July/August 2018
Vertical Solution
Contents AI
When Enters Renewable Energy Power Plants 16 Fire in the Power Plant: 24 What do You Need to Know?
The renewable energy sector is rapidly gaining momentum as countries across the globe look toward lowering their dependency on fossil fuels.
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IoT— Agriculture
Cameras Keep a Watchful Eye on Livestock
Farmers are putting the “beyond security” applications of video surveillance to work by using them to monitor livestock.
Industry Report
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Not Just “Guns, Guards and Gates”: Convergence is the Need of the Hour The convergence of physical and logical security has been gaining traction ever since the introduction of network-enabled security devices.
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Today, AI can improve power plants’ profitability by improving its operations and reducing losses. On one side, it is being used to make maintenance more efficient, but on the other, it is used in predicting generational capacity.” Niccolò Teodori, CEO, Elemize 文章標題When AI Enters Renewable Energy Power Plants, p.16
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Editor’s Note Application Cases New Products/Show Calendar Companies in This Issue
WEBSITE ARTICLES https://www.asmag.com What’s trending in perimeter security? In high-risk sites like critical infrastructure, the use of perimeter security solutions is critical.
Transportation a key element in smart cities in the world
Transportation ranks in the top of issues facing metropolises, necessitating smart solutions to address various challenges.
Editor’s Note Chinese Product Sales Struggles in the U.S. After the US Congress passed the bill in May to ban government agencies from buying certain major Chinese surveillance cameras because of national security concerns, these companies’ started to face challenges in terms of sales. A few months later in July, US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on US$34 billion worth of Chinese goods, thus starting the US-China Trade War. Even with continued tariff talks and negotiations between the two countries on future Chinese imports, many Chinese companies have started to experience delays or even cancellations of US customer purchase orders. From many industry experts’ perspectives, it seems that America is losing the trade war with China. However, it also appears that the US market will be even more difficult for Chinese companies to do business in in the future, especially with regards to security and other high-tech related products. Our observation is that for many Chinese companies, US sales remain quite a small part of their revenue, so this won’t impact them greatly. However, this will be different for their local distributors and resellers in the U.S. As Chinese companies continue to face challenges in the U.S., would this present more opportunities to their competitors and other non-Chinese brands? Some companies have expressed a positive response to this, which can probably give some ideas for other companies on how to grow in the U.S. in the future.
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Editorial Team
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Multisensor cameras come with many benefits. For one, they can cover a large, wide area with just one device — and one IP address, one hole and one cabling — instead of the traditional approach in which several fixed IP cameras are needed. The end result is a solution that not only simplifies installation and maintenance but also saves money for the end user.
Concerns over the use of technologies such as video surveillance or facial recognition by government agencies continue to rise amid discussions about privacy and potential data misuse. It is encouraging to see measures such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sparking ongoing conversations about how these technologies (and the data they collect) can be used and stored responsibly.
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Products of the Month
Cloud-Based Video Analytics as a Service With improved technology providing more bandwidth and high-quality cameras collecting large amounts of data, cloudbased video analytics as a service (VAaaS) has become one of the latest trends in the physical security industry. The video which is captured is no longer just for seeing what’s happening, but rather leveraged for intelligent analytics solutions tailored to meet the customers’ requirements. Service providers provide specific solutions like people counting, human traffic flow management, object indexing, intrusion detection and license plate recognition. VAaaS solutions featuring machine learning algorithms help people get results in a more convenient way and even reduce the need for staff operation.
Agent Vi Cloud-Based Video Analytics SaaS
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nnoVi is a unique cloud-based video System Architecture analytics software as a service, powered by cutting-edge deep learning Data Center Cloud servers servers technology that enables unparalleled Internet detection accuracy. innoVi’s deep V V innoVi Edge learning algorithms actively and continuously learn how to categorize objects Optimized for cloud providers: with precision, allowing innoVi to distinguish between people, vehicles, static objects, and even between cars, motorcycles, bicycles and trucks. The analysis performed by innoVi transforms cameras into intelligent video devices, uncovering otherwise hidden incidents, insights and information. There are two product lines in innoVi, including innoVi for Central Monitoring and innoVi for Smart Cities. City’s data center
ONVIF/RTSP
Key Features • Effortless central management of analytics in deployments of all sizes • Highly scalable service supports unlimited number of cameras • Seamless and immediate availability of service upgrades • High service availability, full redundancy and automatic backups • Accessible from anywhere, anytime, using standard web browser
Supplier: Agent Video Intelligence URL: www.agentvi.com
i2V Cloud Video Surveillance
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2V’s cloud system provides its customers a convenient and easy way to do the security of their premises with IP cameras. Due to the internet cloud, there is no need of any machines other than IP cameras to run, view and record the videos. Users can view the live view of cameras or any recorded video of past on their PC or mobile from anywhere. The only thing they need to have is an internet connection. Besides, i2V cloud provides one touch activation as well as auto-activating video analytics. The video analytics provided by i2V are intrusion detection, motion detection, perimeter violation, missing object detect and abandoned object detection. Key Features • Integration with most IP cameras, encoders or DVRs • Open standard protocols and video formats (RTSP, http, HTML5, H264, Mpeg4) • Open mobile based viewing (Android/iOS) • Video analytics (like missing object, abandoned baggage, intrusion, fire, perimeter breach) and SMS/email alerts • Event management and broadcasting streaming
Supplier: Intelligent Integrated Video (i2V) URL: www.i2vsys.com
Aviglion Blue Cloud Platform
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owered by Microsoft Azure, Avigilon Blue is an advanced cloud service platform for security and surveillance that is purpose-built for Avigilon partners and their customers. Avigilon Blue provides managed services for video surveillance, powered by patented Avigilon self-learning video analytics. The platform enables Avigilon partners to remotely connect to, manage and service more customer sites with fewer resources. The system integrates an on-premise Avigilon Blue Connect device that supports local storage as well as Avigilon and ONVIF compliant cameras, and sends critical events to the cloud for customers to view and verify from their web-connected device. Key Features • Enables viewing of live and recorded video from all connected cameras • Easy-to-use dashboard allows fast identification of trends and system behaviors to isolate problems without dispatching personnel to the customers’ site • Offers subscription packages with an easy ordering and upgrade process • Pause notification alerts directly from users’ mobile device when they know scheduled activity on their site will be taking place • Easily setup, configure and link Avigilon Blue Connect devices to the cloud in minutes with universal plug and play network protocols
Supplier: Avigilon URL: connect.blue.avigilon.com
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Umbo CV SmartCloud
U IntelliVision Intelligent Video Analytics
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ntellivision offers of a range AI and deep learningbased intelligent video analytics products in the market. n These core products form the basis for all of IntelliVision’s video analytics product line, automating video analysis and security alerts, and reducing the need for manual monitoring. IntelliVision’s video analytics products add the “brains” (analytics) to the “eyes” (cameras) by analyzing video content in real time, extracting metadata, sending out alerts and providing intelligence to other security systems. Video analytics can be integrated in-camera, in servers on-premise, and/or on-cloud. They are able to extract only the valid motion in a scene, filtering out noise such as lighting changes and animal movements. Key Features • Video motion detection: detects valid motion, filtering out noise such as lighting changes • Camera tamper detection: detects any attempt to tamper with the camera • Loitering: detects when a person has been in a specified area for more than a specified time • Line crossing: detects a moving object which crosses the defined line • Video summary: reduces a long archived video into a manageable video summary with actual events
mbo SmartCloud is a cloud video management system which enables you to manage all cameras, locations and users with just one login. SmartCloud, a hardware-agnostic and off-premise system, can consume video streams not only from Umbo’s learning cameras but also from thirdparty cameras. Besides, SmartCloud contains Umbo’s neural A.I. that learns and analyzes what various objects look like in scenes users care about. The system can tag objects on the playback timeline to speed up searches. SmartCloud also offers paid cloud storage plans so that clients can back up their entire video streams into the cloud for omni-channel access anywhere, anytime.
Key Features • Access anywhere with iOS/Android apps • 24/7 camera health monitoring: instant notifications if any hardware requires a physical check-up • Umbo teams perform remote repairs and hot fixes for most system level issues • The system can simultaneously record to both camera and cloud to make sure video files are always there when needed
Supplier: Umbo Computer Vision URL: https://umbocv.ai
Supplier: IntelliVision URL: www.intelli-vision.com
eSurv Smart Plug-In for Video Analytics
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Surv is a software solution for video management and video analytics that allows you to see, manage and analyze video streams through any kind of device. By supporting the ONVIF and FLIR standards, eSurv enables easy integration with any camera, NVR and DVR. Besides, eSurv is able to perform real-time video analytics, thanks to its algorithms Smart Plug-in. If an event is detected, eSurv automatically produces real-time alerts via SMS, email and push notification on mobile devices, enabling a quicker reaction to any potential hazard. Moreover, eSurv uses metadata generated during the video analysis to make video research easier and to reduce the time required to conduct investigations.
Key Features • Accessible from any type of computer and mobile device with a connection to an internet network and using a standard web browser • Full integration with any camera on the market and can also be used with drones and Google Glass • eSurv is able to: perform facial features identification, recognize license plates of any vehicle, detect abandoned objects in prohibited areas, count people and vehicles accessing an area, and detect people falling or running
Supplier: eSurv URL: www.esurv.it
Eagle Eye Cloud Security Camera VMS With Video Analytics
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agle Eye Networks Cloud Security Camera VMS (providing 100 percent cloud management, mobile and web browser viewing, cloud recording) now has video analytics function, including line crossing, intrusion detection and object counting. Customers can simply enable the analytics from the web dashboard or their mobile app for any camera in their account. Eagle Eye Analytics can function on any camera that is supported by the Eagle Eye Cloud Security Camera VMS — no analytic functions of the camera are required and it can even operate with analog cameras.
Key Features • Cloud storage and on-premise storage are both available • View live video, search historic video, adjust camera settings and email videos all from mobile devices • Line crossing and intrusion detection ensure surveillance images are continuously analyzed in realtime to alert users when attention is needed • Object counting monitors patterns to help make smarter business decisions, potentially saving money, improving sales and increasing customer satisfaction
Supplier: Eagle Eye Networks URL: www.een.com
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News Feature
How do Hackers Access Video Surveillance Cameras? Data from video surveillance cameras are as vulnerable as any other when it comes to breaches. BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
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ith video surveillance cameras becoming increasingly digital and connected with a number of other devices under the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity is a major problem. “The unfortunate reality today is that it is relatively easy for attackers to try and get access to connected surveillance cameras,” said Alon Levin, VP of Product Management at VDOO Connected Trust. “Attackers are doing so today in a variety of ways, it doesn’t matter if you are a high-end maker of camera or any other security and safety system or if you are a much lower tier manufacturer — your devices will be usually subject to similar attack methods and threats.” Aamir Lakhani, Senior Security Strategist at Fortinet, said that attackers in many cases scan known camera protocols and ports. They will try and simply browse or access the management pages of the devices. If that does not work,
they use sophisticated scans that will find the camera and mimic an authorized user. When it comes to small manufacturers, the problems are extremely basic. These include not enforcing a change of default password, protecting the boot process or encrypting communication. “Unfortunately, attackers do not have to use software vulnerabilities to attack surveillance cameras,” Levin said. “Many design flaws allow attackers to get access to connected devices. In the last few years, we’ve seen attacks utilizing the lack of password change enforcement or utilizing the fact that the device secure communication is not properly implemented.” When it comes to larger manufacturers who cater to businesses and enterprises, the problem is more with the implementation rather than the use of essential elements. The critical components are present but
“Many attackers scan known camera protocols and ports, looking for vulnerabilities to exploit.” are often either implemented in a wrong or partial way. “This practically makes the vulnerabilities exploitable,” he said. “If one is implementing the security building blocks properly — even if vulnerability exists, it would be much harder on the attacker to utilize it. Attackers can also leverage the fact that cameras are utilizing known software vulnerabilities, in open source, third-party or first-party libraries. These methods usually suffice; however, in some cases — attackers are actively looking for new unknown vulnerabilities to achieve their goals.” Speaking further on the vulnerabilities, Levin said that web servers are a relatively vulnerable
APPLICATION CASES Transportation BOSCH SOLUTION IMPROVES SECURITY AT BUDAPEST AIRPORT The Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport required a technical solution that would build on the existing infrastructure in place. Authorities wanted to use the camera system for surveillance as well as calculate waiting times in front of security checkpoints in each of the two terminals. The project entailed the deployment of Bosch Security and Safety Systems’ FLEXIDOME IP Starlight VR video cameras which were integrated into the existing system. The ideal setup required five cameras in total: one at the security checkpoint entrance and four additional ones behind the checkpoint (one at each exit). This data is sent to a central application and also stored in case the security staff need to review it in order to prove past waiting times in case of passenger claims on missed flights.
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component common in surveillance cameras. Hackers may often be seen utilizing vulnerabilities in third-party web servers in order to get access to the camera. “Lastly, we see attackers utilizing a vulnerability class of command injection using a legitimate interface to inject malicious command as a target for attackers looking for new vulnerabilities,” Levin added. “Vulnerabilities also get more serious, in some cases attackers are able to run basic bypass attacks to get past weak security authentication methods accessing the camera,” Lakhani added. “In more sophisticated cases malware uses vulnerabilities in bad code of the camera to load software and attack other targets on the internet.”
7.6
Global passenger traffic rose 7.6% in 2017.
Source: International Air Transport Association
a&s explores topics that are generating interest in the security industry, offering readers important facts and information relevant to their profession.
The Magic of AI Lies in Application Artificial intelligence is a great enabler that can help various vertical markets become more efficient and safe. BY William Pao
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rtificial intelligence (AI) has become a hot topic these days, thanks to advances in hardware, cuttingedge algorithms and huge amounts of available data. However, the real magic lies in application. That was the key argument raised by speakers during an AI forum alongside Computex Taipei. In transportation, AI can teach autonomous vehicles to recognize different objects. “You’ve got lots of sensors, such as Lidar, radar, among others. You have all these sensors that collect data, which is then used to train the system to recognize what’s a car, what’s a license plate, what’s a red light. That takes a lot of computing,” said Deepu Talla, VP and GM of Autonomous Machines at NVIDIA, which now has the NVIDIA DRIVE AI platform that allows automakers to build and deploy self-driving cars, trucks and shuttles that are functionally safe and can be certified to international safety standards. Another area where AI can come in handy is manufacturing. One example is machine vision where the system is trained with images and videos on defects. It will be able to tell when a defect comes up during inspection, aiding factory workers who can concentrate on other revenuegenerating operations. “In our experience, we are able to help clients improve productivity. Production value per employee rose 16.9 percent, while production value rose by 16.3 percent,” said Allan Yang, CTO of Advantech. Finally, healthcare can also benefit from AI.
IT and OT Collaboration: Key to the Future of Building Management? The Internet of Things for Buildings (BIoT), or smart building solutions, is perhaps the most critical advances in the recent times. BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
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Arm, for example, has processors that can be embedded in medical devices such as asthma inhalers, which can run machine learning algorithms that study patient behavior or frequency of usage. When a patient deviates from an established set of patterns, an alert will be sent. “You can really start to see this is going to change people’s lives. Whether it’s self-driving cars that are safer, whether it’s drug companies that provide medicine, whether it’s patients that live healthier … the implications for us are significant,” said Rene Haas, President of Intellectual Property Products Group at Arm. Daniel Tse, Product Manager for Medical Imaging at Google, meanwhile discussed their AI solutions that are trained to detect factors leading to diabetes-induced blindness and breast cancer. This way treatment can start early, increasing the patient’s survival rate.
City Surveillance IDIS PROTECTS KENT VILLAGE AGAINST ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR The village of Leybourne in Kent had limited public area surveillance, but the system used outdated analog technology that was costly to maintain and difficult to adapt to changing needs. Budget constraints also meant that data-streaming had to be capped and as a result, video evidence was only being recorded part time. The Leybourne Parish Council wanted a system that can aid them in protecting the community from vandalism and anti-social behavior. London-based integrator iC2 CCTV recommended installing the latest IDIS technology on a 5GHz point-to-point wireless infrastructure. A 64-channel, Full HD NVR recorder offers the advantage of flexible H.265/H.264 dual codec performance. A combination of 3-MP and 5-MP IDIS domes and bullet cameras mounted on lamp posts in key locations give significantly improved coverage and image detail, while IDIS Smart Failover provides the best guarantee against data loss.
ith the integration of versatile sensors that collect various data and the software to draw patterns from this massive information that is generated, buildings are becoming smarter environments that are able to better interpret the physical world. In a recent report, the research firm Memoori pointed out that the digital twin of buildings facilitates the use of advanced analytics that allows actionable insights. These decisions that are then processed into the operational technology (OT) bring forward the application of digital intelligence in the physical world. “As the IoT blurs the lines between the previously distinct IT and OT world, and wireless sensor networks connect physical and digital spaces, this shifts the borders of what used to delineate where one kind of service ends and another begins,” noted the report. “In the case of the BIoT, building services are being delivered in new ways. These shifting boundaries may mean that building systems industry incumbents more familiar with a dominant market position in the OT world may find themselves playing more of a supporting role in a broader IoT landscape going forward.” This convergence helps manufacturers and solution providers of various backgrounds thrive, reducing the chances of a single major conglomerate controlling the market. By integrating smart technologies into lighting technology, traditional light manufacturers are able to compete with IT vendors who would, in turn, find opportunities in the operational realm. This has also given rise to the need for large companies to collaborate with niche solution providers, which will allow smaller players to enter the market. In such a context, partnering and collaboration would turn out to be the key in this industry moving forward. “While the BIoT landscape as a whole remains somewhat fragmented, a vibrant ecosystem of developers, startups and established players from both the building systems and ICT domains is steadily emerging,” explains the report. “While some of this change is due to continued M&A activity, much of the evolution is down to a greater degree of partnering and collaboration in the market.”
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Vertical Solution
When AI Enters Renewable The renewable energy sector is rapidly gaining momentum as countries across the globe look toward lowering their dependency on fossil fuels. In this article, we take a look at how technologies like artificial intelligence make an impact in improving security and operational efficiency in renewable energy power plants.
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BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
he intrusion of artificial intelligence (AI) in various sectors is one of the hot topics in the technology sector these days. Predictions of how machine learning and similar innovative systems would disrupt and improve operations in industries ranging from security to agriculture and beyond have captured the imagination of consumers worldwide. While the role of AI at the consumer role is more obvious with the popular culture accepting the arrival of the likes of Alexa and virtual assistants, some of the biggest potentials of AI lies in the industrial side of things. The renewable energy sector is a perfect example of an industry where smart machines are beginning to make an impact that will disrupt the market and have large-scale benefits. According to a recent report from the
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le Energy Power Plants research firm DNV GL, more and more operations in sectors like solar and wind energy will get automated with AI in the coming years. The technological development will boost efficiency in the renewable energy sector overall. The major areas within this sector that are expected to come under AI’s influence are decision making and planning, robotics, inspections, condition monitoring, supply chain operation and certifications. This, of course, is besides the technology for power generation itself. The key here is to understand that data plays a crucial role in the renewable energy sector. That commercial developments in sectors such as wind and solar energy are relatively new means most of the power generation setups are already equipped with sensors that can collect data. Because of this, major roles that AI has been playing so far have been in predictive maintenance, resource forecasting and control. “We expect the installation of more sensors, the increase in easier-to-use machine learning tools, and the continuous expansion of data monitoring, processing and analytics capabilities
What’s in it for the SIs?
Systems integrators (SIs) can be split into two groups: those who deal with the security side and those who focus on the IT systems, said Andrea Sorri, Director of Business Development for Government, City Surveillance and Critical Infrastructures at Axis Communications. According to Sorri, “To improve their business in these sectors, SIs involved in optimizing security can provide asset services to security managers. This can include integrated access control to help them have a greater overview and more control over the security network. With this increased visibility and increased overall surveillance, security managers can ensure they are running their safety and security systems at the optimal level without taking on more resources at a greater cost.” SIs focused on IT can further improve their business in this sector by providing more integration between IT systems and security measures. This will allow users to interconnect different systems and gain a wider coverage of what is happening in and around the plant. One way this happens is by SIs providing technologies that can work alongside third-party applications. This improves overall security and safety. With this, power plant security officers will be able to strengthen overall security systems as they will be able to buy and connect best of breed products from multiple vendors.
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Vertical Solution
Fire in the Pow What do You Need Smoke and fire detection solutions are an integral part of power plants. However, it is important to know the unique requirements that this vertical demands in order to ensure the fire safety measures are adequate. BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
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wer Plant: d to Know?
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ower plants, by their very nature of operation and function, could be considered critical infrastructure that warrants special attention when it comes to protection from fire. Apart from the security threats a fire at a power plant would cause, interruptions to the power supply could affect other operations and cause further damage. For instance, some reports suggest that the fire at the Ferrybridge power plant in the U.K. cost around US$46.7 million (GBP 35 million). This is apart from the costs that would have been incurred in terms of finding alternative sources of power. Fire and smoke detection solutions, hence, are an integral part of power plants.
Frederick Koons, Director, Customer Marketing, Honeywell Advanced Detection Fire Solutions, Xtralis, Honeywell Security and Fire
Kelvin Miller, Sales Director, Patol
Pauline Norstrom, MD, NetVu/ Dedicated Micros
According to Kelvin Miller, Sales Director at Patol, the commercial success of any power plant depends on its ability to manage operational risks and provide continuity of supply. Protecting the plant from the threat of fire is a fundamental part of this. Power plants have their own requirements in terms of fire safety and it is, therefore, important to use companies that not only have the right technology but also the experience in meeting the specific needs of what can be a challenging environment. Pauline Norstrom, MD at NetVu/Dedicated Micros, added that power plants have faced substantial challenges when mitigating the risk of fire which may bring output to a halt. “The risks are frequently related to the environment in which power plants operate,” Norstrom said. “Turbine halls, in particular, are difficult to protect due to the large voluminous spaces required to operate the equipment. Stratification of smoke results in detection methods such as beam and aspirating being ineffective. Many power plant operators do not have any adequate smoke and flame detection in their plants.”
What’s Happening in the Field
When it comes to technology, there are quite a few ways to go about to ensure fire protection in power plants. Major among them are visual smoke detection solutions, infrared and aspirating smoke detection solutions. Needless to say, each of these come with its own pros and cons. “The large spaces present challenges to any technology deployed to detect smoke and fire,” Norstrom said. “In power plants, other unique conditions prevail: few
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Industry Report
Not Just “Guns, Guards and Gates”: Convergence is the Need of the Hour The convergence of physical and logical security has been gaining traction ever since the introduction of network-enabled security devices. However, despite the obvious advantages it brings in, end users, and even systems integrators, remain slow to implement it. We discuss this with the experts. BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
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hat physical and logical security have converged at a technological level is old news, but what is still amazing, unfortunately, is how far behind managements are when considering this convergence. Despite the obvious fact that convergence improves security as well as operational efficiency, organizations, and to a significant extent their systems integrators (SIs), continue to consider the two as though never the twain shall meet. Industry experts are aware of this issue as they stress the importance of convergence. Jon Stanford, Global Director for
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Industrial IoT Solutions & Services at Cisco Systems, pointed out that when it comes to unauthorized access to systems and data, the “last door” becomes cyber access. This means that no matter how well you protect your logical computing environment with security controls, once a malicious actor (whether a trusted insider, a trusted third party or an intruder) passes through the final physical barrier, it’s game over. “In order to effectively mitigate risks across the board, you need to address both physical and logical security together,” Stanford said. “Today’s advanced threat agents exploit
vulnerabilities in both domains. In the industrial base, cyberphysical security attacks are of grave concern to critical infrastructure operators, because, if successful, their effects could be catastrophic. The damage or disruption resulting from combined cyber-physical events can be far-reaching. It’s crucial to ensure that security investments encompass both cyber and physical security protections.” Monitoring for physical and logical anomalies is also increasingly important because indicators of compromise might occur simultaneously in each domain, he added. If an organization doesn’t combine its security resources and share information between the two, vital information could be lost. The resulting lack of holistic visibility and insight could lead to increased occurrences of exploitation or diminished response capability. Mohamed Benabdallah, Director of Professional Services at Convergint Technologies, explained this in simpler terms. Stressing the importance of convergence, he said that the crucial factors for assessing security on both sides of the fence include the “What, Where, and How.” What are we trying to secure? Where is it located? And how do we secure it? “Allowing someone access to an IT asset in a facility without knowing about their physical presence in the facility
“Interoperability and ease of access are two of the biggest challenges in this space. „ can result in a breach of both physical and logical access,” Benabdallah said. “Because once the physical security system has allowed someone into the facility without using a credential, the person in question can then access the network as well. Another layer of complication is added by wireless networks, which extend the physical facility beyond the actual walls and create yet another way for logical intrusion.”
Are SIs Aware?
To be fair, the demands of the end users will be an important factor that comes into play when discussing the approach of SIs. Andrew Howard, Chief Technology Officer at Kudelski Security, pointed out that SIs are driven by the needs of their clients. For most enterprises, convergence is a fairly new concept and, even though awareness is definitely growing, it is not ubiquitously understood. However, some would say the onus is on the SIs to make sure that their customers understand the need and importance
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Technology
Law Enforcement and Face Recognition: Finding the Right Balance The use of face recognition technology by law enforcement agencies around the world has drawn fierce criticism from civilians. However, with more advanced technology and better education of how the technology works, some say the benefits may be worth it. BY Eifeh Strom, Freelancer
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here is a loud debate going on regarding the use of face recognition technology by law enforcement agencies. Just recently the British civil liberties organization Big Brother Watch lodged a claim in the British High Court against the ▲ Face recognition technology can help speed up Metropolitan Police’s investigations for law enforcement agencies by comparing video footage to existing criminal use of face recognition databases. Image source: Cognitec Systems cameras. The group called the police’s use of such technology enforcement agencies deploy “Orwellian” — a reference face recognition in a way to George Orwell’s 1984, in deemed acceptable to the which society is subjected public? To understand how to omnipresent government law enforcement agencies surveillance. are using the technology and Still, despite public what measures are being concern the law enforcement taken to ensure it is not being segment is expected to take abused, we talked to several up the largest portion of the face recognition companies face recognition market in that believe its benefits terms of use cases through outweigh the concern. 2022, according to a report Speeding Up by MarketsandMarkets. Identity Verification Globally, the face Nowadays with the recognition market is abundance of available video expected to reach nearly evidence from surveillance US$7.8 billion by 2022, up cameras and mobile phones, from $4 billion in 2017. law enforcement agencies are So, how can law
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using face recognition to reduce the time spent on manual viewing to find suspects. “As the amount of video material submitted for investigations has significantly increased, investigators are looking for powerful tools to automate the search for subjects in videos,” said Elke Oberg, Marketing
“ Law enforcement agencies are using face recognition to reduce the time spent on manual viewing to find suspects.„
Manager at Cognitec Systems. “Face recognition helps law enforcement agents increase the speed and accuracy of criminal investigations by quickly identifying a face in photographs or in images from video footage in comparison to large image databases (e.g., mugshot repositories), and instantly receive a candidate list of possible matches,” she explained. “The software should be able to determine and cluster identities, and then display the appearances of the same person across a variety of media files.”
Laura Blanc, Marketing Manager, Herta Security
Elke Oberg, Marking Manager, Cognitec Systems
It also allows police to act upon match results in the critical time period after a crime has been committed. “In general, using automated recognition engines for suspect searches saves investigation time and costs,”
Roger Rodriguez, Director, Client Relations, Vigilant Solutions
she added. Automated searches, however, still require human involvement. “Face recognition is used as a supporting tool for law enforcement investigations, and match results are always evaluated by human experts. They are not used as permissible evidence in a court of law. Agents can set a low match threshold, and then use sufficient time and their expertise to look at the candidate images to determine a match,” Oberg explained. Face recognition can also help police officers accurately evaluate and predict potential dangers that may arise, according to Roger Rodriguez, Retired NYPD Detective and Director of Client Relations at Vigilant Solutions. “For example, this might apply during an investigative stop when unknown subjects come in contact with law enforcement and have no valid forms of identification on them. It is also used as a check-in system for released prisoners in the probation space and can identify registered sex offenders to determine whether these
subjects are adhering to the conditions of probation or supervised release,” Rodriguez said. Law enforcement is also using face recognition technology for humanitarian reasons as well, Rodriguez explained: “Facial recognition technology can identify deceased persons who do not have valid forms of identification on them and to identify persons who cannot identify themselves, such as persons stricken with dementia, Alzheimer’s or amnesia. It is also often used to help identify and locate lost or missing children.”
Key Requirements
Much of the controversy over law enforcement’s use of face recognition involves the technology’s accuracy, and wrongly identifying an innocent person. This is understandable considering law enforcement agencies primarily use face recognition technology for identity verification. Compared to commercial applications, which often need more instant results, law enforcement demands high levels of certainty that a face match belongs to the
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Cameras Keep a
IoT — Agriculture
Watchful Eye on L
ivestock farming is a major piece of the global agriculture market. Livestock and poultry account for over 50 percent of agricultural cash receipts in the U.S., which often exceed US$100 billion a year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). To help ensure the safety and health of animals, famers around the world are starting to deploy video surveillance systems as an extra set of never-tiring eyes. In the U.S. alone, death loss of cattle and calves cost farmers nearly $3.9 billion in 2015, according to a 2017 study conducted by the USDA. The study found that the overwhelming majority (98 percent) of these deaths were non-predator related. Instead, these deaths were health related (e.g., respiratory problems, old age, calvingrelated problems and digestive issues). Being able to monitor livestock with surveillance cameras could help alert farmers to health problems before they become life threatening; it could also
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Farmers are putting the “beyond security” applications of video surveillance to work by using them to monitor livestock. Among the many uses, farmers are using cameras to monitor pregnant and sick animals.
Livesto
help them save both time and money.
BY Eifeh Strom, Freelancer
animals meanwhile reducing your costs. With a farm cam you can also monitor unauthorized activity on the farm, such Easier Monitoring as diesel theft,” he added. Farmers want more than to just The ability to monitor livestock monitor their animals from afar; they anytime, anywhere is another reason also want to save time and money while to invest in a camera system. “In also increasing control and safety of the most cases, farmers are using camera animals. Using a camera surveillance systems to monitor their pregnant system can help them achieve this. animals. But they also want alert The investment in cameras for a farm notifications. Maybe they are out in is absolutely worthwhile, according the field and they want to be notified to Johan Didron, Marketing Manager if a delivery arrives,” explained at Luda.Farm, a Sweden-based smart Daxton Valyear, Owner of Electroguy, a Canada-based security installer. “It is also convenient to not be tied to just one tv or monitor to view the cameras on. Being able to view the cameras on multiple devices so that others can share the responsibility of monitoring the livestock can Watching over pregnant take the stress off of just one livestock is an important but time-consuming task. person.” Farmers can leverage their farming company. camera systems to monitor it remotely and on multiple “When you buy a Monitoring Pregnant screens. farm cam you invest Animals Image source: Electroguy in the safety of your Calving and foaling seasons are
tock
a busy time for farmers. Farmers have spent anxious nights waiting and sleeping in barns waiting for new arrivals. However, cameras are helping to make monitoring pregnant animals much easier. Since complications during birthing can result in the deaths of the mother and/or the calf/foal, farmers must monitor animals when they are near to giving birth. The USDA found that nearly 18 percent of all non-predator deaths for calves was a result of calvingrelated problems. “Over its lifetime a cow can be worth several thousands of dollars. So it can be a big loss if there were birth complications and you lost a calf, cow or both,” Valyear explained. “If the animals being bred are prize winning then their value can increase drastically. For instance we had one client that sold his new colt for CAD$250,000 [US$191,289]. You can imagine the loss there. So a camera system will easily pay for itself.”
With cameras able to keep an eye out 24/7, video surveillance allows farmers to watch animals from a distance, also allowing them to act faster when something happens. “For example, during the calving season you can save calves and cows when complications occur,” Didron said.
The right surveillance system will allow farmers to not only monitor their animals but also increase control and safety
Image source:Luda.Farm Valyear used the monitoring of expectant horses as an example of the benefits of video surveillance: “In many cases with horses, in the weeks leading up to the due date, farmers are having to go out to the barn regularly, even throughout the night. This can be
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Product Exploration
Cover More With Less Via Multisensor Cameras Multisensor cameras have gained increasing popularity among end users due to various reasons. When monitoring a wide area like a parking lot or a long street, the user can just rely on one device with multiple sensors instead of purchasing several megapixel IP cameras that will cost more money. Installation and maintenance have also been simplified because of this.
Shengfu Cheng, Director, Marketing and Product Development Division, VIVOTEK
BY William Pao
N
eedless to say, the camera is the most important element in a video surveillance system. Generally speaking, a single-sensor fixed IP camera offers high performance and great resolution, but it has drawbacks, the biggest of which is it covers a narrow field of view, which is less than ideal when surveilling a wide area. Panoramic cameras overcome this problem by giving the user a more comprehensive view of a given area, all from a
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Patrick Hong, Leader, Product Management, Cameras, Hanwha Techwin
single device. In fact, demands for panoramic cameras are set to increase. A report by Market Research Future forecasted that the global panoramic camera market is expected to reach US$36 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 31 percent between 2016 and 2022. The study cited “high demand for cost-effective cameras to serve the advanced photography market, an increasing digital photography market and increasing demand for safety and security measures in public places as well as in the corporate� as main growth drivers. Panoramic views can be enabled e i t h e r by a f i s h eye c a m e r a o r a multisensor camera. A fisheye camera comes with a single fisheye lens, which produces a highly warped view of the scene. This leaves multisensor cameras, which include multiple lenses in a single unit, as an ideal choice.
Different Types of Multisensor Cameras It’s important to know that multisensor cameras can be categorized into panoramic and multi-directional.
The former has fixed lenses, offering a panoramic view of an area. “Panoramic multisensor cameras fully cover a wide field of view. For example, a 180-degree camera can cover an entire street scene, and a 270-degree camera mounted on an outside corner of a building can provide total coverage in that space. These cameras are about providing situational awareness across wide areas. The more advanced cameras here stitch and blend images from the multiple sensors and present you with a seamless view,” said Kevin Saldanha, Principal Product Manager for Imaging at Pelco by Schneider Electric. A multisensor camera with multi-directional and adjustable lenses, meanwhile, allow the user to see several directions at once. “An adjustable multi-directional camera provides more flexibility in situations where you don’t require a continuous view, but would rather use the camera to look at specific areas. In this case, each camera can be adjusted independently. One camera can face the doorway, while the other cameras are used to view specific areas of a large room,” said Bob Mesnik, President of Kintronics. “The sensors can be positioned so they point in multiple directions to offer detailed views on several angles in a particular area. They are ideal for areas such as hallways or road intersections, on outer corners of buildings especially in locations such as schools or retail stores,” said Olof Leidecker, Global Product Manager for Multisensor and Ultra-High Resolution Cameras at Axis Communications. “If equipped with PTZ capabilities, the cameras can provide wide area coverage as well as detailed close-up images.”
Benefits
There are numerous benef its to multisensor cameras. Cost is one obvious factor, as one device can replace three to four in covering a wide area. Meanwhile, the cost of installation and maintenance can also be saved due to the same reason. “A single multisensor camera, with the ability to zoom into multiple regions of interest, can replace multiple conventional (or separate) units, allowing a return on investment that is easily measurable as fewer cameras, licenses, installation and required accessories result in lower cost of ownership,” said Jeff Whitney, VP of Marketing at Arecont Vision. “Multisensor cameras are a c o s t - e f fe c t i ve way o f p r ov i d i n g coverage — you have one hole for installation, one wire to pull and, if done right, one license at the VMS. Typically, they are less expensive than four comparable fixed IP cameras. So
acquisition and installation costs are lower,” said Kevin Saldanha, Principal Product Manager for Imaging at Pelco by Schneider Electric. “They are also easier on the aesthetics of the buildings as they have fewer mount points. You can cover larger areas with fewer camera counts.”
Vertical Applications
Olof Leidecker, Global Product Manager, Multisensor and Ultra-High Resolution Cameras, Axis Communications
Saleh Makarb, Product Marketing Manager, Dahua Technology
Generally speaking, multisensor cameras can come in handy for end user entities with wide open spaces. “These include parking lots, airports, factories and large stadiums where instead of having three or four cameras at each corner, you can have as little as three cameras or even less, covering effectively the same area with less blind spots,” said Saleh Makarb, Product Manager at Dahua Technology. “Commercial buildings, hotels, residences, schools and airports have open spaces including lobby, cafeteria and indoor gyms. Those open spaces are usually having high ceiling where camera installation is not easy. For those areas, one camera installation doing multi-camera functions is very welcomed because it reduces camera installation effort,” said Patrick Hong, Leader of Product Management for Cameras at Hanwha Techwin. “Also, the environments
In this photo provided by Dahua Technology, the end user was able to monitor a very long street with only one multisensor camera, in comparison to at least three if traditional cameras were used.
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Special Feature
North America Continues Growth Pattern The North American security market continues to be strong and robust, according to companies we spoke at ISC West this year. Most of them expect growth for 2018 will be in line with, if not outright beat, the market average. Drivers fueling such growth include the need to deal with persisting threats in the North American region as well as technology advances that better address the end user’s security and non-security needs. BY William Pao
I
n terms of physical security, North America is still a growth market and is expected to remain so in the next years to come. According to Grand View Research, North America’s physical security market size was valued at US$53.2 billion in 2016, and it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.7 percent from 2017 to 2025. The positive sentiment was expressed by companies taking part in ISC West this year, held from April 11 to 13 in Las Vegas. “It was pretty healthy last year, and I think it will continue to be healthy. We’re still seeing good solid growth. Everything that we’re seeing from our customers, with regard to their spending, plans and the things they want to do, indicates that they’ve got great roadmaps. We’re seeing good strong planning for next year and years to come,” said Michael Mathes, Executive VP of Convergint Technologies. In fact, a lot of companies said they expected their growth this year
to be in line with the market average, if not exceed it. “We’re growing faster than the average market, especially in the IP side,” s a i d S e a n M u r p h y, R e g i o n a l Marketing Manager for Video System at Bosch Security and Safety Systems. “If you’re starting greenfield where ever yt hing is brand new, it’s IP.” “ We anticipate
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the total US market for video surveillance equipment will grow in the mid-high single digits this year, which we estimate is the same as last year,” said Miguel Lazatin, Director of Product and Channel Marketing for North America at Hanwha Techwin. “While Hanwha’s growth last year was in the double digits, we expect our business this year to grow at a slightly higher rate.”
Growth Drivers
So what’s driving this growth in the North American market? Backed by a strong US economy, end users are continuing to allocate budget on security amid persisting security risks, from gun violence to terrorist attacks. “Unfortunately, there’s been a lot of major security events that have gotten lots of publicity. We’ve seen active shooter events that are driving people to think more about security. Our victor v i d e o
management system is integrated with a gunshot detection system that is generating a lot of interest on how it interacts with our VMS and what risks we can help mitigate,” said Jammy DeSousa, Senior Product Manager for American Dynamics at Johnson Controls. “If you think about nightclubs in Orlando, or country music festival in Las Vegas, or schools in Florida … security is so important in our world right now that I think everyone is thinking really hard about security, and making sure that we think about how we minimize some of these outrageous
"There’s been a lot of discussion about downward price pressures having a negative effect on the security market here in the U.S. But we believe the availability of cost-effective products and solutions helps grow the market for our products."
att ack s,” said Trent Perrotto, S e n i o r M a n a ge r fo r External Communications and Media at Honeywell Home and Building Technologies. Amid these dangers, advances in security technologies — from video analytics that detect anomalies to physical-logical access control integration to ensure both physical and data security — have played a huge role in driving the market expansion. Not only are these technologies more advanced than ever, they are now being offered at more affordable prices to drive further purchases. “There’s been a lot of discussion about downward price pressures having a negative effect on the security market here in the U.S.,” said Jeffrey He, President of North America at Hikvision Digital Technology. “However, we believe the availability of cost-effective products and solutions helps to grow the market for our products because it encourages end users in all vertical market sectors to invest in security.” “If a solution to minimize a risk is too expensive, then it becomes more acceptable to accept the risk. For instance if I was a retailer that needs to have a product on the shelf, and I have a risk that someone might steal it, I need a system that can keep them from stealing it. But if that system costs me $50 for every item on the shelf, I’d say that’s more expensive than the fact that someone was going to steal from me every once in a while. But if someone develops a new technology and says, ‛For every piece on your shelf, it only costs you $1 to protect it,’ then the customer will be more willing to buy that technology,” said Mathes. “That’s why we see new software around identity management, and new technologies like gunshot detections, which
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8 – 10 November 2018 Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center (BITEC) Bangkok, Thailand www.secutechthailand.com
Thailand’s only international B2B exhibition for smart city professionals 250+ exhibitors I 9,000+ visitors I 7,500 sqm floor space • The new Smart & Safe City and IoT Zone will allow exhibitors to show how smart and safe city solution can be implemented in local projects. • The show will be in collaboration with leading local and international experts on smart city development policy, technology, vertical solutions and innovations as well as other key topics.
International organiser contact Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd. Jason Cheng l +886 2 8729 1099 ext. 215 l jason.cheng@newera.messefrankfurt.com Local organiser contact Worldex G.E.C. Co., Ltd. Sirapat Kettam (SK) I +66 2 664 6488 ext. 501 I sirapatk@worldexgroup.com
Companies Advertiser Index in This Issue *The index is provided as an additional service. *The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.
Surveillance
PRODUCTS OF THE MONTH
SPECIAL FEATURE
• Agent Video Intelligence
• Avigilon
• Avigilon
• Bosch Security and
• Eagle Eye Networks
Safety Systems
• Intelligent Integrated
• Convergint Technologies • Genetec
Country
CCTV
GERMANY
apr.securitysystems @bosch.com
SURVEILLANCE
KOREA
pcy@commax.co.kr
SURVEILLANCE
CHINA
overseas@dahuatech.com
DOME COVER
CHINA
sales@fjsmt.com
BACK HIKVISION DIGITAL COVER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. 27 IDIS CO., LTD. 15 SECU-VISION CO., LTD. 19 TAMRON CO., LTD. 9 TECHPOINT INC. 35 TIANDY 7 VIDEOTEC S.P.A.
SURVEILLANCE
CHINA
overseasbusiness@ hikvision.com
SURVEILLANCE
KOREA
sales@idisglobal.com
DVR / CAMERA
KOREA
tyga@secu-vision.com
CAMERA
JAPAN
newbiz@tamron.co.jp
CHIPSET
USA
dma@techpointinc.com
SURVEILLANCE
CHINA
sales@tiandy.com
IP CAMERA / SOFTWARE / VIDEOSERVER
ITALY
info@videotec.com
INSIDE VISONIC LTD. BACK COVER
SYSTEMS SOLUTION
ISRAEL
-
Major Item
Country
23 COMMAX CO., LTD. INSIDE DAHUA TECHNOLOGY FRONT CO., LTD. COVER, 1 57 FUJIAN FRAN OPTICS CO., LTD.
• IntelliVision
• Hanwha Techwin
• Umbo Computer Vision
• Hikvision Digital
VERTICAL SOLUTION
• Honeywell Home and
• Axis Communications
• Horizon Robotics
• Elemize Technologies
• Johnson Controls
• Honeywell Security and
• Manything
Technology Building Technologies
• Viakoo
• NetVu/Dedicated Micros • Patol
INDUSTRY REPORT
• STEM
• Cisco Systems
• ThermoAI
• Convergint Technologies • Cyberbit
PRODUCT EXPLORATION
Major Item
SYSTEMS
• BriefCam
Fire
Advertiser
31 BOSCH SECURITY
• eSurv Video (i2V)
Page No.
• Ambarella
• Guidepost Solutions • Kudelski Security
Access Control Page No.
• Arecont Vision • Axis Communications
IoT — Agriculture
• Dahua Technology
• Electroguy
• Hanwha Techwin
• Luda.Farm
• Kintronics • Panasonic • Pelco by Schneider Electric • VIVOTEK
TECHNOLOGY • Cognitec Systems • Herta Security • Vigilant Solutions
Advertiser
49 GIGA-TMS INC.
RFID MODULE / LOCK / TAIWAN READER
promag@gigatms.com.tw
33 UWC ELECTRIC (M) SDN.
ACCESS CONTROL
MALAYSIA
sales@uwcelectric.com
Major Item
Country
INTRUSION ALARM
ITALY
info@lince.net
ALARM
ITALY
info@tecnoalarm.com
Advertiser
Major Item
Country
29 MESSE ESSEN
EXHIBITION
GERMANY
-
BHD.
INTRUSION ALARM Page No.
Advertiser
5 LINCE ITALIA S.P.A. 2, 3 TECNOALARM S.R.L. OTHERS Page No.
Advertisers are responsible for their own advertisement content. The publisher is not liable for any legal, patent or trademark disputes from advertisements or among advertisers.
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Vertical Solution | Shopping Malls Product Exploration | Mobile Biometric Readers IoT | IP Camera Hacking
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