Localize or BUST! Searching for success in China

Editor / Provider: Eifeh Strom, a&s Asia | Updated: 2/13/2015 | Article type: Hot Topics

Despite the fierce competition, multinationals are finding many ways to grow and get ahead in China's massive security market. With words like localization being emphasized by every player in China, multinationals have found ways to fit into and meet the requirements of this highly demanding market.

In 2014, China surpassed the U.S. as the world's largest economy. This, however, should not come as a surprise to anyone. With one-seventh of the world's population, an insatiable market, and exceptionally fast development, it was only a matter of time before China pushed out the U.S. to take over the number one spot. In the security and surveillance market, China has played a similar game — unbeatable manpower, ever-improving technology, and a market hungry for the latest and greatest in security products. In fact, as previously reported by a&s, according to IHS, China was estimated to be the largest regional market for video surveillance equipment in 2013, accounting for a third of global revenues.

It is quite clear that China is a force to be reckoned with, not just in security but generally as an overall economic giant. According to Memoori Business Intelligence, within the video surveillance sphere, China is now delivering the highest rate of growth and increasing its market share. What that has meant for the security industry is that everyone wants a piece of this massive market. Multinationals from every corner of the world have flocked to China to try to gain a presence and take some of the country's market share. However, this has not been easy. With local Chinese security manufacturers numbering in the thousands (and constantly on the rise) and power-house players like Hikvision Digital Technology and Dahua Technology quickly ascending in the ranks among the world's biggest security manufacturers, multinationals have their work cut out for them.

Everything Local
From manpower to manufacturing to offices to services, being local in all these categories is more than just an added bonus for multinationals in China: it's a necessity. Setting up local R&D, local manufacturing, and local offices has been the key to success for many multinationals in China. In fact, many of the world's top security brands are emphasizing localization as their key strategy. Companies like Axis Communications, HID Global, Infinova, Panasonic, Sony, etc., have all set up manufacturing factories in the country, which has proved to be very advantageous when it comes to competing with local manufacturers. “As we have local manufacturing and local R&D, we can, to an extent, reduce costs — we can be more aggressive with pricing with China-specific products,” said Jimmy Li, Sales Director for China at Axis Communications. Being able to compete in price is obviously quite an advantage as the price wars caused by Chinese manufacturers within the global security industry have affected every manufacturer.

Aside from local manufacturing, local manpower is also a key asset to multinationals. “The fact that we have local Chinese people in our office helps us a lot because they serve as a bridge of knowledge,” said Dror Irani, President and CEO of BriefCam, an Israeli-based software company specialized in video synopsis. “They take the local requirements of the market and translate it in a way our programmers understand what is required, which is not a simple task: it is both technical as well as cultural. Technical and cultural gaps exist in this communication and understanding all of that can immediately affect your entire product offering.”

Additionally, localization tactics like language are also quite important in the Chinese market. Eric Chiu, Sales Director for Greater China at HID Global pointed out, “Small things make a big difference — for example, language. Many global companies use English as a standard, but for HID, especially here in China, we are not that way. We still have English, but Chinese is our local language for communication. This is just one example. It looks like a very small thing, but it can basically show the customers we are local.”

Tailored for China
Among the most common characteristics pointed out by multinationals about Chinese users is their requests for tailored/ customized products. This customization extends from hardware to software. Some multinationals have seen requests for things like connector requirements for power supply in China, which is not usually seen in Europe or North America.

Oftentimes whether or not a company can meet these requirements can make or break a deal, particularly because of the willingness by local companies to customize products for individual projects. “From what we've seen in China, Chinese local players play a different game. They will take an offering and customize it, optimize it to a specific customer's need, while lagging behind on innovation that comes from within,” said Irani. This need for customization is harder for large overseas companies to meet, especially on a per project basis due to the affect it would have on the standardization of their products, according to William Pan, Sales Manager of the Sales and Marketing Division at EverFocus Shenzhen.

The need for customization is especially true in verticals such as city surveillance. “Most important is to customize the embedded software functions to meet the requirements of local customers,” emphasized Li. “In China, different verticals, different segments the customers have different standards and different requirements. For instance, for city surveillance, the police request that every camera vendor needs to comply with local standards. You have to comply with these standards to be able to participate in some local city surveillance projects.” Similarly, Daniel Zhao, Director of China Market at Infinova pointed out that the government has enacted many regulations and requirements for security, which he believes will help drive security growth.

Standards and regulations, in fact, play a large role in customization requests in the Chinese security market. “There are a lot of regulations like CCC (China Compulsory Certificate) and PSP (Public Security Police) certifications. We will ensure our products comply with government standards and regulations, as well as industry codes. All the products we are selling in China we will apply for local certifications before we launch them in the market. So, it's tough, but not that tough,” said Tony Wong, Strategic Sales Director for Greater China at Tyco Security Products. Other national standards such as GB/T 28181, a security and protection video monitoring network system technical specification of information transport, switch, and control, can be an important factor when trying to participate in government projects, are also quite important for security tenders.

High Levels of Integration
In addition to requests for custom, tailor-made products, multinationals have taken note of the demand for high levels of integration.

While it is true that integration has been a trend in the industry for some time now, the degree of integration required by Chinese users from manufacturers has been noted to be higher than that in other countries. “In markets outside of China video surveillance is focused on surveillance purposes, but in China they like to look at high-level integration systems,” said Kenneth Cheung, GM of Merit LILIN Guangzhou. “For example, they want to combine surveillance systems with building automation or access control. They want to integrate into one big system. This is a very big difference in China versus other world markets.”

However, a lack of education among Chinese systems integrators (SIs) is why full solutions have also become popular. “Why total solutions are very popular in China is because SIs do not have the competence. They need to rely on the vendors to give their package and then they can sell to the customer,” Li said. However, Li believes that this will change as eventually SIs will realize that they need to increase their value, which means they will need to increase their competency and knowledge, particularly for IP systems.

Importance of Software
Nowadays standing out among the competition is the best way to ensure survival. However, products now look increasingly similar to one another and features that once made products special have become standard. Cheung pointed out that with so many manufacturers in China (mostly concentrated in Shenzhen, Guangdong, and Zhejiang provinces), product homogenization has increasingly become a problem. Therefore, to standout, having unique features is more important than ever. One way to do this is through software. “The margin for hardware is ever decreasing. To survive in this situation, you need to reinforce software,” said J.S. Han, President and CEO of Microdigital.

Particularly in China, where integration is important, whether or not a company has software can make or break a deal. “In China, sometimes, the customer will request the camera and the VMS come from the same vendor,” Li said. “If we do not have the software, we will miss some opportunities. This is why we launched software for large systems. In the past we only had software to address medium to small systems, but now this gives a new option for our partners to address those opportunities where the VMS and cameras come from the same vendor. So, that is new to China and is only available in China.”

Government Protection
Compared to the rest of Asia, the Chinese government is more involved in the security market, especially in projects like safe and smart cities, Zhao noted. However, government involvement in China can be a cause for headaches when it comes to government projects, since long as a project if funded by the government, they can request the vendor is from China.

Protection by the government cannot be the only source for blame though when it comes to difficulties with Chinese projects. “The China market is maybe a little closed. The government will protect the local makers, but we cannot clearly say that they are protecting. Why? Because China's local vendors clearly know users' requests. They can give suggestions to users in order to use video/audio very well in vertical markets — what kinds of functions combined with your business logic, and you should have such kind of standards. In this way, I think international brands need to understand local vertical market business requests and also try to enter the standards-making process. So, I think it's protection, but mainly it is international makers cannot clearly communicate very well with the Chinese business logic,” said Xiaobo Zhou, Senior Manager of VS Marketing Department for Professional Solutions China at Sony (China). Regardless of government protection, a general preference for local products has also been noted by many multinationals. “One thing that is different about China is that there are a lot of manufacturers and they want to localize by themselves. China, whenever they can, they buy locally. Only when they cannot buy locally they buy from other countries,” Han said.

Lack of Patent Protection
One major challenge in China is the lack of intellectual property protection. Several multinationals noted that patents and licenses are not quite protected by the government at this stage. Han further pointed out that due to the abundance of manpower and technical power at Chinese makers' disposal they are able to expand on and develop new technologies within two to three years of a technology's original release. For small companies, keeping up with the fast-paced China is difficult due to how quickly the local market can adapt. “If it is a very difficult technology, China, maybe in the beginning they import, but they immediately make their own version,” Han added. This “copycat” issue has affected companies throughout the industry. “We have seen several local players introduce similar solutions. This obviously makes our life a bit more difficult in China compared to other places because in general we are a unique exclusive player due to intellectual property protection. But although we've registered our patents in China, we have not yet enforced them. The fact that we have local competition only makes us work harder to make sure we also have a technology edge,” Irani said.

Competition Pushes Innovation With more manufacturers that one can count, China's security market is fiercely competitive. Not only does China have the numbers, they have also caught up in quality and technology. While for many companies competition quells growth, sometimes leading to collapse, others have learned to thrive. “The competition is encouragement for us. You have to make sure that your company can keep moving on, going faster, that's how you can capture the market,” Chiu said. “Competition is everywhere, the most important thing is how you can make sure to move faster and go the right way.” Irani also noted: “I do see intensified pressure to close each deal with competitive pricing, etc., but there is still a lot of hunger and desire for innovation.”

Recipe for Success
Going into the China market, companies know to expect competition in all forms: price, product, endless options, etc. What it comes down to is a willingness to persevere in a highly competitive market. Those that are willing to stick it out, learn to localize, and figure out how to work with the market can definitely find success. One thing that is for certain is with such a large market, there is plenty to go around in terms of opportunity — all that is needed is a little patience and hard work.

Unique Requests From Chinese Users
It is not uncommon to have users from different countries have unique requests and requirements when it comes to security products. Many multinationals have noted certain quirks specific to Chinese customers.

Aside from general customization, Jimmy Li, Sales Director for China at Axis Communications noted the preference for fixed-box cameras without lenses. “In terms of cameras, in other countries, customers are more likely to want fixed-dome cameras, but in China they prefer fixed-box cameras,” Li said. “China also prefers cameras without lenses, but other countries prefer cameras with lenses. In China, they want to choose their own lens, especially for city surveillance where they sometimes need to have long-focus lens.” Vertical market requirements are one of the reasons fixed-box cameras are preferred. City surveillance, one of the biggest verticals in China, requires that cameras are able to be posted on poles. In this instance, fixed-box cameras best fit the need, according to Li.

Similarly, FLIR Systems has noticed a need for specific lenses by Chinese customers as well. “Some of our markets love smaller lenses, lower price, and high volume of those lenses. Some markets like China like big lenses at a higher price, which they can accept. They just like to look further in China. But it depends on the application and in many cases large area surveillance is the key driver for long lenses, like river monitoring and/or boarder surveillance,” said Paolo Gianni Saranga, Business Development Manager of Security and Surveillance for the Boarder Security Program and Maritime Products of APAC at FLIR Systems.

Synology announces the official release of Surveillance Station 7.0

Editor / Provider: Synology | Updated: 2/5/2015 | Article type: Hot Topics

Synology announced the official release of Surveillance Station 7.0, the latest version of its robust video management system.

"With its beautiful, new multitasking design, advanced management tools, and comprehensive camera support, Surveillance Station 7.0 is the perfect choice for deployments of all sizes," said Alex Wang, CEO of Synology Inc. "We express our thanks to the users who spent time testing the beta version and working with Synology to ensure a better and more secure surveillance solution."

Surveillance Station 7.0 introduces new features, including:

Refreshed visual design and easy multitasking: The redesigned user interface emphasizes ease-of-use, multitasking, and customizable organization, delivering the most responsive experience yet. With the new Alerts Panel for Live View Analytics, users can conveniently play back and save suspicious events.

Efficient task automation with action rules: Surveillance Station 7.0 can automatically perform a wider range of tasks when pre-defined events occur or according to a schedule. For example, whenever a connected door is opened, a nearby camera can take a snapshot in response.

Centralized physical access control and video surveillance: Surveillance Station 7.0 centralizes physical access control and video monitoring in a single pane. When paired with the AXIS Network Door Controller solution, surveillance personnel can monitor, lock and unlock, or view access logs of connected doors — all from the familiar Surveillance Station interface.

Greater support for specialized IP cameras and ONVIF 2.4 compliance: Comprehensive integration for specialized camera features, such as object tracking and two-way audio, allows users to deploy a flexible surveillance system perfectly suited to their individual environment. With support for ONVIF 2.4, users and system integrators can take advantage of boosted interoperability and more flexible installation.

Intelligent surveillance with connected locks, alarms, and other external devices: Surveillance Station 7.0 supports the digital output that is included with some IP cameras, allowing users to manipulate external devices, such as alarms, magnetic locks, and many others directly in Surveillance Station.

ZNV, new rising star, builds up global strengths

Editor / Provider: Sponsored by ZNV, a&s Asia | Updated: 12/29/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

ZNV Technology, a world leading security company and ZTE's spin-off, just announced its launch of H.265 IP cameras this September. By debuting this H.265 IP camera, ZNV is able to fully demonstrate its recent accomplishment in technological innovation and further sustain its global presence. Despite being a new name in the security industry, ZNV positions itself as a professional solution provider, setting themselves apart from most other Chinese competitors.

ZNV Technology, carrying a strong technological background from ZTE, is ready to take a bolder approach in the global security industry. Even though the company remains new in most countries, its strong local presence in China has resulted in high recognition. ZNV was ranked as “a&s 2013 Top 10 Security Brands in China,” selected by engineering/systems integrators and end users.

Forming a World Class Management Team
Through the latest appointment of Robert Zhu as Executive Chairman in May 2014, the company is fully demonstrating its determination to focus on security. Zhu, with rich experience in global security business management, was former VP and GM of South Asia for ABB Group and former President for APAC and China of Tyco International. Zhu said, “The first mission for my appointment is to elevate the company to be greatly involved in global business.”

With its abundant knowledge and experience in the telecommunications industry, ZNV is quite unique with specialties in wired/wireless communication, sensing technologies, and signal processing. Now the company is able to develop industrial solutions in a full spectrum, Zhu continued.

Besides appointing the new Executive Chairman, in order to form a world-leading security team and further become a competitive company, ZNV has also strengthened its sales management team by hiring the former GM of Honeywell Security, as well as other industry experts in different sales channels. By doing all this, ZNV hopes it can stand out from other strong competitors. Instead of its hardware manufacturing capability, the company is focusing on penetrating and concentrating on different verticals and industries.

Solutions, Not Just Products
The global demand toward security equipment is increasing rapidly. Not only are the frequent major global security breaches propelling technological breakthroughs, but so are new applications such as high or ultra-high resolution or ultra-low illumination. However, merely providing high-quality and special products for customers is not enough. Zhu, therefore, suggests that the security industry should focus more on how to maximize overall value of security devices and services, particularly for operational and business management efficiency for certain market sectors. In the future, security systems will become a tool for corporate management.

Therefore, in order to elevate a company's overall corporate capability during the transition from product manufacturing to solution design, the company should be knowledgeable in communication, signal analysis, and management platform in order to satisfy the specific needs for some particular vertical markets. These indeed are the specialties of ZNV, Zhu highlighted. “ZNV is a technology company, which is able to do an in-depth research on projects and then provide the pertinent solutions to them,” he continued.

‟We do not just merely think about how to apply the products for a certain application but care about what the project really needs and wants. However, most of the Chinese companies only think about how to let users see clear pictures and that's it, with nothing more.”

Specialized in Industrial Solutions With Unique Design
By positioning itself as a solution provider, ZNV is taking quite a different approach to the security business. First, the company utilizes its own strength in the telecommunications sector where ZNV has the largest market share in China. “In these projects, what we accumulated is not just video surveillance but also the know-how of monitoring the generator room of an industrial environment,” said Zhu. ZTE provides communication services to more than 1.2 million substations in China and ZNV is in charge of one-fourth of their video monitoring projects, including HD picture quality transmission, temperature and humidity control, HVAC system control, battery management (uninterruptible power supply and regular charging and discharging power), and access control. “We intend to combine these know-hows with our in-house video content analytics (VCA) R&D lab and apply both to other industries, such as railways or power stations, which also require an independent and integrated security system,” said Zhu.

In terms of product features, ZNV also stands outs in communication and transmission capability in its video surveillance cameras. For instance, Zhu mentioned, “We add a special communication function in a 4G-LTE camera. Normally, the regular camera only transmits via cables. However, in many of the industrial environments, the cables are usually under the risk of being cut off. Therefore, our products support Wi-Fi wireless connectivity. When the cable transmission fails, the Wi-Fi connection will automatically be activated. If the Wi-Fi connectivity also fails, we also have our preset SIM card which can also immediately turn on the wireless telecommunication function to keep the normal operation of data transmission. ZNV is able to provide all these extra added values to our customers.

Restructing R&D Team
ZNV, then, began restructuring its R&D team right after Zhu joined the to tailor solutions for specific vertical markets. Zhu mentioned that now the company has around a 400-person R&D team. Instead of taking the traditional way to divide the team by technologies, ZNV now divides them depending on the solutions and projects. He said, “According to what the specific project needs, we form the designated team by its requirements toward software, hardware, and encoding and processing technologies to accelerate the speed of product development. For instance, the R&D team developing H.265 would normally need around 30 people, but we transfer and borrow some manpower from other teams if necessary. Just because of this, we are able to stay flexible and quickly develop products according to what the market really needs.”

H.265 IP Cameras Lift ZNV to Global Technology Leader
High-definition cameras for security monitoring, remote machine operation, or other applications are required mostly because the sharp images will help users identify security threats or control a machine remotely. The current challenges are the cost of transmission and storage of largesized data over the network and cloud. By overcoming the bandwidth and storage challenges that the security industry has been facing for years, ZNV has finally made a market breakthrough, launching H.265 high-definition IP cameras this September.

H.265 is the latest compression technology which can save up to 10 times the bandwidth and storage space compared to the current H.264 compression technology. The company predicts H.265 IP cameras will quickly be adopted by some retrofit projects where end users expect to upgrade their video surveillance systems, such as the education sector. Other target customers are end users that have demand for high capacity storage devices, such as a smart city project. “Normally, H.264 cameras can store video images for 12 months with 20 TB storage. However, keeping the same high-definition videos, H.265 technology can reduce the data size by three times in dynamic scenes like a busy street and up to 10 times in static scenes like a guarded warehouse. So, it is very attractive for a large scale project in greatly reducing the total cost of ownership,” said Robert Zhu, Executive Chairman of ZNV.

“ZNV is very focused on developing our own technologies about H.265 compression. We have been developing H.265 technology for two years and acquired many patents in decoding and encoding technologies, and system design. H.265 algorithm is more complex compared to H.264. It has to be flexible and accurate, and follow many international standards. An example is we owned a patent in motion encoding technologies in order to largely reduce the bandwidth in the static scenes, which is useful for end users who want to save the bandwidth and also cost of storage. A major issue of H.265 cameras is the overheating problem. We have solved this problem from the hardware design to the internal design for heat dissipation. We now are working on the application for this patent,” said Zhu.

The company further predicts that in a year, H.265 will be ready to grow in double digits.

Abundant International Experience
Even though ZNV just recently got fully involved in international business and marketing, ZNV products and services have been applied to 70 countries globally via ZTE. Zhu provided an example that ZNV used to implement their security equipment for a ZTE project of a substation in Pakistan. “Luckily, we acquired the overseas experience quite early compared to other companies. Our goal right now is to explore more new markets other than telecommunications industry. In order to achieve that goal, we have started to quickly establish our international partner network in some geographic markets. Our showroom in Malaysia was just set up recently to showcase our latest products, systems, and solutions. This year, we started some new partnership in South Africa and South America too. In the near future, we are expecting more from the U.S. and Europe.”

Looking to the Future
ZNV, indeed, is taking a different approach to face the challenges of global market competition. Most importantly, ZNV has a high level of understanding in technology and specialtiers in industrial environments. It can be expected that ZNV will soon become another new star in the global security industry.

Network Video Recorder gives you impeccable surveillance experience

Editor / Provider: Michelle Chu | Updated: 1/5/2015 | Article type: Hot Topics

According to the latest Security 50 Industry Report, released by a&s International earlier last month, explosive growth in IP video surveillance sector is now gone. Despite an average growth rate of 25 to 30 percent could still be seen over the past couple years, some major pure IP surveillance suppliers have started to experience slowdown in 2013, according to their financial reports. This phenomenon reflects the maturity of IP surveillance technology; therefore, in order to stand out in this fierce competition, suppliers have started to offer more comprehensive IP surveillance systems and solutions, instead of providing single products alone. To maintain annual growth, Axis and VIVOTEK, for example, have recently developed NVRs and management software and systems.

By the end of 2014, asmag.com would like to feature a series of NVRs that are ideal to deploy in enterprise environment, banks, public utilities, city surveillance, and retails manufactured by some of the leading players in the security industry.

When it comes to selecting NVR for your surveillance systems, the compatibility between the cameras and recorder is the utmost crucial factor for an impeccable recording performance. Other than that, recording performance such as frames rate, resolution, and user's interface of the management system are all critical considerations for a better user experience.

GKB DN1601 Presents True Plug & Play
“GKB standalone ONVIF NVR is a combo unit of video recording and hosting cloud-based server which features the easiest management and configuration through IE/ Firefox/ Chrome browsers,” said Anna Hsiung, Marketing Manager at GKB. “GKB NVR is specially designed as a two way communication device, indicating that any GKB IP cameras can be automatically detected by our NVR anytime and anywhere without extra setting time, which fulfills a real plug & play. It's not only for LAN but also the Internet application. It also integrates all ONVIF 2.0 series and seamlessly conforms to GKB IP portfolio as well. This NVR is most suitable for the SMB sectors.”

I-View AnyNet-6424, Features Performance-Optimized NVR
“I-View's AnyNet-6424 enterprise server class Embedded NVR comes with a selection of 24 Hot-swap removable rack bays, up to 96 Terabytes recorded data and support Raid 0/1/5/6/10/50 capability. Flexible RAID function to secured every important data and reducing the risks of data loss.” said Yen Ou, Sales Branch Manager at I-View Communication. The NVR system makes data storage more stable and management interface more convenient. Plus, AnyNet-6424 NVR can support displaying and recording of up to 64 pcs of megapixel-IP cameras simultaneously with the third-party ONVIF or RTSP-compliant devices. With Ultra performance, reliability and high-level data protection features, AnyNet-6424 is the trustworthy for you.”

QNAP VS-12164U-RP Gives Users Professional Video Monitoring Experience
“The QNAP VS-12164U-RP Pro+ VioStor NVR supports up to 64CH high quality real-time video/audio monitoring, megapixel recording (up to 10 megapixels), and playback from multiple IP cameras. QNAP Security integrates electric engineering, mechanical design, and professional video management software into VioStor NVR series which supports 24/7 real-time surveillance video recording. QVR 5.0 video management software provides users a professional management system preloaded with intuitive, easy-to-use, and versatile QVR software that allows real-time monitoring, recording, playback, alarm notifications, and other management tools to safeguard assets and property when used with supported IP cameras,” said Joe Jen, Senior Manager of QNAP.

 

>>> Click the image below to see the full NVR collection  :)

                           

 

Vertical market: Hospitals combine forces and security

Editor / Provider: Israel Gogol, freelancer, a&s International | Updated: 12/22/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

Hospitals are in the business of serving people and their families. Their primary goal is to provide patients with medical care, comfort, and peace of mind. Traditionally security systems in healthcare have been used for access control, providing forensic video and personal alerts for staff in cases of violence, and monitoring at-risk populations such as infants or patients suffering from dementia to protect against kidnapping or wandering.

“The purpose of healthcare security management is to contribute to the protection and safety of all those delivering medical service and safeguarding public and private assets against loss, theft, fraud, damage, and disruption, which could be detrimental and a risk to the continuation of patient care. Patients, employees, and visitors assume that since hospitals take care of the community they are immune from local crime and the ills of society,” said Nick van der Bijl, an honorary president of the National Association for Healthcare Security in the U.K. and former healthcare security manager. However, by their nature, hospitals are violent places, some of which are of a clinical nature — post-operative trauma, serious mental health, and pain. But there are also instances when violence is of a criminal nature, such as violence against others.

Behind the scenes, hospital security teams face numerous challenges that involve the safety and security of employees, patients, visitors, and confidential personal information, as well as safeguarding dangerous materials, pharmaceutical supplies, and more. A breach in any of these areas can cause financial, legal, and reputational damages.

In addition, hospitals have to work under a strict regulatory environment complying with numerous standards. First and foremost is of course safeguarding patients' medical information. Many other regulations influence a hospital's daily operations: from financial regulations (for example in case the hospital accepts credit card payments) to regulations regarding the storage of hazardous and radioactive materials. The need for compliance is a significant factor for the performance of healthcare providers. “Healthcare by nature is a very open environment so any security systems put in place must work within this construct, providing a secure environment to patients, employees, hospital property, and regulated health information while having a negligible impact on the flow of patients, visitors, and staff,” explained Drew Neckar, Director of Security Services at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

With many different departments, entrances, elevators, parking areas, etc., and a constant flow of staff, “hospitals are ultimate high-traffic sites,” explained Courtney Dillon Pedersen, Corporate Communications Manager at Milestone Systems. “Monitoring all of these scenarios can be aided by comprehensive video monitoring and access control, which today is in hot demand as a unified solution for greater efficiency.”

Frequent M&As Creates New Demand
Recent changes in the healthcare business environment in the U.S. have led to a series of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) between healthcare providers. These are driven by regulatory changes and strategic initiatives. Hospitals merge to gain economies of scale and deal with reimbursement cuts, to get a better strategic position in the market or purchase smaller, less profitable hospitals that became too strained financially as a result of high compliance costs.

According to a report from strategic advisory and investment banking firm Hammond Hanlon Camp, in 2012, more than US$143.3 billion in healthcare M&As took place in the U.S., one of the highest volumes recorded in a decade. The U.S. is the global leader in healthcare M&As; however, this trend is not limited to the U.S. and appears also in Europe (mainly the U.K., Germany, and France) and APAC (Thailand, China, India, and Australia).

From the security perspective this convergence has had two implications. The first is overcoming the challenges of managing a multi-site environment often with different systems that now need to work together. A second implication is a growing need for security systems to show a return on investment (ROI) that will justify their expense.

“Security nowadays is turning into an ROI perspective — security managers need to prove they have a benefit and contribute financially for example through loss prevention,” said Sean Ahrens, Security Consulting Services Practice Leader at Aon Global Risk Consulting Security Practice. One way of achieving loss prevention is by preventing theft. In addition, the data collected by security systems is also useful. For instance, access control systems can provide information about how many people pass through a certain door. This data too has implications, if more people than planned pass through the door the hospital might want to schedule maintenance or re-plan emergency evacuation routes. This way the hospital can avoid potential bottle necks because too many people pass through one door.

A major challenge in multi-site management is interoperability, an issue presented by M&As that requires the merging of several facilities. “Each one of these hospitals has different systems and the challenge is how to combine them successfully. This raises many issues — how to register all the employees to the system quickly and efficiently and how to prevent them from using multiple cards. Another key issue is employees or contractors not removed from the systems in time. For example, in one hospital I encountered 3,000 active cards in the system for only 700 employees,” said Ahrens. An additional constraint is that oftentimes hospitals do not have situational awareness in mind. There is no dedicated area to set up a control room and this hurts the efficiency of security operations.

“In healthcare's current climate of acquisitions, reorganizations, and uncertain finances, a security professional rarely has the opportunity to choose a single new security system as a solution for a new installation in multiple sites. It is more often the case that they are tasked with allocating resources to integrate existing, often outdated, systems to work in parallel while trying to provide a seamless user experience at all facilities,” added Neckar.

Placing More Emphasis on Training
As in other verticals, the proper use of security systems and achieving their full potential is a challenge. All too often users fail to understand a system's capabilities and therefore underutilize the system. “The pressing problem about security systems is that we don't know what we are buying. We install them, but don't fully use them to their full potential — it's more of a ‘check-the-box,'” said Ahrens.

Apart from the technological challenge, the human factor is important. “When integrating hospitals and other healthcare facilities, sometimes the technology isn't the problem as much as the psychology of the people involved and their different approaches to security,” explained van der Bijl. For example, employees of a mental health institution will have a more pro-security culture as opposed to a community care facility where employees have lower security awareness. In this case, the integration of the two facilities is more complex than just integrating the security systems. Van der Bijl recommends making security a concern for all hospital staff and not just security officers. “One of the roles of the security function is also to make sure security is visible and promoted among the employees. Reporting security incidents should not be in a stand-alone system but should be part of the hospital's reporting system,” noted van der Bijl. At the end of the day, a lot still depends on the quality of the security officer. “Smart security officers are highly critical, they are the face of security and should have the proper training on how to behave in a hospital,” he concluded.

Choosing the right security system seems like the biggest challenge, however, healthcare operators should also emphasize education and training for their systems to ensure its proper use.

Role of Video Analytics in Healthcare
In the open and busy environment that exists in the majority of healthcare facilities, traditional analytics such as line crossing or license plate recognition have provided limited benefits. “Analytics are still at a price point that healthcare institutions can't justify,” stated Drew Neckar, Director of Security Services at the Mayo Clinic Health System. “However the next generation of ‘smart' analytics that rely less on a set of pre-programmed rules and more on providing alerts when situations vary from the ‘normal' conditions show significant promise.”

A robust video surveillance set-up combined with powerful video analytics can alert security staff to incidents before they occur by flagging anomalies in movement or behavior. “Certain behaviors can be indicative of imminent criminal activity or an incident; intelligent video solutions can recognize these actions and alert security personnel, freeing up their time to respond to incidents rather than monitoring banks of screens,” said Daniel Wan, UK Channel Marketing Manager at Honeywell Security. Additionally, integrated systems with access control can let teams know who is entering premises and more importantly who is leaving and with what.

Potential Role of PSIM in Hospitals
Physical security information management (PSIM) solutions have the ability to overcome the obstacles of separate access control systems and integrate multiple disparate security systems. They can also add multiple sub systems in addition to video management software (VMS) systems and access control such as public announcements, patient tracking, equipment traking, panic buttons, IT systems and building management systems. “The benefit of PSIM is that it answers the requirement for standardization, however it should come after a thorough evaluation of pros and cons,” said Sean Ahrens, Security Consulting Services Practice Leader at Aon Global Risk Consulting Security Practice.

PSIM can also help make sure the proper procedures are followed. “For instance, if equipment is tracked by RFID sensors and if it is not properly sterilized, the PSIM can alert to this missed step, allow for a corrections to be made, and save the hospital non-compliance fines. This is one way PSIM results in a strong return on investment (ROI) for healthcare customers,” explained Ellen Howe, VP of Marketing at Vidsys. Though its potential is recognized, PSIM in hospitals is still not widespread. “Many hospitals postpone decisions due to price concerns, but there is definitely a significant ROI when comparing this to running separate systems, for example in monitoring and auditing access logs, or in the case of an alarm,” said Ahrens. For example, if there is an alarm for an abducted child, the security officer can immediately see what the perpetrator looks like and take action instead of searching for footage in different systems.

Tips for selecting a cost-effective, efficient surveillance system

Editor / Provider: Roger Morency, Exacq | Updated: 12/9/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

Challenged with patrolling a large area and protecting thousands of residents and hundreds of businesses, local governments and police departments need an efficient video surveillance system. Today, municipalities face a variety of new security challenges including geographical disparity, scalability and remote monitoring.

Government and municipal projects often have tight budget restraints and require a cost-effective surveillance system that covers a large area while providing expansion opportunities for future security needs.

Union City, N.J., and Prospect Heights, Ill., are two cities that have recently implemented cost-effective video surveillance systems. As a result, each city has seen a reduction in crime rates and a vastly improved public safety system by considering the following elements in their solution.

View Video Remotely
To provide a successful municipal surveillance system, find a video management system (VMS) software that law enforcement officials can easily use remotely. Police departments need to view live and recorded video from their desks, phones or vehicles from anywhere throughout the city, day or night.

Prospect Heights Police Department strategically placed cameras in the highest risk public areas. With exacqVision VMS software all government officials can download the free Exacq mobile app or run the free client software on any web browser. This allows them to assess situations as they are happening and provide guidance to on-the-scene officers. Additionally, the exacqVision software has given them the opportunity to monitor their risk, assess the environment they are entering and prioritize issues immediately from their devices. Remote video monitoring enhances situational awareness, enabling them to respond quicker and more effectively at crime scenes.

Implement a Wireless Solution
When tasked with monitoring a city consisting of thousands of residents, consider implementing a wireless mesh network for the most effective security system. In Prospect Heights, Illinois, the surveillance system acts as a force multiplier, allowing the police department to keep more officers patrolling the streets and letting the cameras cover high crime areas. With this solution, video from the cameras is transported wirelessly to a nearby building and then transmitted to the police station over the secured network. The wireless system connects the police department with the community areas for real-time viewing of activities. By leveraging this capability, Prospect Heights can monitor crime in neighborhoods without the need for full-time police officers to constantly patrol the area.

Be Resource Efficient
Replacing an entire security system can be very expensive. As an alternative, law enforcement officials can leverage their current infrastructure, wiring and analog cameras while also updating their security system. This maximizes the initial security investment while providing the flexibility to upgrade the system later. Union City, N.J. was able to utilize their existing analog infrastructure while also adding new technology, while Prospect Heights Police Department fully integrated the surveillance system with their broadband wireless network to better leverage resources.

Find an Easy-to-Use VMS Software
Simplify the process of searching and exporting video by selecting an easy-to-use VMS software. Most police departments and local governments suffer from lack of time and limited resources. The exacqVision client greatly improved operations and reduced investigation time for Prospect Heights Police Department. In the event of a reported crime, police officers can use the exacqVision VMS software for post-incident investigation and research. Officers can quickly search the exacqVision client for the time of the incident and can then export real-time evidence and footage to be used in court if necessary. Chief of Police Jamie Dunne noted, “The exacqVision software has allowed us to quickly capture video clips of incidents that we have used to bring criminal investigations to successful conclusions.”

Prepare for Future Growth
Communities continually grow and crime hot spots change. Therefore, municipalities need to be forward thinking when designing a security solution. Scalable solutions provide an easy method to add cameras and expand the security system as the population demographics adjust. Prospect Heights initially designed their wireless security solution with future additions in mind. They accounted for the ability to add cameras moving forward and adjust the system as needed.

Oil and gas fuel up on safety

Editor / Provider: Israel Gogol, freelancer, a&s International | Updated: 12/9/2014 | Article type: Infrastructure

From a safety and security perspective, oil and gas installations are among the most critical and challenging environments. The speed in which an incident can escalate to adisaster means that operators need to get information quickly to be able to react and minimize damages. Advances in video technology and video content analytics have great potential to assist oil and gas installations in detecting fires, leaks, and security threats, as well as help make operations more efficient.

As oil exploration moves to new regions across the world, so does the need for better monitoring of remote facilities, increased protection against terror threats, and pipeline and leak detection monitoring solutions. Exploration and drilling security systems will be the largest segment in terms of spending and adoption followed by refineries and storage facilities. According to research by Frost and Sullivan, the global oil and gas infrastructure security market was estimated at US$19.6 billion in 2013 and will grow to $24.7 billion by 2021. Including network and cyber security, the combined oil and gas security market will reach $30 billion by 2018.

Any damage to an oil and gas facility has grave consequences. Incidents have implications on employee safety, environmental damage, cleaning costs, damage penalties, equipment replacement, and the list goes on and on. This becomes even more challenging when considering the nature of these installations. There are hundreds of potential breach points for leaks and damages: numerous valves and pumps, meters upon meters of pipes. Even within the facility, environments are not the same. A refinery for example will include various types of oil, transported at different temperatures and pressures, from ambient temperatures and pressure up to 130 bars at 100°C.

In addition, sites are often located in remote and harsh environments. All these make the oil and gas industry one of the most demanding clients for safety and security products. One of the limitations of the oil and gas sector is the stringent regulations regarding equipment. For example, equipment for Class 1 Zone 1 areas — the areas closest to the drill site — needs to be explosion proof, making sure it will not cause an explosion in high risk areas. There are similar limitations on mobile devices since cellular radiation can also cause an explosion.

“If you are looking at a typical oil and gas plant, there will be between 300 to 500 cameras to monitor the perimeter and inner workings of the plant. In addition, there will be thermal cameras to monitor flames and detect leaks and specialty cameras for class and zone areas. In an ocean rig there are 16 to 20 explosion proof cameras and 40 to 50 standard cameras,” said William Moore, Senior Account Manager for Pelco by Schneider Electric.

With so many cameras involved, it is impractical to monitor them all the time; therefore, the cameras are monitored based on an alert rule-engine. In case of an event, whether security or safety related, the proper camera will be triggered and brought to the attention of the operator.

The second line of defense: Video analytics
Typically, video analytics are most appropriate for outdoor and wide-area use, when it is impractical to place sensors (i.e. outdoors or in a warehouse with high ceilings). Common analytics in use are smoke and fire detection, leak detection, gas leak detection, flare-size monitoring, and slip and fall (used for employee safety). In addition, more security-oriented analytics such as perimeter protection and theft detection are also used.

Despite technology advances, video surveillance and video analytics alone cannot replace traditional fire detection systems. Usually both are implemented as standalone systems. Analytics are however beneficial for verification and supplying secondary visual inputs to an alert triggered by other sensors. For example, a combination of a thermal camera and a visible spectrum camera can give a better understanding of a situation. “We use the video analytics only as a second layer of detection and we do not trust it to be the first line of alarm. The reason is due to the day camera sensor's capabilities. Our first line of detection is the thermal vision sensor,” explained Tomer Dadon, CEO of Ex-Sight. “The flame detector camera is normally packed inside the pan tilt video surveillance system. This system can connect directly to a video surveillance control center or a SCADA system.” Flame detection analytics enables the user to continuously assess and monitor target sites in the range of a few kilometers. While scanning the target area, the system identifies when a designated preset reaches a threatening temperature threshold. Once a flame is identified, the camera uses multiple alarm mechanisms, including transmitting the fire's coordinates. The specialty of the system is its ability to distinguish between flame and smoke sources which are part of the industrial environment and those which pose security risks.

“We see a strong trend for coupling video analytics with thermal video surveillance cameras,” said Laurent Assouly, Marketing Manager for Evitech. This combination enables a volume protection instead of line detection. Thermal cameras enable long range detection, such as 600 meters or one kilometer, while color cameras usually cannot see beyond 130 meters at night. Detection over color images would possibly raise more false alarms due to moving lights, flashing lights, etc., and would not reveal many details at the end of the fields of view at nighttime.

Video Analytics for Operations Monitoring
Video analytics can also be used for process monitoring and ensuring the facility is functioning properly. “We monitor pump jacks to detect any problems with their operation. By monitoring the cadence of the pump we can detect if it stops moving and alert the operators immediately,” explained Michael Von-Hauff, CEO of Osprey Informatics. This makes analytics exceptionally useful for remote sites that are not manned permanently. Without this capability, a malfunction can sometimes be detected only after hours, or even days if the pump is located in a remote location, when a human inspector visits the site. Such a solution, therefore, saves lost production time and helps turn video into actionable intelligence. Video monitoring can also be used to audit employee behavior during alarms and other safety events — it allows the relevant officers to check if all employees are following the relevant procedures.

Connectivity and systems integration
A growing market trend is connectivity and systems integration. “There are thousands of land rigs, gated and sensed-in, the clients are asking for the possibility to integrate cameras and access control,” explained Moore. “For example, we implemented such a solution in western Texas. A FOB key card swipe at the gate pops up the picture of the truck to the administrator.” The system is also integrated with LPR cameras, cell phones, and iPads and is used for site management and monitoring site visits. “Another thing the customer is looking for is a common platform such as ONVIF,” added Thomas Soderlund, Business Development Manager for EMEA at Bosch Security Systems. “With the old analog systems it was easy to pick any camera and plug it in and it would work due to the 1 volt peak-to-peak signals. With IP devices it is not always that easy since a new firmware or change of model mean additional programming of the main system is needed to be able to provide functionality.”

SCADA Integration
There is a benefit in connecting different systems to the SCADA system. The benefit of an integrated system is to have one common interface for alarm handling and monitoring, compared to moving between multiple systems in order to then build up the picture of the event. In addition this integration can help in halting delivery and limiting a leak's consequences. However, most platforms need to use SDKs to integrate with the SCADA systems, which is often a costly and complex solution.

Avoiding false alarms
There are several options to reduce false alarms. One is to install multiple different sensors for verification purposes. A second system for avoiding false alarms is to calibrate the system against an existing database of detections and false alarms. Tests can be performed using high pressure water cleaning tools, which deliver varying temperatures and pressures. These simulate various sorts of leaks in the different pipes (themselves at different temperatures). These tests can be used as a benchmark for the analytics and then need to be carried out at regular intervals to ensure the continuity of service of the solution. Artificial intelligence analytics check alerts and reduce false alarms by differentiating between real objects and other objects that might cause false alarms such as changes in lighting (e.g., a cloud passing over the sun or a light being switched off or on, long evening shadows, and bright lights pointed at the camera).

Not just video: Other senses take part
Dedicated sensors and video analytics are not the only features used for leak detection — there is also an audio-based detection method. “In a southern Louisiana installation, the cameras have the audio option turned on and in the case of an alert the operator can listen to the pipe to hear if there is a high pitch whistle coming out, indicating gas is leaking from the pipe,” described Moore. “This is already an automatic feature in the non-class and zone cameras. For class and zone areas it is more complicated due to technical reasons. The external microphone has to meet the safety criteria and not cause explosions.” iOmniscient combines with its video analytics smell sensors that can detect gas leaks and audio analysis to identify sounds. “When combined with the analytics from video these systems can provide an enhanced understanding of what is happening in an environment,” explained Dr. Rustom Kanga, CEO of iOmniscient.

Automated response
Information integration from various sensors into one platform is usually described as PSIM (physical security information management). Kanga described a solution where the information is not only pulled together but is also responsible for automated response. “The system, without human intervention, will find the nearest appropriate first responder and provide him with detailed information,” said Kanga. Relevant information can be pushed to the user's cell phone, turning the user's smartphone into a mobile control room. The user can use the phone to perform all the operations that he could have performed in a control room. However, the quality of the entire system depends on the quality of the core analytics. Automated responses reduce reaction time and as such are beneficial for both safety and security but also for operational efficiency — making sure malfunctions are treated fast.

Future trends
As oil and gas exploration continuous to expand further to more difficult environments so will the demand for video surveillance systems. The future calls for durable and reliable systems, able to withstand harsh field conditions and connect with other systems that will be able to give operators more than just security and also optimize operations. The future will no doubt involve more and more integrated systems, making full use of technology for both safety and security.

Secutech 2015: Source security's next big thing

Editor / Provider: Secutech | Updated: 12/8/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

Secutech is the annual international exhibition and conference for world-class manufacturers and discerning buyers of security products and solutions. The 18th edition is officially confirmed to take place from 28 – 30 April 2015 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center in Taiwan.

Mr Parson Lee, Managing Director of organiser Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd, said: “In 2014, Secutech's dedicated sections for smart home garnered accolades with the booming industry outlook. In 2015, the sub-show, SMAhome under secutech will be dedicated to home security, home control and connected home. In line with Taiwan's excellent IT framework, Networks & IC (Integrated Circuit) industries, Taiwan manufacturers in the telecom and connected-home fields such as Chicony, D-Link, Foxconn, also known globally for their competitive edge will join the show in 2015. In addition, the show is highly anticipated by suppliers from China and South Korea, with product design talents, customization prowess and technical support. Delivering from DIY gadgets to project-based solutions, SMAhome will serve as a top-tier platform for global smart home professionals to connect with Asia's premium manufacturers.”

Held concurrently with SMAhome, Secutech 2015 aims to cater to demand for a wider spectrum of safety and security-related products. The latest zones cover:

• High Definition
Now, the resolution gets sharper, in smartphone and everywhere. With better image quality, 4K camera, H.265 NVR, UHF monitor at secutech 2015 will be incorporated with smart edges, facial recognition, and loitering detection. Over 1,000 choices of Ultra HD and HD equipment and facilities will be showcased onsite.

• Transmission & Network
Transmission distance limitations have been a major obstacle for HD migration. Ranging from coaxial, Ethernet, to fiber connections, whether sending signal or power, the Transmission & Network zone will feature 30 leading Taiwanese information and communications technology (ICT) solution providers including CTC UNION, Dintek, EtherWan, LANTECH, LEX, ORING to present last mile technologies.

• Storage
Higher-resolution images are calling for larger data storage. To back up systems, a complete storage line-up is showcased from SSD, commercial NAS, enterprise NAS, NVR, server storage, Cloud service in secutech 2015.

• Software
The Software zone, focusing on Video Management Software (VMS) and Video Content Analytics (VCA) technologies will be a networking platform for hardware makers, software developers and system integrators to interact. VMS is the foundation for video monitoring, analysis and recording. The development of its extensive application is influential to various vertical markets in the industry, such as home automation, retail, transport, safety and security.

In addition, zones for Access Control, HD-over-coaxial Solutions, Key Components & Parts, and Fire & Safety will provide an ideal place for worldwide importers to experience the latest technical development within the industry.

Secutech will also organise a series of highly thought-provoking seminars. Prominent industry players, keen on sharing their knowledge and experiences, will be the speakers. Highlights include the Global Digital Security Forum (GDSF) and the Composec Conference. Attendees can expect to gain insights into the evolving global security industry through presentations and interactions with experts.

Sponsored by:  
Secutech, the annual international exhibition and conference for world-class manufacturers and discerning buyers of security products and solutions, will take place from 28 – 30 April 2015 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center in Taiwan. 
Now in its 18th year, secutech features some 500 exhibitors from 20 countries and attracts over 26,000 visitors. Dedicated pavilions for the following sectors: Surveillance | Software & Management Systems | Transmission & Networks | Smart Homes | Key Components / Parts | Electronic Systems

Register your FREE visitor badge now at www.secutech.com/registration/en

CP PLUS introduces 3i home solution: a big leap in integrated solution

Editor / Provider: Sponsored by Aditya | Updated: 12/1/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

CP PLUS, a world leader in high performance security surveillance products and solutions introduces CP PLUS 3i Home Solution – an Intelligent, Integrated and Interactive solution that goes beyond conventional system. The solution is ideal for residential areas and is poised to be a boon for real estate industry.

CP PLUS 3i Home Solution is the industry's only enterprise–grade one stop comprehensive solution that sets new standards in operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness and performance. 3i Home Solution is scalable, custom-made solution that delivers integrated services that caters to modern day connectivity, security, and situational surveillance.

CP PLUS 3i Home Solution lays out an FTTH (Fiber To The Home) based integrated Hi-tech infrastructure and opens up a number of services for individuals and community. Based on broadband infrastructure, it provides internet and LAN/WAN based services. 3i Home solution offers the following features:

IntelliControl - Automation facilities: The inbuilt system intelligence allows you to monitor, program, and control your home/apartment's lighting and entry locks, heating and air conditioning, and other systems — as a technology that's just around the corner. Automate:
* Light Control ----ON/OFF and Dimming
* Curtain Control
* Appliance Control---AC/Microwave/Fans etc.
* Scene control----Customize and profile combination of settings, i.e., lights, temperature etc.

Save your customized settings to receive text or email alerts, turn off lights based on time or movement, or see a photo when the kids arrive home and many more.

IntelliSecure - Intelligent security system: 3i Home solution powers the most advanced video management and video analytics deployed anywhere. The solution caters to a wide spectrum of requirements, i.e., from warning and the aversion of threats, to the prevention of subversive activities and provision for safety of the people and economic well-being of businesses.

IntelliEnergy - Energy efficient solution for common areas: With a Central Management System, you can configure when to switch each individual street light ON or OFF, and/or by how much to reduce the lamp power. This allows any number of switching events and/or dimming levels.

Intellitainment - DTH, IPTV and VoIP based services: CP PLUS 3i Home solution introduces interoperability and integration. 3i Home solution is a complete solution for IPTV and VoIP related services. This solution enables transmission of next-generation data and video services over broadband networks.

CP Plus deploys world-class technology and state-of-the-art infrastructure to offer the best in class DTH services to prospective customers.

IntelliAccess - Access Wi-fi network: The solution brings together best-in-class Wi-Fi access to all residences and common areas.

IntelliAlert - Emergency alerts and Call divert to smart phones:
* Set security zones in your house and secure your home by sensing abnormal situations (Smoke, Gas, Break) and triggering the alarm.
* Connect instantly to emergency services, Fire, Police, Medical, etc. by sending a panic alarm to emergency personnel from the in-home touchscreen.
* Never miss a visitor call! The solution enables visitor's incoming calls to be forwarded to smartphone.

IntelliAttend- Intelligent Video Door Phone: The 3i Home solution includes the state-of-the-art integrated communication & surveillance systems to meet diversified environments like villas (Wired & Wireless), apartments systems and multi-apartments systems in Analog & IP.

IntelliWatch- Central Monitoring: IntelliWatch features monitoring from a central location and is designed for an intelligent security solution that provides customer's safety and protection of property by integrating intruder detection, video monitoring, two-way audio communication, real-time notification (Email/SMS), Remote access and access control.

IntelliConnect - Flat-to-flat intercom: CP PLUS 3i Solution includes IP VDP system, which not only allows you to see who's at the door, but also enables you to communicate with visitor before you open the door. The indoor monitor can be easily installed anywhere in the house, giving you the convenience of viewing the visitor, unlocking the door and viewing any suspicious activity; all at the press of a button, without needing to go up to the entrance.

 

                    

Gaming sector demands beyond surveillance

Editor / Provider: Michelle Chu | Updated: 11/27/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

Fraud and theft are the most common illegal activities that take place in casino facilities, as a large amount of money is handled between staffs and patrons every single day making casino a convenient target. When it comes to casino security deployment, there are many to concern about. Making sure that the patrons and staffs are safe and feel secured surely is on the top of the list. However, from a managing aspect, it requires more than just making people in the facilities feels secured. As a matter of fact, being able to deter, detect, and hold quality evidence for further investigation is usually the managers' ultimate goal.

asmag.com is here to present some professional insights from experts around the globe in this industry regarding gaming security applications. According to their opinions, the key demands from gaming sectors boil down to the following points:

1. Real-time video surveillance recording:
30 frames per second (fps) usually is the bottom line for gaming surveillance applications, as higher fps is more desired in order to capture every detail on the gaming table or happening in the facilities which may later on become crucial forensic evidence.
2. High resolution & high frame rate:
As mentioned previously, higher frame-rate is much preferred. However, having higher fps sometimes suggests compromising on image resolution. High resolution and high frame rate are both in demand in terms of surveillance systems in gaming facilities.
3. Color images in low-light environment:
In order to be able to distinguish the colors of gaming chips, it is crucial to record color and high-resolution images despite shooting in a dim environment, as most of the casinos dim the light purposely just to create a relaxing ambience.
4. Local gaming demands:
For the overseas gaming investment, following certain gaming security demands from the local authorities is necessary. For example, some countries require the gaming facilities to equip with surveillance cameras that come with certain functions or set limits on image resolution and frame rate.
5. Search & tracking:
There could be up to hundreds, or even thousands of cameras in a gaming facility, depends on the scale of the business. Searching and tracking functions surely help the operators to track down to suspicious activities and person effectively.

Casino may consider for security systems upgrades every five to seven years in average. When it comes to retrofit project, there are more to consider about. “End users must decide whether to continue to invest in analog technology or to begin migrating to IP with a hybrid system. They need to determine if the analog system can be improved or if they'd benefit more from the better image quality and detail provided by high definition IP cameras. The challenge is determining which path to take,” said Tom Kochenberger, Field Systems Specialist at Bosch Security Systems. There is no correct answer between continuing to use analog systems or migrating to IP-based systems – it depends on various factors such as budgets, practical necessities and further plans for upgrades, just to name a few.

For the end users who want to spare the troubles on cabling and decide to upgrade existing analog systems, HD-over-coaxial solution might be their prior option now. “HDCVI provides real-time recording at up to 1080p high-quality image resolution, with users' existing cable systems,” said John Li, Product Manager at Dahua Technology. “Moreover, HDCVI guarantees a full HD image quality under real-time recording which is definitely an ideal feature for gaming industry.”

Trending technologies and value-added applications

Trending in the casinos: 4K camera, facial recognition and license plate recognition
As the technology is becoming even advanced day by day, there are more possibilities for innovative techniques being applied for security purposes in casinos. In fact, a promising future can be seen on certain technologies in the gaming industry. For example, 4K camera, facial recognition, license plate recognition, etc.

“The adoption of IP video is directly affected by the use of advanced forensic technologies that provide automated recognition,” stated Steve Surfaro, Industry Liaison of Axis Communications. “Facial recognition of a fixed population of known scam artists and criminals can automate the detection process and move casino surveillance from today's reactive posture to proactive. License plate recognition (LPR) technology is already being used in Las Vegas casino parking areas and shopping malls to reduce potential crime. I recently met a representative from a vehicle recovery firm in a Las Vegas parking area. They had deployed LPR cameras similar to those used on law enforcement and parking enforcement vehicles. These IP video cameras automatically decode the plates of moving vehicles and deliver an alert indicating a ‘vehicle of interest'.”

Ed Thompson, CTO at DVTEL, is convinced that more casinos will start to incorporate 4K camera technology. “Casinos will also benefit from the ultra HD resolution and superior color reproduction provided by 4K cameras, allowing them to quickly identify potential for fraud and crime. Video analytics will also play an important role in enabling casinos to be more proactive with their surveillance programs. Both server-based and edge-based analytics will be leveraged for indoor and perimeter surveillance needs and we only expect applications for analytics to grow as the technology matures.”

Move beyond video surveillance
Besides higher image quality, the end users in the gaming sector are targeting on more value-added applications that can make the most of the security systems and managing systems.

Casinos are expanding their purview of security beyond video surveillance into more advanced technologies and systems, such as PSIM (Physical Security Information Management), video analytics, and mobile apps. Dr. Bob Banerjee, Senior Director of Training and Development at NICE Systems, provides some insights regarding these advanced technologies for the gaming sector below:

PSIM
PSIM is moving away from focusing on pure integration and toward operational workflows, processes and procedures which can be automated to make operators lives easier, and business more cost efficient. Casinos are no exception. Simply put PSIM solutions capture and correlate information from third party sensors and integrate those inputs into a common operating picture. In a casino environment, this might include security subsystems like video, access control, intrusion and fire, but also HVAC, elevators, escalators, public signage and mass notification. PSIM's automated workflows guide operators to quickly and efficiently respond and enable collaboration across security teams. By automating response procedures, PSIM ensures that operators respond to incidents quickly, efficiently and in a compliant manner.

Advanced Analytics for Real-time Forensics
It's not uncommon for casinos to employ hundreds, even thousands of surveillance cameras. But when something happens, security operators still need to resort to a feet-on-the-ground search to find the suspect. What's the alternative – to watch all the recordings from all the cameras to try and locate the suspect? Impossible – just 400 cameras and 1 hour of elapsed time would mean hundreds of hours of video footage to plow through. But what if you could let video analytics do this work for you?

Today, video analytics technology can provide real-time forensics of surveillance video to locate a person of interest in situations when time is of the essence. Using a video image, uploaded photo, or user-generated composite, this revolutionary video analytics tool can scan hours of video in minutes and automatically filter out 95 percent of irrelevant images to help a casino track down a suspect. Its mapping capabilities provide geo-spatial awareness by retracing the suspect's movements across cameras and pinpointing his current or last known locations on a casino's premises. All images, related video, and locations associated with the search are digitally stamped and can be saved or shared among law enforcement agencies for use in investigations and prosecution.

Mobile apps
Casinos spend billions of dollars annually on surveillance technology. Thanks to mobile apps, they can now start to think about how to extend these investments beyond the walls of the control room and into the hands of their personnel.

We live in an age of instant situational awareness – information like knowing where to go and the best way to get there is right at our fingertips. What if field personnel could be equipped with a smartphone or tablet and a PSIM-centric Enterprise Geographical Information System (EGIS) Web application that not only notified them of an incident, but also showed them the best way to get there, and how to respond? It's possible today.

Using another mobile app on their smartphones, a worker could also report an incident, and send video or photos to the security command center. The PSIM system receives the incident alert, using RFID or Bluetooth to automatically pinpoint the sender's location, then using that location to pull up nearby surveillance video feeds. The command center operator immediately sees who's sending the alert, where it originated, what's happening, and what actions to take. The app is also equipped with a panic button.

 

 

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