MAY 2020 ISSUE 420
THERMOGRAPHIC BTM CAMERAS l Remote Commissioning An Enterprise Solution l Saab OneView Wins Sydney Opera House l The Interview: Pierre Racz, Genetec l PMT Installs Thermal at Phillippa’s Bakery l Special Report: Video Management Systems l ECS Services Wins City Of Sydney l Special Report: Body Temperature Management l Case Study: Kings Cross Estate l SecTech 2020: All The Products You Missed!
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editorial By John Adams
S E CU RI TY E L ECTR O NI C S & NETWO R KS MAY I SSUE 4 2 0
FUTURE OF SECURITY ELECTRONICS DEMANDS HYBRID MINDSET LECTRONIC security people are going to need to adopt a hybrid mindset as ANZ finds its feet after initial COVID-19 lockdown. It’s early to speculate about the way things will go from here – the capacity of COVID-19 to run away in particular situations is extraordinary – but there are suggestions about the direction society and business will head. New Zealand has just emerged from Stage 4 lockdown into an environment that seems largely free of COVID-19 infection at this time. Meanwhile, Australian rates of infection are below viral survival rates and active infections are falling rapidly through 3 digits. These numbers strongly suggest ANZ will experience a slow easing of local restrictions that will be predicated on community take-up of the COVID Safe contact tracking app, as well as the community’s ability to continue to maintain its distance in a way that keeps transmission rates below 1 per infection rate for long enough to bring the region’s global infection rate to zero. While there are hopes for a ‘magic bullet’ vaccine, and promising noises are coming from Oxford University in the UK and the University of Queensland in Australia among others, it’s likely a vaccine timeline would run into years. There are no guarantees researchers will be successful. This means social distancing and hygiene are the frontline defence into the medium term and these are the parameters that must be planned for. Given we must work our way through the COVID-19 outbreak, the timeline of easing becomes more vital from a business perspective. While NZ is now at Level 3 restrictions – the same as Victoria – there has been further easing in other states, including Queensland and New South Wales. In NSW for instance, it’s now possible to
E
Importantly, these ‘between times’ are going to need careful management and electronic security solutions are perfectly designed and positioned to assist management maintain COVID-19 procedures that will need to be tailored to suit many sites.
move around the state in groups of 2 to visit friends and family and it’s likely additional easing will be undertaken over the coming months, including the reopening of restaurants. What’s important for electronic security people is the impact this easing will have on the business environments of their clients. According to Apple and Google data, Australia’s workplace participation rate is climbing back up through 75 per cent, with many workplaces having implemented strict distancing, hygiene and masking protocols to ensure a safer environment. Something that has been apparent for many during the lockdown is that working from home can be effective if there are no young children present. For security people and their customers, the staged re-opening of schools will be another important aspect of the next 2 months. This process is going to vary, depending on where you are in ANZ. What’s most likely to happen is that we will experience a slow re-emergence of business activity built around social distancing and cleanliness. In many cases these requirements will be manageable from a work perspective but there are some business models that may remain unviable for an extended period. These will include large events and crowded venues of all shapes and sizes. For many other businesses, the key is going to be micro-managing core operations to ensure social distancing, hygiene and health and safety standards are maintained. What this new reality will demand from the security industry is a hybrid business model, with some work undertaken on site and some
work undertaken remotely. This remote work is likely to include the commissioning of complex integrated solutions, as well as whatever upgrades and maintenance can be handled via networks. Something else we will see is a more hand-in-glove approach with clients, whose team members are going to take on more responsibility for remotely assisted onsite troubleshooting. In almost all cases, businesses and their internal and customerfacing operations are going to need careful management. Electronic security solutions are perfectly designed and positioned to assist the implementation of procedures that will need to be tailored to suit each site. This tailoring is going to demand security people – integrators and end users – dust off their access control/ VMS solutions to manage traffic flows, to incorporate health rules, to monitor crowd proximity as part of retail statistics, to manage PPE resources, to deliver contagion proximity reports in real time, to keep an eye on staff health using BTM solutions, and to deliver all these pieces of functionality in real time to the teams responsible for managing security and safety. These sorts of customisations are going to be prevalent in retail and educational facilities, as well as being relevant in public transport and public safety applications. Later, it’s likely there will be partial opening of sports arenas and these will need to be micromanaged into the medium term. Electronic security businesses and their teams are battling, but never forget, our solutions remain vital to customers balancing on the jagged edge between safety and survival. n
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6TH ANNUAL
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22: KINGS CROSS ESTATE
MAY 20 8: SAAB ONEVIEW WINS SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE SECURITY SYSTEM PROJECT Saab Australia has signed a contract with the Sydney Opera House Trust to deliver a new integrated security system for the iconic building.
Kings Cross Estate has installed Gallagher Command Centre and Milestone VMS to secure a 67-acre site comprising homes, shops, offices, galleries, bars, restaurants, schools, and a university. 24: PHILLIPPA’S BAKERY PMT Security has installed a thermal body temperature management solution for Phillipa’s Bakery, which needed to ensure the safety of its staff and customers while continuing to operate in its role as an essential service. 26: VIDEO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Security integrator ECS Services has won a contract to provide security, CCTV systems and maintenance to City of Sydney.
Video management solutions find themselves front and centre in many electronic security applications where they empower security teams, partnerships with law enforcement, management of transport and other assets, and investigations of all shapes and sizes.
18: PIERRE RACZ, GENETEC
36: BODY TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT
In this month’s interview, Genetec’s Pierre Racz synthesises past, present and future into a constant governed by technological possibility, operational imperative and hybrid morality, bringing trust to the relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence.
Thermal body temperature cameras are being enlisted to assist in the battle against the COVID-19 epidemic, with government, commercial and industrial end users eager to implement BTM technology in order to detect elevated body temperatures that may indicate fever.
9: ECS SERVICES WINS CITY OF SYDNEY CCTV, ACCESS, ALARMS CONTRACT
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46: SECTECH 2020 What were the latest solutions SecTech roadies planned to bring around Australia’s 5 biggest cities this May? In our SecTech Roadshow special report, we take a look at all the latest gear so you won’t miss out! 52: REMOTE COMMISSIONING Security consultant ICS Group has undertaken remote commissioning of an integrated enterprise security solution incorporating Gallagher and Pacom access control systems, a Milestone VMS, Jacques intercoms and a new security control room.
8: NEWS Latest business, product and technical news from Australia and around the world. 44: MONITORING Grade A1 central stations are designed to provide the utmost physical security along with full redundancy across a range of support systems. 54: EDITOR’S CHOICE What’s new from our manufacturers. 56: HELPDESK Our team of electronic security experts answers your tough technical questions.
MAY 2020 ISSUE 420
THERMOGRAPHIC BTM CAMERAS l Remote Commissioning An Enterprise Solution l Saab OneView Wins Sydney Opera House l The Interview: Pierre Racz, Genetec l PMT Installs Thermal at Phillippa’s Bakery l Special Report: Video Management Systems l ECS Services Wins City Of Sydney l Special Report: Body Temperature Management l Case Study: Kings Cross Estate l SecTech 2020: All The Products You Missed!
PP 100001158
Publisher Bridge Publishing Aust. Pty Ltd ABN 11 083 704 858 PO Box 237 Darlinghurst NSW 1300 tel 61 2 9280 4425 fax 61 2 9280 4428 email info@bridge publishing.com.au
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LOBAL T THE G IN W WE EWLY ING
NEWS IN BRIEF M AY 2 0 2 0
SAAB ONEVIEW WINS SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE SECURITY SYSTEM PROJECT n Saab Australia has signed a contract with the Sydney Opera House Trust to deliver a new integrated security system for the iconic building. The upgrade will be built around the Saab OneView Physical Security InformationManagement (PSIM) system, developed by Saab in South Australia. OneView will integrate all the security systems for the building, allowing staff to manage operations through a single intuitive interface. “Saab Australia is proud to have been selected for the upgrade of the security systems in the Sydney Vlado Damjanovski Opera House with our OneView solution,” said Andy Keough, managing director Saab Australia.
“Saab has over 40 OneView installations in major infrastructure across Australia and the team is honoured to add this landmark building to the list.” Saab Australia will work with the Sydney Opera House team in the design phase to ensure the upgrade provides the best technical solution. All the development work will be undertaken in Australia and utilise local contractors for installation. The VMS and access control systems to be deployed at the Sydney Opera House have not yet been publicly announced, but it’s certain they will be selected based on the strength of their integration with Saab OneView.
SONY TO EXIT CCTV CAMERA MARKET n SONY will exit the CCTV camera market in a move that will also end its branded camera partnership with Bosch, which began in 2016. In February, Sony announced that the coronavirus pandemic was impacting its camera production and recommended Sony customers switch to Bosch products. The market’s appetite for lower prices has seen Japanese manufacturers struggle to compete with
Chinese makers for a decade – falling camera prices and reduced margins have led to a reduction in R&D, which in turn has made competition more difficult. Sony will still have a significant imaging sensor and camera module business. Sony components are regularly used in high-end surveillance products, including from Sony’s branded rivals, ranging from Axis to Hikvision to Bosch.
Bosch will continue to distribute a multisensor camera under the Sony brand.
SONY COMPONENTS ARE REGULARLY USED IN HIGH-END SURVEILLANCE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING FROM SONY’S BRANDED RIVALS, RANGING FROM AXIS TO HIKVISION TO BOSCH.
NEW AUSTRALIAN CCTV STANDARDS ADOPTED n On April 23 the new Australian CCTV/ VSS standards were released, covering video surveillance system requirements, transmission protocols, camera performance, application guidelines and more. The standards were adopted from IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards with the same titles after a lengthy process carried almost entirely by a voluntary team comprising Les Simmonds, Vlado Damjanovski and Olly D’Souza. The new standards are
AS/NZS 62676 Part 1-1: System requirements – General, AS/NZ\2676 Part 1-2: System requirements – Performance requirements for video transmission, AS/ NZS 62676 Part 2-1: Video transmission protocols – General requirements, AS/ NZS 62676 Part 2-2: Video transmission protocols – IP interoperability implementation based on HTTP and REST services, AS/NZS 62676 Part 3: Analog and digital video interfaces, AS/NZS 62676 Part 4: Application guidelines, AS/NZS 62676 Part 5: Data specifications and image quality performance for camera devices.
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Integrity Wins Contract For CLIQ Smart Key Lock Rollout p.10 Dahua Technology 2019 Sales Grow 10.5 Per Cent p.12 Gallagher Develops COVID Contacting Tracing Software p.14 Victoria SES Seeks Enterprise PISM For 162 Sites p.16
COMPILED BY JOHN ADAMS
NSW POLICE AND IDEMIA STRENGTHEN CRIMINAL ID SYSTEM n IDEMIA has renewed its partnership with the New South Wales Police Force, Australia’s largest law enforcement agency. Under the 6-year contract, IDEMIA will support and maintain the LiveScan solution, a biometric identification solution used to process and book criminals’ biometric data in 142 police stations across New South Wales. IDEMIA’s LiveScan
technology provides law enforcement jurisdictions with a flexible workflowbased application to capture criminals’ biometric information and demographics. LiveScan ensures that the biometric solution can be deployed across the state efficiently while meeting the highest quality and safety requirements. “This contract strengthens a long-term partnership that we have
had with the New South Wales Police Force for over 2 decades”, said Tim Ferris, Asia Pacific president and senior vice president for Public Security and Identity at IDEMIA. “This collaboration proves IDEMIA’s capacity to provide critical support and maintenance when it comes to integrating multiple biometrics technology to increase national security and support efficient police
services. It’s a great honour to be supporting the biggest police organization in Australia.” IDEMIA LiveScan is supported by IDEMIA’s
proprietary fingerprint algorithm and workflow software to enhance the process of booking criminals and recording of biometric data.
LETTER FROM LEVEL 4 LOCKDOWN: PHIL MURPHY, GALLAGHER NZ n GALLAGHER sales manager – South Island, Phil Murphy, writes about the challenges and the teamwork taking place under New Zealand’s Stage 4 COVID-19 lockdown. “The Level 4 countrywide lockdown in New Zealand came as a big surprise – these are indeed surreal times and not to be taken lightly. Here in Christchurch, we have dealt with devastating earthquakes, the Port Hills fires, and 2019’s terrorist attack. Many of our channel partners (security integrators) here are used to working with sudden disruptions or unpredictable situations, and preparedness is part of day-to-day life. Thankfully we had some time to prepare for the lockdown before it came into effect. Our channel partners were quickly able to change staffing requirements and identify key sites that would need support throughout this time, and then retreat to their homes where they can operate safely. There was no panic here in Christchurch, just a sense of ‘let’s get on with it’. At Gallagher’s head office in Hamilton, our information services team faced a significant
challenge – swiftly getting those staff who can work remotely set up and fully operational from home. No doubt it feels strange for our teams who are used to working together in the office every day and are now having to build new routines to balance work, home, and family time out of one location. Our sales team was already mobile and remote – we have feet on the ground across 4 of New Zealand’s major regions – so working from home isn’t much of a change for us. I already have a separate office at home and my family is used to me pacing the driveway while talking too loud on the phone. Communication and adaptability have been key in managing these uncertain times. One of the first moves we made
Locked down but not out Phil Murphy, Gallagher, NZ.
was to get in touch with our channel partners and assure them we are still here to support them, albeit from a distance. Parts of our business had to adapt quickly to support our channel and customers; we’re now offering online training, and virtual meetings for product demonstrations or problem solving. Staying in touch with team members through regular virtual meetings and sharing funny posts has helped to keep up morale. I am starting to miss the coffee catch-ups (and it’s only been a week!) and the freedom to drive about, but we are resilient and will put the next few weeks to good use updating our planning and upskilling our staff and partners. Kia kaha security people, stay safe and stay strong!”
GENETEC RELEASES FREE CONTAGION/ CONTAMINANT PROXIMITY REPORT FOR SYNERGIS n GENETEC has released a free contagion proximity report for its Synergis access control and automation solution. A few days ago, McCormick Place, the largest convention center in the US, reached out to Genetec with an idea: the security team wanted to be able to use their existing access control system data to help identify if any employees or badged visitors had been in close physical contact with someone
who had recently reported a positive diagnosis for a contagious disease, so they could be informed and could take the necessary steps. Genetec said software engineers were able quickly develop a ‘Contagion/Contaminant Proximity Report’ function for Synergis, which the company is now making it available to all its customers, free of charge. Contact the Genetec team in ANZ for more information.
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ECS SERVICES WINS CITY OF SYDNEY CCTV, ACCESS, ALARMS CONTRACT Raj Masson, ECS Services
n INTEGRATOR ECS Services has won a contract to provide security, CCTV systems and maintenance to City of Sydney. Released in January, the City of Sydney tender sought suitably qualified and experienced organisations for security systems asset renewal and innovations. ECS will be required to undertake asset renewal upgrades of existing security alarms, access control systems and CCTV
STANDARDS AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES ADOPTION OF IEC60839 FOR ACCESS CONTROL n STANDARDS Australia has finalised adoption of the IEC 60839 series for access control, covering recognition requirements, design, display, signalling and testing. The standard will be known as AS/NZS IEC 60839.11.1:2019 and IEC 60839.11.1:2013 (Part 11.1: Electronic access control systems – System and components; Part 11.1: Electronic access control systems – Application Guidelines). The new access control standard specifies the minimum functionality, performance and test methods for electronic access control systems and components and defines
different security grades and the functionalities of the access system associated with each of these grades. The standard comprises the following: • A conceptual model and system architecture • Criteria covering: • Classification based on performance functionalities and capabilities • Access point interface requirements • Indication and annunciation requirements (display, alert, logging) • Duress signalling and overriding • Recognition requirements • System self-protection requirements
Gallagher mobile app authentication.
cameras and recorders as determined and programmed by City of Sydney’s security systems manager. Most interestingly, ECS is required by the terms of the contract to bring “new and innovative technologies, systems and software to Council that will assist in providing a safe and secure environment and aid its security operators in performing their duties of alarm and CCTV monitoring”. City of Sydney owns
multiple buildings and facilities, as well as managing the city’s integrated Street Safe CCTV and public safety management system in partnership with NSW Police. Founded by Raj Masson in 1998 and based at Castle Hill, ECS Services specialises in access control, alarms, CCTV, intercoms, Type 1 and 1A high security solutions, AV, cabling, software development and systems integration.
The Integrity Security Services team.
• Communication between the component parts of the electronic access control system and with other systems • Requirements for environmental conditions (indoor/outdoor use) and electromagnetic compatibility • Test methods.
THE NEW ACCESS CONTROL STANDARD SPECIFIES THE MINIMUM FUNCTIONALITY, PERFORMANCE AND TEST METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS...
INTEGRITY WINS CONTRACT FOR CLIQ SMART KEY LOCK ROLLOUT n CENTRAL Coast Council has awarded a smart key lock contract for Services to supply and install ABLOY Protec 2 CLIQ electronic lock/key system across a range of water and sewer assets, to Integrity Security Services. The work includes replacement of all door cylinders (offices, sheds, substations) and padlocks (processing plant, fences, valves), but not access handled using existing proximity cards or security alarms. The roll-out of the new ABLOY Protec 2 CLIQ smart key system will take place over 2.5 to 3.5 years from the first site install and the contract includes 5
year’s support. Integrity Security Services was established in 1995 and provides locksmithing and electronic security services to large enterprises, organisations, retail businesses, commercial developers and private residential customers. Key features of Protec 2 CLIQ include no wiring cylinder-based, flexible access permissions and reporting handled by CLIQ Web Manager software, IP57-rated keys and IP68rated padlocks, easily replaced standard battery, and dual security keyways using mechanical and electronic means.
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CISCO TO ACQUIRE FLUIDMESH NETWORKS n CISCO plans to acquire the Hills’ distributed wireless backhaul manufacturer, Fluidmesh Networks,
for an undisclosed sum, with the acquisition to be completed in Q4. Fluidmesh’s technology aims to provide zero loss
of data transfer when assets such as trains and subways are moving at high speed. The company’s wireless technologies are
DAHUA TECHNOLOGY 2019 SALES GROW 10.5 PER CENT n DAHUA Technology has released its 2019 annual report, showing the company’s steady growth in the past year including increased sales and operating profit. During 2019 Dahua Technology achieved operating revenue of RMB 26.149 billion ($US3.73 billion), representing a year-onyear increase of 10.50 per cent; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company amounted to RMB 3.188 billion ($US455 million), growing 26.04 per
cent year-on-year. Focused on AI, cloud computing and big data, and software platform, Dahua Technology’s R&D investment in 2019 reached RMB 2.794 billion ($US399 million) with a year-on-year increase of 22.35 per cent, accounting for 10.69 per cent of operating revenue. The company’s cumulative R&D investment has reached RMB11.119 billion ($US1.59 billion) since its listing. The company said it was continuously
increasing its intelligent manufacturing and safe supply capabilities and had established an efficient system for the global market. In the future, Dahua Technology said it would focus on the innovation of vertical industry applications, and would utilize its video-centric IoT system architecture to accelerate its upgrade into platformbased business and build an ecosystem to provide customers with success through open cooperation.
used in rail, mining, port, and public mass transit operations combining large bandwidth requirements and long distances. Cisco said Fluidmesh will join its IoT business, extending Cisco’s industrial wireless offerings to more industries, key customer segments, partners, and end users. “With wireless technology playing a greater role in every organization’s multiaccess IoT strategy, reliable wireless connectivity is paramount to organizations operating Industrial IoT environments, whether that’s manufacturing, mining, rail, or ports, where wireless technology
automates operations to improve safety and lower costs,” said Liz Centoni, SVP and GM of Cisco’s Cloud, Compute, and IoT businesses. “The acquisition of Fluidmesh strengthens Cisco’s offerings in this space with leading technology that’s designed to provide zero loss of data transfer at speeds in excess of 300 Km/h.”
FLUIDMESH’S TECHNOLOGY AIMS TO PROVIDE ZERO LOSS OF DATA TRANSFER WHEN ASSETS SUCH AS TRAINS AND SUBWAYS ARE MOVING AT HIGH SPEED.
SECURITY 2020 EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE CANCELLED
n AUSTRALIA’S biggest security event has been cancelled for the year due to social distancing measures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The 35th edition of the Security Exhibition & Conference has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and will next take place from 21 – 23 July 2021, in Sydney at the ICC,” organisers said this morning. “After many weeks of talking to the industry and consulting with our
partners regarding suitable rescheduled dates in Q4, we have made the difficult decision that at this present time, in the interest of the health and safety of our community, cancellation is unavoidable. “What we are experiencing is new territory for everyone – we continue to be grateful to our community – our exhibitors, speakers, partners, visitors and venues – for their continued support and patience during this unprecedented time.”
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GALLAGHER DEVELOPS COVID CONTACTING TRACING SOFTWARE n GALLAGHER has developed a software feature that will support organizations with COVID-19 contact tracing.
The Proximity and Contact Tracing Report utilizes Gallagher Command Centre’s reporting capability
Rachel Kelly
to identify the onsite movements of specific individuals. It will enable businesses to swiftly and accurately identify the areas or zones where an employee with either confirmed or suspected COVID-19 has been on site. The tool is also designed to identify which other employees have been in those areas or zones during a specific period and may have contacted the virus. “At Gallagher, we consider it essential to focus our research, design, and development teams on the most pressing needs in cyber and physical security,” said Rachel Kelly, chief product officer of Enterprise Solutions at Gallagher. Currently, supporting COVID-19 elimination is a huge
priority. In a health crisis like this, accurate and timely information is paramount – that is what this new software feature will give to businesses.” Utilizing online platforms to collaborate during lockdown, the Gallagher team is in a rapiddevelopment and testing phase to ensure delivery as early as possible. It comes at a time when contact tracing is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, following New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern’s message that tracing will be a critical part of the new-normal. Gallagher’s new Proximity and Contact Tracing Report is only one of the projects the team is working on to support customers during COVID-19. As a
manufacturer of critical security technology, Gallagher’s security division is an essential service provider in New Zealand and continues to manufacture and deliver key products during this time. “Now, more than ever, it’s vital for businesses to be innovative and agile,” said Kelly. “We’re incredibly proud of the work our teams are doing during this crisis.”
AT GALLAGHER, WE CONSIDER IT ESSENTIAL TO FOCUS OUR RESEARCH, DESIGN, AND DEVELOPMENT TEAMS ON THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS IN CYBER AND PHYSICAL SECURITY.
GENETEC CLEARANCE TO ASSIST COLLABORATION FREE UNTIL DECEMBER
BILL BARBAGIANNAKOS APPOINTED ICT REGIONAL SALES MANAGER NSW
n GENETEC is making its digital evidence management system, Genetec Clearance available free of charge to any organization looking to efficiently share digital evidence from wherever they are. Genetec Clearance allows organizations to manage and distribute media and files from surveillance systems, body cameras, cell phone footage from bystanders and witnesses, and other sources while avoiding the
n Bill Barbagiannakos has been appointed regional sales manager NSW for access control, intrusion detection, automation and management solution developer and manufacturer, ICT. “We’re pleased to announce the appointment of Bill Barbagiannakos to the role of regional sales manager NSW,” said ICT’s Richard Hawker. “Based out of Sydney, Bill will be responsible for New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory – we would like to take this opportunity to welcome Bill to the team at ICT. “He will be focusing on providing local and reliable support through proactive market representation of the ICT suite of products and solutions. Bill has an extensive network of contacts and knowledge of the industries within the ANZ region, and firmly believes that customer service and open communication are crucial work ethics in ensuring clients are happy and continue to do business with you,” Hawker said.
need to create or distribute physical copies. To assist organizations to continue to work together effectively when remote, Genetec is making Clearance available at no cost until December 31st, 2020. Public safety agencies, and other organizations are having to quickly adopt new strategies to address the changes to daily operations to allow them to continue to collaborate with different stakeholders in order to fight crime and solve cases faster.
They need to implement precautions to ensure the wellbeing of officers, first responders, their staff and the public. Video is a valuable tool to solve crimes, but receiving video often requires officers or other staff to go on-site and collect recordings on USB or disks. With Genetec Clearance, access to case and incident information can be shared with authorized stakeholders at the click of a button, while preserving all user activity to maintain the chain of evidence. There are no file size restrictions in the application, and videos are automatically converted to a browser-friendly format, avoiding the need for recipients to download and install standalone video players. Organizations that sign up for a new Genetec Clearance trial account will be provided a free, personalized remote onboarding session to assist with the configuration of the account and walkthrough of the application.
Barbagiannakos has more than 20 years’ experience within the telecommunications and security industry, and has held roles at Hills, Axis Communications, and most recently SensaTek, where he held the position of managing director, Security Distribution. When not at work, Barbagiannakos enjoys racing cars, riding motorcycles, and watching Formula One. He’s a keen basketball player, who also coaches his daughters’ basketball team, a health and wellness coach, and volunteers at a men’s mental health support group.
Bill Barbagiannakos has joined ICT.
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THE BODY TEMPERATURE SYSTEM HELPING TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 MONITORS UP TO
15 PEOPLE*1 PER SECOND
±0.3⁰C*
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
OPTIMUM
3.0 METRE* SCAN RANGE
DAHUA THERMAL BODY TEMPERATURE MONITORING SOLUTION • Accurate temperature monitoring • Fast pass, non-contact detection
• Visual abnormal alert to facilitate back-tracking
• Multi-person measurement • Non-mask detection for intelligent control
RECOMMENDED MODELS
+ S113589 BF3221P Thermal Camera
S113718 Blackbody Radiator
S111635 32 Channel 16 PoE AI NVR
S111634 16 Channel 16 PoE AI NVR
S110912 DSS Express Base License
* Source: www.dahuasecurity.com | 1: One-on-one scans recommended for best results.
For more info visit Hills.com.au/dahua or contact Lena, our dedicated Dahua representative on 0456 726 383 or email Lena.Leng@hills.com.au Follow us on
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Y O U C A N R E LY O N H I L L S
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COPPER-COATED DOORKNOBS MAY KILL COVID-19 n DANDENONG-based 3D printing company SPEE3D has installed copper doorplates and doorknobs at several government facilities and universities, and the technology shows enough promise to extend the rollout to healthcare facilities, public places and private organisations, should they choose to take on its copper coating technology. Copper has proven anti-microbial properties and is used in marine antifouling paints, where it resists biofilm formation, as well as in hospitals to
fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Early evidence suggests it can destroy SARS-CoV-2 as well. A study published in March in the New England Journal of Medicine showed COVID-19 quickly becomes unstable on copper. When a bacterium or virus lands on copper, electrically charged particles – ions – jump from the surface – punching holes and killing it in the case of bacteria, or rendering it functionally unviable in the case of viruses. Copper also
VICTORIA SES SEEKS ENTERPRISE PISM FOR 162 SITES n Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is seeking a physical security information management system (access and monitoring) security solution, and an integrator to install it, for 162 sites around the state. The PSIM delivered must establish a standardised approach to guide the direction of any future security systems/ equipment upgrades and/ or new security system/ equipment installations at the various SES premises. It must also act as the central control security system that allows connectivity with the security systems and equipment across all (to the extent applicable) SES premises (13 SES offices and 149 volunteer units). The PSIM chosen will provide the option for centralised management,
monitoring, coordination and control of the various electronic security systems located across any of the SES premises that integrate their security systems into the central security system. The new PSIM must be scalable and flexible to provide maximum compatibility with the various types of incumbent security systems/ equipment already installed at SES premises (to the largest extent possible), and must not create an environment that severely restricts the type of equipment (or suppliers of equipment). The PSIM must create a centralised security system environment that does not create an operational or financial impost through establishing the need for each SES premises, regardless of size, operational functions
or location, to undertake extensive electronic security equipment or installation upgrades. In addition to the above core services, the security integrator selected to handle the work will be provided the opportunity to supply and install various security systems and equipment including CCTV and ACID database solutions (optimised for atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) for SES premises, where a need for improved security equipment is defined by operational requirements. In order to achieve the solution required, Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is seeking responses from suitably qualified organisations for the provision of this PSIM-empowered security solution. This tender closes on May 26. VICSES team member at SES Wodonga.
appears to fundamentally damage the DNA of bacteria and viruses. “Copper is known to be anti-microbial and it’s already used as an anti-microbial coating in medical devices,” said Dr Bart Eijkelkamp of Flinders University. “To translate that to larger practices such as bed rails, handrails, seems like a pretty logical extension – it may help.” SPEE3D, the company 3D-printing copper door furniture, commissioned its own study from a Melbourne-based virus
lab which showed copper reduced viral levels on surfaces by 96 per cent within 2 hours. SPEE3D has developed a way of using the printers to coat existing doorknobs in a millimetrethick layer of copper. Each coating costs about $50 to $100 and takes about 5 minutes to apply. “Stainless steel looks really clean,” said Byron Kennedy, chief executive of SPEE3D. “The reality is very different…it does not kill viruses. We tested up to 5 hours and got no drop in virus levels at all on stainless steel.”
GALLAGHER STRENGTHENS EXECUTIVE TEAM
n Gallagher welcomes Meredith Palmer and Rachel Kelly to its executive leadership team. Based at Gallagher’s head office in Hamilton, New Zealand, Palmer joined the team as chief solutions officer, small business, on 14 April, and Kelly as chief product officer, enterprise solutions, on March 30. “We’re thrilled to have Meredith and Rachel on board,” said Mark Junge, global general manager, security. “The skills and experience they bring are a great addition to our leadership team, and they will both play a pivotal role in our future operations and strategy.” Palmer is responsible for the vision and strategy of Gallagher’s small business solution, Co-Pilot, which has been in a pilot phase in New Zealand. With over 20 years of
experience in marketing, product management, strategy, and innovation, Palmer has lived and worked in countries all over the world. In 2018, she completed a Senior Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School. Kelly is responsible for driving the vision, strategy, design, and development roadmap for Gallagher’s enterprise and high security solutions. With 20 years’ experience in the science and technology sector and having worked with innovative and award-winning tech and manufacturing companies in New Zealand and the USA, Kelly is an elected member of the New Zealand AI Forum Executive Council and is a ministerial advisor on the Digital Council for Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Now you can have video, access control and security - all in one place
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● Regulars
The Interview
Pierre Racz, Genetec In this month’s interview, Genetec’s Pierre Racz talks cyber security, 5G, blockchain and AI, synthesising past, present and future into a constant governed by technological possibility, operational imperative and hybrid morality in a way that could bring trust to the relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence. Q: In terms of the VMS market itself – it seems the leading players are more clearly defined, and some players are fading away. Would you agree with that? A: Up to a certain point the basic video recording functionality is commoditised, what’s not commoditised is the reliability with which that functionality can be carried out. Regardless, there will always be at least 3 competitors in any market. So, yes, the market is fragmented but is becoming less fragmented. Q: What in your opinion are the major VMS trends of the moment? A: l The first trend group is cyber security – strong authentication and password single sign on, zero trust architectures that are replacing perimeter-based protection architectures and dynamic authorisation policies. l Next, there’s an architectural paradigm shift towards hybrid computing and workload mobility, so workloads should be able to move between the cloud and on-premises seamlessly – people are starting to understand what we mean by convergent architectures and software defined networking. l Another major trend is accountability and governance. People are becoming more accountable for the stewardship of the infrastructure, so if they are sloppy with their computer systems and the bad guys launch attacks using those computer systems, we are holding companies and executives accountable for the harm people do using their equipment. l There’s new interest in reliability engineering, which is a good trend, because a lot of infrastructure is so flaky.
l There’s a trend towards an AI winter - having hit the peak of the hype cycle, we’re now going to head for the trough of disillusionment. l And we are noticing another trend towards people starting to want to share video information peer to peer. For instance, 2 adjacent businesses will keep an eye on each other and might opt in to share that information with law enforcement. Our Project Greenlight in Detroit is an example. Chicago Police offered to monitor cameras installed by businesses that were open at night using our Stratocast technology. In return, the business can display a green light that tells its customers the business is part of the Greenlight initiative. One business refused to buy the camera system required to take part in Project Greenlight and the businesses around crowd-sourced funds to buy the system. Citizens and business want police keeping an eye on them and with good reason – within 6 months violent crime rates had gone down by 48 per cent.
Q: End users definitely have an appetite of operational outcomes using AI, don’t they? A: When users are looking for quick-fix solutions, shortcuts, they can wind up in a situation where they have given themselves a false sense of security and created an unwarranted invasion of privacy. Beware of systems that work best when you need them the least. Facial recognition systems work really well for tracking people going about daily business because they are not using counter measures to avoid being identified, but the
people you do want to track may be using them. Q: What impact would you say the COVID-19 epidemic has had on the Genetec business? How are your customers reacting, what are they asking of you, what do they most need? A: We were able to engage our business continuity plan and we hit 95 per cent operational capability in less than 12 hours – the last 5 per cent was related to shipping and supply chain issues, which we have addressed. We activated contingency plans seamlessly from the perspective of our customers. We have also responded to specific feature requests from customers that we fast tracked for our public safety and healthcare customers and we made them available free of charge. The most notable is the Contagion and Contaminant Proximity Report we recently announced and is being used, for example, at an alternative hospital built at McCormick Place in Chicago. We also repurposed an internal application we use in our employee cafeteria to scan/ swipe to pay for meals and snacks into an honour system dispensary for personal protection equipment for healthcare customers. We now have a customer in Canada using this to manage and track access to precious personal protective equipment. Q: The market has been a little bit behind Genetec’s solutions – do you think the COVID crisis has woken enterprise operations to the importance of integration and the potential for centralised or remote management? A: Centralised management is only half of the equation – the other is construction of a hierarchical network of service providers – both internal and external providers – where the root provider will delegate some of its authority to different layers in that network. For that you need an architecture that supports both centralised and decentralised authority. As an example, our product ClearID allows the central security team to delegate access authorisation decisions to the owners of the space – the person accountable for the operation of the server room is in a better position than the central security team to make decisions about who is allowed in that server room and under what circumstances.
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PIERRE R ACZ WITH JOHN ADAMS
THERE’S A TREND TOWARDS AN AI WINTER – HAVING HIT THE PEAK OF THE HYPE CYCLE, WE’RE NOW GOING TO HEAD FOR THE TROUGH OF DISILLUSIONMENT.
Another example is that we have large federations of systems – Chicago has many separate organisations that have federated together with 2 centralised federations – one being the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and the other one being the Chicago Police Department. In these situations, the authentication of people who access the system should be managed by the organisation which employs the person and is trusted by the rest of the federation to confirm their identity. Meanwhile, the authorisation should be done by the people that control/ own the resources and are accountable for the governance of the privacy of information of those resources. There can also be multiple organisations between the 2 organisations at the end, so that the decision chain can modulate how authority is delegated. The answer to your question is that centralisation alone is not going to get you there. You need the
centralised ability to delegate distributed authority. Q: Face recognition – it’s increasingly popular – even police investigators are keen to get hold of facial IDs from public CCTV solutions. Is there a way we can do face recognition in a secure way that is not intrusive of privacy, or is it inevitable with such a technology that there’s a clash between information and privacy? A: Face recognition is the best example of a technology that works the best when you need it the least. There are really simple counter measures – a battery power headband with IR LED lights, for instance, which creates flare so the person’s face is invisible to CCTV cameras. I think police are curious about face recognition technology and they see it as a shortcut when undertaking investigations in the face of evershrinking budgets, but when they are held
accountable for bureaucratic overreach, then the law enforcement community will change its mind. A better use of face recognition technology is when the subject wants to be recognised – for example, second factor authentication. If you use it as your only factor there are ways to breach face recognition using 3D printing among other techniques. Q: Blockchain – for many people it’s a nebulous technology. How could blockchain help security people enhance the cyber security of their applications? A: What makes blockchain nebulous is that people are confusing crypto currency use of blockchain, which seeks anonymity, with regular use of blockchain as a distributed reference system. Blockchain allows the identification of 2 files with the same content, as they have the same
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● Regulars
The Interview
I DON’T THINK NETWORKS ARE MORE SECURE THAN THEY WERE 20 YEARS AGO, THERE ARE JUST DIFFERENT WAYS OF BREAKING INTO THEM. cryptographic name. This lets us have a completely distributed record system with increased resilience that cannot be tampered with. A security system blockchain would be highly authenticated and encrypted, so you have a much stronger sense of the confidentiality and integrity of content. In such blockchains you can store multi-media, system logs, configuration information, decisions and events. If you look at the Genetec Clearance investigation management system, it’s actually a blockchain used to securely share digital evidence while ensuring the proper chain of customer protocols is respected. Q: Where are we at with compression technologies? H.265 still has some evolving to do – is there anything new on the horizon, or will we continue as we are? A: I would disagree that H.265 hasn’t evolved – H.265 is a snapshot of the state of our technology in time. When thinking about compressions, let’s make the distinction between lossy and lossless compression. Some files, like Zip, are lossless and cannot be further compressed when redundant information is removed without throwing away information. But we can throw away information that human perception will not notice. For instance, our colour perception is less acute than our greyscale perception. So, we can reduce some colour information when we compress files. Another thing we can trade away is the size of data against the size of computing effort. This is what H.265 has done – it has achieved higher levels of compression, but it costs more computer time to compress and decompress it. As computer chips get faster, we will be able to have another level of compression that trades off compute time for compression ratios. Of course, compute time has a price in power/battery consumption. Another trade-off we are able to make is the cost of compression vs the cost of decompression. Again, you might have
a standard that costs more to compress, and if that’s done in a central server that is powered by mains, no problem, but if it’s decompressed by a battery appliance – well, that’s what will drive the evolution of compression in the future. Q: From the point of view of Genetec – what impact might 5G have on solutions – for instance, a federated solution with multiple end users bringing systems together? A: What 5G is going to bring is millisecond latency vs hundreds of millisecond of latency in wireless networks. There will be an increase in bandwidth and throughput which will change the nature of applications we use, but the thing that is going to be most noticeable will be lower latency. This is not going to affect the applications we use today, as Genetec solutions can live with existing network latencies. But what we are going to see with 5G is that once we have lowered latencies, we will be able to use wireless technologies for new applications – this will give customers new and interesting options. Q: From a Genetec point of view – and you’ve been doing networked solutions for a long time – does the team notice networks are more stable, more secure, more capable? Do you feel we are getting there in terms of the underlying infrastructure, the ability to roll out the best networked and cloud solutions? A: Let’s start with reliability. Networks have become more idiosyncratic. Before, we had networks that had predictable behaviour as we were talking to an Ethernet. Now, not only are we talking to weird wireless networks but to virtualised software networks that have absolutely flabbergasting behaviour. So, in that sense, we need to be able to work in an environment which has bizarre behaviour and do so in such a way the end user doesn’t notice the weird things the network is doing. If we’re talking about security, I don’t think networks are more secure than they have ever been. What comes to mind is that the mega-cloud providers like Microsoft give their customers better network security than is found in a lot of enterprise environments. It’s also true that the most-used way to break into a system is social engineering – phishing. Also, many people send unencrypted email almost like a postcard in the physical mail
and don’t realise email is readable by everyone. In the case of a postcard, few people have the opportunity or means to read it, whereas with email, any actor, state or private, with the means and motivation can read it. Going further, IoT devices have firmware with vulnerabilities and they are easily hackable by script kiddies. Once a hacker takes control of an IOT device inside your firewall they have an ideal platform to attack your network. Another example of vulnerabilities is hackable CCTV cameras that facilitate access to data networks. And there used to be a thing called war driving, where hackers would go around in cars looking for unsecure Wi-Fi networks. Now there’s an updated version called war mailing – the attacker couriers a disposable cell phone with a pre-paid SIM card to a target organisation and while it’s sitting in the mail room, or on a recipient’s desk, the attacker establishes communication with the cell phone and starts hacking the target’s Wi-Fi and all this can be done on the other side of the planet. So, I don’t think networks are more secure than they were 20 years ago, there are just different ways of breaking into them. Q: For many integrators and end users it can be hard to understand the many ways in which a system can be open – there are so many vectors of vulnerability. Yet it’s vitally important they get across cyber security and apply solutions from end-to-end of a particular system. A: There are 2 things here – the first is a system characteristic of failing secure. We will fail secure at the risk of incurring a support call when an end user upgrades their system in the future. But there are other software solutions that fail open when there’s an upgrade. Another part of the problem is that the executives are not being held accountable for their underfunding and misunderstanding of the importance of cyber security. As an example, if executives fail to properly manage company tax there is personal liability, but there’s no personal liability if executives mismanage cyber security and others suffer from their sloppy behaviour. Executives should be held accountable.
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PIERRE R ACZ WITH JOHN ADAMS
positives, too. COVID-19 may change the underlying principles of the way we do business - we might have to rethink our organising principles. We are at a deciding moment. COVID-19 might be the unwanted and unwelcome gift from the universe that propels us to choose generosity as the organising principle for the next 75 years rather than the gold standard that has governed the last 75 years. Alternatively, we might choose selfishness as the organising principle and that would be bad. If we choose generosity as the organising principle, you and I might be too old to enjoy it, but our children will be grateful. I hope COVID-19 propels us forward – maybe the silver lining to this cloud might be that people actually do become more generous and walk back their scepticism towards science. I hope it becomes important to everyone that there are some things that are closer to the truth than others, and these are the things we should focus on.
Q: What are the greatest threats facing the VMS market at the moment? A: The biggest risk is that these systems are becoming mission critical but were never engineered as if they would be. When customers put these systems in 10 years ago, they did not project that CCTV, access control and automation solutions would become mission critical - that they would become their eyes. Now many realise they did no reliability engineering around the system and yet they are operationally dependent on it – unless resolved, that poses a major threat. Another threat is system failure, which can occur for 2 reasons. One reason is random events, including operator errors, etc. The other reason is intentional malicious manipulation by third parties for fun or profit, so we should be very wary that what we put into a network, in terms of software and hardware. It needs
to be from a trustworthy source – you want end-to-end encryption even of third- party cloud-based solutions. People don’t take that seriously – there are the means to listen to every unencrypted phone or videophone conversation and to read every email – people should not underestimate this threat. Q: The world economy is going to take a hit from COVID-19 – notwithstanding that security is operationally vital, which makes the business somewhat recession-proof. Do you think a COVID-19 slowdown is something we will face and what sort of impact do you think will it have? A: I think a slowdown is a very real possibility, though it depends how we luck out. The sooner we can find a vaccine, the sooner we will be able to contain the damage. There may be
Q: What pieces of functionality do you think will define the future – what will the operational focus of VMS be, what will users be hungry for? A: It’s stuff we’re all working on now – the ability to securely share video and multimedia between various parties – if I give my camera feeds to law enforcement no one else can see them, for example. In the past we had no control over such abuses but in the future, we will have fine control over how this technology is going to be used. In general, we are trying to implement Asimov’s Laws of Robotics: That a robot will not do harm or let harm come to a human; that a robot will obey all orders given by a human unless they contradict the first law; that a robot will protect its existence unless its actions contradict the first 2 laws. Now think of a body camera – it is the robot of the law enforcement person carrying it, it’s not the robot of the district attorney, or the robot of other people. It’s there solely to serve the person that wears it. This is what we will see in terms of recording multimedia for safety and security purposes. This robot belongs to the wearer and internet giants must not be able to find out what the wearer is doing by tapping into personal data. This concept is something we are working towards, believe me. n
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● Case Study
Gallagher
KINGS CROSS ESTATE Kings Cross Estate has installed Gallagher Command Centre and Milestone VMS to secure a 67-acre site comprising homes, shops, offices, galleries, bars, restaurants, schools, and a university. ing’s Cross Estate has been transformed from an industrial wasteland into a vibrant new part of London with a mixture of old and new structures, each with its security requirements. Securing the site is Gallagher Command Centre, 178 T-Series readers, Milestone VMS with a Gallagher integration and an Otis Compass lift integration. The public areas and many of the buildings in the estate are managed and maintained by the King’s Cross Estate Services team. They are tasked with keeping the site well-maintained, well-lit and secure at all hours of the day and night, making it a place all people want to visit and enjoy. To help make King’s Cross the best managed estate in the UK, the team needed a security solution that could evolve alongside them as the estate grows. “Some of the buildings here have played a significant part in the area’s history, so extra care needs to be taken when installing a security
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system,” says Nick Killington, King’s Cross Estates security system design specialist. Killington says Gallagher was the specified solution throughout the project. “As we are such a large estate, we required an enterprise solution that offers us the ability to extend as and when required, something we know is a particular strength of the Gallagher system,” he says. “The Gallagher solution is particularly useful in a retro-fit situation like this, where running cables and network points in such buildings isn’t allowed. “For example, we eventually want to replace some of the door handles with a wireless locking system, which we know can also be linked to the Gallagher system. The Gallagher solution provides flexibility to integrate a number of other systems, such as video, visitor management and elevators, as well as being able to add functionality like mobile access when they require it. The Gallagher solution has allowed us to future proof our security, ensuring it will evolve with our needs as and when required.” Gallagher technology will continue to feature across the new phases of the King’s Cross development, providing integrated, scalable security solutions to help create a welcoming, secure place for people to work, live and do business in this new part of London.n
FACT FILE KING’S CROSS ESTATE: l Gallagher Command Centre l Gallagher T Series Readers l Milestone XProtect VMS l 67 acres l 50 new buildings l 1900 new homes l 20 new streets l 10 new public parks and squares l 26 acres of open space.
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29/4/20 1:04 pm
● Special report
PMT
PHILLIPPA’S BAKERY PMT Security has installed a thermal body temperature management solution for Phillipa’s Bakery, which needed to ensure the safety of its staff and customers while continuing to operate in its role as an essential service. HILE many BTM camera applications undertaken since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic have been installed at healthcare facilities and larger organisations, the technology is also being deployed by smaller operations which need to provide essential services while protecting customers and staff. With 4 dedicated outlets plus products sold in specialty stores and major grocers across Australia, Phillippa’s Bakery is a long standing and well-respected brand, specialising in the baking of quality foods Australians have loved for many years. Being a food manufacturer and classified as an essential service, downtime throughout this crisis would be disastrous not only for the business, but for also Phillippa’s customers. “Our customers choose to purchase from Phillippa’s as they have a genuine appreciation of the care and passion that goes into every product we make,” says Andrew O’Hara general manager of Phillippa’s Bakery. “All our products are made by using traditional, timehonoured recipes and techniques, with the best ingredients available. “Throughout the COVID-19 crisis the safety and wellbeing of our staff and customers has always been at the forefront of everything we do. As part of this focus, we’ve introduced new safety and isolation procedures within our stores, and we were also keen on exploring all technological avenues in order to minimise any potential risk to our people and business.” According to Darren Taylor, managing director of integrator PMT Security the team had an immediate sense of what Phillippa’s Bakery management was trying to achieve when told about the company’s dilemma. “We understood what was needed and determined that when it came to thermal cameras for this body temperature management application the UNV solution was the only real option seeing that it offered the widest field of view of any thermal camera we know of,” Taylor explains. “The environment was another factor. Being a commercial bakery BTM accuracy with fluctuating room temperatures was critical and under test, the
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The safety and well-being of our staff and customers genuinely is at the core of what we do.
UNV model’s accuracy was least affected.” According to Taylor, the product’s simplicity also impressed the PMT team. “The 1-to-1 setup ensures there is no room for human error,” Taylor says. “Importantly, the system can be operated by an unqualified person once the initial setup has been completed by a professional, and there are no centralised cables, and no network requirements. Anyone can move the camera kit to another entrance and the business is back on its feet in no time, with the other entrance locked down for decontamination.” Another factor was the compact nature of the sites into which the solution was to be installed. Space was tight and the compact design of the UNV product made it particularly suitable for restricted environments. Prior to recommending the UNV product to their customer, Taylor and the PMT team spoke with supplier, Seadan Security. According to Adam Walsh, store manager - Seadan Port Melbourne, getting to heart of the matter was an easy process. “We’ve always been a big advocate for the UNV solution as we see the product as being the entire package,” Walsh says. “Essentially the solution is made up of 3 parts. First is the thermal camera, which accurately detects body temperature of a person from 2.5–3.5 metres away. Second is a thermal blackbody (a non-reflecting object in camera’s field of view), which acts as a temperature reference point for the camera. Third is the computer/software which processes the thermal imagery and provides alerts when detecting a person’s body temperature outside the normal range. Having tested the UNV BTM product thoroughly, we agreed it was the best product we’d found for this application.” Having used the UNV solution for some time, O’Hara says the Phillippa’s Bakery team is delighted with the results. “We’re extremely pleased and grateful with the entire outcome,” he says. “This now gives us the peace of mind that we needed while trading through this crisis. The safety and well-being of our staff and customers genuinely is at the core of what we do. It’s a claim often made, especially now, but, thanks to PMT Security and Seadan, I have all the confidence we can back that claim with certainty.” n
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● Special report
VMS
VIDEO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Video management solutions find themselves front and centre in many electronic security applications where they empower security teams, facilitate partnerships with law enforcement, manage transport systems, protect assets, deliver situational awareness and inform investigations of all shapes and sizes.
hether you’re an end user or an integrator, VMS choice is a delicate matter, with functionality balanced against operational simplicity, cost, supplier integrity, raw power and plenty more. In this feature we discuss desirable functionality, cybersecurity, the requirements of security integrators, the fundamentals of VMS display and the impact of COVID-19 on system management. Something that’s vital when thinking about video management solutions is deciding what the core functionality needs to be – and thanks to the technology’s rapid evolution, deciding which additional functionalities best support your customer’s operational demands. According to Todd Dunning, Pelco’s director of product management, the ability to take video data, analyze it, manage it, and provide real-time insights for operators is at the core of a VMS’ potential. “When the relevant video is properly incorporated into a VMS, the platform can reinforce the goal of ensuring the safety and security of people and
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BY J O H N A D A M S
scalability are also essential in a VMS platform, as organizations add new locations and video data points.” Does Dunning agree the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting shutdown across much of the world has underscored the importance of centralised management of security solutions? “While there’s still a lot up in the air around the effect that coronavirus and its spread is having on businesses, I would agree there is a significant need for security leaders to be able to centrally manage operations in an effort to protect not only physical assets but people, as well,” he says. “A VMS platform allows security leaders to manage incidents and response, leveraging tools like live maps, 2-way communication, video data analysis, as well as collect the relevant information needed to appropriately handle a situation. Being able to control these tasks remotely in a centralized platform can significantly benefit a business that is
assets, as well as helping organizations run more efficiently,” Dunning explains. While a typical VMS aggregates, stores, displays camera inputs, what additional features are most desirable – LPR, VMD and event search, integration of events and video, these and many more? “Aside from the ability of a VMS to bring a large amount of video data together into an easily viewed and managed platform, end users also want the VMS they choose to be able to analyze incoming video data using more advanced features,” Dunning explains. “This includes license plate recognition (LPR) capabilities, point-of-sale (POS) search functionality, perimeter detection, incident management, and information processing, as well as leveraging access control data and video together to improve operator response. “In addition to analytics, integration with other security or surveillance system components is critical in today’s security environment, as organizations require the ability to incorporate existing infrastructure into a VMS to reduce capital expenditures and increase ROI. Ease of use and
working with limited staff and resources, as many businesses are right now.” Remote management using smart devices – phones, tablets – and authorised laptops or workstations – how important is this capability in the current environment? “The ability for teams to work remotely has arguably been important for a number of years for geographically dispersed businesses with remote sites that require oversight,” Dunning says. “The flexibility offered by smart devices can greatly enhance the ability of security leaders to respond to an incident effectively, but this has to be managed from a network security perspective. “Ensuring systems and communications are secured using protocols designed to protect the information being shared is paramount. This includes password management, social attack awareness and training, and ongoing security updates to ensure patches are administered as new vulnerabilities are identified. The ease of use that smart devices offer should be weighed alongside the protection of data for remote workers.” Maps and graphical interfaces – how important are these intuitive displays to simplifying video management in real time? “At the heart of the design of modern VMS platforms, graphical interfaces can help improve usability for organizations of all sizes and simplify video management,” Dunning says. “Maps specifically, including geographic or site maps, can help operators pinpoint areas of interest, providing more situational awareness that helps aid better response. “Of course, there are factors that must be considered, such as the size of the organization and how geographically dispersed it is, but modern VMS platforms can help display this information in a way that remains beneficial for operators and security leaders to utilize the data for more informed decision-making.” According to Dunning, it’s vital that VMS offers integration with access control and/or third-party sub systems. “The ability of a VMS to integrate with access
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● Special report
VMS
control and other third-party systems is integral in today’s security landscape,” he explains. “An organization must be able to include any number of sensors in a common operational picture to give operators the best possible information to engage in a response. “These sensors can include perimeter intrusion detection, LPR software, building management tools, and intercom systems (to name a few) that bring significant value to security leaders and operators. Without the ability to integrate with these sensors and solutions, a VMS cannot accurately provide valuable insight into overall security operations.” Tony Luce of Network Optix says a well-designed video management solution is easy to install, quick to set up, and should be instantly usable - regardless of the size of the system or the experience of the operator. “It should also enable fast, informative integrations between key systems to enhance the operator’s situational awareness - their ability to understand the world around them and the events which are taking place which require their action or attention,” Luce says. “What other features are most desirable depends on the customer. Some customers want LPR more than anything else. Others want face recognition. We’d say the most important feature of any modern VMS is its level of extensibility. Nearly every end user has multiple systems they use to manage and mitigate risks - fire, alarm, access control, parking control, HVAC, production monitoring, and more. Being able to rapidly integrate new technologies and customize a system to meet each customer’s unique needs is paramount when evaluating a VMS for use in creating a high performing solution. “That being said, deep learning-driven video analytics are the hot new thing and are revolutionizing the IP video and surveillance industry. The ability for neural networks to identify people, objects, cars, and even behaviours, means video is no longer just video. It becomes a database which can be mined for real-world, high impact trends. Nx is deeply focused on this aspect of IP video because it is forcing VMS
SOME CUSTOMERS WANT LPR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. OTHERS WANT FACE RECOGNITION. WE’D SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE OF ANY MODERN VMS IS ITS LEVEL OF EXTENSIBILITY.
manufacturers to consider not only the stockstandard security surveillance approach to IP video, but to consider how IP video cameras can be used to serve multiple roles to solve customer problems in nearly every vertical market and industry.” Luce agrees COVID-19 has underscored the importance of centralised management of security solutions. “The COVID-19 epidemic underscores the importance of being able to connect to, view, and manage your systems from anywhere, anytime, something that Nx Witness allows for Free with Nx Cloud.” Luce says. “When it comes to managing a system remotely, if a system is set up for secured WAN access then it’s only as strong as the secured network it resides on,” Luce says. “We recommend using our ‘Use Only Secured Connections’ setting to force HTTPS connections between all components in the system - desktop, server, mobile, web, cloud. “Nx is secured with SSL (also supports custom SSL certificates) and encrypts communication between system devices. One extra step to take would be to activate encrypted video in the system, effectively encrypting all video that flows between the Nx Witness Server and clients. “As with all things – the way the VMS delivers information depends on the use case,” Luce explains. “If the physical location on a map is important for operators, Nx Witness allows them to add maps as background for layers and with soft triggers, so operators can create multi-level mapping and navigate through layouts. In terms of graphical user interfaces, usability is critical to usefulness of a software or a system. A VMS’s UX should be instantly usable and invigorating to use. If no one wants to use it, no one will.” VMS integration with access control and/or thirdparty sub systems is also vital where required, according to Luce. “Extensibility, as we pointed out in our answer to the first question, is the most important part of a VMS,” he says. “That being said, native integrations can turn a VMS into complex bloat-ware. Some of our competitors have installation packages that are gigabytes in size and require an enormous amount of prerequisite software because they support integrations natively. “So, we believe in fast, simple integrations that have a consistent UX for the user. HTTP generic events and action allow nearly instant integrations. And heavier integrations like plugins are not included in the original installation file but can be easily installed in minutes if needed. According to Andrew Cho of EOS Australia, it’s essential a VMS provides the necessary enterprise features without complexity. “The phrase ‘ease of use’ is thrown around but has to be experienced by the end users, not the salesperson,” Cho explains. “A VMS also needs to provide a centralized solution and be cost-effective.
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ON ACCESS SHOW VIDEO ON WAVE
LOCK/ UNLOCK DOORS ON INCEPTION BY WAVE
VIDEO ANALYTICS CAUSE ALARMS ON INCEPTION
AREA ARMS ON INCEPTION STARTS RECORDING ON WAVE
EMERGENCY ICON ON WAVE CAUSE ALARMS ON INCEPTION
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Too many VMS solutions offer poor bandwidth management, which adds costs to hardware are extremely complex when it comes to training, and mean users end up paying for features they may not need or use. Finally, technical support should be the first-class service all the way, and it should not be a cost to the end-user.” According to Cho, many VMS functionalities deliver added value to traditional CCTV systems but in the conventional sense, the industry has been reactive, not pro-active. “The most important aspect of video analytics, whether it be LPR, VCA, or facial recognition, is that it will help the operators to be more proactive,” he explains. “VCA is now providing VMS like Digifort more metadata than ever before. As they are based on AI, such analytics can extract much more information from the video source. “As an example, with LPR, no longer we are given just the number plate numbers, we are given vehicles make, model, colour, speed, country and owner details if profiles are the in the system. Meanwhile, with face recognition we get age, gender, profile information and even sentiment/mood. Generic metadata search allows operators to create a search around any object property within the metadata – this grows our data-base structure. According to Cho, the importance of centralized management was apparent long ago and was the key driving force in Digifort Version 7.3. “At the heart of centralised management is collaboration with technology partners built on trust, product performance and a common market,” he explains. “Digifort is very strong with partnerships and integration because it is independent of hardware and is an open platform creating native drivers and delivering integration with other hardware and analytical engines, not just relying on Onvif - though having said that, we are Onvif-compliant, even with the latest profile T.” In the current environment, Cho says providing management using mobile technologies is important to end users and is a focus for Digifort. “Digifort has developed 3 mobile apps,” he says. “Digifort Mobile Client offers live view, digital zoom, PTZ control, playback with thumbnail, virtual matrix, global event activation and the ability to export image streams to Whatsapp via a playback link. “Digifort Mobile Camera Pro offers the ability to stream live video transcoded in H.264, as well as bi-directional audio and GPS location. And Digifort Mobile LPR is designed to be used by law enforcement officers in the field.” When it comes to displaying situational awareness on a monitor or video wall, Cho argues plotting on a map with GPS location and vital information (customizable not fixed information) with audio alerts is a strong solution. “For more efficient situational awareness, maps
IN TERMS OF SETUP, THERE IS NO OTHER VMS OUT THERE AS EASY TO INSTALL AND CONFIGURE AS NX WITNESS.
play a vital role and are an area of focus for Digifort,” he explains. “Our synoptic map includes camera live view, cameras icons with a field of view, status dashboard, PTZ presets, activate I/O, activate audio messages and links to other maps. There’s also an operational map – which provides integration with Google Maps, offers navigational maps and provides an overview with geo-positioning of all the cameras in the system that can be accessed via icons. “There are also event maps that show position of the event on the map, in real time, creating a powerful visualization and navigation interface that offers a detailed view of the locations where events are taking place and allowing the operator to access cameras close to an event, speeding up response. If the surveillance client is connected to multiple servers, the operational map will concentrate and display objects from all servers automatically. Meanwhile, numberplate trace integrates number plate metadata with Google Maps that display the trajectory of vehicles through the number plateenabled cameras. According to Milestone Systems’ Brett Hansen, a capable VMS is required to be open to allow for scalability. This applies to deep integration with cameras and other IOT devices, so that organisations can make key decisions while being situationally aware. This openness is the most important quality a VMS can have, he explains. “An open, scalable solution allows for features such as LPR, VMD and event search, as well as more bespoke solutions that in many cases are beyond the basic function of security – it depends on what’s required by the user,” Hansen says. “Advanced requirements such as pedestrian foot traffic-mapping in health and safety, logistics and retail applications, are becoming more and more prevalent. “COVID-19 has certainly forced the requirement of VMS solutions to be easily deployable and adaptable to the changing needs of an organisation in the very uncertain current environment,” Hansen explains. “This includes key integrations with thermal camera providers and analytic partners for
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governments and organisations, empowering them to enforce laws and be situationally aware in a timecritical manner. Operators and end users need key and effective functionality from a single platform. “Intuitive and graphical displays are more relevant than ever, given the remote environment we find ourselves working in. This aligns with the greater challenge of situational awareness while not being present on site. A VMS like Milestone XProtect offers this, as well as providing greater user control and functionality, with inbuilt access control and building management solutions. How would Hansen display situational awareness on a monitor or video wall? “A smart wall solution is the most effective in a video wall control room environment, coupled with a smaller monitor set in a home office to grant the situational awareness the business deserves,” Hansen says. “Rather than an operator mindlessly monitoring dead video; intrusion, video, access and intercom events can all be displayed front and centre, then actioned and assigned - all at the priority level they deserve.” Meanwhile, Genetec’s Lee Shelford argues that as well as the ability to record and display IP CCTV video streams efficiently using end-to-end multicast capability, and securely with video encryption on the wire by default, a well-designed video management solution should also be easy and intuitive for CCTV operators to use. “It needs to include innovative tools to allow operators to easily follow suspects and get eyes on-scene quickly in fast-moving situations, where saving seconds may mean the difference between life and death,” he explains. “And forensic tools are required to allow investigators to quickly search masses of video in minutes, saving hours of valuable resource.” What additional features are most desirable – LPR, VMD and event search, integration of events and video, something else? “Having a unified platform rather than just a VMS allows for an abundance of complementary data
COVID-19 HAS CERTAINLY FORCED THE REQUIREMENT OF VMS SOLUTIONS TO BE EASILY DEPLOYABLE AND ADAPTABLE TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF AN ORGANISATION IN THE VERY UNCERTAIN CURRENT ENVIRONMENT.
to be blended in a single pane of glass alongside the video,” Shelford explains. “Having the video presented in a graphical map with LPR data, access control events, SIP intercom calls and more, gives a much deeper awareness of the situation than just video alone. Combine that with step by step standard operating procedures to guide the operator through a tense situation efficiently, and you have optimised the entire workflow and operation. “Having a federation securely connecting your security network is more important than ever,” Shelford says, referencing the current COVID-19 epidemic. “Not only does it allow central access to CCTV video and events from remote sites, which may now be unmanned, but having the capability to export evidence, share and collaborate on it in the cloud means investigators can view and act on evidence digitally without the need for removable media and indirect physical contact. This enables convictions and security to be maintained even while movements are restricted as security guards or the police do not need to go to site to review or export evidence.” Remote management using smart devices is important in the current environment and Shelford says it’s something Genetec has been working on for a long time. “Mobile devices have always been a powerful and flexible tool while on the go,” Shelford says. “This is why it has been a huge investment area for Genetec - we have brought maps, LPR, access control and messaging into the app to further enhance the video capability. Having the mobile device’s GPS coordinates sent back centrally and available in the map at HQ or on the other mobile users maps also gives location visibility, as well supporting streaming of mobile device cameras centrally and between users. “Having end-to-end multicast capability maximises on-network optimisation as you are taking the most direct route from the camera to client. It also means that you’re still streaming in the event of server hardware or power failure. Having the capability of accessing multiple stream profiles and understanding where the client request is on the network is also powerful. Intuitive displays, including maps, are important when it comes to simplifying video management in real time, according to Shelford. “Having an intuitive mapping capability is one of the most overlooked aspects of a customer’s operation,” he explains. “Having an operator laserfocused on a single pane of glass rather than suffering wheelie chair syndrome moving between multiple disparate systems or several monitors is key. In a fast-paced incident, the operator should have everything they need available in the map, with the system only presenting controls or events required to keep situational awareness as uncluttered as possible.” According to Shelford, the VMS should also offer
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seamless integration with access control and/or third-party sub systems. “In a world where IoT and CCTV control rooms are increasingly being expected to take more and more data from a multitude of systems including access control and building automation, having a seamless unification into these systems is key in simplifying the design and implementation,” he explains. “If the single platform already supports video, access control, LPR, audio and analytics there are no version control issues with custom integrations. When that platform also supports industry standards like OPC, Modbus, BACnet, etc., then other 3rd party data points and systems can easily be connected without complex or costly custom work. “With the use of powerful and intuitive mapping engines, as well as visual and dynamic dashboards, we believe a modern control room is a visual control room. From a quick glimpse of the monitor wall personnel should be able to see how well their system is performing and how well their day is going.” Something else that’s important, according to Shelford, is cyber security. “Cyber security is a topic and responsibility that should never end for manufacturers, the malicious actors are more organised than ever and now make more money than the global drug cartels,” says Shelford. “As this cyber organised crime gets more innovative, so do camera and VMS manufacturers. Most attacks are lateral, meaning from within the network, so the excuse of ‘my system isn’t connected to the internet’ or ‘we are air gapped’ is no longer good enough. “Developers should be writing code with security in mind, integrators should be investing the time to properly harden deployments by simply turning off remote desktop functions or disabling USB ports on workstations. Customers should be keeping their system and devices regularly updated to secure newly discovered vulnerabilities.” For Allen Hepburn of Bosch Video Systems, a welldesigned video management system should meet the customer’s requirements first, while offering the capability to be secure, use encrypted data, be scalable and have redundancy. “Forensic search is a another very helpful feature in a VMS,” Hepburn says. “Bosch offers a forensic search in all BVMS editions, which allows the operator to efficiently search through footage, saving time and money. According to Hepburn, the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting shutdown does highlight the importance of central management of integrated solutions. “The current situation will definitely dictate how security solutions are managed in future,” Hepburn says. “Fortunately, most security solutions offer a standard remote feature, which allows the customer remote access, though in many cases with limited functionality. “And the current environment will certainly
George Chobrak, Pelco.
put remote management capability to the test. As technology evolves, it is becoming unavoidable that systems need to support remote management as it allows the user to have control readily available. “Device security is vital with remote management. Customers should only allow secure connections and ensure that a complex password is used. Sufficient bandwidth is also required, as limited bandwidth will affect the connection and speed.” Hepburn argues the best way to display situational awareness on a monitor or video wall is in a simplified or dashboard form that allows the operator a complete overview at a glance. “Maps and graphical interfaces are useful for customers with a geographical footprint and centralised monitoring as they allow for a complete overview of the situation,” Hepburn says. “At the enterprise level, it’s essential to allow third-party integrations, as most customers prefer a single UI, instead of multiple interfaces. “And as more and more devices connect to the internet and cloud services, more surveillance systems are becoming vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This makes it imperative that security integrators design and deploy secure solutions. “Bosch implements software and hardware measures to secure our IP video devices,” says Hepburn. “Our software measures include secured connections supported, password enforcement at setup, unsecure ports disabled, unsecure remote communication disabled, uploading of 3rd party software not possible, firmware updates only possible via Bosch signed firmware files, embedded login firewall to improve robustness against DoS attacks, and a new feature called software sealing, which can detect changes in configuration after the seal was applied. “Our hardware measures include the AnoOnboard security chip - TPM (trusted platform module), which is a self-contained system that acts like a cryptographic coprocessor to the camera system. In addition, various guides, how to videos and online training courses are offered to security integrators.” Meanwhile, Mark Shannon of BGWT argues
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that most important operational capability a welldesigned video management solution offers end users is unification. “Most end users use the video management system (VMS) as the ‘eyes’ into their security system,” Shannon explains. “They have multiple systems coming back to a central control/monitoring room, but the VMS provides that utopia of a single platform for the operator. The key is to ask the right questions and find out what the end user wants in order to determine the best path and product for their solution. “The most commonly asked for and added options to the VMS’ today, would be LPR and facial recognition. Video motion detection (VMD) and event searches are standard within most major VMS applications – some do it way better than others. Looking at this in a more holistic way, the trend is towards intelligent analytics, and this is where metadata is coming to the forefront. “Being able to send metadata from the device, be it a camera or other sensor, into the VMS platform and use that in conjunction with other metadata to perform a task (action, alarm etc.) is going to be the next wave of change.” Shannon says the COVID-19 outbreak has definitely changed the way VMS is seen, particularly in areas like remote connectivity for management and maintenance. “Central management takes it that step further for the complete solution,” he says. “If we look at IT companies today that are managing the IT infrastructure of organisations, this is standard operating procedure. They were very well positioned to work remotely immediately. They simply took their laptops away from the office, logged in and managed the system remotely – minimal fuss. “I suspect that if there are surveillance systems out there today that have not been set up this way, be prepared for questions to be asked, and to set actions into place. Prior to the COVID-19 epidemic, expediency and efficiency would have been the primary reasons for centralisation. There is a growing demand for this capability in the surveillance and electronic security space,
particularly when you combine this with remote capabilities via smart devices. “Obviously, cyber security is vital to any networked security solution, so always start at the safe minimum-security level and work your way upwards,” Shannon explains. “When we are asked what security measures to put in place, we always establish the security risk profile of the customer to determine the level needed. A strong password policy is critical, and you can even enable dualfactor authentication. “Other important considerations as you work your way up the security protection tree, include a strong encrypted VPN and firewall, thus simplifying protection external to internal connections.” Shannon says. “And don’t forget about protecting the smart device itself! This topic really needs a good sitdown as this is an area that needs proper attention – do not understate the importance of this subject. “While you are at it, consider protecting the camera and its streaming data! Consider cyber protection at all components. Bandwidth utilisation also plays a part here, particularly if viewing video remotely. This is where multiple streams from cameras come in handy, as the 3rd stream of a camera can be set to deliver low frame rate and resolution to minimise bandwidth. Even transcoding can be used to lower resolution and frame rates over these limited bandwidth connections. Again, if you need help, we are here to assist you navigate these areas and get you the right solution.” When it comes to the best way to display situational awareness on a monitor or video wall, Shannon says this is subjective. “What one end user wants to see may be very different to the requirements of another,” he explains. “The key is to ask all the right questions to determine the right layout. What we can say is that there tends to be 3 main workspaces. The first is the Alarm or Event layout - most end users want to see an alarm or an event that is out of the ordinary pop up into this space. This may be on the video wall, a spot monitor or similar and may contain multiple tiles and monitors, depicting the issue/event. “Then there is the general layout where a select range of cameras is being displayed and you can include signage, maps layouts and active content (growing trend). Finally, the third component in the situational awareness workspace is the operator working area. How this is laid out is really a design process and a good VMS is capable of being very flexible to allow customisation of the video walls, monitors and tiles to provide the best customer outcomes. “As human beings, we respond well to visual aids like maps and graphics,” Shannon explains. “We can quickly identify the problem area and decide what needs to be done. Most importantly, visual aids are a much faster way to learn a new system and when we have staff churn, these quicker and easier ways to learn become a critical tool. VMS that offers these functionalities should be highly considered. n
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BODY TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT Thermal body temperature cameras are being enlisted to assist in the battle against the COVID-19 epidemic, with government, commercial and industrial end users eager to implement BTM technology in order to detect elevated body temperatures that may indicate fever.
hile thermal body temperature cameras can’t detect a virus, if installed and used correctly, they can detect elevated body temperatures in public and private spaces in a rapid, non-invasive way, alerting security and healthcare teams to the need to re-test scanned subjects for illness in a way that does not slow foot traffic. There are important elements to consider from the point of view of integrators and end users. Central, is that the most accurate measurement target in humans is the canthus – the inner corner of the eye. This means the most accurate measurements demand a clear view of the canthus, careful targeting, lower screening numbers and implementation of secondary medical procedures should elevated temperatures be detected. Also important is a controlled internal environment. According to Simon Cao of Dahua Technologies, the attraction of BTM during the COVID-19 epidemic is that it represents a fast, hands-free method of checking general health. “Common methods of temperature
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BY J O H N A D A M S
measurement are mercury thermometer, forehead temperature gun, and ear temperature gun,” Cao says. “They all require close contact with the person being measured, which makes the measurement speed slow. During an outbreak of infectious disease, direct contact between people can also cause cross infection. Meanwhile, in public places, the flow of people is large, and a slow detection speed can affect the traffic efficiency.” While BTM cameras obviously can’t provide a medical test, would Cao argue that early detection of elevated body temperature offer security and healthcare teams a useful tool in the fight against COVID-19? “The Dahua solution carries out preliminary and rapid screening, and it’s up to security and healthcare teams to then use medical temperature measuring equipment to re-check subjects with temperatures greater than 37.3 degrees,” Cao says. “BTM cameras are an early detection tool for identifying potential cases that allows security or healthcare teams to put into effect their emergency response plans as quickly as possible. We are receiving interest from
banking, corrections, airports, mining, construction sites and hospitals, all of which are currently investigating BTM as an option to control and slow down the spread of COVID-19. “Certainly, every customer needs an emergency action plan to slow down the spread of infectious disease. We provide the technology to automate high temperature detection to help security teams identify and alert medical experts to take over.” According to Cao, the key Dahua BTM system features include fast, zero-touch temperature detection with up to 15 people in the FoV within a 3-metre distance, at a high accuracy of ±0.3 degrees, automation of alerts, face snapshots when high temperature is detected, playback function and ease of deployment. How challenging is setting up a BTM camera station and what are some of the key considerations when it comes to ambient temperature, range from lens to subjects, etc? “It’s very simple to deploy a BTM solution - it shouldn’t take more than 1 hour to complete the installation,” Cao explains. “The key physical aspect is setting up the equipment with the thermal camera at a height of 2m, the thermal blackbody at a height of 1.8m and a distance between the 2 units of 3m. The purpose of the blackbody is to provide a constant 35-degree temperature reading to the AI software. If all those aspects of setup are completed, then the FoV is always the same and adjustment is only required for the blackbody and detection zone. “Once the setup is complete, maintenance requirements are low, though something to bear in mind is that because this solution is portable and mobile, the blackbody may not be properly aligned after being moved and some adjustment might be required.” According to Cao, a camera display is completely optional, even though it will provide visible pop-up alerts to the operator. “Some customers may only want to trigger the built-in LED light and siren on the camera, which will activate when high temperature is detected,” he explains. “This setup is perfect for an end user with no security team and where the system is being managed by reception staff. If a staff member has an elevated temperature, they can be directed to attend a healthcare facility and self-isolate.” A question certain to occur to users and integrators is whether higher resolution is better when it comes to BTM cameras, or whether the close range makes resolution less of an issue than it would be with an optical camera.
DAHUA’S BTM SOLUTION HAS ADVANTAGES SUCH AS LONGDISTANCE DETECTION, HIGH ACCURACY, NON-CONTACT AND FAST DETECTION SPEED. THIS EFFECTIVELY AVOIDS CROSS-INFECTION CAUSED BY HUMAN CONTACT.
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“Given the purpose of a BTM camera is to detect high temperature within a detection zone 3m from the lens at ±0.3-degree accuracy, the resolution of our camera is more than sufficient,” Cao says. Might BTM cameras be integrated into VMS solutions in the future, with alerts sent to security teams and/or notifications sent to staff alerting them to elevated temperature and encouraging them to seek medical advice, in Cao’s opinion? “The Dahua BTM solution is already integrated with our DSS Express VMS and email notification with Snapshots is possible,” Cao explains. “VMS developers including Milestone and Genetec are already our development partners, so the system can be managed in that way, too.” According to Tom Kinkade of Sektor the interest in elevated body temperature cameras generated by the COVID-19 crisis is justified. “Elevated body temperature (EBT) cameras, technically referred to as a ‘screening thermograph’, were first deployed for coronavirus fever screening during the SARS outbreak back in 2003,” Kinkade says. “They were also successfully utilised during the second coronavirus outbreak of the 21st century, MERS, in 2012. Technology has developed significantly over recent years and we expect EBT cameras to be a powerful tool in the mass screening of individuals for fever during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020. Kinkade argues early detection of elevated body temperature offers security and healthcare teams a useful tool in the fight against COVID-19. “Yes, EBT can provide a powerful early detection tool, if implemented correctly,” he says. “The International Organization for Standardization released ISO 13154 to detail how screening thermograph technology can be used effectively. It summarised the key learnings from the SARS and MERS pandemics. “One of the key requirements is that the camera must measure the temperature of the region medially adjacent to the inner canthus of the eye the inner corner of the eye near the tear duct. This region is directly over the internal carotid artery. “Further, EBT cameras can only measure the temperature of the surface of the skin and the canthus is the only area of the body that provides stable measurements. The face, chest or limbs do not provide a good indication of body temperature. “So, there are many considerations in order to get reliable data and readers can visit www.imcontrol.
EBT CAMERAS CAN ONLY MEASURE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SURFACE OF THE SKIN AND THE CANTHUS IS THE ONLY AREA OF THE BODY THAT PROVIDES STABLE MEASUREMENTS.
com.au/white-papers/best-practices-for-ebt/ for a summary. One of the key requirements is that the face and eyes of the individual are not covered by glasses, etc.” The key BTM camera features supporting this functionality, according to Kinkade, include temperature accuracy and pixel resolution. “When it comes to pixel resolution, the ISO standard calls for a pixel resolution of no less than 320 x 240 pixels,” he explains. “With this resolution, the face of the individual must cover at least 75 per cent of the width of the image. This means that at the level of the face, the camera must have a pixel size of no greater than 1mm x 1mm. Ideally a camera with 640 x 480 or greater pixel resolution will be used. “Measurement accuracy and repeatability – the absolute measurement accuracy and the measurement repeatability, should be within no more than a ±0.3 degrees C tolerance. There are very specific requirements for the camera and supporting hardware outlined in standard IEC 80601-2-59:2017. The system should be able to provide an alarm indication, reducing the requirement for the display. Also important is an area where the flow of individuals can be confined to a single stream, so that the EBT camera can get a close image of each individual’s face.” How vital is it that procedures be implemented that allow medical teams to take over in the event a staff member is found to have an elevated temperature? “This is critical,” Kinkade says. “The EBT camera is only providing a preliminary detection, which needs to be verified by appropriately trained personnel. If the organisation has purchased equipment that is fit for purpose and appropriately calibrated, the task of using the EBT camera should be straightforward, however, appropriate training should be provided
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FSS1
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BTM
at the time of system commissioning. “Primarily the users need to be proficient in recognising proper alignment and positioning of a person within the image and able to recognize common system problems or faults. It is important to also understand the processes and protocols for dealing with a positive elevated body temperature detection. “Users interested in this technology include food processing and handling where there is a causal workforce and high business risk in the event of a positive detection,” says Kinkade. “Other interested organisations include prisons, which are high risk due to high density living quarters, mine sites which combine high value assets and large workforces, and aged care facilities thanks to the particularly high risks to the elderly from COVID-19.” According to Kinkade, EBT cameras are ideal for integration into existing VMS solutions. “It is highly likely that EBT detection cameras will be built into and integrated with staff signon systems, similar to the way alcohol and drug breathalysers are integrated into high security applications,” he explains. “Institutions such as aged care facilities, where there is the perpetual threat of influenza infections, are another candidate for this type of technology. “Finally, this is obviously a hot topic at the moment, and there are a lot of manufacturers and sales brochures making claims that are irresponsible, in my opinion,” Kinkade says. “Screening for EBT is not a new field of expertise. There are international standards for methods
INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS AGED CARE FACILITIES, WHERE THERE IS THE PERPETUAL THREAT OF INFLUENZA INFECTIONS, ARE ANOTHER LIKELY CANDIDATE FOR THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY. and hardware. All prospective customers should be directed to finding a product/service that meets ISO 13154 and IEC 80601-2-59:2017.” According to Andrew Cho of EOS Australia, which distributes the Sunell BTM solution, current interest in such solutions is justified in some applications. “Properly installed and managed, BTM solutions allow contactless measurement at a safe distance without the need to stop traffic flow,” he explains. “Fever is the most common symptom with COVID-19 - early detection of elevated body temperature using the BTM solution provides another layer of safety by preventing the risk of cross-infection, as it’s a contactless solution. “BTM solutions were used in the Middle East and in Asian countries during the outbreak of MERS and SARS in the past. With the latest developments in AI technology, such as face recognition, functionality has advanced the performance and accuracy of the temperature measurement.” When it comes to the Sunell solution, Cho says a combination of face detection and thermal detection minimises false detection rates that could be generated by the other heated objects in the scene. “Also, the Sunell CMS software has a facial recognition function to help identity/track people shown to have elevated body temperature,” he explains. “Another key feature is an ability to detect/measure multiple people at the same time – while typical installations would limit numbers passing the camera, the BTM-T5 does allow up to 16 people to be measured with a response time of 30ms. “The direct alarm relay output from the camera simplifies connection with a strobe or audible device at the checkpoint, instead of involving a VMS or PC-based platform to drive event action.” According to Cho, the Sunell BTM solution is simple to install. “Guidelines for installation and programming need to be carefully followed but setup is not complex,” he says. “To minimise false alarms caused by ambient temperatures, the solution must be installed in an indoor environment calibrated with a thermal blackbody to maximise accuracy. “A camera display is essential, in my opinion. While the thermal camera is measuring body temperature, operators must be able to visualise the person they are monitoring to identify subjects with an elevated temperature. Also, a public display
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provides peace of mind to visitors that site safety is a priority, while increasing awareness of protocols surrounding COVID-19, such as distancing and hygiene.” Cho says resolution is important. “Higher resolutions allow the temperature to be measured at a longer range, so higher resolution is useful,” Cho says. “On the optical side, BTM cameras require good WDR performance when used in an environment with backlight such as a foyer – optical resolution for BTM applications should be at least 2MP to allow high quality face recognition of subjects with elevated temperatures.” According to Cho, procedures allowing medical teams to take over in the event a staff member is found to have an elevated temperature are vital. “Our recommended procedure is to take another measurement with the BTM camera after 5-10 minutes,” he explains. “If the 2nd measurement also displays an elevated temperature, we recommend measuring with an electronic thermometer before a medical team undertakes further examination. “When it comes to setup via CMS, we recommend having an operator monitor the scene using CMS software near the area where the BTM camera is operating. However, as our CMS supports server and client architectures, it is also possible to have a central monitoring setup, so long as operators are communicating with the field team to manage response to elevated temperature alerts. There is also an app available for mobile monitoring. “Managing a BTM station is just another layer of the security check. The setup and operation are simple and the process is simple; all it requires is setting up a monitoring location, and creating and administering operational procedures once a person with elevated body temperature is detected.” “Sunell already has a mature CMS software, as well as the app to provide a different type of searching and alerting features,” Cho explains. “Sunell and the team at EOS Australia have also semi-integrated the solution with WISENET WAVE VMS, so it can be used as a recording platform, as well as triggering event alerts in the VMS upon detecting elevated temperatures.” There’s plenty of interest in the Sunell solution. “Unlike other manufacturers, which released a solution after the COVID-19 outbreak, our solution was initially developed to be used to detect fever in the educational sector,” Cho says. “However, after the COVID-19 outbreak, almost every type of business or organisation has shown interest, including logistics, manufacturing facilities, aged care, hospitals, transport organisations, schools, customs, airports, mining operations and more. When the current situation eases, and non-essential businesses re-open, we foresee an ongoing need from those businesses for BTM solutions, as the potential threat of a 2nd outbreak of COVID-19 will still exist.”
Uniview’s Edward Qiu says the interest around BTM cameras is justified. “Many cases in China show quick screening of abnormal temperature by BTM cameras in crowded areas is an effective way to defend against outbreaks of COVID-19 at low cost and low risk,” Qiu says. “As a preliminary screening tool, a BTM solution can also reduce medical and security team workloads and accelerate the temperature measurement process. China’s success in fighting COVID-19 shows the significance of BTM cameras carefully deployed. “The technology can handle temperature measurements in scenarios with large flows of people, with individuals re-tested by medical staff after initial detection. Also, Uniview’s OET-213HBTS1 face recognition temperature measurement terminal can be applied in scenarios like schools, communities, enterprises, and construction sites to monitor the temperature condition of staff daily.” According to Qiu, key BTM camera features include the ability to offer non-contact temperature measurement, a measurement deviation less than 0.3 degrees and the capacity to deliver multi-target temperature measurements simultaneously. “Uniview’s BTM camera station is easy to deploy,” Qiu says. “Considerations include ensuring ambient temperature and humidity are stable with no currents from air conditioning, ventilation sources or high-power outlets. A BTM solution should not be installed opposite an entrance/exit door or facing a mirror or a direct light source. Further, the body temperature screen and the blackbody must be installed on the same side to avoid obstruction. There is no requirement for a dedicated display as our system has a built-in speaker for voice alarm, though a display does allow live view and an alarm snapshot. “When it comes to higher thermal resolutions, these can enhance stability and sensitivity of measurement and reduce measurement deviations, while higher optical resolutions offer higher performance face capture. For different BTM camera solutions, different distances between target and lens are required – sticking to the
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recommended distance achieves the best results. “Obviously, it’s vital to let a medical team respond to a BTM event in order to confirm elevated temperature cases quickly so patients can be treated and isolated in order to halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus.” The sort of end user operations best suited to the use of BTM cameras are those with a large flow of people, according to Qiu. “Scenarios like airports, train stations, banks, schools, and malls are ideal,” he says. “However, in such applications it’s better to set up a simple channel to guide pedestrians through a measuring area, so the BTM camera can work without the blackbody being blocked from the camera’s view. Properly set up, there’s no need for pedestrians to cooperate with measurement processes – they can just continue to walk. “We have found that for applications with large flows of people, customers are more interested in the TIC500/TIC600 BTM cameras, while for smaller applications, the OET-213H-BTS1 face recognition terminal is of interest - our CW180 integrated wrist temperature measurement system is also generating attention.” Qiu says the Uniview system is easy to operate and manage. “When installed correctly, you just need to configure parameters and set alarm rules, and then when a voice alarm is triggered, re-check subjects with an elevated temperature and if a second alarm is generated, implement medical procedures.” According to Hikvision’s Mason Zhang, many organisations are scrambling to find ways to protect staff and customers during the COVID-19 crisis. “BTM cameras have the ability to detect elevated skin-surface temperature efficiently and are one of the most useful tools to help protect people at the moment,” Zhang says. “This is because early detection and isolation has proven to be the most effective way to control COVID-19 virus outbreaks. “Obviously a BTM camera can’t provide a medical test – when elevated temperature is detected, security and healthcare teams need to confirm the reading and then action procedures to ensure professional medical testing is made available. All this needs to be handled efficiently and in a way that is safe for BTM system operators, staff and patients.” Zhang says functions that support the temperature measurement process include instant and efficient no-touch temperature measurement
HIGH BODY TEMPERATURE IS AN EFFECTIVE INDICATOR FOR COVID-19 AND BTM CAMERAS CAN DETECT HIGH TEMPERATURE IN A WAY THAT IS FAST AND TOUCHLESS.
that significantly reduces the risk of cross infection. “Setup is not complicated, though given the nature of thermal cameras, a few tips need to be taken into consideration,” Zhang explains. “You need an indoor environment with stable ambient temperature, you must pre-heat the device before use, avoid crowded backgrounds, and ensure there are no heat sources or high air flows in the scene. Something else is to measure temperature after the body returns to its normal temperature, rather than measuring when people have just come inside from outside. “A key difference between a thermal camera and traditional thermometer is that a thermal camera can provide temperature readings alongside visible faces, so it’s possible to link an abnormal temperature to a particular person, who can then be tested a second time by medical teams and instructed to self-isolate should this be required.” According to Zhang, the sensor resolution and focal length are what defines the detection range of a BTM solution. “A lower resolution sensor with a shorter lens (wider angle of view) will be most effective at closer ranges in applications with less traffic,” he says. “High resolution sensors with long lenses give BTM cameras the ability to scan crowds of people from a distance to satisfy group screening requirements. “Another fact that needs to be taken into consideration is cost - compared with optical cameras, thermal is still an expensive technology and high-resolution thermal increases costs. Low resolution camera makes thermal an affordable solution, but applications need to take this low resolution into account by limiting distance from lens to target.” According to Zhang, the integration of BTM cameras into VMS is viable. “Such integrations are mainly about the alarm and staff management function,” Zhang explains. “The alarm function gets the attention of operation
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management level and prompts action, while the staff management function links health status with a staff member so medical procedures can be undertaken.” Tiandy’s Ivan Wang says the interest in BTM cameras during the COVID crisis is reasonable. “There is a strong demand for measuring body temperature in public places due to the COVID-19 virus and BTM cameras can meet it,” Wang says. “We think this is an embodiment of technology designed to serve society. High body temperature is an effective indicator for COVID-19 and BTM cameras can detect high temperature in a way that is fast and touchless.” While the combination of sensor, Vanadium Oxide uncooled focal plane arrays, and algorithms are the key features of the Tiandy BTM solution, ease of use of the overall system is vital, too. “Tiandy has worked hard to provide a body temperature measurement solution that is simple and easy to use,” says Wang. “To make sure of measurement accuracy, Tiandy’s new thermal and optical bi-spectrum network bullet camera works with a blackbody indoors at a range of around 1.5 meters. “Operators view real-time body temperature numbers overlayed on a monitor showing the subject. With a built-in speaker, Tiandy’s thermal and optical bi-spectrum network bullet camera can also alert when the temperature reaches a set value to ensure a person with an elevated body temperature isn’t be missed by observers and can be assisted by medical teams. “Our body temperature measurement solution is easy to deploy - when installed on a tripod, the camera and blackbody can be moved easily. Depending on the application, the thermal camera can be managed via browser using a PC or integrated with a VMS.” Wang says after initial high temperature
detection medical procedures should be activated to assist potential patients. “A BTM camera solution gives early and rapid detection of a person with fever but after the initial screening, a second body temperature test is required,” he explains. “If confirmed, it is necessary for a medical team to undertake additional testing, as well as recommending the patient for isolation and observation, which is very important.” Bigger sites are best for BTM solutions, in Wang’s opinion. “In our experience BTM cameras are deployed in places with high pedestrian traffic flows needing rapid temperature screening, such as airports, railway stations, bus stations, campuses and large shopping malls,” he says. n
APPLYING BTM SOLUTIONS
n Operationally, it’s important that BTM cameras can see the forehead or corner of the eye – that means no hats or glasses can be worn – and BTM cameras should be placed no more than 2 metres away from subjects. Security teams must also be sure the environment has no strong light sources, sunlight or people not being tested in it. Further, people who are asymptomatic – that might include a large number where COVID-19 is concerned – may not show an elevated temperature. Because these cameras are measuring skin temperature, not core temperature, expect false positives and integrate this
expectation into procedures. Also, be sure the display mechanism is sufficiently subtle to show slight temperature differences. Controlling the environment is vital – you need temperatures between 18-24 degrees and make sure the equipment you select has a noise equivalent temperature difference of 50mK – that’s 0.05C – and a spectral range between 7.5 and 13 microns. You also want low latency in the image stream and higher resolutions. The standard relating to the use of thermographic cameras is ISO 13154 – make sure you’re across it before you apply this
technology to your site. Be aware BTM camera ‘thermometers’, which have generally been designed and manufactured to check temperatures of plant equipment or warm bodies against a cold external background, are not a magic bullet for virus detection. When it comes to COVID-19 detection, only a proper medical test can establish infection. What this means is that BTM camera stations must be supported by proper medical procedures that can swing into action to assist subjects with professional medical assistance immediately after elevated temperatures have been detected.
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Proudly brought to you by
● Regulars
Monitoring
Your Monitoring Specialists
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Making the Grade GRADE A1 central stations are designed to provide the utmost physical security along with full redundancy across a range of support systems. RADE A1 monitoring stations ensure that no matter what, alarm systems will continue to be monitored effectively under virtually any circumstances. It’s not just physical attack on a building that these facilities are designed to resist. Everything from outbreaks of fire, loss of power, failure of communications and the comfort and wellbeing of operators is considered. The upshot is a tough monitoring solution that when combined with multiple reporting paths, will defy almost any attempt to disrupt it. There are many different elements to a typical Grade A1 monitoring station, the first we’ll look at is the physical structure of the facility. It’s not something you’d think about, but the Grade A1 specification is the perfect starting point for specifying any standalone high security structure. Grade A1 stations are tough. Specs demand walls and ceilings of 228mm bonded brick, 152mm bonded concrete 152mm pre-cast concrete slabs and in the case of double brick structures, 2 separate brick layers each of 100mm thickness with a 30mm cavity. Not only this, these walls cannot be external walls but must reside within the confines of a larger structure – this means yet another layer of protection is incorporated into the Grade A1 monitoring facility. An important aspect of Grade A1 central station design relates to doors and openings in the shell. The entry points permitted are restricted to inner and outer entrance doors, emergency exits, vents and service openings. As far as the inner and outer entrance doors are concerned, we’re talking about a mantrap with an outer door of 50mm hardwood and carbon sheet steel facing, incorporating no-lift inboard hinges – the door opening outwards.
G
The inner entrance door opens into the mantrap and both inner and outer doors in the mantrap have to be linked to the access control system and operated using an electric lock which itself has the ability to resist forces in excess of 6.6kN applied at any point on the door’s surface. Outward opening emergency exits and service doors must be built to the same specifications as the main entrance to the mantrap. This physical structure must be protected by an alarm system that monitors external access points in the host building and video surveillance and 2-way audio must allow operators to communicate with the front entrance point of the facility. Also important is fire protection incorporating an automatic sprinkler system, appropriate extinguishers and fire hose reels. Part of a Grade A1 central station’s emergency must be respiratory protection gear able to support the central station’s operators for 10 minutes. Something end users should think about with central stations is whether they are able to function in the event of catastrophic system failure which sees the entire station go down. Modern integrated systems are more vulnerable to this sort of failure than many people think. It’s vital that key servers be duplicated and that there are contingency plans that allow a monitoring station’s customer to be swung over to another provider or location should this be required.
COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS A vital part of the Grade A1 central station relates to communication systems not just those that allow the station to stay in touch with its customers but those that ensure
operators have fast access to police and to another Grade A1 monitoring station. You want redundancy in the event the station goes off line, so be sure to check this support is available. This second station monitors for duress, alarm events and dead-man expiry with a polling interval of 60 seconds. Along with this, Grade A1 stations must have primary and secondary ways to maintain bi-directional comms with manned gatehouses on the sites they’re monitoring. This is an important aspect of an overall monitoring package for large end users who may not wish to have a complete local alarm monitoring package installed on site.
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Proudly brought to you by
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A large Grade AI monitoring centre.
Comms gear includes voice recording equipment that’s able to record all operational telephone calls by time and date, so conversations can be retrieved in the event of a dispute between end users and monitoring station staff. Alarm indication and recording equipment is a vitally important element of the modern central station and it will be computer-based, stored in mirrored locations on a highly secure LAN and must allow operators a complete interface with customer contact details and history, along with site maps and graphics. Alarms arriving at operator workstations must be reported visually
and audibly and they’ll be prioritized as well. That means a panic button at a service station takes precedence over an alarmed fire exit door that’s been opened from the inside at 5.05pm on a working day. On the other side of this operator interface reside storage solutions and the comms paths to the outside world and these options include wireless, cable and even satellite comms. Selecting a communications path is a big decision and you’ll need to devote some time to doing so. A good Grade A1 station will offer multiple comms technologies but depending on its business relationships,
EVERYTHING FROM OUTBREAKS OF FIRE, LOSS OF POWER, FAILURE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE COMFORT AND WELLBEING OF OPERATORS IS CONSIDERED.
you might be limited to a particular suite of products. Check what these are to make sure they cover your needs. For security managers, there’s no question that Grade A1 central stations have the potential to offer a superior and alarm monitoring service. n
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● Special report
SecTech 2020
SECTECH 2020: WHAT YOU MISSED! What were the latest solutions SecTech roadies planned to bring around Australia’s 5 biggest cities this May? In our SecTech Roadshow special report, we take a look at all the latest gear we might have missed!
ne of the year’s most engaging events, SecTech Roadshow, has been postponed until 2021 in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. But this month we decided to ask our roadies which were the 2 top products they planned to bring on tour, as a way of giving SecTechies from around Australia something to think about. The team at Hills were planning on bringing the IDIS DC-Y8C13WRX 12MP panomorphic IR fisheye camera. These units are designed to cover wide
O
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BY J O H N A D A M S
LAST YEAR HILLS BLEW SECTECH’S SOCKS OFF WITH A GROUP OF NEW CONTROLLERS AND THIS YEAR THE COMPANY PLANNED TO BRING THE NEW TECOM NETWORK ACCESS CONTROLLER ON TOUR.
areas with a single camera and as you all know, they trade clarity for coverage via dewarping. IDIS has addressed this with the DC-Y8C13WR’s massive 12MP sensor, which delivers HD images with WDR that are de-warped in real time. According to the Hills’ team, the smart UX controls allow for the smoothest panning and zooming ever experienced with a fisheye lens (please send us one to test!) allowing huge coverage with fewer cameras. With IDIS’s market leading encryption, the 12MP Panomorph IR fisheye camera offers images that are also secure from cyber intrusion. The team says installation is easy with oneclick plug and play installation, and seamless and secure integration with IDIS recorders and video management systems. Neat, too, IDIS has a userfriendly software development kit (SDK) for simple integration with intruder and access control. Last year Hills blew Sectech’s socks off with a group of new controllers and this year the company
planned to bring the new Tecom Network Access Controller on tour. According to Hills, the Tecom Network Access Controller is a formidable standalone access control solution which can store up to 250,000 users, more than 10,000 flexible access groups - and user-configurable override times on each door - on its massive internal memory. According to Hills, Tecom Network Access Controller provides access control for up to 8 doors and accommodates up to 6 readers per door, either card or pin readers. It also has 4 onboard protocols, namely, OSDPV2, Aperio, Salto Sallis and Tecom. As well as being able to connect directly to management software to provide secure and flexible access control, the Network Access Controller is designed to work perfectly with the Tecom ChallengerPlus Panel. The Network Access Controller also includes advanced power and battery management, which allows sites to continue operating in the event of a power outage. Custom installations are made easy with each door’s hardware configuration able to be chosen from onboard hardware, RAS devices or DGP devices and advanced diagnostics are available in CTPlus, so when integrators install the Network Access Controller, they can easily check so everything is configured to their customers instructions. Uniview planned on bringing a number of solutions on tour, including its new Prime IV Deepsight series cameras, which are built around an AI algorithm and can reduce false alarms when used to detect motion in perimeter applications. A deep learning algorithm is used to create target classifications which can filter target by vehicle, human and non-vehicle. Users can choose a different classification, according to their real environment requirements. Furthermore, users can do quick search by target classification. Uniview Prime IV series also have upgraded face capture and an enhanced people counting feature. According to Uniview, the series features Lighthunter function (minimum illumination of 0.0005 Lux), alarm input and output, audio interface and more. Another new product from Uniview set to tour with SecTech was Uniarch, an entry-level surveillance solution that’s designed to be robust, secure and easy to use. With plug and play technology, there is no need for complex configuration – image streams will be displayed instantly when IPC and NVR are connected. Uniarch cameras include Ultra 265 compression, wide dynamic range and starlight illumination. The Uniarch solution also contains switch and monitor. CS Technologies was to attend its first SecTech Roadshow and the team says it was looking forward to introducing its new company logo, as well as showing off its Australian-designed and built access control technology. CS planned to showcase a brand-new Generation 4 EVO controller board as
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well as the company’s reworked Evolution Access Control management software and web interface. These would have been well worth seeing. CS says the team has been working hard to dramatically improve its Evolution GUI and web interface GUI, and reports that visually and operationally, the new interface brings an improved user experience. The 4th generation of EVO boards is also just about to be released and was to tour with SecTech. New features include 40,000 users, OSDP reader support and additional alarm reporting via Permaconn/SCSI. Still with alarm monitoring technology, the SCSI crew was planning on bringing Direct Connect and Duress Watch Products around Australia in May. According to the SCSI team, Direct Connect provides end-to-end secure high-speed 4G VPN network connections that can be utilised for secure communications between IP devices, such as CCTV, access control systems or any IP device requiring secure remote access where no wired networks are available, or where bandwidth restrictions limit functionality. Meanwhile, SCSI’s Duress Watch is a smart wearable duress system designed specifically for sites such as large corporations like banks, as well as any location where the threat to staff is probable or common. Duress Watch operates and looks just like any other smart watch. It is only when any level of duress alarm is activated that other staff in the location will receive a notification of another staff member who requires assistance. Events are sent to a monitoring centre for appropriate action, including audio/GPS detail. According to SCSI, Direct Connect and Duress Watch units are pre-programmed, ready for use, and include easy to follow user guides and web management portals. BGWT’s stand always goes off at SecTech and in 2020 the company planned to bring Pelco’s Sarix TI Series thermal fixed cameras. BGWT says Sarix TI, with up to 640 x 480 pixel resolution, is the most advanced thermal IP imaging system and designed for easy integration into any new or existing IP video security application. Built into the Sarix TI camera are 6 highly customizable image processing algorithms creating scene-by-scene optimised images for analytic, delivering improved detection, classification, and recognition. These include polarity, brightness, temporal noise filter, contrast, sharpness,
and ROI. Every Sarix TI Series camera features visible light and thermal channels in an integrated and environmentally protected IP66-rated enclosure, while lens options include 14mm, 35mm, or 50mm for longer range applications. Something else to note, according to the BGWT team, is that flexible athermalized optics make Sarix TI ideal for analytics. Also new from BGWT are Panasonic’s U Series cameras, which include 10 models in indoor/outdoor dome and bullet camera configurations with fixed or varifocal lenses, 2MP and 4MP models. Key models include the WV-U2132L 2MP varifocal indoor dome, the WV-U2532L 2MP varifocal outdoor dome and the WV-U1532L 2MP varifocal bullet camera. According to the BGWT team, these cameras boast an impressive Full HD 1080p (30fps), colour night vision (0.006 - 0.1 lx) and incorporate Extreme Super Dynamic 120dB and auto speed shutter control. Intelligent Auto technology ensures dynamic optimisation of camera settings during day/night, by monitoring scene dynamics and reducing distortion from moving objects. The range also includes a number of 2-4MP fixed and varifocal cameras with colour night vision (0.019 to 0.3 lx), which offer low light performance in colour with low noise for night time applications and Extreme Super Dynamic 102dB of WDR – worth noting here that Panasonic WDR figures are never exaggerated. There’s H.265 Smart Coding technology, self-learning region of interest encoding that detects movement within the image and compresses areas with little motion, to reduce data while maintaining image quality. Another SecTech favourite is LSC Security Supplies, which always brings an excellent range of quality solutions on tour. This year the LSC crew say they were planning to bring HID Mobile Access and Salto KS around Australia. HID Mobile Access uses the Seos credential technology and allows employees to use their smartphone, tablet or wearable device to access doors, gates, networks and more. According to LSC, using this solution for access control greatly improves user convenience in today’s mobile-first world, as well as making an organisation look more modern and professional. HID Mobile Access allows access via tap and twist and go gestures, and uses HID Global’s highly stable online management portal, allowing administrators to create, manage, issue and revoke credentials through the cloud. Meanwhile, Seos credential technology follows best practices in data integrity to bind each mobile ID to the device and protect data at all times. HID Mobile Access is an even more attractive solution with the minimum order quantity of credentials reduced to 20. Meanwhile, SALTO KS (Keys as a Service) is a flexible, cloud-based, wireless access control solution that is easy to install and maintain, and simple to use, according to LSC. And SALTO KS is now compatible with SALTO’s XS4 BLUEnet lock range which includes XS4 One and the stylish XS4 Mini.
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Salto KS means users can manage cloud-based access control from anywhere by using the KS app or a web browser. They can send a Mobile Key to anyone with a smartphone, with no need to hand over tags or even do a remote opening (even though you can do that too). LSC says cloud access control doesn’t need any effort on an end user’s part to maintain or manage. It’s always up to date with the latest features via instant updates and add-ons. Being cloud-based, there’s no need to purchase software licenses, install and manage complicated and expensive IT equipment, or worry about ongoing maintenance and backups. Nor do you need to spend weeks learning how to operate a KS system. Customers unlock the functionality of their account with a 1-year KS voucher (or subscription), so integrators earn recurring revenue each time users renew. Another new roadie, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions was planning to showcase 2 key products at SecTech 2020, the Lockwood SMARTair and ASSA ABLOY eCLIQ keying system. The team says SMARTair is a powerful access control system using proximity and PIN access that is simple to install, configure, administer and maintain. Audit trails can show historical movement for reporting purposes and SMARTair offers an intelligent, yet simple, step up from keys, as well as a cost-effective alternative to traditional access control. Meanwhile, ASSA ABLOY eCLIQ is a purely electronic keying system that provides cost-effective electronic access control without the need for wiring. eCLIQ cylinders retrofit into existing doors and locks providing an easy install process. eCLIQ offers electronic features such as programmable access rights, time scheduling, audit trails, blocking of lost keys etc. Both the key and cylinder contain electronics but only the key has a battery. The battery in the key powers up the electronics in the cylinder at key insertion. This year DormaKaba planned to bring evolo smart to SecTech, another solution that allows smaller organisations to manage access requirements quickly and flexibly via smartphone. According to the team at DormaKaba, even the smallest companies need to deal with the challenges of access control, whether it’s for new employees, service providers, or lost access media. Users can programme new media and keep track of every event around their site with app-based evolo smart while using their smartphone as a key. Via the evolo smart app, an authorised user defines who has access to a door, sets time restrictions and reads the status information of the door directly on their smartphone. Lost media can be deleted with a swipe and will also update the door component. Sweet, too, there’s no need for an internet connection for these processes, as evolo smart runs offline. DormaKaba says that to programme new access media, users scan the QR code on the card or key fob into the app. For access via smartphone, the end user purchases a virtual key in the evolo smart App. A new
employee, for example, downloads the dormakaba mobile access app and receives the virtual key from the end user electronically. Important for installers, dormakaba evolo covers all door locking situations, from glass doors, external locking components to simple replacements for mechanical cylinders. Seadan Security planned to bring the latest Digifort 7.3 VMS on tour this year, with over 100 new features and improvements. According to Seadan, this latest version took over 12 months to develop with many new improvement ideas coming from system integrators. One of the highlights of the new version is an application developed inhouse called Live Witness. Seadan says other features stem from large projects delivered such as the airport and a casino, where specific features were needed for these tough verticals. Enhancements include hardware optimization, intuitiveness, modularity, integrations, interactivity, dynamism, and the addition of public safety initiative Live Witness.
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● Special report
SecTech 2020
There are also improved mobile apps with a virtual matrix, GPS location tracking on the operational map, sending of snaps shots, as well as a link to video playback to apps like WhatsApp. There’s also facial recognition with the ability to associate a face to a body, even when the face has turned, body tracking continues. And LPR functionality now includes metadata such as vehicle colour, type, make, speed, plate number and plate colour. According to Seadan, detections by analytics can be plotted on DigiFort’s operational map with exact GPS locations. In the case of a number plate, if detected by more than one LPR configured cameras, you can get a trajectory of the vehicle on the operational map. End user benefits include all alerts from every different connected device and analytical engines able to be managed centrally offering an unprecedented situational awareness. Installers benefit from the fact Digifort is inherently simple to learn, highly functional and economical to buy. Something else worth noting is that there are so many innovative features in Digifort VMS integrator creativity is empowered. Pelco’s SecTech products included Sarix Enhanced 3 and Spectra Enhanced 7 PTZ. Sarix Enhanced 3 features DNN analytics, SureVision technology, resolutions of 2MP and 3MP, consistent colour, fast processing and simultaneous advanced low-light performance with wide dynamic range (WDR) and anti-bloom technologies. New advancements include 3D noise filtering, smooth response to illumination changes, and improved tone mapping to retain colour accuracy and overall image contrast to help end users see the clearest possible image when assessing response. There’s also electronic image stabilization enabled by built-in gyro technology. End users also benefit from significant power redundancy, as the camera ensures 24-hour, 365-day continuous operation, even under unstable power supply situations. Sarix Enhanced 3 seamlessly
connects to Pelco VMS systems, such as VideoXpert, VXToobox, Endura version 2.0 or later, and Digital Sentry version 7.3 or later. Also on show at SecTech were to be Pelco’s new Spectra Enhanced 7 PTZ IP cameras, which the team says are the latest product evolution in the legacy Spectra family, providing fast and accurate pan and tilt, 30x optical zoom, up to 2MP 60 FPS video, and next-gen SureVision and deep learning capabilities. The Spectra Enhanced 7 PTZ IP cameras have true WDR, ultra-low light performance, and image stabilization and high levels of sharpness. They also feature Pelco Smart Compression and H.265 encoding, which enables 70 per cent lower bit rates without compromising image quality. The cameras include the Pelco Enhanced Analytics Suite with deep learning, which enables improved detection, tracking and counting of people and vehicles allowing operators to review situations needing immediate attention, or to analyze information to improve operation efficiencies. The superior accuracy improves its ability to easily categorize objects within the scene. Salto was bringing SALLIS Lock Link System on tour in May. SALLIS uses an open standard protocol that enables a wide range of SALTO wireless locking devices to work seamlessly with, but independently of, an existing access control system. Obviously with SALTO there’s no need to hardwire doors, giving integrators the ability to extend customer’s access control systems wirelessly and turn any door into a full-featured access control point wherever wiring is difficult, expensive or even impossible. SALLIS offers real-time access control, including remote openings, emergency lockdowns and alarm triple badge activation, real-time audit trails, door statuses, battery statuses, and the ability to add and remove access privileges. Options include locks, panic bars, glass door locks and cylinders to cover the needs of any type of door. By enabling the augmentation of existing access management platforms (such as Integriti, ICT GX, Genetec, Challenger and more), with standalone online wireless devices, SALLIS can substantially reduce the deployment cost for additional doors and avoid the expense of a full replacement project. The SALTO team say SALLIS locks communicate wirelessly to the SALLIS node (IP or RS485) which supports up to 16 locking devices per node and up to 64 per connection, depending on the access management platform selected. Wireless communication between the locks and node utilize 128-bit AES encryption to ensure security. MOBOTIX SecTech 2020 products were to be the new M73 camera and the M16 Thermal TR. According to Mobotix, the MOBOTIX M73 is a decentralized, cyber-secure, and complete modular IoT video surveillance system, innovatively housed in a single device. Featuring 3 separate sensors, the M73 can be fully customized to any deployment’s needs with the ability to utilize optical, thermal, infrared, and
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audio. M73’s edge computing enables fast, secure, and data-efficient recording. High performance video analytics and MOBOTIX 7 AI applications are built-in, providing manufacturing facilities with ROI far beyond basic security measures. By utilizing a combination of imaging and environmental sensors and AI-powered analytics, industrial organizations can improve manufacturing efficiency, predictive maintenance measures, and fire safety. For transportation applications, the M73’s on-board facial recognition, traffic monitoring, and abandoned object identification enables instantaneous insights enhancing driver, passengers, and general roadway safety. With a robust weatherproof design and the ability to perform in temperatures ranging from –40 degrees F to 149 degrees F, the M73 can withstand the harsh environments presented by industrial, manufacturing and transportation applications. For educational environments, a combination of optical imaging and audio sensors can enable safer classrooms with the ability to monitor both actions and speech to deter bullying, detect threats of violence, and aid in conflict resolution. The other Mobotix SecTech 2020 product was M16 Thermal TR, which is an intelligent video system with an integrated high-performance thermal image sensor that takes full advantage of the M16 camera design and the surveillance capabilities of thermal technology. Thanks to the 2 directly adjacent lenses, there is also a thermal overlay function with image overlay (thermal and optical) to pinpoint the exact location of hotspots like fires in a visible image. In addition to carrying out the existing MOBOTIX thermal camera functions, Thermal Radiometry cameras feature a calibrated thermal image sensor that enables them to measure thermal radiation across the entire image area, even down to individual pixels. Video Alarm Technologies planned to bring its Calispa False Alarm Filtering Platform to SecTech this year. According to the VAT team, Calipsa is video analytics software with a difference – it uses the latest deep learning technology to remove up to 90 per cent of false alarms; recognising the causes of alarms and filtering out any that are not caused by human or vehicle movement. This fully cloud-based platform comes with a range of intelligent features, including an alarm dashboard which highlights alarm filtering statistics, advanced reporting on a site and camera level and camera management, which includes masking and scheduling. Calipsa integrates seamlessly into existing monitoring operations and software, adding a critical layer of video analytics. Benefits include an improvement in operator efficiency and response times, simpler new installations, an enhanced customer experience and an opportunity for business growth. According to VAT, what sets Calipsa apart from other software on the market is its unique, marketleading integration with Videofied devices. Videofied
clients benefit from an unrivalled 65-70 per cent reduction in false alarms when connected to Calipsa’s deep learning analytics. Another Sectech newbie for 2020 was Nedap and the company was planning to bring some interesting solutions on tour, including ANPR Lumo and TRANSIT Ultimate. According to Nedap, ANPR Lumo is an all-in-one license plate camera, including embedded software, analyzer and IR illuminator. With a range of action of 2 to 10 metres, the advanced camera ensures a smooth recognition of vehicles and typical applications include vehicle access control, automatic toll collection, free flow applications at parking facilities or other situations in which it’s not desirable to issue RFID tags. If vehicles need to be granted access temporarily or incidentally, the license plate camera is the perfect solution, Nedap says. Deep learning algorithms enable a high accuracy in both regions with common license plate formats, like Europe, and non-standardized license plate formats, such as the USA and Pacific region. In addition, the ANPR Lumo is able to recognize ADR Hazard Identification Numbers (HIN), also known as Kemler Codes, that are used for road transport of dangerous goods. It’s a combination of features that makes Nedap a strong choice for integrators and end users. The second product from Nedap, TRANSIT Ultimate, is a robust RFID reader that enables simultaneous identification of vehicles and drivers in challenging situations. Based on semi-active RFID technology operating a 2.45 GHz, vehicles and drivers are identified at distances up to 10 metres and speeds of up to 200 kmph. Nedap says ideal applications for the product include high security applications demanding vehicular access control applications under harsh environmental conditions – this includes vehicle access at airports, seaports, mines, military bases and other installations where vehicles must be assigned to specific drivers. We didn’t get to go on tour with SecTech Roadshow this year, but it’s great to see there are plenty of new products and solutions being released. We’re looking forward to seeing them, and all of you, at SecTech 2021 next May. n
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● Case study
Enterprise Integration
REMOTE COMMISSIONING Security consultant ICS Group has undertaken remote commissioning of an integrated enterprise security solution incorporating Gallagher and Pacom access control systems, a Milestone VMS, Jacques intercoms and a new security control room. ntegrated by Micron, this electronic security system links sites in Chatswood and Sydney’s CBD and, according to ICS Group’s Scott Myles, the success of the remote commissioning process depended on teamwork between all involved, including 2 contractors and the end user. “The project involved upgrading an access control and security solution in Chatswood to Gallagher, and a complete CCTV solution upgrade at one of Sydney’s prestigious blue-chip commercial buildings in the CBD,” Myles explains. “The Gallagher access control system was a relatively simple upgrade using the existing cable infrastructure, while in the CBD building, the CCTV and video intercom IP base solutions (Milestone and Jacques), were more complex, and will require an expanded level of integration and automation when the existing Pacom access control system is upgraded.” According to Myles, the Chatswood project was first to be completed. “Being in the early stages of the pandemic, we were able to enlist the help of the client’s on-site facility management team to confirm and provide a level of witness testing, as they were still on-site,” he explains. “However, the second CBD CCTV and video intercom project was at 80 per cent completion, still requiring final fit off of in-the-field equipment and the completion of the security control room when lockdown hit. This required a greater level of planning, cooperation and coordination between ICS-Group and the contractor, security integrator Micron. “Just to set the scene, the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic came from nowhere – suddenly in the later stages of each project we saw we had to quickly change the way we operated. In a short space of time we went from scheduled on-site inspections to only having limited access, and as Australia locked down, it became apparent we needed to go 100 per cent virtual. This led to our investigating available technology in order to change the way we operate.” You’d think specialised hardware/software would be required to handle the task of remote commissioning,
I
but Myles says that wasn’t the case. “It is amazing that when you have to, you can find ways of overcoming the need to being physically on site, and the tools we used included from everyday programmes that most of us have on our laptops and smartphones, such as Skype, Zoom and Teams,” he says. “However, the programme we found most useful was TeamViewer. This allowed us to remote in and confirm programable settings such as resolutions, frame rates, camera field of views, etc. “TeamViewer’s real-time connection and desktop displays allowed us to directly communicate with the technicians and request and confirm operational aspects of the solutions, allowing us to witness test and sign off on any of the high level integration automation functionality of the solutions, such as Intercom activations that trigger the nearest overview cameras macros within the video management solution.” Myles says there were moments when the ICS Group team wondered if remote commissioning of a complex solution could be handled adequately. “We had some reservations as our normal modus operandi is on-site inspections, and nothing completely replaces the benefit of actually being there,” Myles says. “To overcome this, Micron provided supporting photographic evidence of the system, and this went a long way to confirming that the required infrastructure was installed to a high quality, However, with photographs, not all angles are covered, and in some cases minor details may be missed.” While it might be possible to confirm the presence of hardware components remotely, this application features a new control room and undertaking control room commissioning from a remote location is another order of complexity. “The control room was the most challenging aspect of the project, as the placement of the desk and height of the wall monitors was crucial in the design – accommodating the correct operator viewing angles due to the motorised sit-stand desk,” Myles explains. As we are passionate about control room design at ICS Group, we put a lot of effort into the documentation phase, with our drawings showing detailed plan and elevation views that meant nothing was left to chance. “Having buy-in by from an integrator with excellent abilities and professionalism certainly contributed to the positive outcome. Important, too, prior to the lockdown, we had the opportunity to discuss the design with client and integrator and make the necessary adjustments, so that when it came time for commissioning everyone was on the same page.” According to Myles, although ICS Group made the decision not to attend site, the team wanted to ensure that remote witness testing would not compromise
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BY J O H N A D A M S
the integrity of processes in any way. This meant there was no need for new procedures to be created – instead existing procedures were implemented remotely. “We needed to provide comfort to our client, that all the necessary steps were taken as they would be with our normal onsite commissioning process,” he explains. “To us, the requirements for practical, final completion and the commencement of DLP have not changed, it was just in the way in which we gathered and confirmed this information. This meant that apart from additional video and photographic evidence in lieu of conducting on-site visual inspections, our procedures and commissioning documentation remained the same. “Our tender documentation is comprehensive and includes the contractor requirements for commissioning and commencement of DLP, and as mentioned, our documentation and the process that we followed did not require any major modification. We attained practical completion of the project through the collection of site photos that confirmed any outstanding items from our previous site inspections. Via TeamViewer we were able to sign off on each camera view or table any required adjustments that were later confirmed in following sessions. “Although these TeamViewer sessions gave us the opportunity to review the system settings, our standard procedures require the contractor to provide screen captures of these settings anyway, providing confirmation that they comply with the relevant sections of the specification.” Myles reiterates that the most challenging part was the control room, as the commissioning team had to rely on photographic evidence. “Following the normal processes of the collection of the standard commissioning data such as ITP’s, passwords, operational manuals, schematics, assets registers and more, again via TeamViewer, the contractor was able to demonstrate the system working in accordance with the requirements from the safety of remote locations,” he says. “Calls and video conferencing confirmed that the integrator had delivered the desired outcome and the security manager and operators were extremely pleased with the result. The client was pleased that we took the initiative and understood that our strategy to reduce the risk of exposure was the right thing to do. Although the process had its challenges, the overall outcome was positive and allowed the delivery of this project to meet the stipulated time frame. “For the operators, the site continues to be operational while conforming to social distancing and hygiene protocols. This required that user training be conducted on-site in separate sessions. Moving forward, all ongoing training and users support is now conducted remotely.” Myles says the latest electronic security solutions have a capacity for remote management at multiple levels.
AS AUSTRALIA LOCKED DOWN, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE NEEDED TO GO 100 PER CENT VIRTUAL.
“Our IP security solutions are very capable of supporting remote inspections and in the future this capability may be leveraged for convenience, as well as to maintain social distancing protocols,” he explains. “We will be doing more remote commissioning, even after the COVID-19 crisis is over. This will be client-dependent as many of our higher security government clients are very particular when it comes to remote access and management. But for some applications it works well.” Myles says many of the challenges around remote commissioning failed to materialise. “Surprisingly it all went like clockwork,” he says. “I’m not sure if it was the time of day that we remoted in, or the recent upgrade to NBN, but we didn’t experience any noticeable lag or dropout during the sessions, compared to my recent experience with other forms of video conferencing.” What lessons did ICS Group learn from the process that other consultants and integrators on smaller sites can take away? “I think a bit of luck was on our side, with over half of the project already delivered and most of the site issues ironed out before the lockdown,” Myles says. “I think if we were to start a project of this size and manage it remotely from beginning to end, it may have been a different story, however, the main take away is to have good planning along with the support of a trusted and skilled integrator. “This outbreak surprised us all, and to my knowledge very few were prepared for. With wide ranging lock downs still in place and the threat of more to come, I believe video conferences and remote system commissioning and sign offs will now become the new normal in how we operate.” n se&n 53
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● Regulars
Products
Editor’s choice
What’s new in the industry.
PRIME IV DEEPSIGHT FROM UNIVIEW
HONEYWELL 30 SERIES CAMERA FROM CSM
l WHEN traditional smart functions meet accuracy problems,
l NEW Honeywell 30 Series IP cameras from CSM are an integrated video solution that fits small to medium business and entry-level enterprise applications where compliance is essential, such as government, utilities, premium commercial, retail or campuses. Features of this NDAA-compliant video solution meet compliance with the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2019, Section 889 that prohibits content or material from any prohibited companies or their subsidiaries. Cameras feature Secure Stream Video Encryption (TLS), ensuring all data from the camera to the NVR is protected and cannot be intercepted. There’s also high image quality, H.265 compression, intuitive management of storage, viewing, sending, reviewing and searching high-resolution video content and advanced motion people detection.
it bothers installers and customers. Now Uniview has launched new Prime IV Deepsight series cameras, based on an AI algorithm which can reduce false alarms. Uniview Prime IV series cameras combine powerful deep learning algorithm and abundant data to realize target classification. These cameras offer a perimeter protection feature, which can filter target by vehicle, human and non-vehicle. Users can choose different types according to their real environment requirements. Furthermore, users can do quick search by type. Uniview Prime IV series cameras upgrade face detection to face capture, which provides clearer face images. These cameras also improve their people counting feature with an AI algorithm, which uses multi-pose and multi-angle to match target. The accuracy is higher than it would be with traditional people counting. Uniview Prime IV series cameras support Lighthunter function (minimum illumination is 0.0005Lux), alarm input and output, audio interface and so on. The products are easy to use and install.
Distributor: Central Security Merchants Contact: 1300 663 904
Contact: Uniview Distributors
SEADAN DRILL-FREE CAMERA CONDUIT BOX l SEADAN Security has brought a new use to the camera conduit
box, making tough masonry or concrete installations faster. Seadan Security has exclusively designed for its UNV range of cameras, a water-resistant modified camera junction box which is easily screwed directly onto a conduit box. This simple yet effective product eliminates the need for a drill, saving the installer the time and the hassle of mounting a CCTV camera directly onto a concrete or masonry wall. Installation couldn’t be simpler. Once the lid of the conduit box has been removed, the camera junction box is screwed directly on top of the conduit box using the screws provided. Any excess cable is easily coiled inside the housing, ensuring that the entire assembly is vandal proof, as there are no exposed cables. There are 8 different sizes in total spanning most of Seadan’s UNV range – to find out which junction box goes with each UNV camera series, be sure to contact your local Seadan store. Distributor: Seadan Security Contact: +61 3 8513 7710
JOHNSON CONTROLS RELEASES EXACQVISION G-SERIES POE NVR l Johnson Controls new exacqVision G-Series PoE delivers 15 watts on all ports, and up to 30 watts on any port, and supports a wide range of IP cameras. The exacqVision G-Series PoE allows live video to be viewed directly on the NVR with 8 fullHD simultaneous streams at 15fps, providing a high-quality experience when viewing live video or searching stored video, according to the company. Local storage can be managed with exacqVision Cloud Drive storage for customers looking to access critical assets from any location. G-Series PoE can be wall-mounted with an accessory, or used on a server rack with a rackmount shelf option to offer installation flexibility. The system ships with free IP camera licenses for 4 or 8 PoE ports, as well as unlimited software updates for 3 years. According to Johnson Controls, using a single vendor for both hardware and software streamlines everything from purchasing, setup and support to minimize complexities and maximize uptime. Distributor: Johnson Controls Contact: +61 4 9968 8921
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HIKVISION FISHEYE CAMERAS l HIKVISION DS-2CD63C5G0-IVS/DS-2CD6365G0-IVS Fisheye
cameras feature Immervision lenses that deliver a wider angle of view with less distortion and more sharpness after dewarping than competitors. Supported by built-in 15m IR, these fisheyes provide good visibility in low or event zero-light environment and cover a huge areas from a single camera point. The 12MP DS-2CD63C5G0-IVS is capable of capturing clear images even when dewarped into 4-image PTZ mode. Meanwhile, the DS-2CD6365G0-IVS delivers 6MP of resolution. Both cameras feature deep-learning-based AI functionalities, such as heat mapping, intersection flow analysis and people counting, which empower users with data for business analysis, reporting, and smarter decision-making. Distributor: Hikvision Distributors
CS IKEY 2 DOOR ACCESS KIT 4828 WITH 10 IKEYS FROM LSC l LSC is distributing CS iKEY 2-door kit 4828, which comes with robust, pre-programmed iKEYS and is designed to offer economical access control for smaller commercial and residential applications with no need for controller history or time zone features. The iKEY Controller and readers are Australian designed and manufactured and the system features 8 access levels, exit request inputs, relay programmable release time from 1 - 30 seconds, is easily programmed with optional keypad (CS4100) and operates a wide range of electric locking devices. iKeys are an electronic restricted keying system and are supplied printed with name, system and key numbers. iKeys are encoded with unique, installer ID, site code & button numbers and the system has a 1000 iKey capacity. A pair of 32mm weather and vandal-resistant CS1013 readers are also supplied. Distributor: LSC Contact: 1300 646 269
ICT RELEASES PROTEGE GX 4.3.285
X2 DOOR OPEN TOO LONG CYCLOPS FROM CSD
l ICT has announced the release of Protege GX 4.3.285, which
l CSD has introduced the X2-SIREN-002 door-open-too-long Cyclops to its product range. The Cyclops is an optical and acoustic warning device primarily used for door-open-too-long (DOTL) alarms. The buzzer on the device can be customised to be either off or pulsing with adjustable volume and the strobe can be set to continuous or flashing. Thanks to the extra-large multidirectional lens cover, which can be viewed from all angles, this device can be installed on either walls or ceilings, providing optimal flexibility for multiple applications.
comes with new features and enhancements. These include Fast User Disable, which makes disabling a user record virtually instant, preventing unauthorized parties from continuing to gain access after their record has been disabled at the server (requires controller firmware 2.08.1000). There’s also integration with Princeton Identity Biometrics, which allows Princeton Identity iris scanners to be implemented with a Protege GX system, providing quick and secure identity verification. Meanwhile, Compliance Types extend the existing functionality of Credential Types by allowing you to control access to doors based on other requirements - from regulatory certifications to site safety training - to improve compliance on site. Other features include Saving Report Layouts, Custom Field Select in Report Setup and Multiple Download Servers.
Distributor: Central Security Distribution Contact: 1300 319 499
Manufacturer: ICT Contact: 1800 428 111
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● Regulars
Help desk
Q: What would you recommend installing to protect glass perimeters? A: Look at some of the physical grille solutions – these will need to be custom-fitted. Framed aluminium or light steel grilles that either slide or unroll into a locking position should be installed if there’s budget. If price is an issue, the polymer glass films from companies like 3M are less expensive. These are installed over glass surfaces and make them significantly harder to break. You should take these products seriously bearing in mind some are able to resist the impact of low calibre firearms. A serious attempt may lead to a breach, but it will take longer than 90 seconds, and there will be plenty of noise. Adding wireless vibration sensors to window frames will assist with early warning of attempted breaches. Another option is to layer your internal spaces with physical barriers. Smashing the windows might get the thieves into the first layer but they’ll need to keep breaching defenses to get further. With this in mind, all your internal doors should be access controlled
Our panel of experts answers your questions.
or lock with quality keyways - that means 5-pins or more - and these doors should be hardcore with three hinges, not two. Choose hinges with locking tongues so doors can’t be levered upwards. Along with these measures, your electronic detection needs to occur as close to the perimeter as possible. This means that as soon as force is applied to your glass or window frames, vibration sensors activate an alarm. Your next line of defense, glass break sensors, will confirm to the monitoring station that this is a breach and requires the attendance of police, as well as security patrols. External dual technology sensors can protect non trafficked areas adjacent to glass, with PIRs covering the internal spaces. Your surveillance system should capture images from every vulnerable external point of the site. Think about lighting. You want anyone who attacks your premises to be visible to passing traffic and your cameras. Aggressive lighting will also make it harder for would-be intruders to ascertain whether or not there are staff still on the premises. Q: Is it true that surveillance systems need to be maintained in the field and can’t just be put in and ignored till the cameras die? A: Maintenance is vital even if it’s just cleaning housing windows, checking
drip loops and greasing/coating housing bolts and cable entry points. After the standard commissioning tests have been undertaken it’s vital to conduct a proper maintenance programme. There are many things to consider, depending on the environment. And you need to spend time in the control room, too. You’ll need to look at target framing, including depth of field, as well as performance aspects like evaluation of resolution, checking on contrast and ghosting. Also important are things like focus tests on lenses and in a perfect world, you should also undertake brightness and filtration tests on lenses. A proper maintenance program will involve recommissioning at least once a year. Regular maintenance is also about building recurring revenue into your business while ensuring end users are provided with increased reliability – the 2 things should not be considered mutually exclusive. Q: What’s the best way to cut fibre optic cable – is it ever ok to use whatever cutting tool you have to hand or are specialised tools the best option? A: When you need to cut a fibre optic cable, don’t just plunge in with a knife, try to snap the fibre with your hands or cut it with side cutters, pliers or any other random tool. By keeping wire cutters away from a fibre job, you will save yourself the hassle of endless polishing rough edges by using a more
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JUNCTION BOXES IN ANY KIND OF ELECTRONIC SECURITY CIRCUIT REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT VULNERABILITY.
exacting technique to build or expand a fibre network. One technique of cutting fibre is called cleaving (cutting) and you use a commercially available cleaver to scribe the fibre to leave a near-perfect 90-degree end face on the fibre with almost no irregularities. When you’re buying a cleaving tool consider the fact the more expensive the tool employed, the less loss you’ll face at the connection point. There are various cleaving techniques but all relay on the weakening of the fibre by the application of a sapphire or diamond-tipped tool that cleaves the outer layers of the fibre. Pressure is then applied either by bending or pulling the cable until it shears into 2 parts with an almost perfect break. Q: We’ve had some issues with reliability through poor positioning of locking devices. What can we look for during commissioning to ensure we see trouble before it strikes? A: When you’re putting in door hardware ensure that strike plates have a slight forward and back play when the mortise is held in the strike. This ensures that an overload of the coils won’t result from lock friction. It’s also vital that lock and striking plate are compatible and there must be proper mortise penetration. Also be sure that electric strike plates are heavy duty with continuous operation-rated coils. Installers of access control systems may not be responsible for emergency evacuation procedures of a facility but it’s important that emergency exit facilities are included as part of any access control solution. Taking this into account make sure you set your electric locking devices to fail open in the event of power loss. Q: Would you recommend the use of junction boxes to keep large and complex cable plants organised in the field?
A: Absolutely. When installing long cable runs it’s a very smart idea to include junction boxes in more convoluted circuits to make routine maintenance and troubleshooting easier. Depending on the nature of the circuit, it’s likely that additional amplification of signals may be required, so take this into account. Most importantly, you need to be aware that junction boxes in any kind of electronic security circuit represent a significant vulnerability. That means the installation of anti-tamper junction boxes is vital. Consider the vulnerability of all cabling when installing a system and try to ensure there are no compromises. Q: Is it important to carry a lightmeter in modern installations when many cameras switch over into IR on night mode? A: A lightmeter allows installation teams to establish the level of light cameras have to work with and with experience, they’ll know what performance vectors are likely to be. A lightmeter’s cell will have a range from 2 lux to 80,000 lux but its accuracy will be wayward unless careful calibration is regularly carried out. A poorly calibrated lightmeter can be out by 15-20 per cent in either direction, while regular calibration may allow accuracy of 5 per cent either way. Depending on the nature of your installations, you may need to go for more
expensive, more sensitive lightmeters. These will give accurate measurements for low light performance when working with internal emergency lighting, exterior lighting, or ambient street lighting. When making light measurements you need to be a little scientific. You can’t just hold up a meter directly under the camera or directly under the light source and expect this reading will be the scene’s average illuminance across the entire scene. If you want to find the average illuminance, you need to divide the room up into squares. The idea is to take a measurement of each square, add the measurements together and divide by the number of squares to obtain a mean measurement. Even the median of 5-6 readings is better than taking only one.
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MAY 2020 ISSUE 420
THERMOGRAPHIC BTM CAMERAS
events
l Remote Commissioning An Enterprise Solution l Saab OneView Wins Sydney Opera House l The Interview: Pierre Racz, Genetec l PMT Installs Thermal at Phillippa’s Bakery l Special Report: Video Management Systems l ECS Services Wins City Of Sydney l Special Report: Body Temperature Management
Security Essen
l Case Study: Kings Cross Estate l SecTech 2020: All The Products You Missed!
PP 100001158
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Date: September 22-25, 2020 Venue: Messe Essen, Messeplatz 1, Essen, Germany Contact: +49 (0)201 72 44-524 Security Essen 2018 draws 950 exhibitors from 43 countries to show their security and safety innovations to 36,000 visitors from 125 nations at Messe Essen, Germany.
SECURITY & GOVERNMENT EXPO
Security and Government Expo 2020
Date: November 12, 2020 Venue: Realm Hotel, Canberra Contact: Monique +61 2 9280 4425 SAGE 2020 is the perfect opportunity for government and commercial end users, as well as integrators, installers and consultants, to see the latest security products and technologies in the nation's capital.
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Intersec Dates: January 24-26, 2021 Venues: Dubai World Trade Centre Contact: +971 4 389 4500 Intersec, the leading trade fair for Security, Safety & Fire Protection, with its unique product diversity and thousands of influential trade buyers, is one of the most important industry meeting points with influence across the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
SecTech Roadshow 2021 Dates: May 2021 Venues: 5 city Australian tour Contact: Monique Keatinge +61 2 9280 4425 SecTech Roadshow in its 6th year takes leading electronic security manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers on a national tour.
Security 2021 Exhibition & Conference
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Date: July 21-23, 2021 Venue: International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Sydney Contact: +61 3 9261 4662 Security Exhibition & Conference is the industry's annual opportunity to reunite for 3 days of quality networking and education.
DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY.
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NOW CONNECTS TO
RECORDERS
Connecting your business locally, nationally or globally
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