminals quickly and prosecute cases."


Users can customize reports for relevancy. "Daily and weekly store reports are sent out automatically to people in the organization who need the information. They include information on store conversion rates, people count, sales by hour, total sales and PoS transaction count," Howe said. "Weather information is included as well, so that managers can see the effect of weather on store performance day over day and week over week."


Hardware Specs
Business intelligence applications add value to video installations. However, video analytics are notorious for false alarms and time-intensive setup. Intelligent video requires proper installation of video equipment to function.


To accurately identify a face, Intellio's solution needs at least 12 pixels. "For identifying gender and age recognition, the system needs 20 pixels," Balogh said. Other hardware specifications include a fast enough processor, along with sufficient storage and reliable transmission.


Video Inform emphasizes vendor-agnostic software for any surveillance camera. "Our technology has strong robustness for changing image settings, such as lighting conditions, indoor/outdoor scenarios and even camera view angles," Saggir said. "The solution can adjust to almost any camera installation, thus delivering a significant investment protection and cost reduction."


Ultimately, optimal camera placement depends on the integrator. "ObjectVideo's software does not care what type of video feed it receives to analyze — it can analyze video from any type of camera," Troha said. "In fact, ObjectVideo software can perform better when shadows are not an issue, as with thermal and IR technology. In short, don't ask video analytics to compensate for a potential poor camera choice or camera placement."


RFID
As item-level tagging becomes more affordable, it offers inventory visibility for retailers. "Given the item-level intelligence these solutions offer retailers, they can also determine where the goods are, whether on shelves or displays, in the back storeroom, misplaced or missing," said ADT in a prepared statement. "Such capabilities can help stores raise their inventory availability from an average of 67 percent to as much as 99 percent. By avoiding out-of-stocks this way, retailers adopting this application have reported sales increases of up to 25 percent — despite these recessionary times."


Applications
Business intelligence requires users to get hands-on for results. Some retailers spotted trends they had missed, checked inventory more efficiently and identified suspicious behavior.


Nike deployed a March Networks solution in the U.S. for its 114 factory stores and 29 retail stores. "When loss prevention staff arrive at work in the morning, they can drill down from the application's dashboard to exception reports based on their own rules and begin investigating suspicious transactions," said March Networks in a prepared statement. "With access to gift card and credit card data, employee records and, ultimately, ship-to addresses from online purchases all linked together, Nike will be better equipped to investigate suspicious transactions and trim losses resulting from fraudulent activity."


Other retailers found trends that were not obvious. "One customer immediately noticed that the average time spent in their store was more than 90 minutes," Howe said. "Their store was seen as more of a hangout area, with a strong community aspect to it. Now that they understand this, they have reorganized the store layout to optimize their customer's routes and increase sales and customer loyalty."


Apparel retailer the Limited deployed ObjectVideo analytics to track how many customers visited its 220 stores. The solution outperformed a thermal imaging counting solution during trials, enabling the Limited to collect accurate customer information.


"ObjectVideo technology delivers full functionality for the detection, classification and tracking of objects, and the outputting of relevant events for a growing number of security, safety and business intelligence applications," Troha said.


Some solutions work even with crowds. "We have a case where the mall leads to a train station," Saggir said. "When the train stops, all the people are coming out from the train station to the mall. This is a mass of people. The system will know to count them and classify them accurately."


Hong Kong retailers reduced lost sales by deploying RFID to combat inventory inaccuracies. "Tracking in-store inventories accurately and reducing out-of-stock situations are key challenges to retailers as these can lead to lost sales and higher operational costs," said Roger Tsang, District Manager of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan for ADT Security, in a prepared statement. The ADT solution provided 10-minute updates on shelf inventory levels for a European book retailer, reducing out-of-stock risk.


Beyond Retail
The potential for business intelligence extends beyond retail. Functions such as counting and tracking are useful in other applications for identifying people and trends. "In addition to retail applications, our data and video analytics are also used in the banking, aviation and other commercial and government environments," Wilenius said.


Locations with high foot traffic find business intelligence helpful. "Aside from retail, ObjectVideo has also been working on a number of business intelligence deployments in the gaming industry and in the transportation vertical," Troha said.


The transportation market includes public monitoring of traffic and highways. "The Video Inform solution can count on highways and identify by category, such as motorcycles, regular cars, big trucks or even public transportation," Saggir said.


Military and homeland security applications focus on personnel safety. "We provide tracking for police officials," Saggir said. "In areas where police officers are stationed, the monitoring facility can monitor them."


Business intelligence allows users to maximize their security investment. Rather than placing cameras to capture rare instances of crime, all footage becomes useful data. With retail as an early adopter, business intelligence turns security equipment into tools for enhanced customer service and facility management.

Hotels Embrace Five-Star Security

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 11/30/2009 | Article type: Commercial Markets

A number of terrorist attacks on hotels in the last 12 months have highlighted the vulnerability of the hospitality sector, making security improvements a top priority. A&S looks at how security technologies help hotels fend off potential threats and enhance guest experience.

Global income from international tourism topped US$1.1 trillion in 2008 or roughly $3 billion a day, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Although tourism declined with the slow economy and H1N1 pandemic since September 2008, the latest UNWTO barometer estimates international tourist arrivals to growing 1 to 3 percent in 2010.

Guests expect good service at hotels. While comfort and satisfaction are vital for attracting guests, security has become a requirement. “People can choose locations and star ratings of a hotel, but not the level of security protection,” said Dr. John Wyatt, Technical Director of SDS Group. “Recent reports show that security has been rated by more than 60 percent of travelers as the most important factor for accommodation selection.”

Hotel threats vary by region, where country profile, political stability and terrorist activities should be considered. “The measures taken to guard against threats are more to do with perimeter and public space management,” said David Rees, Regional Manager for APAC, Salto Systems. “The primary concerns are usually guest safety and theft prevention.”

Large numbers of visitors and staff mean heightened risk from daily operations. “External personnel, including deliveries and services, are often able to access sensitive areas inside hotels without security checks,” said Alex Zarrabi, GM for the Middle East, IndigoVision.

“Outsiders like suppliers and contractors can be a real threat,” echoed Indra Komari, Business Line Manager, Retail and Site Protection for Indonesia, Gunnebo. “In Indonsia, four- and five-star hotels are tightening security checks to restrict access.”

Rules and Regulations
There are no authorities overseeing security standards for the hospitality industry. One-month video archiving is common, but it can range from 14 days to three months, with recording varying at 5 to 12.5 fps in CIF to D1. Live monitoring is sometimes demanded, and recording at 25 fps in D1 resolution is restricted to premium hotels. Video privacy zones can be applied at ATMs to prevent operators from seeing guest PINs, Zarrabi added.   

Hotels in the United Arab Emirates must abide by police mandates. “Frame rates may deviate, but continuous recording at 5 fps in 2CIF for 31 days and local real-time monitoring are becoming minimum requirements,” said Matthew Terrey, Sales Director for the Middle East, March Networks.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs of Singapore recently enacted the SS545 Standard, aiming to encourage hotels to strengthen security,” said Terence Lee, Director of Product Management for APAC, Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies.

“In India, a security bill is being discussed to regulate properties with more than 1,000 footfalls as high-footfall zones,” said Shakti Kumar Leekha, GM of Systems and Products India, Johnson Controls.

Solutions
Hotels are dynamic, with staff, guests and guards coming and going 24-7. A wide range of surveillance products are needed for full coverage.

Video footage is accessible to receptionists, security staff and designated administrative personnel. Live monitoring of main entrances, back doors and luggage areas is common for economy and luxury hotels alike, said Iain Cameron, MD for the U.K., Mirasys.   

Discretion is the next priority. “Identifying potential threats in public areas with high human traffic without disturbing guests poses challenges,” said Roger Tsang, District Manager for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, ADT Security.

“People have become more accustomed to baggage searches and walk-through detectors, making discretion less of a concern,” said Philip Law, GM for Marianas, G4S Security Services.

Perimeter and Entrances
At some resorts or large hotels, security checks start from gates hundreds of feet away from building entrances. Tire killers, roadblocks, portable explosive detectors and under-vehicle surveillance systems are popular security practices in Indonesia, said Vincentius Liong, Director of Building Management System and Security for Indonesia, Schneider Electric. X-ray machines, handheld and walk-through metal and explosive detectors are used high-occupancy, five-star hotels.    

Implementations of barriers, bollards and vehicle controls are now at least 25 meters from the main structure, Wyatt added.

Deploying video analytics for better customer experience is increasing. “Identifying preregistered, regular or high-profile guests at the gate allows customized services to be in place early,” said Francois Malan, Technical Director of Camsecure.

Maintaining good perimeter protection is critical. “IR technology is useful in screening intrusions before they turn into actual threats,” said Alfonso Caprile, Sales and Export Manager, Bunker Seguridad Electrónica. “Long-range coverage, IP ratings and a low false-alarm rate are key factors when considering perimeter systems.”           

“Main access points are usually heavily guarded, together with video surveillance and access control devices,” Malan said.

High-performance video surveillance systems, including megapixel and HD cameras, WDR capabilities and video analytics, help monitor the front entrances, while access systems control traffic in the back, said Tsang.

Public Areas
Reception counters, lobbies and restaurants are open to the public with no identification checks, making them susceptible to malicious acts. Megapixel and HD cameras can cover wide areas with heavy traffic to identify threats. “The latest trend is to incorporate facial recognition,” Zarrabi said. “Cameras are placed at strategic positions, such as reception counters where people stand still, for this purpose, to maximize the recognition rate.”

Day/night cameras with IR illuminators are employed to capture license plates and faces at gates or parking entrances, Liong said.

While surveillance at high-traffic public areas is more noticeable as a visual deterrent, video equipment monitoring hallways tends to be more discreet, Cameron said.

Offices and Guest Rooms
Staff areas — IT rooms, vaults, and command and control centers — are restricted with access control mechanisms with layers of authorization to validate entries and exits, Tsang said.

“Key management systems help protect valuable assets and establish accountability by recording when the key was removed and who removed it,” said Fernando Pires, VP of Sales and Marketing, Morse Watchmans. “Integration with physical security systems and business operation systems allows for stringent risk management.”

Guest rooms are managed by dedicated locking systems, separated from fire, video surveillance, access control and HVAC systems, noted Lee. VIP suites take clientele profiles into consideration and require stricter control, Leekha said.

With cards, most hoteliers still adopt contact ones for room keys, but contactless smart card technology is gaining ground.

Integration and Coordination
Seldom are hotels designed with security in mind, and integration is not typically of concern. Security and building management systems are mostly installed as separate systems by different contractors due to budgetary constraints, said Komari.

Although some experts are aware of data protection solutions, acceptance for integrated systems is slow, and installations are evaluated case by case, said Terrey.         

To enhance the guest experience, inquiries have grown for combining elevator control, cashless vending and room cards, said Komari.

IP integration simplifies energy efficiency and building automation with more integrated building management, HVAC and security system, Liong said.

An effective security system requires not just hardware integration, but also personnel coordination. “Surveillance is futile without the capability to react,” noted Wyatt. “Contingency planning and crisis response are urgently needed.”

Challenges
“The main challenge lies within projects, which are usually divided into phases and commissioned at different times,” Tsang said.

New mandates and tightened regulations mean additional costs to hotel owners for replacing legacy systems, said Zarrabi.

To create a better synergy between technology and manpower, staff training and security awareness building are a must, Leekha added.


Growing applications are in risk reduction and threat prevention with real-time alerts. Demand for higher resolution for video analytics, such as people counting and parking management, is on the rise, said Tsang.

Guest experience and comfort still come first. Enhanced room automation is made available through the integration of the locking system and room management system, Rees said.

Security Stands Guard Against Financial Turmoil

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 11/24/2009 | Article type: Security 50

The world is facing the greatest financial and economic crisis to have occurred in more than half a century. As 2009 draws to a close, the Security 50 companies share strategies for surviving the turbulence and their realistic hopes for the future.


Security 50 Ranking Tables


From sales drops to stunted growth, it is clear that the recession has taken a heavy toll on the security industry, making analysts and interest groups reevaluate those recession-proof claims and groundings. In 2008, more than 90 percent of the 50 participating companies experienced growth. This year's ranking, however, shows that almost half of our participants' revenues declined. It is not all bad news. Although the recession has forced companies to tighten budgets and readjust spending, those who have taken the necessary measures have survived — and some triumphed.


Company Strengths
Whereas 2008 was dotted with mergers and acquisitions up and down the ranking, 2009 has seen diminished activity, with the exceptions of Assa Abloy and Nice Systems. This year, most companies agreed that growth factors were attributed to playing both strong defense as well as offense. "On the defensive side, we've made sure we've driven productivity improvements in our operations and have really focused on the cost side of the equation," said John Koch, President of ADT Security, in a prepared statement.


Indeed, companies have paid very close attention to profit and cash flow. "In the past, the most important thing was revenues. Now, the focus is on cash and profit," said Amir Hayek, President and CEO of Electronics Line 3000.
For medium-sized manufacturers, a significant ROI on previously launched products has to be achieved before new ones are endorsed, said Eric Assouline, Export Sales Manager at CDVI Group. On the offense side, growth can be seen as a result of continued R&D investment, expansion of global presence (with special attention to emerging markets), strengthened customer and partner relationships, and increased marketing efforts. "In terms of marketing efforts, we've developed a new Web site and product packaging," said Dr. Avigdor Shachrai, President and CEO of Visonic.


Expanding Presence and Portfolios
With mature markets such as the U.S. and Western Europe severely hit, companies that stayed afloat turned to expanding their operations and local presence in new markets. Emerging markets — especially those of China, India, Latin America and the Middle East - have been penetrated with doubled efforts. "We've added personnel in different regions to support our system integration partners," said Ray Mauritsson, CEO of Axis Communications.


Improved support and communication with existing and new partners and customers also helped companies stand out. "Our traffic server now comes with service and maintenance packages," said Mario van der Kroef, Global Marketing Director of Optelecom-NKF.


More integration and interaction between industry players have also born fruit. "Expanding our partner ecosystem ensures integration with multiple third-party surveillance products and access control systems," said Peter Wilenius, VP of Marketing at March Networks. "Our open-platform video management software (VMS) is now certified for use with a number of third-party host and storage systems."


Mauritsson added that "the need for integration is one of the key drivers for the analog-to-digital shift. System integrators found this a great opportunity to add more value in a project."


Strengthening Brands
For some companies, resilient figures were results of major transitions, such as branding. "What we're seeing is that only a small customer base is familiar with our new brand for IP-based products. We want them to see all our products as part of a total, hybrid solution," van der Kroef said.


Others continue to refine their brand image. "Customers perceive our brand as good quality. This year, we've provided video surveillance components and systems for analog, hybrid and digital technology, with open interfaces for easy migration and integration," said Katharina Geutebrück, MD of Geutebruck.


Loss Factors
"The slowdown was steep and happened quite fast," Mauritsson said. "The high growth rate we had a year ago is not there today." Major players such as ADT, Bosch Security Systems, Assa Abloy, L-1 Identity Solutions and Axis have noticeably lowered their projections. Others have gone straight into decline.


Project business slowed as well. Installations have been significantly stalled due to tightened budgets and delayed payments. Distributors have driven down their inventories to wait for new order forms, further fueling uncertainty, said Lutz Coelen, CFO of Mobotix. Some companies, however, see this crisis as a chance to gain market share. "With the weak economy and less budgets available, attractive features of cameras include using high resolution, free software and built-in storage," Coelen said. "Our overall cost-effective solution has helped us gain market share."


Looking at forecasts, there are concerns that the general optimism for recovery is rather premature. "We don't see it happening as quickly as next year," Mauritsson said. Long-term growth potential, however, is unchanged, especially with new products being launched.


"We expect the recession to continue to negatively influence the first two quarters of 2010," van der Kroef said, echoing similar skepticism.


Opportunities Yet Abound
Where companies lacked local presence, they have looked for partners. Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia were popular regions for business development.


Regions
In North America, longer sales cycles were typical, with customers moving less aggressively on project rollouts, Wilenius said. "To balance that, our revenues outside of North America increased by 58 percent during the first quarter of the 2009 fiscal year (May to July of calendar year 2008)." Like March Networks, the majority of other companies looked toward markets ripe for plucking, and have opened offices, invested in local personnel and tendered for projects in a myriad of vertical markets.


Despite the slowdown, North America is still the biggest market worldwide. Mobotix, Optelecom-NKF, March Networks, Axis, CDVI, Electronics Line and GeoVision have continued to fortify their sales channels there. "We're splitting focus between partners, expanding from our presence in Colorado to locating partners in the East Coast, Midlands and West Coast," Hayek said.


"While we're seeing signs of rising customer activity compared to earlier in 2009, we anticipate that North American organizations will maintain a more cautious approach to projects until further stability and growth are reached," Wilenius said. George Tai, CEO of Geovision, added that the education sector will remain opportune for next year.


In Western Europe. France, Scandinavia and the U.K. are picking up momentum in wireless products and IP adoption, Dr. Shachrai said. "It will take at least another year before we see the European market up and running again," Hayek added.


Latin America, especially Brazil, has been an increasingly solid market this past year. Where the commercial, industrial, transportation and banking sectors are concerned, the region is very promising. "We recently established our own office and personnel, and it's definitely an emerging market where we expect high growth," Mauritsson said. However, for most, Latin America is not yet the biggest piece of the pie.


In Asia, particularly China and India, companies have expanded their operations the most aggressively. "In India, we've signed more contracts with distributors and have done very well. Our strategies in China are different; we focus more on monitoring companies," Dr. Shachrai said, as China reigns as one of the world's largest and most stable markets in these trying times.


Vertical Markets
Consensus was that industrial and government projects have been the hottest verticals. Larger government sponsored projects have been delayed but are recently getting back on track.


Transportation has been a huge development area. IP-based video surveillance systems for traffic control and mobile solutions, including ALPR, network cameras, video analytics, sophisticated VMS and so on, have contributed to several companies' growth. "We anticipate that our company's revenue from traffic applications will increase by more than 25 percent, now that we have launched our traffic servers," van der Kroef said. March Networks, Axis and Nice have also been heavily involved with transportation projects.


With increased crime rates around the world, public surveillance and critical infrastructure have tightened security measures on all fronts. In both emerging and mature markets, IP-based video surveillance is increasingly deployed to better protect citizens and utilities.


In residential and retail segments, a growing middle class will expand needs for safety and security, said Laird Hamberlin, VP of Global Accounts, ADT Security. "We have seen some of our larger retail customers with some good investments continuing, but not necessarily at their historic levels," Koch added, in a prepared statement. A full recovery of Axis' retail business, Mauritsson said, is not yet expected for 2010.


Companies that focus on small-to-medium projects, however, were not as dependent on single verticals. As a result, they had more flexibility. "Our average project size is less than US$10,000, and our solutions are a good fit for many verticals — banking, transportation, retail and mobile solutions," Coelen said.


Products for 2009
Despite tighter budgets, growth has favored companies who continued to invest in R&D, resulting in a healthy number of new products being launched. "We invested more than 10 percent of our sales in R&D, which we believe is essential to provide innovative and reliable solutions," said Uwe Thym, VP of Marketing at Bosch Security Systems.


Video Surveillance
The majority of video surveillance solution providers zoomed in on improving resolution, frame rates and/or outdoor capability.


Mobotix released its newest hemispheric camera, using decentralized technology to restore panoramic images distorted by fisheye lenses. "This product was the most successful launch Mobotix ever had," Coelen said. The camera uses a 360-degree lens and has built-in storage, allowing users to work with fewer cameras but get increased resolution.


March Networks bolstered its portfolio with IP-based HD cameras supporting H.264 compression, and refined its software offerings. "We'll aggressively promote these products in the next six to 12 months," Wilenius said.


Optelecom-NKF, for better compression, also released its H.264-enabled video server, to integrate analytic algorithms and storage. Continuous development will eventually incorporate VMS and recording technology into a single solution, van der Kroef said.


Axis launched some 30 network video products this year, focusing specifically on two categories — H.264 (improved image quality) and enhanced outdoor capabilities. "Our HDTV-quality cameras with H.264 compression standards have been a success," Mauritsson said. Another focus was an outdoor ready, out -of - the-box product which shortens installation time and eliminates the need for an external housing.


As analytics mature, companies like Axis and Geutebrück have added them as built-in features. "We've launched a new network camera designed with outdoor motion detection running on the DSP," Geutebrück said.


Bosch launched a selection of cost-effective, all-in-one network cameras with onboard storage, catering to SMBs to protect and monitor property. "We also launched a dome camera with full PTZ capabilities," Thym said.


Intrusion Detection
Wireless intrusion detection solutions, in particular, sold well in 2008. "Our wireless control panel, with built-in GSM/GPRS, serves entry-level needs and meets international standards," Dr. Shachrai said, emphasizing that this product is Visonic's best-seller of the year.


Access Control
Web-based solutions were popular with Bosch and CDVI. "We developed a Web-based solution that uses a built-in Web server for access management," Thym said. And the CDVI solution includes software for visitor, parking and asset management, Assouline said. Integrating other systems gives manufacturers a better chance to sell their products and asks of end users to only familiarize themselves with one system, rather than several disparate systems.


Collective Challenges
Challenges that most of companies faced this year are careful channel partner selection and inadequate education of industry participants. More than ever before, these long-standing obstacles must be dealt with if companies expect growth to continue.


Channel Partners
Strategic expansion includes training for integrators, distributors and resellers to ensure project wins. "We continue to focus on providing our sales channels with the information and support they need to help customers transition from analog to full IP-based video surveillance environments," Wilenius said. "Additionally, we've launched an improvement program for our architect, engineer and consultant community."


Some companies supported customers who were more affected by the economic crisis, through extending payment terms or giving extra discounts. "We also increased marketing support for our partners by designing campaigns and attending trade shows," Assouline said.


For network camera providers, one key marketing challenge was to reach system integrators and end users with the full benefits of IP-based systems — there are simply too many people to reach. "Sometimes, system integrators have little incentive to change because IP is something new and they have to learn. This means leaving what you're comfortable with," Mauritsson said.


Education
Educating partners has been vital for growth. To this end, Mobotix has made countless webinars, themed training sessions and short films available on popular Internet portals, Coelen said.


A number of other companies, including Axis, Bosch, March Networks, Hikvision, Nice, Optelecom-NKF, Geutebruck, GeoVision, Hitron Systems, Victor Company of Japan (JVC), VIVOTEK and Tamron, have joined efforts in the ONVIF initiative, to help drive the technology shift by creating standard parameters. "We need to make sure that system integrators are up to speed with new techniques and can choose the best of breed when selecting a system," Mauritsson said.


However, lack of regulators to enforce compliance with existing standards could halt progress. "ONVIF and PSIA efforts to enhance standards seem like a good start, but we need to see if they will be enforced," Assouline said.


Rapid innovation, high market fragmentation and new alliances all contribute to a massive range of product offerings. "It is, thus, imperative to help end users distinguish pure marketing gimmicks from true value offerings," Geutebrück said.


Industry Weaknesses
Overall, the two biggest weaknesses of the industry are collective complacency (explosive growth in previous years) and conservativeness. To varying degrees, most economies are still suffering from the recession, which makes for difficult prediction and overall uncertainty. According to IMS Research, video surveillance equipment sales in Europe will have declined by nearly 7 percent by the end of this year, with the U.K. and Spain hit particularly hard. The Americas are expected to pose slight growth, said Udi Segall, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Nice Systems. Large stimulus packages in both the U.S. and Europe will cushion the blow somewhat.


Additionally, fluctuations in currency exchange rates make it difficult to penetrate certain geographical markets. "Fluctuations make our imported products more expensive," Dr. Shachrai said.


Security is a conservative and tricky business full of users reluctant to adopt innovative technologies, prolonging the transition from analog to digital. Looking purely at the video market, analog shares are still very high, and IP-based solutions are of a low penetration, Coelen said. When investments shrink, the result is a relatively large, negative impact on network video expansion. However, the slowdown is not an indication that the technology shift is not happening; rather, it simply shows that growth is reduced, Mauritsson said.


Charging Forward
Clearly, it has been a tough year, to have to balance budgets with continued innovation while maintaining or expanding global presence. On top of that, providing sufficient support to channel partners and increased vigilance in training may mean make or break for any company. Between a company's self preservation and its social responsibility, the Security 50 participants of 2009 have had a trying year, yet those who managed to tie all these loose ends have reaped rewards despite the volatile environment. Although the forecast for 2010 is far from transparent, attention paid to these areas and the Security 50's shared experiences will better prepare industry players for the future.

March Networks Manages Banco de Occidente with Digital Surveillance Solutions

Editor / Provider: March Networks | Updated: 9/2/2009 | Article type: Commercial Markets

March Networks, a provider of intelligent IP video and business analysis applications, announced that Banco de Occidente S.A. will use the company's networked video recording systems and management software to centralize security and loss prevention operations across 200 retail banking branches.


Based in Cali, Colombia, Banco de Occidente provides numerous banking services to customers nationwide. It is one of the country's largest financial institutions and is a subsidiary of Grupo Aval Accionesy Valores S.A. (Grupo Aval), a publicly-traded holding company that includes four of Colombia's major banks and other financial organizations.


Following an evaluation of several surveillance systems, Banco de Occidente selected the March Networks solution based on the strength of its video compression technology, which reduces bandwidth and storage requirements, and its enterprise-class video management software. The system's advanced case management tools and high quality video evidence will help the bank combat theft and fraud and better safeguard customers. In addition, the system's remote health monitoring capability will provide the bank with optimum performance and reliability.


"Our IP video solutions for the financial market continue to outperform in competitive trials, where high reliability, video resolution and performance across the network are of prime importance," said Peter Strom, President and CEO, March Networks. "We are proud to provide Banco de Occidente with the video management capabilities it requires to protect its clients and assets while streamlining security operations."

Providing the Business Case: Convergence and Integration (Part Ⅱ)

Editor / Provider: Submitted by Memoori Business Intelligence | Updated: 7/16/2009 | Article type: Hot Topics

Allan McHale, Director of Memoori, reviews the business case for convergence and integration in buildings. Part one of this article ran in the May issue of A&S, with the second part focusing on security systems delivering holistic solutions.


Building automation is specified at the design stage for new construction, while security is frequently purchased after the building's completion. This can pose the first barrier to integrating security with other building control infrastructures, but not convergence with IT.


The emphasis is now on convergence with IT. For one, IT security issues are the responsibility of the IT department, including all data networks. The IT department increasingly takes the initiative to ensure more robust security solutions, particularly for use of existing data networks. More importantly, it appreciates the potential benefits for the business enterprise, which has become the driver for IT convergence with security. If there is a case for IT convergence, why is it taking so long to become standard? And why is it only used by large companies and for major infrastructure projects?


Dominic Bruning, Marketing Director for EMEA at Axis Communications, said that all too often, physical security and IT are treated as two separate silos. This results in high personnel and material cost, along with inefficiencies, making it easier for security gaps to occur unnoticed. He suggested a management structure change to overcome this scenario, with the CSO reporting directly to the CEO and implementing a converged strategy.


CIOs, until recently, had little interest in physical security and often regarded it as a threat to IT security. Combining these roles would ensure a more comprehensive security solution, which is gradually taking place.


Proprietary Standards
The second barrier to integration was convergence offering fewer connectivity options, forcing users to be locked in to one supplier. This has changed, with more standard communication protocols being adopted and applied to security. It is unlikely to integrate all the sophisticated applications offered by some proprietary systems, but interconnectivity between brands has improved over the last five years. In the physical security business, supervisory software from suppliers such as Milestone Systems melds together hardware from different suppliers in fire safety and building environmental automation systems.


On the supply side, installers and integrators have not played a dynamic role in delivering holistic solutions. In the early years, it was left to global manufacturers and solution providers to take the initiative, such as Honeywell Building Solutions, Siemens Building Technologies and Schneider Electric (TAC). These companies have delivered comprehensive solutions in vertical markets including airports, hospitals, shopping malls and industrial complexes. These are large projects on new construction sites and connect many aspects of the business enterprise with security, safety and environmental controls.


IT-data network practitioners have entered the market recently, adding much-needed expertise. As early as June 2005, Cisco Systems introduced its Connected Real Estate program. In January 2009, it expanded products and services. First, Cisco launched its comprehensive physical security solution after a series of smaller acquisitions. The company now offers network video surveillance — from capturing video to processing video at the back end — and access control. These edge devices plug into the IP network like a mobile phone or laptop.


A second component of Cisco's Connected Real Estate vision is its Digital Media Systems. The company offers end-to-end content systems, including digital signage and media, to commercial real estate. In 2008, Cisco signed its first strategic alliance for Connected Real Estate with Johnson Controls (JCI). The JCI partnership allows Cisco global access to facility management world, securing far-reaching integration of building systems and IT networks. Cisco also launched EnergyWise, a networked energy management solution which monitors and controls the power consumption of all networked devices. Other IT companies also have a significant presence in security, such as March Networks, Controlware Communication Systems and Optelecom-NKF.


Market
With both technical and commercial solutions available to eliminate barriers, how will the market develop? In 2006, Memoori estimated the world market for electronic security solutions to be worth US$20 billion in 2004 to 2005 at installed prices.


As Figure 1 shows, IP solutions accounted for less than 10 percent of the market. We projected an annual growth rate of 6.5 percent for electronic security over the next 10 years, with IP-based systems to take $8 billion in 2008 or approximately 30 percent of the market. By 2014, we forecast IP-based systems to account for 80 percent of the business. According to anecdotal evidence today, the recession has reduced demand in the last 18 months. However, forecasts indicate that IP-based solutions have increased their market share and will accelerate after mid-2010. All security systems will grow less than 6.5 percent between 2008 and 2010. Regardless of whether these predictions are accurate, what is critical is that IP-based solutions will become standard within the next six years. This is driven by demand for security systems to converge with IT and deliver holistic solutions.


However, as mentioned in part one, few suppliers have spent sufficient time and effort in proving the business case for convergence and integration to their customers. Until they do, all their efforts to promoting it will fall on stony ground. It may require more successful partnerships and alliances between manufacturers to reach the targets set above. Certainly, more care on delivery is required to maximize opportunities. Suppliers who are prepared to offer their solutions through managed services will be welcomed by customers.


For more information, please visit  MEMOORI.

Megapixel Technology Advances by Leaps and Bounds

Editor / Provider: The Editorial Team | Updated: 7/14/2009 | Article type: Tech Corner

Demand for higher-resolution images propels the development in technology, and vendors are actively improving lowlight performance. Recent spikes in megapixel camera sales reveal that there is more than meets the eye.


The global market for megapixel cameras was estimated, by IMS Research, to be worth of US$150 million in 2008. "The economy has affected the surveillance industry, and growth is lower than previously forecasted," said Alastair Hayfield, Senior Market Research Analyst, Security and Fire Group, IMS Research. However, the improved resolution from megapixel cameras is one key driver for IP-based solutions, and has helped maintain some of the strong growth seen previously, added Hayfield. "By 2012, approximately 6 percent of surveillance camera shipments will be of megapixel resolution."


"The Americas and EMEA are more aggressive in adoption of megapixel cameras; however, significant growth in the number of projects has been noted in APAC," said Chalon Dilber, Global Business Development Manager, Pelco (a Schneider Electric company). This market breakdown was seconded by Basler, with the Americas and EMEA taking the lion's share at 40 percent each.


Government, education, transportation, commercial and retail are the primary users, and according to Panasonic, railway and education applications enjoy solid growths of about 47 percent and 43 percent from 2010 to 2012. The ability to provide greater details has proven useful in aiding city surveillance and protecting critical infrastructure. "Public venues with heavy traffic flow and high population density show substantial needs," said Yoshikazu Hirano, GM, Head of Security Solutions, Business and Professional Products APAC Company (a division of Sony Electronics APAC).


With limited capital available, businesses are increasingly looking for value-added installations that deliver both ROI and performance, noted Dave Tynan, VP of Global Sales at Avigilon.


Aside from protecting valuable assets, preserving forensic evidence is equally important. Megapixel cameras, traditionally used to detect theft in production and warehouse facilities, have now been applied to identify incidents of sabotage and insurance fraud, in which employees deliberately injure themselves to seek liability compensation, explained James Ionson, CEO of Oncam Global. Megapixel images not only validate the integrity of claims, protect patrons and venue management, but also save investigation time and litigation costs, said Tynan.


"Commercial viability is driving the uptake of megapixel cameras, as one of them can achieve the same coverage of at least three to four standard cameras," said Ralf Hinkel, CEO of Mobotix. "The same trend is now taking place at the low end of the market where budget-conscious buyers are attracted to the value proposition."


Technology
The latest technology development includes onboard intelligence, which involves H.264 compression plus multistreaming capability, motion detection, alarm handling, and storage management. The idea is to allow for a total security solution, where nonstop surveillance, acquisition of multiple targets, automatic tracking, video analytics interrogation and onsite verification are carried out by a single megapixel camera, said Ionson.


Developing end-to-end megapixel and HD surveillance systems, including management software designed for high-resolution surveillance, has gained popularity, added Tynan.


"Despite advancements, the real-world demand for higher resolution seems to stop at 5 megapixels," said Paul Bodell, CMO at IQinVision. "There are bandwidth challenges and low-light issues that will still take some time to address."


To stream megapixel images for live monitoring at 25 to 30 fps can hardly be handled by regular networks. The advent of H.264 emerges as the latest rescue; however, "many people specify it without knowing what it is or when it should be used," added Bodell. In the meantime, acquiring sufficient processing power for H.264 and built-in analytics is where the rubber meets the road, making power planning difficult.


"Many manufacturers are still working on an acceptable compromise between high resolution, real-time frame rate and compression algorithms," said Ely Maspero, Director of Marketing and Communication for EMEA, March Networks. Some, like IQinVision, have refined their firmware to improve processing efficiency, while others, like Basler, have taken advantage of the flexible stream functionality where the areas of interest can be transmitted in high resolution. On the other hand, some manufacturers have developed proprietary compression technologies, catering to save as much processing power as possible and allow full megapixel resolution to be streamed at higher frame rates.


Requiring 90 percent less computing power than MPEG-4, Mobotix's compression format maintains image integrity and low CPU overhead. It transmits what has moved within the scene in high quality at low bandwidth, allowing users to extract high-resolution, still images for positive identification, explained Hinkel. "The codec enables a standard P4 computer to handle up to 40 streams simultaneously, with viewing and recording at 25 fps." Based on distributed intelligence, users are allowed to access raw megapixel images stored in the camera with no bandwidth consumption when recording.


Furthermore, megapixel cameras with built-in analytics could function as the brain of a security system that identifies an event and instructs high-frame-rate PTZ cameras to zoom in for further interrogation, said Ionson. Megapixel recording could also be set to begin after an alarm has been triggered, saving bandwidth and storage space, said Hirano.


At the moment, installers are relying on mixed solutions of standard cameras and megapixel cameras, said Maspero. "D1-resolution cameras with analytics take on live monitoring and alarm management, and megapixel cameras handle post-event reconstruction."


Low-light Performance
There is an ongoing debate that megapixel cameras generally underperform in challenging lighting conditions. To render a more desirable low-light performance, manufacturers start from the fundamentals. On top of the basic automatic iris control and true day/night functionality (with removable IR cut filter), efforts in lens selection, sensor adjustment and DSP development have been made to improve image clarity.


Pelco recommends using megapixel lenses with megapixel cameras, as they play a critical role in transmitting and refracting light. Oncam's lens is tailor-made to allow for the entry of longer-wavelength light, which delivers a fine black/white image during the day and promises quality video at night. Sony has developed an exclusive complementary color filter technology that allows two times more light to be captured in a dim environment.


Most low-light cameras with a fixed focus are optimized for daylight (visible light), so the focus is tailored specifically for shorter light wavelength. When the filter is removed to allow for the entry of near IR light at night, the camera slightly loses focus due to longer wavelength, explained Ionson. Pelco and Panasonic have developed auto-backfocus technology that adjusts the sensor position mechanically to maintain megapixel resolution after the shift of focus.


Arecont Vision goes for the dual-sensor solution, where a 3-megapixel color sensor and a 1.3-megapixel monochrome sensor are used for day and night applications, respectively. Arecont insists on using a 1/2 inch sensor as it gathers twice as much light as a 1/3 inch sensor. To capture more light, Mobotix's solution allocates extra exposure to the areas of interest for increased visibility. With onboard software, users are allowed to define the exposure zones in an image to ensure the right amount of exposure to capture the most important details, said Hinkel.


In terms of image processing, Sony's 1.3-megapixel cameras automatically switch to 640x480 VGA mode in low-light conditions. "By combining 4 pixels into 1, the camera is four times more sensitive at a normal shutter speed and delivers focused images without distortion in low-light environments," said Hirano. Another technology, adaptive black stretch developed by Panasonic, analyzes the illumination map and adjusts gamma correction to dark areas, explained Takahiro Ike, Team Leader, Camera Design Team 2, Camera Group, Panasonic System Solutions Company.


There are, still, other options, Avigilon, for example, integrates IR illuminators to its compact megapixel dome camera where the supplementary illumination provides extra light.


To determine low-light performance, there are two more factors to consider: application and rating standard. In low-light gaming rooms, when the priority is to detect criminal activity with high-resolution images, color is not a necessity, said Ionson.


With lux being a common rating standard, Ionson added, one has to take heed of whether it has been measured under low visible light or high IR light. "If a 5-megapixel sensor can detect invisible light between 700 and 1,100 nm (near IR), it is not applicable to rate luminosity with lux."


Selection Criteria
With more intelligent features to choose from, differentiating between the needs and the wants is the first, difficult step. High resolution does not guarantee better images, said Hirano, as it is crucial to select appropriate pixels to fit specific applications.


Display panels, storage capacity and network infrastructure are other things to consider. One obvious example is that megapixel images require high-resolution monitors for optimized display, explained Hirano.


With higher-resolution cameras come larger storage and bandwidth requirements. As such, TCO should be taken into account. Combining megapixel cameras with standard cameras to suit various surveillance needs — powerful optical zoom and extreme light sensitivity, for example — creates a cost-effective security system, said Nafis Jasmani, Regional Sales Manager for ASEAN, Axis Communications. Users could also compare the overall cost between centralized and decentralized megapixel cameras systems, said Hinkel.


As real-world installations usually bring up unexpected challenges, Bodell recommended asking for references on similar applications. "Users should demand field tests and evaluate technical support."


HD or Megapixel
Another buzzword in the security field right now is HD. When to use HD has become an issue. A different tool from megapixel, HD complies with industry standards to ensure quality color video in 16:9 format at full frame rate, said Jasmani.


Actual applications are a deciding factor. "When it comes to typical video surveillance applications, while frame rate is an important factor; for postevent viewing, quality and integrity of the image are what matters," said Hinkel. The current HD solution provides no higher than 2.1-megapixel resolution.


HD also requires 16:9 displays, and 4:3 cameras will not produce a full-screen image. "While the market is moving toward higher resolution, analog systems with 4:3 footage continue to be mainstream," said Ike. Unlike megapixel cameras demanding dedicated networks for resolution above 1.3 megapixels, regular bandwidth will be sufficient to stream HD video, noted Hirano. In addition, "HD cameras save production cost, as no tailor-made lens is required."


For camera manufacturers, suggested Dilber, "it is crucial to list the horizontal and vertical pixels, aspect ratios, frame rates and scan methods before resorting to HD as an all-around marketing tactic."


Challenges and Outlook
Assumptions have been held that with higher-resolution cameras come greater cost. In financially difficult times, people are forced to examine all aspects of an installation. On the other hands, far fewer cameras will be required to cover a greater area, so the overall cost ends up less, explained Tynan.


The rise of higher-resolution cameras means that traditional analog installers and users have to be educated on the value and functions of megapixel solutions. "One major challenge is to assist users to determine where to use megapixel cameras and for what purposes," said Hirano.


As more megapixel cameras are being integrated into surveillance systems, they bring interoperability challenges. "Every technological leap should be combined with continual updates on management platforms, but aggressive marketing has led to some unrealistic performance expectations and poorly designed systems," said Dilber. "Falling short on interoperability results in underperformance of megapixel cameras and missed opportunities to exploit their full potential."


The technology has currently reached its limit in terms of camera and sensor size, noted Ionson. "The typical resolution on the market is 5 megapixels, which is likely the optimal limit for daylight applications." For more pixels, a larger sensor would be required; however, that would take more time to read the information and a need for better compression.


Growth is driven by IP in combination with improvements in compression techniques that make larger numbers of pixels handy, said Hardy Mehl, Director of Marketing at Basler Vision Technologies. Advancements in storage technology also make megapixel solutions more affordable, said Bodell.


By integrating storage, alarm management and plug-and-play features, intelligent megapixel cameras present significant opportunities in the home and small business markets, emphasized Hinkel.


The market continues to move toward distributed intelligence, with manufacturers maintaining the current megapixel level and adding more onboard features, said Ionson. "At the high end, the feature set of the camera is not likely to improve much, but costs will come down to increase value."

Shrinking the World with Remote Surveillance

Editor / Provider: The Editorial Team | Updated: 6/16/2009 | Article type: Tech Corner

With IP video surveillance, users can monitor assets located at remote sites from the comfort of their own office. Borders, pipelines, oil/gas refineries, utilities and power plants are few of many examples that benefit from offsite monitoring.


The remote video monitoring and surveillance market, while still in its infancy, was estimated to be worth US$292.9 million in 2007 and is forecast to exceed $1 billion by 2013, according to the "Worldwide Market for Remote Video Monitoring and Surveillance " report by IMS Research.


As natural resources such as copper and fossil fuel increase in value, critical infrastructure becomes even more of a target for theft, said Peter Wilenius, VP of Global Marketing for March Networks. "Remote surveillance gives you visual perspective without putting people in dangerous and hostile environments," added David Smith, VP of International Sales for ICx Technologies.


With IP-based solutions still forecast to grow despite the recession, outdoor remote surveillance requires not only easy-to-use hardware that can withstand temperature, weather, terrain and light variations, but also reliable networks with sufficient bandwidth to transmit video footage hundreds of kilometers in real time, said Geoff Smith, VP of Product Management for Proxim Wireless.


This report now looks at the developments, selection criteria and challenges behind the steady but gradual growth of outdoor remote surveillance applications.


Ruggedized Eyes
"Sensors must be designed and qualified to meet the various environments; dry, hot and sandy conditions of oil refineries in the Middle East, for example, would require different protective enclosures to those used to protect the ports of Alaska," Smith of ICx said. Cameras positioned in distant locations heighten the need for durability and reliability. For remote applications, cameras should at least be of IP65 and/or NEMA-4 rating, and depending on the environment, tested to withstand ingress, corrosion, impact and extreme temperatures (-40 to + 6 0 degrees Celsius), said Nafis Jasmani, Regional Sales Manager for ASEAN, Axis Communications.


Alex Doorduyn, Product Marketing Manager of Pelco (a Schneider Electric Company), agreed and stressed that outdoor cameras should have lightning and surge protection. "Cameras installed on poles or near water are particularly prone to lightning strikes, so it is important that cameras have this feature," Doorduyn elaborated. Major ruggedized camera providers include FLIR Systems, Axis Communications, ICx Technologies, Mobotix, Verint Systems and Pelco.


To ensure that even the most demanding conditions are satisfied, companies such as FLIR develop their sensors to meet commercially developed- military-qualified standards, meaning that although products are used in broad-scale commercial applications, they are of military grade, said Christiaan Maras, Marketing Manager Eurasia, FLIR Systems.


Other vendors such as Mobotix build their camera housings with fiberglass-reinforced plastic that protects the camera from moisture, vandalism, corrosion and discolor in sunlight. Using plastic material does not detract from wireless signals or sound passing through the housing, explained Devin Chawda, MD of Y-Cam. Additionally, cameras for outdoor use benefit from no moving parts by using a CMOS sensor with software to process images rather than an auto iris — the need for equipment maintenance is thus eliminated, said Peter McKee, Global Marketing Director, Mobotix. Chawda seconded and added that no moving parts allow users to set up cameras more easily.


Ease of Use
The idea of one camera being a system in itself is rapidly gaining popularity. "Onboard analytics, warning messages, response management, two-way audio, voice over IP and storage are all feasible and being done locally by intelligent cameras," said McKee. "Basically users can have a virtual network onsite." The great thing about having intelligent edge devices is that remote cameras can make decisions based on a preconfigured set of parameters. For example, if someone approaches the site and triggers the alarm, the camera can play a prerecorded warning to deter the intruder, or it can send the alarm back to the control center, said McKee.


"Portable self-contained cameras should be plug-and-play, allow simple log on to a camera management interface, and be equipped with an 'always-on' network connection capability that is ready for deployment on leading broadband cellular networks," said David Ly, President and CEO of Iveda Solutions, "making it suitable for temporary remote applications such as construction sites."


With wireless networks increasingly demanded, systems must be able to cope with network failures, so that a drop in connectivity does not affect or lose footage. Intelligent cameras with onboard processing and storage only send relevant and required images, saving bandwidth and cost, and can store up to 16 gigabytes of footage during network failures, said McKee. Each camera, thus, helps cut down on bandwidth and storage requirements, making it a very reliable system.


Health monitoring, yet another facet of user-friendly systems, keeps the precise system status of all networked video system components in check at all times, especially cameras, video recorders and the network connectivity. For example, if a hard drive fails or a camera experiences synchronization loss, the device will flag it to the control center and simultaneously send an e-mail to operators, Wilenius explained. All errors can be logged and searched remotely.


Multiple Sensors
With reduced manpower at many remote locations, users turn to multisensor detection systems: combinations of day cameras, night/thermal cameras and ground- based radars. Sensors are becoming smaller, lighter and can achieve higher performance; combinations of these give remote observation and surveillance enhanced abilities, Smith of ICx said. Multiple sensors can be equipped with GPS and digital magnetic compasses so operators know, for example, where the thermal camera is and what direction it is pointing at, Maras added. This is important for border security applications where cameras are installed on vehicles.


Cameras can be connected to radar systems as well, in a so-called "slew-to-cue" configuration. If the radar detects an object, the thermal camera will turn automatically in the detected direction to give operators a real image of the blip on the radar screen, Maras continued.


Using a combination of day time and thermal cameras with radars requires real-time analytical and control software to provide ease of use and lower false-alarm rates. For example, users can choose thermal cameras that essentially overlay thermal images to daytime camera images within one picture, Smith of ICx suggested. "This gives operators the ability to add detail and resolution for clearer identification, if needed, in many different light conditions. With no light at all, thermal cameras take over, and with high-performance, long-distance lenses, thermal images can be magnified to have the clarity of a black-and-white photograph."


Eliminating Cables
The key to adopting wireless technology is to allow users to view images in real time across great distances. "Wireless solutions need to capture images virtually anywhere, analyze images quickly, accurately and cost-effectively, and transmit images wherever they are needed, " said Roni Klein, VP of Sales for Verint Video Solutions APAC, Verint Systems. Like cameras, network equipment must also be built to withstand inclement weather conditions (IP67 rating), lightning strikes (EN61000-4-5, Class 3), and operate in varying degrees of humidity and temperature, said Avi Shabtay, GM of Private and Alternate Networks Line of Business, Alvarion.


The ability of wireless in networking remote sites is rendered cost-effective when compared to fiber optic connections, and users can save up to 70 percent while still employing constant and reliable surveillance that can survive harsh outdoor environments, said Smith of Proxim. For projects that are retrofit or do not have existing networks in place, wireless makes sense because users avoid disruptions and complexities associated with trenching or digging, said Ksenia Coffman, Marketing Communications Manager for Firetide.


Integrating edge devices like radios, encoders and antennae into one compact NEMA-rated enclosure speeds deployment and reduces power and space requirements, all of which are evaluation criteria for outdoor remote surveillance, Klein continued.


Outdoor remote sites can mix and match the available wireless technologies to best suit their needs. Point-to-multipoint systems are most relevant to security and surveillance applications, but when faced with long distances and high bandwidth requirements, point-to-point systems are a safer and more reliable choice, Klein said.


Line of Sight
One of the biggest challenges of wireless networks at remote locations is line-of-sight connectivity. With rough terrains, trees, drywalls, hills and other obstructions characteristic of outdoor environments, nodes and antennae typically need to have line of site to one another to be able to transmit video footage. "We need to architect the system using different frequencies to get line of sight; deploying base stations at a higher location is another possibility," Smith of Proxim said. "Connection can then be more than several kilometers."


Conversely, wireless providers such as Alvarion and Firetide are refining their non-line-of-sight capabilities to engage in outdoor environments. Advanced WiMAX multiple-input-multiple-output antennae and powerful hybrid-automatic-repeat-request error correction allow for stronger reception of signals that are reflected from obstructions, Shabtay said.


Using 900-megahertz bands, networks can also provide more penetration though light obstructions, Coffman said. Alternative solutions include integrating mesh with wireless networks, so if there is no line of sight, cameras can establish connections by piggybacking nearby radios, Smith of Proxim said. By eliminating this issue, users have much more freedom in camera placement, and can reduce the number of base stations needed, Shabtay said.


Network Options
Mesh networks provide redundancy and reliability that other wireless topologies sometimes lack — in wireless apparatus, if a central node in point-to-multipoint network fails, the entire network goes down, Coffman explained. With redundant network designs, if one node goes down, mesh re-routes traffic automatically without the loss of data. New generation wireless mesh solutions can now deliver throughput of up to 400 megabits per second between two nodes, which is essentially fiber-like performance, Coffman said. Mesh networks can provide links of up to 25 kilometers with specialized antennae; however, users would be trading throughput for distance.


Wireless devices with enhanced throughput of up to 28 megabits per second using proprietary protocols provide more efficient performance, reduce equipment required, and significantly lower cost of ownership, Klein said. Failsafe mechanisms configured to allow for master access points to take over if nearby wireless devices fail reduce the chance of losing critical images, providing a powerful alternative to mesh wireless networks.


Managing Bandwidth
Video quality is affected by many communication parameters including latency, jitter, bandwidth availability and packet loss. Advanced antennae enhance the quality of the channel to allow for greater bandwidth and minimize packet loss, Shabtay explained. Using higher-order modulation and rate adaptation, wireless solutions can achieve maximum throughput (higher bit rates), which is vital to outdoor installations because conditions change constantly.


As remote applications depend on how well video images are transmitted on the available bandwidth, vendors need to deliver quality-of-service manageability. It is critical because a minimum bandwidth threshold must be met for the application to work, Jasmani said. Eric Lin, Marketing Manager of Nuuo, added that bandwidth is expensive and is currently the biggest hurdle for IP surveillance; once costs are lowered, outdoor remote surveillance will grow faster.


Adaptive bandwidth technology, supported by several video management software solutions available today, allows users to automatically stream video at the maximum data rate permitted on their network, Wilenius said. Additionally, alarms triggered at the remote location can initiate higher frame rates and tag the video for extra retention.


Without enough bandwidth, camera scan not deliver high resolution evidence-grade video. At least 50 percent of customers require multicast for outdoor remote surveillance, either for multiple command centers or for dual streaming, Coffman said. Video traffic responds badly to latency or packets arriving out of order, so low latency is required to monitor in real time. Often with WiFi protocols, multicast packets throttle down the throughput on the network, but patented routing protocols within innovative mesh designs can encapsulate the packet and treat it as unicast, Coffman continued. Multistreaming enables video surveillance systems to automatically select the video stream that best maximizes the available bandwidth, Wilenius added. For example, each video stream can be configured for frame rate, quality and resolution, so that two megabits per second/D1 could be used for real-time recording; 256 kilobits per second/CIF for an ADSL connection; and 10 kilobits per second/QCIF for a cellular network. These allow users to record video at very high quality onsite and monitor remote sites in real time using a less bandwidth-intensive transmission rate, Wilenius said.


A Shrinking World
It is now possible to virtually visit any site without ever leaving one's office. Particularly with today's “going green” movement and turbulent economy, reducing the amount of traveling time increases productivity and efficiency, McKee stressed. Outdoor remote surveillance cuts down on traveling between sites, emission from cars and cost for flights. This is one of the biggest reasons that remote surveillance is gaining traction. Come rain or snow, hardware devices are reinforcing housing protection and video quality, and can be deployed for longer periods with lessened maintenance. Intelligent edge features sharpen the ability of remote surveillance so that the system becomes proactive, whereby individual components are able to respond and make decisions based on actual events.


"There are no limitations to where you can place a network camera; you can connect it to a LAN, WAN, modem, wireless access point or even a cell phone," Klein elaborated. "IP network transmission is the basis to transport digital information, and this technology will not become obsolete for remote surveillance." With flexible equipment, integration of cameras into other systems like access control, building management, POS, and fire and intrusion detection will make possible remote monitoring of all security and management systems.