Senstar, a global leader in perimeter protection sensors, acquired 3D LiDAR-maker Blickfeld early this year, adding the technology to its increasingly expansive portfolio, where it is already taking a central role in the Canadian company’s perimeter protection philosophy going forward.
Asmag recently had the chance to talk to Fabien Haubert, CEO of Senstar, and Andreas Bollu, VP Sales and Head of Business Unit Security at Blickfeld, on the show floor at Security Essen, where the two companies had their booths just a minute's walk from each other.
Founded over 40 years ago, Senstar has made a name for itself in traditional perimeter sensors, such as fiber-optical sensors that detect vibrations caused by attempts to climb or cut a fence. While that technology remains widely used, Senstar has not rested on its laurels. Haubert describes the company's offering as a “triangle of sensors, the software that brings their data together and professional services.”
Like other areas of physical security, perimeter protection has seen many innovations over the past decades, for example the increasing use of video analytics, thermal imaging, radar and LiDAR, challenging the system philosophy of established perimeter brands. Senstar, however, has been at the forefront of the fusion of traditional sensing with newer technologies.
“If you have, for example, a camera and a fiber sensor, both provide information that can complement each other,” Haubert explained. “Sensor fusion means analyzing them in parallel and checking whether the pattern of information matches the signature of an intrusion attempt. The result is not just the precise definition of whether and where the attempt is happening in real-time, but the significant reduction of false alarms.”
A special role in Senstar's approach has LiDAR.
“Many technologies are competing within perimeter protection,” Haubert said. “That is normal when new technologies are emerging. We believe adding LiDAR is the right answer to the challenges of our times.”
“LiDAR, and especially 3D LiDAR technology developed by Blickfeld, a German company that we acquired earlier this year, gives us the possibility to do three things at once. We can detect an intrusion attempt, classify it and track it. The aim is not just verifying whether it's a real intrusion attempt or a false alarm, but to create situational awareness.”
LiDAR, short for “light detection and ranging,” is a remote sensing method that uses pulsed laser light to measure distances and create precise models of objects and environments.
Over at the Blickfeld booth, Bollu described what sets the 3D approach apart from other, point-to-point measurement uses of the technology.
“3D LiDAR enables security systems to trigger alarms based on measurements within a defined zone. For our indoor LiDAR technology, the range is up to 30m, while our outdoor LiDAR reaches up to 80m. Whatever happens in the background has no influence on alarm generation, which greatly reduces false alarms.”
“LiDAR has many other benefits. One of them is Privacy by Design and therefore GDPR compliance. It doesn’t record faces or personally identifiable information. In verticals such as museums or public transportation hubs, this is especially important,” Bollu said. “In perimeter security the greatest benefit is that 3D LiDAR performs reliably in a wide range of weather conditions and doesn't depend on visible light. It is as precise at night as it is during the day.”
Haubert highlighted these benefits as well.
“In the perimeter space, LiDAR can compete both financially and technologically with short-range thermal cameras,” Haubert stated. “It also opens up new business opportunities for us. Some verticals have traditionally not used fence detection. Today we can serve their needs. That's a significant change.”
Data centers are a key growth market for Senstar. The company has traditionally focused on securing the outer perimeters of such infrastructure, but now it also covers gates, barriers and rooftops and, with 3D LiDAR, corridors inside.
Haubert also pointed to Senstar systems that protect the fiber cables itself that link data centers to each other, the grid and telecom networks, noting that this is an area that needs protection urgently.
“Regardless of the nature of any breach attempt against such connections, the consequence is the same: break the cable and the data center is out of order,” Haubert said.
Senstar uses distributed acoustic sensing to protect such cables, turning them into sensors themselves that can detect vibrations caused, for example, a cut attempts, and locates them.
“You dedicate two fibers of the same cable to sensing, so there is no further infrastructure to install,” Haubert explained.
Beyond its sensor hardware, Senstar has built up its software offering, most notably the Senstar Symphony Common Operating Platform, which combines video management, analytics, perimeter intrusion detection and access control. The company sees itself as a partner in orchestrating different domains of security, not a replacement of solutions that end users have had in place before.
“We are only one piece of the puzzle,” Haubert said, adding that its sensors connect through standard interfaces to the common security management software, cameras and alarm systems.
“There is no competition, only potential partners,” he stated. “We offer our technology to customers who already have installed infrastructure, but we don't want to be disruptive. We want to provide things on top of what they already have and should keep if they're happy with it.”
Blickfeld's sensors follow the same logic.
“Our sensors are ONVIF compliant,” Bollu explained. “Integrators in our partner network, which is continuing to expand thanks to synergies with Senstar, can integrate them in existing video management system like any ONVIF-compliant camera.
Advances in technology and expanding security needs are a boon for Senstar and Blickfeld.
“There is a strong focus on critic infrastructure in our industry,” Haubert said. “However, there are also critical spots in infrastructure that is commonly seen as non-critical, such as hospital drug storage or university server rooms.”
“This is a great opportunity for us,” he added. “Best practice for securing such sites is using alarms, video security and access control, but there is great potential for 3D LiDAR as well. Depending on the site, 3D LiDAR might be able to reduce the number of different end points needed to achieve a high level of security.”