Security Electronics & Networks Magazine by Security Electronics & Networks Magazine

SELECTING CCTV CAMERAS & LENSES

MARCH 2019 ISSUE 407

lN oosa Council Powers Up CCTV Upgrade l Special Report Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New in 2019? lC ase Study: Devonport Council Living City lT he Interview: Brendan Bain, Logical Services l Monitoring: 5G Security Threats lC ase Study: Lucent Gasworks Dahua Integration l Technology: Face Recognition Now 20x Better l Case Study: Ipswich Safe City BriefCam Upgrade l New Product: Hanwha Wisenet X Plus Camera

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editorial S E CU RI TY E L ECTR O NI C S & NETWO R KS FMA R CH 201 9 ISSUE 4 07

By John Adams

WILL FACE RECOGNITION BECOME THE DEFAULT ACCESS BIOMETRIC? EADING salient bits of R the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s gigantic new Facial Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) comparo, and weighing up end user hunger for efficiency and simplicity, I couldn’t help wondering where face recognition might end up. It won’t just drive border access points at international airports, that’s for sure. What has pushed face recognition front of mind is the findings of the FRVT – clear evidence that face recognition has not only improved 20x in accuracy between 2014 and 2018 but is on a trajectory for further improvement from its current 0.2 error rate. We’ve chewed over the meaning of face recognition in SEN before but the latest results suggest the conclusions of the past are flawed. As well as empowering IVA solutions with dependable identification functionality, reliable face recognition technology, has the capacity to change the nature of access control, delivering fast, handsoff authentication with no need for a carried credential. While in the past getting face recognition algorithms right was the big challenge – the challenges of the future will involve integrating CCTV and access control solutions to harvest potential efficiencies. NIST’s FRVT is a test repeated every 4 years that tracks the efficacy of face recognition technology. The latest testing shows that the best algorithm – NEC’s E30C algorithm – is 20x more accurate than the best algorithm of 2014. Important, too, evaluation of 139 algorithms from 127 developers showed considerable improvement in all solutions – far more improvement than had been measured in the 4 previous years when technology stagnated. According to NIST, the massive reduction in error rates over the last 5 years stems from wholesale replacement of old algorithmic

While in the past getting face recognition algorithms right was the big challenge, the challenges of the future will involve integrating CCTV and access control solutions to harvest potential efficiencies. structures with those based on deep convolutional neural networks (CNN). NIST argues this shift constitutes a revolution, rather than the evolution which defined face recognition’s earlier development. And NIST says rapid innovations around CNNs; including Resnets, Inception, very deep networks and spatial transformers; may produce further gains. It’s worth pointing out that the development of more powerful GPUs has contributed, too, with the first GPU-driven CNN created in 2006. For NIST, the findings of its latest FRVT are so significant that the report’s authors advise prospective end-users to immediately “establish whether installed algorithms predate the development of the CNN prototypes evaluated here and inquire with suppliers on availability of the latest versions”. What’s significant about the findings, which were based on a database of 1.6 million faces, is that face recognition’s revolution has produced algorithms that are increasingly tolerant of poorquality images and NIST argues that further gains are likely as machine learning architectures develop, larger datasets are assembled, and benchmark use widens. The underlying technology is fascinating. Convolutional networks are based on the nature of biological processes - the connectivity pattern between CNN algorithm ‘neurons’ resembles the organization of the animal visual cortex, where receptive fields of neurons partially overlap across a visual field. In terms of the supporting maths, the process is neuronal cross-correlation between layers that emulates a biological convolutional operation to an input, before flick-passing the result to the next layer for further processing. A benefit of convolutional emulation is that each ‘neuron’ processes data for its own field and does not need to learn features – this empowers the algorithm by reducing

the number of neurons an algorithm needs to measure image variations at the pixel level. When you consider that an image with 100 x 100 pixels has 10,000 weights, this analogous processing becomes vital – with fewer variables to chew, the neural network can be much deeper with no extra load on processors. Something else to note is that there’s very little pre-processing with CNNs compared to the old way, where the algorithm had to know everything in advance. Instead, filters are learned by the CNN algorithm on the job with no need for tedious and expensive programming. This is a massive advantage and means that operationally, a face recognition solution becomes more discerning and reliable over time, with no need for human touch. While integration between CCTV and access control solutions might be required, some future solutions are likely to find a way around these complexities. When thinking about access control by face recognition and the impact it might have on the electronic security industry, I couldn’t help recalling the Australian-developed NoahFace solution at Security 2018 Exhibition. NoahFace wasn’t just a capable access control solution, it was sleek, compelling and disruptive. The NoahFace system runs on a tablet mounted adjacent to an accesscontrolled door and uses the tablet’s onboard camera to detect approaching faces and compare them with a database. When a face is detected and identified, the system matches it with access rules. Depending on whether NoahFace is standalone or supports an existing access control system, the tablet then instructs a receiver to release a magnetic lock directly, or to instruct the underlying access control system to release the lock. As you approach the door, it opens and without pause, you walk through. Access control doesn’t get simpler than that. n se&n 03

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32: LIVING CITY

MAR 19 10: NOOSA COUNCIL POWERS UP CCTV UPGRADE Noosa Council has powered up its expanded public safety CCTV system, with new cameras, including Hikvision’s PanaVu with PTZ, installed along Hastings Street and at the Noosa Heads Bus Exchange. 18: SELECTING CCTV CAMERAS & LENSES For integrators and end users, selecting appropriate video surveillance cameras for a given application throws up serious challenges. Too often, cameras are installed that more-or-less do the job in reasonable conditions for the lowest price. 26: WHAT’S NEW IN 2019? What new stuff can integrators and end users expect in 2019? Will we see new hardware, new software, or more of the same? In this news report, SEN speaks with some of the industry’s leading manufacturers and distributors to get a handle on the year ahead.

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Stuart Mathews, working for principal contractor, Degree C Electrical, has installed an electronic security solution for Devonport Council, incorporating Inner Range Integriti control panels, Hikvision CCTV cameras, Axxon servers and VMS, and Jacques intercoms. This integrated solution is highly secure and incorporates considerable automation and remote control. 42: BRENDAN BAIN, LOGICAL SERVICES Brendan Bain of Logical Services has spent decades building one of Australia’s most respected security integration businesses. He talks about early challenges and motivations, his passion for robotics and automation, and offers advice for younger techs on where they must focus to ensure their own success. 48: LUCENT GASWORKS DAHUA INTEGRATION Lucent Gasworks in Brisbane, which won Best National High-Rise Apartment Building – 2018 at the Master Builders’ National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards, is secured by an integrated Dahua CCTV, video intercom and networked security solution. 50: FACE RECOGNITION NOW 20X BETTER Between 2014 and 2018, facial recognition software got 20 times better at searching a

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regulars

database to find a matching photograph – so much better are the latest convolutional neural networks solutions that NIST says end users should be demanding old systems be upgraded with the latest algorithms. 52: SAFE CITY BRIEFCAM UPGRADE Briefcam Video Content Analytics has been upgraded at the City of Ipswich Safe City control room in Queensland, further assisting security operators and Queensland Police to reduce time-to-target in investigations.

10: NEWS Latest business, product and technical news from Australia and around the world. 46: MONITORING For alarm monitoring providers and alarm installers the advent of 5G - Optus just launched a couple of 5G points in Canberra – is going to deliver opportunities along with plenty of security challenges. 54: EDITOR’S CHOICE What’s new from our manufacturers. 56: HELPDESK Our team of electronic security experts answers your tough technical questions.

SELECTING CCTV CAMERAS & LENSES l Noosa Council Powers Up CCTV Upgrade l Special Report What’s New in 2019? l Case Study: Devonport Council Living City l The Interview: Brendan Bain, Logical Services l Monitoring: 5G Security Threats l Case Study: Lucent Gasworks Dahua Integration l Technology: Face Recognition Now 20x Better l Case Study: Ipswich Safe City BriefCam Upgrade l New Product: Hanwha Wisenet X Plus Camera

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MARCH 2019 ISSUE 407

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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NEWS IN BRIEF MARCH 2019

NOOSA COUNCIL POWERS UP CCTV UPGRADE Natalie Harris, Stanley Security Systems

n NOOSA Council has powered up its expanded public safety CCTV system, with new cameras, including Hikvision’s PanaVu with PTZ, installed along Hastings Street and at the Noosa Heads Bus Exchange. The 12 new fixed and PTZ cameras also offer coverage of the car park adjacent to the Noosa Surf Club as well as at the taxi rank while 2 cameras will now monitor the bus interchange. The expansion was funded by an $A155,920 grant from the Australian Government’s Safer Communities Fund and installed by Stanley Security Solutions. According to Noosa Mayor, Tony Wellington, the upgrade includes

the installation of a new server and larger monitor, allowing Queensland Police at Noosa to view live and recorded footage over a period of up to 30 days from all the linked cameras. He said the new system also incorporates number-plate recognition technology. “It is important to ensure that the Hastings Street precinct continues to remain a safe, secure destination with low levels of crime and anti-social behaviour,” Mayor Hastings said. “While the rate of crime throughout the Hastings Vlado Damjanovski Street precinct is far from concerning, the upgraded system will allow police to act with more precision and speed,” he said.

Officer in charge at Noosa Police Station, acting senior sergeant Gordon Holmes welcomed the upgrade of the camera system and said the Queensland Police Service had worked in partnership with Noosa Council and other stakeholders to bring the project to fruition. “The evidentiary value that the upgraded cameras provide will greatly assist in the successful prosecution of offences in the Hastings Street precinct and ultimately deliver a safer environment for the general public,” Snr Sgt Holmes said. The system expansion was designed and project managed by Doug Grant of CCTV Specialist Consulting Services.

EAGLE EYE NETWORKS LAUNCHES IN ANZ n MICHAEL Girgis has been appointed sales director ANZ for Eagle Eye Networks, a leading provider of cloud-based video surveillance which has just launched into the ANZ market. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring leading cloud security solutions to the ANZ market,” Girgis said. “Eagle Eye cloud video solutions are powerful, intuitive, affordable and flexible, and they’re going to be perfect for many end users in

Michael Girgis

corporate and government applications requiring guaranteed retention periods and cuttingedge cyber security and encryption. “One of the key benefits for our customers is the ability to store for as long as they require, removing the risk of not having crucial footage available when needed.” Girgis said his priority was selecting the right partners – these will be at the distribution and integration levels – to

ONE OF THE KEY BENEFITS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS IS THE ABILITY TO STORE FOR AS LONG AS THEY REQUIRE, REMOVING THE RISK OF NOT HAVING CRUCIAL FOOTAGE AVAILABLE WHEN NEEDED.

ensure the Eagle Eye range was properly supported by dedicated local suppliers. Dean Drako is the founder of Eagle Eye Networks, a privatelyowned developer of cloud video surveillance solutions, which are strong on video analytics and can integrate Swift Sensors through the Eagle Eye Bridge to offer users greater situational awareness across their sites. The Eagle Eye cloud VMS allows users the ability to select frame rate and resolution on a cameraby-camera basis, making enterprise scale solutions extremely affordable.

CASA INSTALLING DJI AEROSCOPE DRONE DETECTION SOLUTION AT AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS n AUSTRALIA’S Civil Aviation and Safety Authority is installing DJI Aeroscope drone detection technology at Sydney Harbour and Australian airports despite U.S. cybersecurity concerns. Peter Gibson, a spokesman for CASA told SMH he had no concerns about Australia’s choice of technology partner. “Relevant security issues were taken into account when selecting the contractor,” Gibson

said. “A number of different technologies are being used by the contractor.” According to DJI spokesman Adam Lisberg, AeroScope cannot spy on Australian airport systems, or any other airport systems, or anything else. “AeroScope receives radio signals from DJI drones and uses that information to display their location on a map,” Lisberg said. CASA is working with Counter Drone Solutions, an Australian distributor of DJI.

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MCS To Launch CCTV Trailer With Tethered Drone p.12 Fermax, Avigilon, Dahua, Uniview Join SecTech Roadshow 2019 p.14 Alarm.Com Loses $US20 Million Case Against SecureNet p.15 Sektor Appointed FLIR Systems Repair Centre p.16

COMPILED BY JOHN ADAMS

NSW GOVERNMENT PROMISES BUSINESSES $5 MILLION WORTH OF NEW CCTV CAMERAS n IF it wins the next election, the NSW Government has promised to install $A5 million worth of CCTV in 1000 locations under a 4-year

grant scheme. Government and police will own the footage and determine who can access it. Small businesses and community organisations

will be eligible to apply for up to $5000 in funding for the installation of CCTV, with the programme to be trialled in 10 western and south-western

OPTUS LAUNCHES 5G SITES IN CANBERRA nOPTUS 5G sites are now live in 2 suburbs in Canberra, with an additional site live in Sydney and 47 more sites planned to be online by March 2019. Optus is in partnership with Nokia, which is supplying the 5G RAN and Fastmile 5G CPEs. Optus will give select customers the opportunity to be part of the first wave of Optus 5G Home Broadband through an Expressions of Interest campaign in selected areas and Optus 5G Home Broadband will offer unlimited data for $A70 Allen Lew

per month with a 50Mbps Satisfaction Guarantee. “This is an historic day for Optus as we begin our exciting 5G journey with the announcement of Optus’ 5G Home Broadband service,” Optus chief executive Allen Lew said. Optus plans to deliver 1200 5G sites across the ACT, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia by March 2020. “We currently have 3 live in-network 5G cells, but we will be turbo-charging our roll-out over the next 12 months to deliver 5G

cells on the Optus Mobile Network across Australia with the goal of putting this exciting technology into the hands of our customers as soon as possible,” Mr Lew said. “We will continue to adopt a multi-vendor approach to our network technology infrastructure that will drive innovation and competition, which is critical to Optus’ DNA.” According to Lew, Optus’ multi-year 5G network build would include upgrading and adding new mobile sites while ‘densifying’ the network with innovative small cell solutions to increase capacity and speed in highly populated inner-city locations. Anticipating future demand for 5G mobile services, Lew said the 1200 sites will include residential locations and other key customer hotspots surrounding airports, train stations, sports stadiums and CBD locations.

council areas, including Parramatta, Liverpool and Camden. “It’s a start,” said NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian. “We want to see how it goes and to see the feedback the police give us as to how successful it is and if it is, expand it to other areas.” NSW Police and the NSW Department of Justice will assess the applications and determine the best locations for the cameras, with storage for 12-24 months. According to Police assistant commissioner Peter Thurtell said CCTV is “essential”. “It’s good security for businesses, a deterrent for offenders and it assists us in investigations from minor to major crimes,”

Thurtell said. “CCTV allows us to tap into a network which provides us with intelligence about the things that are happening in our area and the people committing crime in the area.” There are some interesting takeaways to this programme. Firstly, CCTV as a crime prevention device is becoming a political device. Secondly, police buy-in to CCTV systems as an investigative tool and a support for convictions now stretches from police stations right through to the highest levels. And thirdly, NSW Police and the Justice Dept would be funding CCTV solutions and managing recordings.

JAMES ROBINSON JOINS VIDEO ANALYTICS & IOT SPECIALIST, GORILLA TECHNOLOGY n JAMES Robinson has joined Gorilla Technology as senior sales executive, ANZ. Gorilla Technology is a video analytics and IOT technology company head quartered in Taiwan with offices in Taiwan, USA, South East Asia and Australia with several other locations opening over the course of the year as the company continues to expand. “The opportunity to join Gorilla Technology was very appealing to me,” Robinson said. “The technology is next generation and spans a wide range of market verticals, from retail analytics to face, vehicle and object recognition and fast video search technologies. At the same time, there’s a full security convergence platform that brings physical and cyber security together into one simple platform. “All these technologies

are in high demand as end users look at ways to further leverage their investment in existing infrastructure and I look forward to bringing these products and the Gorilla brand into the market in Australia and New Zealand.”

James Robinson

ALL THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE IN HIGH DEMAND AS END USERS LOOK AT WAYS TO FURTHER LEVERAGE THEIR INVESTMENT IN EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE...

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NEWS MARCH 2019

AXIS COMMUNICATIONS APPOINTS SARGON YOUSIF NATIONAL SALES MANAGER n SARGON Yousif has been promoted to the role of national sales manager at Axis Communications. Originally based out of the Axis Communications offices in Wellington New Zealand, Yousif

moved to Australia in 2017 and has overseen significant growth across his designated territory of NSW/ACT since the move. “Sargon has been with Axis for 7 years, and he has grown with the

company as we have taken our products to an everincreasing market across ANZ,” said Wai King Wong, country manager, ANZ. “His new role recognises not only his personal success, but the fact that

Sargon Yousif (l) and Ted Sanoyan

MCS TO LAUNCH CCTV TRAILER WITH TETHERED DRONE n MOBILE Camera Security (MCS) will be the first mobile CCTV trailer provider to offer an integrated tethered drone solution with the new technology currently in development. The addition of a tethered drone will allow users to receive continuous aerial monitoring without the need for swapping batteries or recharging the drone. The new product will be

a collaboration between MCS and its new sister brand, DroneJak. DroneJak specialises in tethered drone solutions including a rapid deployment system capable of powering a drone for up to 4 hours without external power. MCS Director, Mark Swan, is excited to see the applications that will now be possible for different industries in Australia and globally. “This will be a

gamechanger for public safety in applications like surf lifesaving, traffic monitoring and major events, as well as emergency situations,” Swan said. “We can now fly a drone for hours or even days and monitor large areas from altitudes as high as 100 metres or more. This just hasn’t been possible with previous technology,” he said. “With the addition of a PTZ 30x zoom camera and optional thermal camera this system will become indispensable for many industries. “The next level up, available in March 2019, will allow for LIVE remote monitoring via 4G and can be streamed to 5 different users simultaneously via mobile or desktop devices. A 4G extension booster COT (cell on tether) will also be a possibility for areas with poor 4G reception.”

our market share has grown to the point where we need new resources and an experienced sales leader for the country.” Meanwhile, Ted Sanoyan joins the Axis team’s Sydney office in the role of key account manager for NSW. Sanoyan previously worked at ADT/JCI as a commercial manager and brings many years of experience in the security market with him to Axis. He is also a certified installer for many of the major security products and has extensive handson experience. Sanoyan will be working with Yousif to extend Axis Communications’ growth across the region and push into new markets. “Ted brings with him a vast knowledge of

the Australian security landscape, which will be invaluable to our team. He has deep relationships and contacts right across the spectrum of the local security industry which will provide us with great impetus for a big push into new markets across the state, and his experience will bring trust and responsibility to the Axis brand with both new and existing customers,” said Wong.

SARGON HAS BEE FOR 7 YEARS, AND GROWN WITH THE AS WE HAVE TAKE PRODUCTS TO AN INCREASING MAR ANZ

SARGON HAS BEEN WITH AXIS FOR 7 YEARS, AND HE HAS GROWN WITH THE COMPANY AS WE HAVE TAKEN OUR PRODUCTS TO AN EVERINCREASING MARKET ACROSS ANZ.

BOLD PERENNIAL REBRANDS AFTER SIMS BUYOUT n Bold Perennial is now Bold Group after the acquisitions of Security Information & Management Systems (SIMS) and Secure Global Solutions (SGS). “The decision is really a practical one of inclusion,” said Rod Coles, president Bold Group. “Now that we are expanding beyond the 2 core companies that originally formed Bold Perennial, and there are possibilities for further expansion in the future, it made sense to create a name that was more inclusive of all the brands that make this company strong.”

In July last year, Bold Technologies merged with Perennial Software, a leader in business management software for security contractors. Bold Group provides solutions for alarm monitoring and business management software with installation available on-premises or in a secure, cloud-based environment. Core products include ManitouNEO, SedonaOffice, and AlarmBiller, solutions used by more than 650 top security companies and dealers globally. Bold Group’s Australian distributor is SCSI.

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The T4000 UltraLite. It’s lite on price, it’s lite on size but not so lite on features.

100mm

The T4000 Ultralite is the latest addition to the Inner Range T4000 series of GSM products. Exceptionally cost effective and compact, this T4000 is the ideal communicator for residential security Monitoring and can be fitted to any existing or new security installation. Simply connect any Contact-ID enabled dialler panel into the ‘Panel’ port for instant cellular alarm reporting. Even though the T4000 Ultralite is the most cost effective unit released by Inner Range to date, it is still feature packed and delivers all the capabilities expected from a GSM communicator.

67mm Upload/download

Dialer capture input

Inner Range Serial protocol

SkyCommand app control

Push notifications

Over-the-air firmware updates

Cellular AS2201.5 Supervision time

12 hour (Class 2 only)

Inputs

Outputs

3 Open collector

Supported reporting formats Size

T: +61 3 9780 4300 E: IREnquiries@innerrange.com W: innerrange.com

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4G Cat M1

ContactID, Irfast + Text 80 x 100 x 22mm

T: 1300 319 499

W: csd.com.au

27/2/19 1:50 pm

NEWS MARCH 2019

FERMAX, AVIGILON, DAHUA, UNIVIEW JOIN SECTECH ROADSHOW 2019 n FERMAX Australia, Avigilon, Dahua and Uniview have joined SecTech Roadshow 2019! Current exhibitors include Fermax Australia, Avigilon, Dahua, Uniview, SCSI, Video Security Products, Pelco, Video Alarm Technologies, Mobotix, Alarmcorp, Salto, BGW Technologies, ICT, Q Security Systems, dormakaba, Interlogix, Hills, 2N, Videotec and LSC. SecTech Roadshow is a touring tradeshow that takes the top distributors and manufacturers around 5 Australian state capitals over 2 weeks every May and draws

2000-2500 high-quality attendees. Unlike one-out roadshows, every SecTech exhibitor benefits from the combined drawing power of the group. The compact size and local venues make SecTech Roadshow the perfect opportunity for installers and end users to get high quality face time with leading suppliers and manufacturers and their solutions in a vibrant half-day. SecTech Roadshow gets going in Melbourne on May 2, then travels to Sydney on May 7, Brisbane on May 9, Adelaide on May 14 and Perth on May 16.

Vlado Damjanovski

LSC SECURITY SUPPLIES APPOINTS 3 NEW INTERNAL SALES ROLES n LSC Security Supplies has appointed 3 new internal sales team members to support continued growth. Brendan Foster (QLD), Tim Kershaw (WA) and Jose Bavachan (VIC) join LSC from Honeywell Building Solutions, Access Security Distributors and Axis Communications respectively. Together they have more than 35 years’ experience in the electronic security industry. Scott Leonard, division manager electronic security at LSC, hinted the hunt for new staff was far from over.

“The cornerstone of LSC’s success over the past 90 years has been exceptional customer service,” Leonard said. “With increased demand from a growing customer base, we always strive to maintain the high levels of service our customers deserve.” “The addition of 3 new team members has allowed us to reshuffle the deck, so to speak, with several existing staff members moving into business development manager and account manager roles across the nation.” The restructure sees

Paul Hanley, Shane Hallal and Dave Pumphrey step into BDM positions for VIC/TAS/NT, NSW and SA respectively, while Matt Clayson and Jonathan Thornley take over AM roles in SA and NSW. “While this restructure will help ensure we can continue to deliver industry leading service at every stage of the purchase cycle, we’re always on the lookout for new team members keen to embrace our customercentric approach to supply,” Leonard said.

ARLO PULLS 4K DIY CCTV CAMERA AFTER COMPLAINTS FROM USERS n ARLO has been pulling its new 4K camera from sale at retail outlets in the U.S. after complaints about performance from end users. Arlo responded to the issues by releasing firmware upgrades on January 5, 20, 29 and then again on January 30. The companion base station included with the camera also received updates on January 15, 17 and 30. “Knowing that Ultra is a leading technology product with a range of new innovations, we did extensive testing before deployment, as we do with all Arlo products,” Arlo said in a statement.

“After end-user sales began, we identified some performance challenges in specific user environments. As such, we have aggressively worked to release firmware updates to solve these challenges. As a result of the firmware updates, we are now seeing positive feedback on the forums from users.” High resolution cameras are challenging – they tax compression algorithms, load networks and their pixel-rich sensors gather less light per sensor than their 1080p brethren unless matched with 1-inch sensor sizes.

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ALARM.COM LOSES $US20 MILLION CASE AGAINST SECURENET n SECURENET Technologies did not infringe Alarm.com home automation patents and no damages for lost profits and reasonable royalties were due to the company, a jury has found in a 5-day trial at the Delaware District Court. Alarm.com’s position was that SecureNet Technologies directly and wilfully infringed the patents at issue in the case and induced third parties to infringe by using SecureNet’s infringing products in their own devices, which were then sold to homeowners, said Alarm.com Attorney James C. Yoon of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC. Alarm.com had sought $US20 million in damages,

claiming SecureNet had infringed patents relating to interactive gateway technology using a touchscreen and an offsite server that allowed separate home security and automation systems to be managed from a single interface. But the jury found SecureNet had not infringed U.S. Patent Nos. 8,073,931, 8,478,844 and 8,473,619 and that no damages for lost profits and reasonable royalties were due to Alarm.com. According to Alarm. com, SecureNet’s mobile app interface and use of a back-end server infringed claims of the 3 patents. However, SecureNet’s attorney countered that the defendant’s product in question involved software

and not the hardware devices covered by the patents. “You didn’t see a single line of code from SecureNet’s server. You didn’t see a single line of code form SecureNet’s app. Not one. The only thing SecureNet makes is software…,” SecureNet Attorney Erik B. Milch of Cooley LLP told the jury. “We’re talking about patent claims for devices that SecureNet does not make.” Alarm.com predecessor iControl Networks filed its original patent suit against SecureNet Technology, according to Law360. iControl dropped suit its after agreeing to work with SecureNet on a licensing agreement for the technology but that deal

never came to fruition and the litigation was refiled in 2015. SecureNet Technologies was founded in the early 1990s as an Australianbased systems integrator in the security and protection industry. Success and growth of that

business led to the building of a central monitoring station and later, the creation of a monitoring solution, which became the SecureNet platform. In 2012, CEO Andrew Wilson moved SecureNet’s HQ from Sydney, Australia, to Orlando, Florida.

SMITHS DETECTION WINS NORTHERN TERRITORY AIRPORTS COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY CONTRACT

n SMITHS Detection has been awarded a contract by Northern Territory (NT) Airports to supply advanced Computed Tomography (CT) checked baggage and passenger screening systems in Darwin and Alice Springs airports. This partnership with Smiths Detection makes both Darwin International and Alice Springs Airport, the first airports in Australia to

adopt CT technology for their passenger screening needs. NT Airports provide critical infrastructure and services to those travelling through its airports and is an important contributor to the NT economy because of its proximity to Asia’s tourism and business markets and the strength of the resources sector in the NT. “We want to keep customers safe, ease their transition through our

airports, and provide peace of mind for everyone,” said Ian Kew, CEO of NT Airports. “We’re striving for excellence and we’re excited to partner with Smiths Detection who share the same vision and tenacity as us.” According to Robert Phillips, head of security & contingency planning for NT Airports, the new CT screening equipment provide enhanced capabilities while

maximising passenger throughput. “Our airports will be equipped with cutting edge security technology on par with the best airports internationally,” Phillips said. “Darwin and Alice Springs will be the first airports in Australia to be fully equipped with this advanced technology. This will not only lead to fewer physical bag searches, but greater ease for passengers passing through our screening points.” Smiths Detection will install 7 HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX units as part of an integrated checkpoint with iLane.evo, the automated tray return system for automated tray handling, to deliver a steady flow of trays so travellers at NT Airports can experience a stress-free screening process. There will be 4 HI-SCAN 10080 XCT units installed for checked baggage screening. This offers security operators higher levels of security and operational efficiency. “Smiths Detection understands the diverse needs that airports face and is committed to

improving passenger experience and security, using our world-leading technology and expertise in CT systems,” said Jordan Thrupp, managing director of Australia and New Zealand, Smiths Detection. The HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX has both TSA AT-2 certification and ECAC EDS CB C3 approval and the HI-SCAN 10080 XCT has the highest, defined security standard in the EU with ECAC approval as a Standard 3.1 explosives detection system for hold baggage. The projects at Darwin and Alice Springs airports are on schedule to be delivered by mid-2020. Darwin International Airport is the busiest airport serving the Northern Territory and the tenth busiest airport in Australia. It shares runways with the Royal Australian Air Force’s RAAF Base Darwin. Darwin Airport has an international terminal, a domestic terminal and a cargo terminal, each with shops and cafeterias. The airport serves around 30,000 flights and 2 million passengers annually.

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NEWS MARCH 2019

PMT SECURITY SYSTEMS TURNS 40, ANNOUNCES EXPANSION

BGW TECHNOLOGIES HITS THE BIG 3.0.

DATIONS ABLED TO CURITY HE N AND NING ANCE

n SECURITY distributor BGW Technologies has grown into a significant player in the electronic security distribution space over the last 5 years, with the team just hitting 30 staff. “Great news came earlier in February when we employed the 30th person in our business,” said Robert Meachem – general manager, BGWT. “We have goals and targets within our business like most other companies around sale and profit, but one of our most important measures is how many people we are employing – we can only achieve this if we are delivering on our strategy.” The wider BGW Group employs over 1100 staff at over 100 locations across Australia and Asia, with

its core business revolving around electrical and plumbing wholesale. “Besides the 30 people now working directly in our BGW Technologies security distribution business, we are also supporting a significant number of other people helping behind the scenes in our Brisbane group support office, who provide services such as finance, marketing, employee services, accounts and IT support,” said Meachem. “It makes me very proud to see our business employing more people and ultimately supporting Aussie families, which is only possible due to our dedicated people, great suppliers and the wonderful customers who have supported and believed in us,” he said.

“With well-known brands such as Pelco, Panasonic, Milestone, Dell, S2 Security, DSC, Kocom and KBC in our product stable it’s no wonder BGWT has risen to be a serious player.” BGW Technologies will be exhibiting at the national SecTech Roadshow for the 3rd year in row in 2019, and Meachem said installers, consultants and end users can meet many local BGWT people as SecTech visits each city.

WITH WELL-KNOWN BRANDS SUCH AS PELCO, PANASONIC, MILESTONE, DELL, S2 SECURITY, DSC, KOCOM AND KBC IN OUR PRODUCT STABLE IT’S NO WONDER BGWT HAS RISEN TO BE A SERIOUS PLAYER.

n MARKET-leading security integrator, PMT Security Systems, celebrates its 40th birthday this month. Founded by Mick Taylor in February 1979, the company has followed a strong growth trajectory in recent years to become firmly established as one of the country’s premier electronic security solutions providers. What began as a sideline business to support Mick’s income back in the 1960s, the company was run for a long time from the family’s residential premises in Craigieburn, Victoria. Mick’s wife, Pam, ran the book-keeping and handled receptionist duties, and the company was founded in both their names – Pam and Mick Taylor (PMT) Security. In the early 90s, PMT began working with retail giant Coles Group, before moving into new offices at Tullamarine later that decade. The company continued to grow, employing a range of skilled professionals and opening offices in New South Wales and Western Australia, winning big contracts with national retailers such as Kmart, Bunnings and Officeworks. Today, PMT Security has offices in Tullamarine, Seven Hills, Balcatta and Murarrie. “We are fiercely proud of our heritage as a familyowned and run business, as well as the fact that we have not only lasted forty years but have thrived in the security space for that long, despite our humble beginnings,” said Darren Taylor, managing director of PMT Security and son of Pam and Mick.

“We are on a very strong growth curve, currently increasing our staff levels across the board and expanding our premises, so we are not just surviving in today’s security market – we are leading the way.” Other notable achievements for PMT include becoming the first Milestone Systems Diamond Partner in Australia and one of only 13 in the world, as well as winning Myers’ Supplier of the Year award. PMT will shortly announce the expansion of the company’s NSW offices in Seven Hills, as well as the appointment of a human resources manager to oversee staff and the wellbeing of the PMT team. “We have big plans for the future, including the expansion of our full security-as-a-service and remote operations, plus more integrations with cuttingedge technologies such as facial and licence-plate recognition and video data analytics,” Taylor said. “We have grown from a part-time operation staffed by 2 people, into a company with 85 fulltime employees and more than 100 contractors, and we are onboarding new technologies all the time. It is great to be 40, and we expect to be industry pioneers for a long time to come.”

WITH WELL-KNOW SUCH AS PELCO, P MILESTONE, DELL, DSC, KOCOM AND PRODUCT STABLE BGWT HAS RISEN T PLAYER

Darren Taylor

SEKTOR APPOINTED FLIR SYSTEMS REPAIR CENTRE n SEKTOR, a specialist technology distributor, has announced its appointment as authorised Australian repair centre for FLIR thermal security cameras. Sektor has supplied integrators with advanced imaging and surveillance systems for Australian Government, defence and critical infrastructure

projects for many years. With an increasing number of successful deployments, Sektor has invested in FLIR Systems factory-certified repair and Global Trade Compliance training. “This next chapter in our partnership with FLIR Systems enables Sektor provide even better service to our ANZ

resellers maintaining mission critical systems,” said Tom Kinkade, national BDM of security at Sektor. “The combination of our in-depth field experience and authorised repair capabilities positions us to provide unmatched customer experiences with thermal security technology.”

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COMING SOON

The next generation in smart panels For more information on these and other best-in-class solutions from Hills call us on 1300 HILLS1 (445 571) or visit hills.com.au

facebook.com/HillsLtd/ CONNECT

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E N T E RTA I N

SECURE

27/2/19 1:50 pm

● Special report

CCTV

Scott Myles

SELECTING CCTV CAMERAS & LENSES For integrators and end users, selecting appropriate video surveillance cameras for a given application throws up serious challenges. Too often, cameras are installed that more-or-less do the job in reasonable conditions for the lowest price. But when conditions get tough, poorly selected cameras virtually guarantee that an expensive CCTV solution cannot meet its most basic requirements – identifying pedestrians and vehicles.

OW do you choose the best cameras for your application? Which form factors, focal lengths and resolutions do you need? What are the camera qualities that are most valuable – are they WDR, useful resolution to 15 metres giving plates or faces, lack of motion blur in low light? Then there’s lens choice. Some good camera manufacturers slap on dreadful lenses that are loaded with purple fringing and internal reflections, and exhibit strong distortions and lack of sharpness. According to Luke Percy-Dove of Matryx, the secret to selecting the right CCTV camera for an application is understanding exactly what outcome the CCTV camera is expected to provide. “I do this is by working backwards as if I was going to review CCTV footage post-incident,” he says.

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BY J O H N A D A M S

“What would I want to see on the monitor? Lens selection is very important, critical even. Pick the wrong lens and you can jeopardise the success of camera placement. Focal length is important too, but the lens should complement the camera, not detract from it. When it comes to lenses, a lack of sharpness would be the biggest cause of frustration and reason I will reject cameras. Image detail is so important. “In my opinion there are enormous differences between cameras which many in our industry still do not appreciate. Every application will have a camera to suit, but no one camera can suit every application. For instance, external CCTV is infinitely more difficult than anything you would do internally. For me, WDR is one of the first considerations. After that, everything else will be driven by the application because every application is different. “I find calculators to be very helpful with CCTV solutions and use them occasionally to validate my thinking before I document a project’s requirements. I also use them when I am unsure if a standard 4-8mm or 4-12mm lens is going to achieve what I need.” What is your position on 4K and high-resolution sensors – are these best used with wide angle lenses to deliver situational awareness on large sites? Or do you think there are some jobs that need maximum pixels? “From my experience, 4K has deficiencies in low light and with motion,” explains Percy-Dove. “So, for stadiums and large open areas where one camera can replace multiple lower resolution cameras or cover very large areas, I think they make sense. For all other applications, I would always select a lower resolution camera with an appropriate lens. The outcome will be better. I am yet to specify a 4K camera anywhere.” Doug Grant of CCTV Consultants says that camera choice comes down to application. “For instance, dome or turret cameras are the choice of camera in areas where the public may try and damage cameras,” Grant says. “These types are compact and aesthetically pleasing for most installations. Bullet cameras are excellent for longer ranges and they offer greater IR range than dome or turret cameras. “Next come box (full body) cameras – in my opinion, these should only be used in situations which may include extreme distances, where a telephoto lens can be attached. PTZ cameras are a security operator’s choice as the camera can move at the operator’s discretion. “Panoramic cameras are an exciting development in camera design,” Grant says. “They range from 180270 degrees with multiple image devices built into a single housing using a single Cat6 cable supported by PoE. In my opinion, the single lens 360-degree ceiling mounted panomorphic camera is best used in applications such as reception areas. And finally, there are speciality cameras, which might be used for covert surveillance.” When it comes to camera qualities, Grant has a

LENS SELECTION IS VERY IMPORTANT, CRITICAL EVEN. PICK THE WRONG LENS AND YOU CAN JEOPARDISE THE SUCCESS OF CAMERA PLACEMENT.

firm operational focus. “I value a camera that has useful WDR, as well as firmware support with (open) edge recording algorithms for ANPR and facial recognition that support integration with brand-name VMS options,” he says. “Edge recording was the beginning, now I want to see all these features clients are asking for in a solution that not only record events but is interactive with local and cloud-based databases. Early days I know, but we will get there.” Grant argues lenses are vital for quality imaging in video surveillance applications. “Being old school, I cut my teeth on 1-inch image devices used in Newvicon tube type cameras, which processed the refracted light of the lens producing a well-defined image,” he says. “If installers selected a box type camera where they were able to use a C or CS mount type lens with glass optics, then the image quality of every application would be improved. Integrated cameras today give you the vari-focal option with cheap plastic optics and ever shrinking image sensors.” Grant says he has always wanted more to offer a client in the way of a camera-lens combination. “I foresee a camera and lens device that can view multiple images with clarity over a 180 deg angle of view and supports AI and has the optical capacity to clearly view objects up to 200 metres away, using segments of the image sensor to multi-view moving objects with a FoV ranging from a few meters,” he says. “With this device, all events that take place in the field of view are digitally magnified and brought into focus. The image sensor will process the information, record and transmit on multiple streams. “I imagine this camera of the future to be the size of a broadcast camera, mostly lens. I’d really like to see a manufacturer develop this concept for the CCTV market. Imagine viewing multiple images from one camera on a video wall in real time using an artificial intelligence-based VMS. It’s a big step forward from

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● Special report

CCTV

the present-day panoramic technology which relies on multiple stitched cameras.” According to Grant, when it comes to lenses, things like distortion, chromatic aberration (seen as purple fringing), ghosting, lack of sharpness are aberrations of mass-produced consumer manufacturing. “The CCTV industry will continue to suffer if they use cheaper technologies found in low cost consumer cameras, video cams and the like,” he says. “A price-driven industry has made these systems more affordable by pushing manufacturers to use sub-standard lenses in comparison to the glass optics we used to use.” Grant argues that testing on site is the only way to separate cameras based on performance. “Attending shoot-outs is one way – or you can undertake tests around the application,” he explains. “There’s difference in some camera solutions based on intended application. Typically, systems purpose-built for CBD surveillance will offer the best camera and lens combinations that integrate best into video management systems. Other cameras designed for general viewing, or to function as a deterrent will cost less, have fewer features and less in the way of analytics. “In my experience there are differences between domes cameras in the 4MP range - all the brands I have worked with have their differences between models. Low light capabilities in higher resolution cameras are deficient compared to lower resolution cameras in the same brand. Increasing the lens format and sensor would greatly assist the lower light specification if it were possible. “We all want high resolution images in every CCTV system but it’s not always appropriate. High resolution sensors work well in stadiums where multiple cameras were once required. These solutions work well with very high illumination and I also see an acceptance of multiple high-resolution cameras in panoramic or single lens 360-degree cameras. “While the FoV and low light capabilities are much less in these applications, they certainly deliver acceptable general surveillance imagery using multiple image devices,” Grant says. “The panoramic type camera also stitches together 3 to 4 cameras with little distortion. And while single lens 360-degree cameras have specific installation parameters that must be followed, they too have a place in general surveillance applications.

THERE IS A VARIETY OF USES AND EXPECTATIONS FROM A CCTV CAMERA, AND THE ONLY SECRET I CAN ADVISE ON IS TO STAY UPDATED WITH TECHNOLOGY SO YOU CAN SELECT THE RIGHT CCTV CAMERA.

Douglas Grant

Grant says software calculators can be useful when planning a CCTV solution. “I have found them to be a good starting point when designing a system that requires more than general surveillance from wide angle lenses,” he explains. “The only proven method when specific FoV is part of the design, is to set up the camera on site and have your client approve an image – the angle of view, the resolution, the camera settings.” Vlado Damjanovski says selecting the right CCTV camera is about education. “I have studied, worked with and used cameras, sensors and lenses all my life, and there is no simple answer as to their selection,” he says. “There is a variety of uses and expectations from a CCTV camera, and the only secret I can advise on is to stay updated with technology.” When it comes to desirable camera qualities, Damjanovski goes right to the heart of the camera system, first pointing out that every CCTV solution is designed with certain expectations - almost always a demand for a good picture in very low light or difficult lighting conditions. “When it comes to the lens, if no good this can be changed on some cameras, WDR can be turned on and off, or adjusted, but the sensor’s ability to gather light is directly proportional to pixel size so the quality I always start with is the pixel size defined by sensor size and pixel count,” he explains. “Overall pixel count is secondary, although it’s important to have a certain standard format HD or UHD (4K) to match the system. “The next most valuable quality would be the lens is the lens matching or exceeding the sensor quality? I regret to say this, but the CCTV industry doesn’t

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Wisenet thermal cameras Wisenet thermal cameras object and background to make the unseen details visible without additional lighting. In addition, they object and background to make the unseen details visible without additional lighting. In addition, they

Black hot Black hot

White hot White hot

www.eos.com.au www.eos.com.au SEM319_21.indd 1

Sepia Sepia

Rainbow Rainbow

Red Red

Custom Custom

Iron Iron

W: www.eos.com.au E: sales@eos.com.au www.eos.com.au P:W:(02) 9749 5888 E: sales@eos.com.au P: (02) 9749 5888 27/2/19 1:50 pm

● Special report

CCTV

THE NEXT MOST VALUABLE QUALITY WOULD BE THE LENS - IS THE LENS MATCHING OR EXCEEDING THE SENSOR QUALITY? I REGRET TO SAY THIS, BUT THE CCTV INDUSTRY DOESN’T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO CAMERA OPTICS. pay much attention to camera optics,” Damjanovski says. “I have been writing about the importance of optics for over 20 years, but it still needs to be discussed. The industry needs to understand the optical principles, features and qualities. “And the third quality would be camera image processing electronics, which includes WDR and compression. Motion blur is controllable by tweaking electronic exposure so it can be minimised. Many users don’t know that they can control the electronic exposure to minimise the motion blur. This is typically done by shortening the electronic exposure from the typical 1/25s or 1/30s, to 1/100s, 1/250s or maybe even 1/500s while still producing live video.” According to Damjanovski, calculators can be a big help when planning and commissioning CCTV applications but he says they are not all created equally. “The ViDiLabs calculator available for both iOS and Android smart devices is not like anything else available on the market,” he says. “There’s nothing which calculates all the things we do - a reflected light lux-meter will soon be included. You can find it by searching under ViDiLabs calc or if you don’t want to buy it without seeing it, visit our web site (www.vidilabs.com/theapp) and see some of the examples I explain in my videos.”

Luke Percy-Dove

Damjanovski argues that CCTV cameras have significant differences. “CCTV cameras are definitely not created equal,” he says. “There is huge difference depending between them including the sensor used, the lens quality, the electronic processing quality, which includes compression. One thing I should also mention here, since we are on this topic, at our labs we are equipped to do various tests and we can evaluate cameras, lenses and systems. If anybody is interested in a scientific and objective test comparison of cameras, I would be happy to help.” When it comes to higher resolution sensors, Damjanovski says selected application depends on the pixel density at the target object distance. “This can easily be calculated with a ViDiLabs calculator but let’s use an example,” he explains. “Sydney Trains wants to cover customers passing multiple ticket-gates at a train station across a field of view of 20 metres. We will say the customer wants to be able to identify faces with 350pix/m. If we use a 4K camera, let’s assume it has a ½-inch sensor remember the issue of pixel size? 4K has twice the resolution so should have a larger sensor to ensure we don’t shrink the pixels and ‘kill the light’. “We could use 3.6mm lens for example (assuming we have none, or minimal, optical barrel distortions). According to the ViDiLabs calculator, this would give us 350pix/m at 6m away from the boom-gates, covering a field of view about 11m wide. So, with two 4k cameras, and an optically good 3.6mm lens, we could cover all 20m with good facial identification. Comparatively, we could get almost the same quality coverage using four 1/3-inch HD cameras fitted with 5.2mm lenses installed 6m away from the gates. “When we get 8K cameras (and they will come) and assuming they have not shrunk pixel sizes too much - I would suggest a 1-inch sensor, with a 3.6mm non-distorting lens, which would give us coverage of a field of view of 22m from 6m distance, at the required 350pix/m.” According to Scott Myles of ICS-Group, selecting the right CCTV camera is an interesting and open question aligned with the overall requirements of the client. Myles argues that the selection of cameras should be driven by the client’s overall security strategy. “ICS-Group receives many requests for electronic security and CCTV from our clients, however, in most cases these requests are not supported by a comprehensive strategy, leaving them open to a onesize-fits-all approach that is neither qualitative nor meets the functional and operational needs of the client,” he says. “These theoretical recommendations, without the benefit of a defined strategy, result in the offering of a ‘canned solution’ which often leads to significant loss of value for the client - the intent of the security system may be lost, or in the worst case, completely compromised. Prior to any selection or recommendation, it is our practice to work with

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VX1600 series | VX1800 series | VX3000-E

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● Special report

CCTV

all stakeholders to clearly define the requirements so that any recommendations are fit for purpose, meeting the needs of the defined application. When it comes to qualities of the best cameras, Myles says camera applications are varied and the qualities that are most valuable differ between applications and depend on the ultimate goals of the solution. “We steer away from a one-size-fits-all approach and look at each scenario that drives the requirements for our recommendations,” Myles explains. “This approach ensures that the product chosen is effective and sustainable while meeting the specific needs of the application. In our opinion, it’s pointless deploying high megapixel cameras in an application where it they are not required, such as close capture views, where the intended subjects make up a large percentage of the captured area. There’s also no reason to deploy cameras with superior WDR performance in internal applications that will never see the light of day. “However, in more challenging applications such as external or low light applications where properties such as depth of field and WDR is needed, it is our practice to appraise products that not only provide good day and night images but also proved low amounts of motion blur and have good dynamic range for dealing with harsh light from environmental factors and vehicles. Evaluating cameras for more challenging environments is what differentiates quality cameras from the vast array of products that are available in the marketplace.” How important are lenses and what should end users and installers be looking for? “As you would expect, lenses are a very important element of the camera and its ability to provide the desired outcome,” explains Myles. “It’s important to note that the past decade has seen the integration of CCTV cameras both fixed and PTZ, with the lens included as the delivered package. The good, old days of the integrator having to choose the best lens for an application is no longer a requirement. “There is still a requirement for an understanding of focal lengths and targeted areas. During any evaluation process, lens quality such as distortion, depth of field and f-stop must be considered as part of the overall assessment of the product. Tier 1 manufacturers usually put effort into the quality of lenses, and this is reflected in the overall camera image output, as well as a camera’s ability to respond

...THE PAST DECADE HAS SEEN THE INTEGRATION OF CCTV CAMERAS BOTH FIXED AND PTZ, WITH THE LENS INCLUDED AS THE DELIVERED PACKAGE - THE GOOD, OLD DAYS OF THE INTEGRATOR HAVING TO CHOOSE THE BEST LENS FOR THE APPLICATION IS NO LONGER A REQUIREMENT.

Vlado Damjanovski

to rapid light fluctuations and the handling of motion blur,” Myles explains. “Unfortunately for clients who do not do their due diligence and instead go for the one-size-fits-all low-cost option, we find such solutions ultimately run into trouble in low light or harsh conditions where the camera is exposed to all the issues consultants try to avoid during design. These include a lack of depth of field, image sharpness and distortion and the overall inability to provide a usable outcome when most needed. “In an internal application with good lighting and no interference from environmental factors, most ‘in-range reputable security cameras’ provide good quality images, however, harsh environments are the big differentiator between products,” Myles explains. “ICS-Group has often been called to remediate the situations which can arise from the ‘canned approach’ when investing in technology, which is why we are keen to engage new clients as early as possible in the security solution life cycle.” When it comes to the quest for high resolution, Myles says less is sometimes more. “The application for 4K cameras covering wide angle views for situational awareness are valid, however, it’s important to consider how these cameras perform in applications with lower operational light levels, where higher resolution and megapixel cameras often have limitations. “Although we have found that 1080p has delivered the desired outcome without impacting overly on storage, we are not averse to recommending the use of 4K or megapixel cameras as the application requires, however, we don’t subscribe to the blanket use of 4K or high MP cameras in every application.” n

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27/2/19 1:50 pm

● Special report

2019

WHAT’S NEW IN 2019?

What new stuff can integrators and end users expect in 2019? Will we see new hardware, new software, or more of the same? In this news report, SEN speaks with some of the industry’s leading manufacturers and distributors to get a handle on the year ahead. T’S possible to speculate endlessly on the nature of future electronic security tech yet such speculations have no real impact on the product releases installers, integrators and end users are going to get their hands on in 2019. To establish that, you need input from manufacturers and distributors. According to Steve Bell, chief technology officer at Gallagher, the team has several new products and product enhancements that will hit the market in 2019. “We have an exciting new product in the cyber space that will dramatically improve our customers’ ability to identify vulnerabilities within their security system,” Bell says. “This product has received overwhelmingly positive feedback during the testing phase and will be released to the market

in April 2019. “Another new product involves the integration of our technology with the latest in biometric hardware. Due for release in March, this and our new cyber product will be displayed and demonstrated at ISC West in Las Vegas. In terms of product enhancements, after the release of the first version of our new site plans in Command Centre v8.00, the next version (v8.10) extends the functionality and versatility of the package. “Command Centre Mobile has further enhancements coming that will streamline a security team’s processes. Improving enterprise business efficiency and, as a result, expense management, is key for businesses and our Shared Spaces solutions are getting a lot of attention because of this. The next increment of this

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BY J O H N A D A M S

development will also be released this year.” What sorts of solutions do you think installers and integrators should be focusing on to stay ahead in 2019? “Today the term security ‘solution’ is not an accurate description of what Gallagher does,” says Bell. “Our core focus is solving business problems by ensuring business continuity, creating efficiencies, protecting assets, and keeping people safe. To stay ahead, this is what installers and integrators should be looking at, too. “In terms of Gallagher’s broad strategy for the coming year, for the Australian high-security Type 1A market, we now have a fully-endorsed solution and we are committed to working with our Type 1A channel and our government partners to help them achieve full compliance to the 2008 standard by the 2021 target date. Another part of our strategy involves a continued focus on cyber security and helping to give our customers the knowledge and tools to protect their businesses from risk.” According to Bell, Gallagher sees 2019 as a year of growth for the Australian security market. “We see that a number of systems are getting old, we see that cyber concerns are now being monitored at board level in most enterprises, and we see that many organisations across all industries are reassessing their systems in line with technology advances in mobile solutions, cost-effective biometrics, and shared working spaces,” he says. At Hikvision, Cecil Nie says there will be plenty of new products and new technologies released in 2019. “Hikvision will be releasing ColorVu and AcuSense technology into the Australian market this year,” says Nie. “Cameras equipped with Hikvision ColorVu technology extend and enhance surveillance capabilities into the dark, lifting the cover of night to capture vivid chromatic images. In contrast to conventional lenses, ColorVu lenses are equipped with a super-aperture, reaching up to F1.0, which allows more light to enter the lens so that imaging brightness can be increased. “With false alarm filter, strobe light and audio

CAMERAS EQUIPPED WITH HIKVISION COLORVU TECHNOLOGY EXTEND AND ENHANCE SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITIES INTO THE DARK, LIFTING THE COVER OF NIGHT TO CAPTURE VIVID CHROMATIC IMAGES.

ColorVu from Hikvision

alarm and quick target search function, AcuSense technologies immensely increases the alarm accuracy rate and brings a more convenient and effective way to search through video clips. Both of these technology have been applied into Hikvision’s IP and Analog products, which are known as EasyIP 4.0 and Turbo HD 5.0 product series. “With Hikvision AcuSense technology, SMB customers can achieve new levels of perimeter and site security, while reducing manual interventions due to false alarms and enabling major time and cost savings. At the same time, Hikvision AcuSense provides a major opportunity for resellers, helping them to deliver advanced surveillance solutions that were previously out of reach for their SMB customers. BGWT’s Mark Shannon says that while it’s a bit early to call pre-ISC West and IFSEC, in higher end CCTV the team expects to see tighter integrations with facial recognition and cyber security products (probably the biggest issue facing government and enterprise in the years ahead). “In the intrusion/connected home segment, after what was a big year for BGW Technologies for product releases with the likes of Qolsys and iOtega, we expect to see a whole range of new smart accessories such as wireless locks, thermostats, camera devices that will make the most of new Qolsys and iotega platforms,” Shannon says. “We will also be releasing the new IP Kocom intercom which will come with mobile apps, which installer and end users are screaming out for in a quality brand like Kocom.” Rob Meachem says there are key areas installers and integrators need to be across this year. “Firstly, the change in the traditional intrusion/ alarm segment and interactive monitoring sector is going to gain significant momentum in 2019,” Meachem says. “Traditional alarms in the residential segment are progressively going to be replaced by connected home/interactive platforms which not only provides the alarm system but also allow full remote management of other devices such as security cameras, door locks, lights, thermostats and much more. “The value proposition of the new connected/

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● Special report

2019

INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING, INCREASED SECURITY REQUIREMENTS IN ALL SECTORS AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES WILL SEE WHAT I HOPE WILL BE A GREATER THAN 10 PER CENT MARKET GROWTH IN 2019. interactive home system will definitely create opportunities to grow the alarm installer’s revenue, both in terms of hardware devices sold as well as reoccurring revenue. What I like about this is that the home owner gets far more value than it traditionally has. I also think we will see security monitoring businesses further embrace this opportunity. “I think SI’s will need to be far more conscious of their customer’s wider security risks, especially around what products and protections are put in place to mitigate penetration into their wider network. The risks are too high to ignore now, and the threats will only increase. BGW Technologies and its suppliers are all focused on this area and we will see significant new features released in the year ahead to help address this risk.” According to Meachem, BGWT’s strategy through 2019 will be a continuation of 4 key things: Having great people, working hard to help suppliers be successful, having strong and reliable products and doing everything possible to meet customers’ needs and wants. And he says new products and technology will play an important part in underpinning these 4 elements. “Regardless of the economy, I see strong growth ahead for the industry in 2019,” Meachem says. “Infrastructure spending, increased security requirements in all sectors and technology upgrades will see what I hope will be a greater than 10 per cent market growth in 2019. We see growth in every segment including intrusion, access control, intercom and CCTV (video surveillance).” Wayne Trethowan of CSM says he expects to see an increase in wireless technologies, particularly in the home security and automation space.

Steve Bell

Wayne Trethowan

Stanley El Komala, BGWT

“In the CCTV space, analytics are heading toward the edge and devices and solutions like facial recognition will form part of the NVR solution,” Trethowan says. “CSM this year will be releasing NVR’s with inbuilt analytics and high-performance camera ranges. Cloud services to support camera storage are also becoming a reality “We have also released a 4G Vesta range of Home Automation products that allow users to control all aspects of the home from a smartphone. “Customers are wanting more control of their solutions these days, so applications that support an interactive portal are becoming popular – this is an area that installers need to consider. Many solutions these days incorporate apps to drive them, so feature-rich intuitive apps are complimentary to many product ranges going forward. “CSM is a design house for a broad range of security applications, so its focus in 2019 is going to be on providing total solution packages that incorporate everything from the door lock to the network headend,” Trethowan says. “The ability to customise solutions to meet the demands of the integrator and the end user are paramount. We see significant growth opportunities in the coming year with security technologies advancing at a significant rate to meet new market demands.” Andrew Cho of EOS says the team has a large range of products to release in 2019. “The WISENET X Plus IP camera range with modular structure is due to release in March 2019 along with radiometry thermal cameras,” Cho says. “Also in 2019, WISENET is planning to grow more in the commercial, industrial, oil & gas, transport, and government vertical markets and products are positioned to provide fit for purpose solutions.

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1/3/19 27/2/19 10:34 1:49 am pm

● Special report

2019

“In the Panasonic intercom ranges, there will be a new series of cost-effective residential intercom models, as well as the smartphone connectable IP Apartment intercom ranges. And Digifort will release its version 7.3, which has many new features and a big change in its programming structure that will maintain its value as one of the easiest yet most powerful VMS’ in the market. Finally, we are planning to release a subscription-based Intercom model from AJB - more information will be released later this year. Cho says there are things installers need to keep their eyes on in 2019 – all of them operational. “Software is the key differentiator,” explains Cho. “The software can mean a software-driven security solution, such as video analytic automatic numberplate recognition, or another analytical solution, but it also means the business model of installers. SaaS (Software as a Service) is the latest business model that the installers must seriously consider embracing. The manufacturers are moving fast towards releasing the services, and to benefit from the newly emerging business, installers must prepare in advance to adopt. “In the year ahead, we will be focusing on having a broader reach to the client, while focusing on our primary product ranges to further improve our service and knowledge across our offices. The security industry has grown and will grow in the future, but just like any other industry, the market continues to change, and we may expect the market is growing with a non-conventional product or business model in 2019.” Uniview sees growth in a challenging market and has plenty of new releases up its sleeve. “Last year we launched our entry-level series, called the easy series, which were the most popular products for installers,” says Uniview’s Darko Liang. “This year we will release more models of easy series products to meet different kinds of applications. All easy series products will upgrade and offer smart functions, and to a large extent, the easy-to-use and reliability feature will be improved. “We have over 1100 high-end projects cases in different countries, including 625 universities, 50+ airports, 350+ transportation projects, 80+ metro lines, 200+ high-end hospitals etc. In Australia, we believe that commercial projects like safe community, safe campus will be opportunities for us. We have many breakthroughs in LPR solutions and have received many projects opportunities of

IN 2019, WISENET IS PLANNING TO GROW MORE IN THE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, OIL & GAS, TRANSPORT, AND GOVERNMENT VERTICAL MARKETS AND PRODUCTS ARE POSITIONED TO PROVIDE FIT FOR PURPOSE SOLUTIONS. requirements. Furthermore, we have established an overseas solutions department and we will release more solutions for SMB business, medium and largescale video surveillance projects.” Uniview recently released its new UNV multisensor camera with 4 integrated lenses for panoramic views. This camera is designed for public squares, parking or city high points and features IVA and biometric capabilities. Other releases include a 4K LCD monitor, which is a perfect solution for showcasing 4K CCTV and PoE switches from 5-24 ports. Based on its experience in high end applications in China, Uniview plans to offer the local market more project-oriented products. These include the 200-2000 input Unicorn, which is an easy-todeploy, scalable, and reliable video management platform that integrates with management, storage, decoding and transferring functions of IPC, NVR, encoder, decoder, network keyboard, cloud devices, alarm control panels and access control systems. For projects up to 10,000 cameras, Uniview offers the VMS-B800-A, a powerful and highly reliable video surveillance management platform that offers a comprehensive solution with all Uniview products including IPC, NVR, decoder, network keyboard, IP SAN, etc. This solution can be used with any ONVIFcompliant IP camera and VSS-compliant devices of other brands and is open to integration with other systems. There’s also the IP SAN network storage products NEBULA, which is specially designed to work in medium and large-scale video surveillance projects. Liang says Uniview’s strategy for the coming year involves investing in the local market. “This year we will put more investment into Australia, both in human resources and in finance,” he says. “We will support our partners with more marketing activities, and we will also pay more attention to providing more reliable and effective after-sales service. Our core business view is making more profit for all partners, either national distributors or sub-partners. We aim to build a healthy ecology of UNV. “Many colleagues think 2019 year will a tough year in the Australian electronic security market and the growth rate will slow down. Some indicators predict that the growth rate will be negative this year. From the viewpoint of suppliers, there will be a trend of intensity. There were hundreds of suppliers in Australia in 2018 - in 2019 we think only the most powerful can survive. Uniview invests 15 per cent of revenue into its 6 R&D centres every year, so we are confident we can win an intense competition.” n

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HikCentral

CMY

HikCentral

CENTRAL. COLLABORATIVE. INELLIGENT.

Hikvision's proprietary software platform – HikCentral – provides specialized solutions, additional functions, and effective services. In collaboration with our partners, HikCentral channels the power of Hikvision’s intelligent AI technologies. Find out more about HikCentral and get the free version at: http://www.hikvision.com/en/VMS/HikCentral

Distributed by Website: https://csd.com.au/ E-mail: hikvision@csd.com.au

Hikvision Oceania Unit 14a, 2 Eden Park Dr, Macquarie Park NSW 2113 Tel: +61 2 8599 4233 Email:salesau@hikvision.com

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Website: www.nesscorporation.com E-mail: sales@ness.com.au

Website: www.videosecurityproducts.com.au E-mail: sales@videosecurityproducts.com.au

https://www.hikvision.com/au-en/

27/2/19 1:49 pm

● Case study

Devonport Council

IVING City is the largest urban renewal project ever undertaken in regional Tasmania and is designed to revitalise the town of Devonport, which serves a regional population of 60,000. The ongoing project revolves around the newly constructed paranaple precinct and includes the construction and restoration of multiple buildings connected by public spaces. The masterplan at Devonport hinged on bringing together multiple key agencies into a central space supported by parking and dining facilities and linked by public spaces for gatherings and market days. The overall vision extends from the paved areas of the paranaple precinct’s Market Square into green spaces connecting the precinct with picnic areas, playgrounds, walkways and cycle paths to be created along the riverfront in phase 2 of the project. This connective tissue is a key aspect - paranaple is the indigenous name for this section of river. Typically, we’d dive headfirst into operational requirements, but the complex nature of the paranaple precinct and the security systems supporting it, means mapping out the solution

LIVING CITY Stuart Mathews, working for principal contractor, Degree C Electrical, has installed an electronic security solution for Devonport Council, incorporating Inner Range Integriti control panels, Hikvision CCTV cameras, Axxon servers and VMS, and Jacques intercoms. This integrated solution is highly secure and incorporates considerable automation and remote control.

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BY J O H N A D A M S

in advance is worthwhile. It’s not the easiest thing to imagine Devonport Council’s security and automation solution. The largest portion of the system – the paranaple centre – has a way of overshadowing smaller yet significant parts. At its heart are 4 Inner Range Integriti panels supporting 126 doors driven by 13.56MHz Inner Range Sifer prox readers. As well as door alarms, Integriti also handles alarm events from PIRs around the site. On the CCTV side, there are 4 Axxon servers supporting 151 Hikvision cameras – the fixed domes cameras are 4MP, the 14 Darkfighter X PTZs are 2MP, running at full resolution and full frame rate with 30 days storage. On the storage side, there’s 20TB storage for the carpark and food pavilion, 20TB in the art gallery and 30TB in the paranaple centre, with additional storage planned. The application also features 3 high level integrations; Integriti to Jacques Intercoms, Integriti to Axxon and Integriti to the Condeco Room Booking System. As well as being the largest Inner Range integration in Tasmania, this application is also the first major project deploying the new AxxonNext VMS. AxxonNext delivers Devonport Council advanced analytics, such as motion detection, licence plate recognition and facial recognition, to assist with viewing and searching archived footage. CSD supplied the entire solution from reed switches through to the Axxon servers, which its team preconfigured, as well as assisting with enrolment and programming of cameras and analytics. According to local electrical communications and systems integrator, Stuart Mathews, the solution is integrated with all parts of the site via fibre links. Mathews says a defining characteristic of this integration is that the central precinct was greenfield – the Arts Centre building was an historic courthouse now fully refurbished but all other structures were built after the site was cleared of an old carpark, the old council chambers (which moved away during the build) and a disused police station. “There’s now access control and alarms, video surveillance and intercoms located at every part of the site, with the entire system linked back to a master workstation at Council Chambers in the multipurpose paranaple centre building,” Mathews explains. “These systems provide safety, security and efficiency across the site and the connecting public spaces, and the integrated solution is designed to expand as the project moves forward.” After chatting for a few minutes, it’s clear Mathews is deep Inner Range - he’s been installing electronic security solutions for 28 years, starting out on Concept 2000 when he was just 18 years’ old. It’s equally clear that the last 3 decades integrating electronic security have not dampened his enthusiasm. “This is the first time Inner Range has done an integration of this size and complexity in Tasmania – the CCTV, the intercoms, the gate control, the booking system – it’s very exciting,” he says. “The entire Living City project has been a very big

development here in Devonport - for Tassie, it’s a substantial, high-tech system that’s been installed.”

NATURE OF THE APPLICATION At this point, we’re passing through Market Square towards the paranaple centre from the carpark. The precinct itself is on a large scale and the paranaple centre is an impressive structure. Heading inside I get a sense not only of inviting and open spaces but the quality of the design and fittings. There’s a reason the security solution here is cutting edge, I think to myself. Deliberately or not, this building feels like a pointed technological expression of the community integration Devonport Council envisions taking place across the precinct. “Living City kicked off 3 years ago – it’s all part of Council’s ongoing push to reinvigorate the Devonport region,” explains Jamie Goodwin, project manager, Devonport Council. “The project has 3 stages, with the first recently completed. At its heart is this new multi-purpose building called the paranaple centre; which houses Devonport Council Chambers, Devonport Library, Services Tasmania, Online Access Services and others; as well as the paranaple convention centre on the 4th floor. “There’s an adjacent multi-story carpark, a dining pavilion called Providore Place, which comprises 7 dining tenancies, and a new regional art gallery - the paranaple art centre. All these are connected by a public space called Market Square. Moving forward, Stage 2 will be a new development between Rooke Street and the riverfront, while Stage 3 is the final stage of development.”

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME INNER RANGE HAS DONE AN INTEGRATION OF THIS SIZE AND COMPLEXITY IN TASMANIA – THE CCTV, THE INTERCOMS, THE GATE CONTROL, THE BOOKING SYSTEM – IT’S VERY EXCITING.

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27/2/19 2:02 pm

● Case study

Devonport Council

YOU CAN SEARCH FOR SPECIFIC CAR COLOURS IN THE CARPARK - YOU MATCH THE COLOUR OF THE CAR AGAINST A COLOUR WHEN ON THE SCREEN – IT’S JUST A CLICK TO MATCH – AND THE SYSTEM WILL FIND IT FOR YOU. Luke Walder, Devonport Council’s IT co-ordinator, is responsible for street cameras in the town’s CBD, and says there was a general focus on safety and security of the public and council staff within the parameters of the development – this formed a platform for the nature of the security solution. “The engineering specification fed into aspects of the solution - we knew we wanted certain doors controlled by the access control system but there was no rigid operational guideline within the tender for how the solution should work,” he explains. “Instead this was something which developed while speaking with Stuart and as our needs and the capabilities of the solution became clearer. For instance, building access control and lift operation are now largely automatic – doors and lifts are locked in the evening and unlocked in the morning, with each individual tenancy managed independently. “The system includes access control, CCTV, alarms – there’s a Jacques intercom system which is linked and used to control external doors and lifts, and there’s low level lift control and gate control in the carpark area. The next phase will see the system going over the road and down to the river – that phase is due for completion by the end of 2020. Meanwhile, the 16-camera street CCTV solution installed in the Devonport CBD can be accessed by council staff from the security workstation here and will be fully integrated with Axxon soon.” Being the IT co-ordinator, you’d expect Walder to have been heavily involved on the network side of the system, but he says it didn’t work out that way at all. “Because was no cutover from legacy equipment it was about setting aside rack space in each area and Stuart taking care of the rest,” he says. “The

Security management app.

Council carpark.

networking, the servers, the cameras – it’s all new technology Stuart has set up. And given the system is on its own network, IT did not need heavy involvement to get things to completion. Stuart knew what he needed – he put in the right infrastructure – he did a better job of cabling than we have - so from that IT perspective, the system was well taken care of. It was good to have someone come in and supply, maintain, train and do the handover.” With any access control solution transferring or building the database can be one of the most complex tasks. But according to Goodwin, that part of the job went smoothly with some of the 500 cardholders brought across from the old database and others loaded up during the commissioning process. “We also needed to keep the different tenancies separate - each tenancy had different access rights and individuals within those entities have different access rights – that had to be managed,” Goodwin says. “For instance, some staff have access to the server room and others don’t. We had to convey all those layered requirements for staff access to Stuart, so he could programme the database. This was done in part with a map showing the various spaces in the multipurpose building. And there was a cut-off time we had to be on top of. “With the new system set up, what’s great is its flexibility. If someone loses a card, you can just log in and deactivate the card – our building manager, Jacqui Thomson of Knight Frank Tasmania, is also able to set up new users and print cards very quickly and easily. There’s also an optional wrist band, which makes access even faster. In the past there has been a reasonably high loss rate of cards – that’s what motivated us to get the wrist bands – it makes it easy for busy staff not to mis-lay their credentials, but it makes presenting credentials more intuitive as well.”

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COLOGNE CATHEDRAL SQUARE

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30.08.2018 27/2/1909:19:12 1:49 pm

● Case study

Devonport Council

Before heading to the security workstation to drive the system, we look at some images on Walder’s computer showing the performance of Darkfighter X PTZs at night in external locations. As we found in our SEN review last year, performance is strong. Walder says that in the footage we are viewing the camera was not set up to handle low light, the team just decided to point it down a dark alley and see what happened. “Low light performance surprised me – being able to go into night mode when looking down an alley and suddenly make out objects – roller doors, rubbish bins, people in the shadows - we could not do that before – you don’t see those details normally,” Walder says. “It’s impressive, especially compared to what we used to have, which was analogue cameras converted to IP.” While the surveillance system has considerable capability, Goodwin explains that it’s an investigative tool more than anything. “The video surveillance component is retrospective, it’s not monitored live, though we could use it to help secure special events if required and we certainly share video with police investigators,” he says. “The system’s search function means it’s great for that – we’ve had a few incidents in the carpark and the team could very quickly see what was happening and manage investigations.”

LOW LIGHT PERFORMANCE SURPRISED ME – BEING ABLE TO GO INTO NIGHT MODE WHEN LOOKING DOWN AN ALLEY AND SUDDENLY MAKE OUT OBJECTS ...WE COULD NOT DO THAT BEFORE.

DRIVING THE SYSTEM Jacqui Thomson, building operation manager, Knight Frank Tasmania, is tasked with managing the integrated security solution on the twin screens of the security workstation, with CCTV running on AxxonNext VMS on one side and Inner Range’s Integriti Gatekeeper management system on the other. Thomson is thoroughly competent with the

Council carpark.

system and you can tell she’s been exploring system functionality. She steers around effortlessly – often using shortcuts – at one moment driving the CCTV system through AxxonNext, at the next viewing video streams associated with events through Integriti Gatekeeper, while exploiting the mapping capabilities of both. Thomson also has the security app and CCTV app on her phone and says she’s constantly getting people calling her in relation to aspects of the system at all hours. She drives doors, manages meeting space and views camera footage from wherever she happens to be with the new system. “That remote app is very useful – over Christmas I was in Perth and was able to check on doors and view footage – the streaming is great – high resolution and real time,” Thomson explains. “There’s also analytics in the system – we use motion in area, and I have used line crossing as well. When it comes to the VMS side, I keep an eye on the system when in the office and if there are events, I can call for a response. The system is not monitored live, but it’s recorded – so a lot of my engagement is retrospective, and I’ll search for motion in an area between certain times if an alarm has been generated.” Thomson says that on the access control side, managing users is easy, too. “You can open a new user and add a card very simply, then add permission groups, times, and images, I can apply different templates depending on the user, it’s very simple and user friendly, given the nature of this application,” she says. “We use time periods and scheduling a lot – I put in a date and time for building opening and closing on a bar graph, which makes it very easy. Managing meeting rooms is the same – we have public meeting rooms in the MB – they are issued access cards and can use the facilities during scheduled time – this works because it’s so easy to manage. And I can deactivate those cards at any time. “Reporting is another strength of the system and it’s set for custom automatic reporting - tenancies get an automatic weekly report from Integriti which lets them know who has been in and out of their office, as well as the carpark,” Thomson says. “Meanwhile, I get a report every morning from security if there have been any incidents and I can then get into the system and look at the footage and see what caused an alarm. It’s great – the entire system is easy going.” According to Mathews, the Integriti system is usually set in guard mode, which means when security staff come in, they have immediate situational awareness – which doors are open, which areas are armed. “The icon-based schematic mapping of Gatekeeper is detailed and there’s an event log and the tool bar delivers plenty of operational power – reports, location maps, filters, guard tours, intercoms - this is handled by each agency directly via a dedicated PA station), alerts, cameras, other integrated devices and plenty more,” he explains. “Carparks, boom gate

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control – all the views are labelled in the schematic making them easier to find while driving the system.” Thomson points out there’s integral mapping in Axxon as well – not only do you see the layout, but you can see the angles of view of each camera. To populate this functionality, Mathews took the site graphics from CAD drawings then uploaded them onto the system. “Axxon’s search function is brilliant – you can select a box around an event and the system then add a date and time and bang, the system will throw up every event in thumbnails – for me it means finding events takes minutes not hours and I can then export footage to police,” Thompson explains. Analytics feed into the search functionality. “You can search for specific car colours in the carpark - you match the colour of the car against a colour when on the screen – it’s just a click to match – and the system will find it for you,” Mathews says. “You can also search based on parameters like size, object type, direction, colour, speed – you can add or subject as much as want – you can measure out the pixel requirement to ensure you get identification. All this makes searching so much easier. Council also uses Axxon LPR recognition to help managing the carpark. Frankly, I’ve been blown away by the performance of Axxon.” Looking at the monitors I notice the cameras are doing well with the backlight – the paranaple centre has plenty of natural light and that would mean challenges for less capable cameras but these Hikvision units are doing well. We’re looking through the foyer, through the glass doors and windows and across the open space beyond with everything in our scene in focus and no sign of WDR stress.

THE INSTALLATION According to Mathews, when he was planning this new system and talking to Council it became clear Integriti was most suitable for the application. “For a start, Inner Range has a practically unlimited number of site codes,” he explains. “The functionality of the building automation was another key factor – automatically unlocking areas at different times, scheduling from Jacqui’s point of view. Integriti was just a better fit and had a better interface. “The high-level integrations were also an important factor. Integriti and Axxon work work extremely well together – it’s just an ethernet cable between the 2 systems and bang, away it goes. There’s also a highlevel integration to Jacques intercom system and while the integration to the lifts is low level, reception and the tenancies can still use it to manage access to floors.” At the heart of this integration is a network built around fibre with a core principle of total independence. “The precinct has a fibre backbone and the security system and CCTV system are on a closed central network – there’s only one secure access point into these systems from the outside that traverses the firewall,” Mathews says. “The switches are configured so you can’t add a device to the network without an alert being activated and there are only 3 workstations on site that can access the system, as well as an authorised council workstation offsite, which allows remote access. The setup for the remote connection is highly secure with intrusion attempts reported.” As Mathews explains it, the network topology revolves around a central switch which supports

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● Case study

Devonport Council

the master network and each of the 3 sites are fibre back to this master switch, which includes an NVR and the Integriti panels and other equipment. From the NVRs outwards, all the internal cameras are on dedicated internal network switches which go back to the NVR via a different network port to ensure segregation. “The idea is that for each NVR the cameras are isolated from the main security network and the security network is isolated as well, so there are layers within the security network so there’s no way intruders can get into the system,” he says. “It also frees up bandwidth – each floor has its own managed network switches which go back the NVR and the outside people access image streams from the NVR not via the security network. “We have a dedicated NBN network for the security system - I designed the system that way deliberately. It’s always in the back of your mind with a networked system carrying CCTV that if it’s used for anything else bandwidth will be chewed up very quickly and performance will slow down. We decided to go for a dedicated system on its own internal network and we have no complaints so far, it’s been great.” What were the challenges of the application for the integration team? In terms of the installation itself, there weren’t many, according to Mathews. “The building was new and the only small legacy section we needed to bring in supported the existing street cameras in the CBD,” he says. “We did this using wireless and brought the Milestone server across. Telstra looks after council’s infrastructure,

Integriti panel.

so as part of that they needed to do some core openings and VLANs, and we relocated aerials onto this new building over a weekend after doing careful planning to ensure the smoothest possible transition. “Another small technical challenge was installing access control on a glass door into the library in the paranaple centre – you can’t easily mount locks on a full glass door. Fortunately, there was a strip of metal on the bottom of the door and I could install an external enclosure, drop bolt, stainless steel tube and flexi-coil cabling. In this location there was no easy cable access either, so that was another challenge. It’s a dual-swing door with no stops, so using a drop bolt means there’s very little alignment tolerance. “You also need plenty of lead time to get gear down to Tasmania – you can’t just walk into a wholesaler and drive away with a van-load of gear the way you can in Melbourne or Sydney,” Mathews explains. “It takes at least a week, sometimes 2 weeks, to get everything delivered and you need everything to hand before you start work, or a small thing can delay the whole job. “There have been many small challenges to work through but the biggest challenge I’ve had has been dealing with the different tenancies and their different operational methods – trying to get the system to handle the needs of individual tenancies, as well as handling the overall needs of the site.”

WALKING THE SITE

Darkfighter PTZ.

As we walk the site starting with the paranaple centre, I realise again the complexity of the solution. The multipurpose building is a big application on its own, let alone bringing in carpark, food pavilion,

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● Case study

Devonport Council

Jamie Goodwin (left) Jacqui Thomson, Stuart Mathews and Luke Walder.

art gallery, Market Square and street surveillance system. Making things more complicated, the multipurpose building has multiple tenancies, each with its own requirements and management strategies. And it’s not just the site that’s complex. The network is designed in concentric rings - each segment being an independent layer. This network topology is reflected in the physical components of the system. There’s a server room on every floor and the security system has modules in every server room, including Integriti panels and ancillaries. There’s also a monitor that allows network room

Hikvision Darkfighter X PTZ – wide and zoom.

display of all the cameras in its area. And this layout occurs in every building. The first network room we visit incorporates the Milestone servers for the street surveillance system, the Axxon servers each supporting 65 cameras, as well as custom Integriti closets. These are the usual metal boxes but mounted on a hinged closet door, with all cabling coming through the back of the door where it can be accessed when the door is open. The notion of these closets is an excellent one – it keeps the space tidy and allows secure access to the back of the panels. It shows the attention to detail I see everywhere in this integration – Mathews and his team has done commendable work. “These Integriti panel units are custom-designed,” Mathews explains. “They allow us to loom the cables, use tie-bars, segregate power – it just makes wiring a lot easier, makes maintenance and future upgrades easier, it’s neater and it’s more secure – each door has its own reed switch for security purposes. The panel housings are screwed down securely to the front of each unit and there are camlocks on the doors.” According to Mathews, in every large installation the biggest thing is cabling so in the paranaple centre he decided to run combination cabling. “Combination cabling means we are not running multiple cables, making the installation faster and easier - you run one cable and you’re covered for everything required,” he explains. “Once the cabling is in, we peel it out into pairs – strike, reader, etc. Getting cable into reinforced concrete walls, even on

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a greenfield site, is hard – that fed into the decision to use combination cabling and to make the custom cabinets for Integriti.” The ground floor has the largest area and the greatest concentration of doors and devices, as well as duress buttons supported by an Inner Range controller. This means the ground floor network closet is heavily populated, too. There’s the NVR, the Jacques intercom system, as well as other core elements of network infrastructure, including CCTV switches and fibre racks for the runs from other parts of the precinct, and there’s the UPS. Heading outside into Market Square, we also look at a pole between the buildings which has 4 fixed 4MP domes on it. Mathews explains that these cameras and brackets were custom painted, and they certainly look great, as well as offering a high resolution 360-degree view that’s very useful from a monitoring and recording point of view. We also check out Providore Place – there are challenges here for an integrator – the ceilings are very high though sightlines are generally good. Mathews points out some sweet touches, including customised reed switches – these are magnet brackets allowing flush mounting. There’s automation on all the roller doors that can be controlled by Thomson via the security workstation or the mobile app on her phone. She can view system status, lock and unlock doors while speaking to tenants, it’s instant and highly efficient. Finally, we look at the carpark – everything here is nicely done, too. There’s camera coverage of entry points and areas of interest. There are also Axxon servers and network switches here – the physical manifestations of this layered solution.

CONCLUSION Devonport Council’s paranaple precinct has a powerful solution that delivers excellent security, automation and overall efficiency. The network topology gives the system layered redundancy and endless expansion wherever and whenever required. Getting a solution like this together doesn’t happen by itself and Mathews concedes he did a lot of planning. “There were 2 months of solid planning at the start – it took 4 weeks to quote the job and then 2-3 months to do more planning and initial detailed designs and drawings,” he says “I spent a lot of time here micromanaging vital areas and having meetings with Council to ensure the system was right for them. Importantly, this happened early, and the network designs were done right. Once Telstra got on board with infrastructure, we all knew the way the system needed to go. “This has been an enjoyable job to do and it’s been great working on a local integration of this size – it’s a special solution for Tasmania. I’ve also enjoyed working with the Devonport Council team and Josh Mills from CSD has been a strong support for this project as well. Training Jacqui for this management position has been great – she picked it up very well

right from the start – the first few weeks there were a lot of emails but then she started teaching herself, which was a pleasure to see.” Meanwhile, Walder says Devonport Council is delighted with its new solution. “In the past we had no hope of getting faces, no hope of getting number plates – we were lucky to get makes and models of vehicles and that was also the resolution we were recording at - the old system was very ordinary from an operational perspective,” he says. “But with these new cameras you can look at the wide view, then zoom all the way down to a distant corner 100 metres away and get face recognition and plates – it’s brilliant. And the Integriti system gives us security, automation and increased efficiencies, which is exactly what we needed. Jacqui can easily manage every aspect of the system on and off-site. “From my perspective, however, what has stood out most has been the service – the constant support from Stuart. I’m so hands-off with the system compared to the way things used to be. I’ve never needed to roll my sleeves up and work on it. That’s a credit to Stuart and to the system installed here. As Jacqui knows, I’m hardly ever in her office resolving issues – that sounds like a small thing, but it feeds into operational efficiencies at every level and shows just how effective our new security solution is.” n

PRODUCTS INSTALLED AT DEVONPORT COUNCIL INCLUDE: l

4 x Integriti Panels

1 26 x Doors with 13.56MHz Sifer prox readers

4 x Axxon Servers

1 51 x Hikvision Cameras

1 6 x Hikvision darkfighter PTZ

1 x Hikvision 16 channel decoder

3 x High-level Integrations:

Integriti – Jacques Intercoms

I ntegriti – Axxon

I ntegriti – Condeco Room Booking System

C ustom-designed panel mounting frames.

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● Regulars

The Interview

Brendan Bain, Logical Services Brendan Bain of Logical Services has spent decades building one of Australia’s most respected security integration businesses. He talks about early challenges and motivations, his passion for robotics and automation, and offers advice for younger techs on where they must focus to ensure their own success.

JA: How did you start out in the electronic security industry, Brendan? And how did your career develop? BB: I completed an apprenticeship as an industrial electrician and then immediately started my own business to follow my passion for a higher level of cutting-edge automation. I designed and built robots (before you could buy them off the shelf), process plants and many bespoke automation and control solutions, which was certainly mentally rewarding and bucket list satisfying. The migration to the emerging electronic security world was naturally easy and necessitated by my need to remain in a highly technical field but also to not be so personally relied upon for my ‘crazy’ creations keeping multimillion dollar company lifeline systems running. The middle of the night call outs to cold, damp factories to repair automated systems was taking its toll! I realised if I had any chance to remember my wife and children’s names I needed to find an appropriate work/life balance industry to work in. JA: Could you put your finger on a single event, decision or time period that led to your current success? BB: I certainly can. I was at a party in my teens at a very palatial home and

listening to an entitled conversation about a substantial inheritance. I had a financially poorer but love richer upbringing but realized I was probably not going to be lucky enough to inherit or win any money. However, I was fortunate enough to have functional arms, legs and brain, and therefore able to work as hard as I possibly could to build a business and future. More than 20 years later I need to pinch myself at times when I realise what I have created. JA: What’s the greatest business challenge facing security integrators today? BB: I don’t believe we have too many sales challenges in the actual electronic security space due to the current heightened security climate and resulting industry growth, but I do believe there is a real increasing challenge in keeping overhead business costs and therefore customer costs down. A perfect example is the widespread good intention regarding all aspects of compliance and as this is now heavily outsourced to the for-profit sector, there is a real lack of industry coordination and many double-ups in fees for different third-party compliance companies for the same certification. What used to be a simple group email

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with insurance renewal certificates and updated WHS policy to our clients taking less than 1 hour per year, now costs $A25k+ per year and it’s rising. JA: What’s the thorniest technical problem you’ve ever faced in the field? BB: We love engineering and delivering our high end, technically challenging and multi-faceted systems but definitely our thorniest technical challenge is trying to explain this wonderful engineering to our clients before their eyes glaze over….

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BRENDAN BAIN WITH JOHN ADAMS

JA: Which installation so far, are you most proud of? BB: John, I’m not one to kiss and tell when it comes to security applications but I’m very proud of all the projects my fantastic staff complete where we receive a genuine customer thank you and praise for mitigating a previous problem. JA: How important is training in the security industry now – do you think the industry is up to scratch or does more need to be done? BB: Super hard question this one. In

access control alone there are now so many control panels, so many options and so many new products arriving. I believe the majority of current training may in fact focus on the wrong jobready skills. As an employer, I need valuable staff members with a minimum confident level of on-the-job safety awareness and installation skills. I’m not sure teaching budding technicians too early how to programme a complex system controller is beneficial to employers if the employee cannot confidently install the entire system, or

appreciate how a field device they are programming actually works in a real world environment. JA: Which breakout new technology is generating the most interest among your clients for its ability to streamline operations and increase efficiencies? If it’s more than one (say, analytics and biometrics) please expand! BB: We have a very diverse range of customers and we find each customer is interested in different technologies and is focused on solving their own

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● Regulars

The Interview

immediate security needs. A common feature, not so much of a breakout new technology, is remote accessibility of systems via consolidated PC and mobile device applications. Number plate and facial recognition technology is certainly gaining some traction lately, too. JA: Logical Services has a super client list – what’s the secret to winning and maintaining blue chip customers? BB: Ha ha – no secrets to this unfortunately, though I wish there were. Just good old fashioned analogueflavoured professional advice, service and support, which still works - even in the digital age! JA: Something that’s a bit different is that you don’t contract out services, so the customer is always dealing with the Logical Services’ team. How important is the capability to integrate all the services you offer? BB: Sadly, this is just because I am a control freak! We are just more comfortable owning the project from end-to-end and therefore controlling our own destiny. It’s also safer for me to summon one of my project manager’s into my office without any witnesses. JA: Apart from handing over after a successful commissioning, what’s your favourite part of an installation? BB: For me it is mainly the thrill of the chase and taking all the credit at the end!

My staff will happily tell you they believe I physically installed my last system in 1997 when I started the company and started to employ staff. That said, the proud look on the faces of staff and the customer satisfaction at handover provides great validation we are on the right track.

level, a quality laptop with a good graphics acceleration card is certainly advised and is personally the most important piece of kit for me.

JA: What single practise is most likely to ensure a successful application of security technology? (For instance, process management of the installation; listening to the client, the capacity to adapt to changing needs on the fly, etc). BB: Competent project management from planning through to end user training. No surprises here and it just takes a lot of hard (and sadly sometimes unappreciated), work.

JA: Generally speaking, which clients are your favourite clients – do you prefer customers who are prepared to get right out on the bleeding edge of technology, or those who make incremental changes to thoughtful applications? BB: My favourites are definitely the customers that pass the decent person test and you just get along with to solve a problem together. Such people can be leap of faith types, incremental change types or those who want no changes but just servicing. I have some valued personal friendships with customers that are more rewarding to me than money.

JA: What do you wish you had known when you started out as an electronic security technician? BB: A master’s degree knowledge base in human psychology!

JA: If you weren’t a security integrator, what would you have liked to be? BB: I would be in the legal profession – I love a good debate and calling out BS when I smell it!

JA: Which tools have you used the most over the years installing security - are good tools worth the investment, or is it possible to get by on the basics? What’s the one tool you could not work without? BB: I haven’t touched many tools since 1995 but a quality, high resolution multimeter is always a must, even for the most basic of work. For tasks above the basic

JA: What advice would you give to young technicians starting out in today’s market? What should they focus their efforts on in order to become successful? BB: All the clichés really, be reliable, be hard working, present your appearance well, think ahead and most importantly, only give your close family your work phone number - leave your personal phone at home! n

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● Regulars

Monitoring

Your Monitoring Specialists

1300 130 515

www.bensecurity.com.au

5G Security Threats For alarm monitoring providers and alarm installers the advent of 5G - Optus just launched a couple of 5G points in Canberra – is going to deliver opportunities along with plenty of security challenges.

ITH 5G there are going to be security challenges that will make worries about plugging alarm panels and access control solutions into current IP networks look trivial. A core issue that must be addressed is the security standards for 5G communications modules – right from the get-go, this is going to demand vast collaboration to ensure existing security functionality such as encryption, IDS and authentication, are tested to a uniform standard. Security is going to need to be built into 5G modules and devices of all kinds. It’s just not that 5G brings new threats but existing threats will undergo considerable lateral expansion and amplification as multi-layered network points hold hands. New threats might include virtual identity spoofing but some of the older threats are going to get much more difficult to manage. The first risk relates to the nature of the platform. 5G is lateral and supported by virtualised distributed network infrastructure which increases the area of exposure open to attackers. 5G is meant to be open in all directions, across multiple layers, for it to function at top speed. What speed? The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has developed draft technical specifications for 5G which include 1 Gbps data rates for hotspots, and 100 Mbps download

and 50 Mbps upload for wide-area coverage. That’s way faster than current networks. Then there’s the massive connectivity – the standard suggests 1 million connections per square kilometre – as well as ultra-low latency of 1 millisecond, high reliability of 99.999 per cent for mission critical ultra-reliable communications, as well as mobility speeds up to 500 km/h. All these big numbers are great, but they mean threats are bigger and will grow faster – clearly the stodgy networks of the past have afforded a form of protection. Trying to stay on top of device security is going to be next to impossible and threats will propagate wildly, thanks

to massive scaling potential. Patching public 5G networks will be impossible but establishing standards of membership to a network and blocking devices that don’t meet that standard might be a solution. The challenging nature of applying 5G means the first networks are going owned and managed by one organisation – which rather defeats the purpose. The simplest threat is one we’re all familiar with – the more connected everything is, the more intense will be the risks from distributed denial of service attacks driven by billions of devices (21.5 billion by 2025) on IoT networks. Many IoT devices employ a client-server model which has a minimum of security and is

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Your Monitoring Specialists

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TRYING TO STAY ON TOP OF DEVICE SECURITY IS GOING TO BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE AND THREATS WILL PROPAGATE WILDLY, THANKS TO MASSIVE SCALING POTENTIAL.

likely to be deployed by users with little knowledge of cyber security. It’s a simple equation. The more devices, the bigger and faster and more widespread the networks, the more colossal DDoS events will be. Possible security fixes include validation of devices using Blockchain authentication. Software-defined network (SD-WAN) vulnerabilities will also be amplified by 5G as SD-WANs are increasingly used to support mobile and IoT devices. Here, the threat is vulnerabilities in the SDN layers likely to be deployed to support industrial and home automation, self-driving cars and management of consumer services. The SDN-WAN risk highlights the fact

security in a 5G environment must be layered and no layer can be ignored. Another threat will be proximity service intrusions which compromise necessarily simplified device-device communications. The idea of proximity services is a good one – data will propagate in all directions through any network point, lowering latency, maintaining bandwidth and communication speeds, and allowing vital services to be supported with greater redundancy. But bringing edge devices into networks means edge devices must be secure and must be capable of managing their own security real time – that means more processing power and greater power use.

There’s something else, too. If edge devices can support 5G networks in emergency situations, they will be relied on to do so – that creates risk. Something else that needs to be covered off is the Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA), which enables 3G, 4G and 5G networks to trust each other. AKA enables a user to shift usage charges to another user. It’s possible to use AKA to find nearby phones and track them. Only an update will resolve these issues. For security people, the take away is that while 5G will offer new business models and functionalities, it needs a dependable, secure base if it is to avoid exposing itself to old and new risks that will be magnified by its turbo-charged nature. With 5G, anything that can go wrong will go wrong at gigabit speeds. This means security must be built into everything – into networks, network devices, automation devices – in order to reduce attack surfaces. The responsibility for security will go lateral, too. Manufacturers and OEMs are going to need to pick up the baton with security capabilities, while standards bodies, industry associations, alarm monitoring providers and installers are going to need to be thoroughly across the risks and fixes to ensure their customers are never exposed. n

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● Case study

Lucent Gasworks

LUCENT GASWORKS DAHUA INTEGRATION LUCENT Gasworks in Brisbane, which won Best National High-Rise Apartment Building – 2018 at the Master Builders’ National Excellence in Building and Construction awards, is secured by an integrated Dahua CCTV, video intercom and networked security solution. UCENT Gasworks’ new CCTV, access control and intercom solution was integrated by Massimo Guida of Queensland integrator, Mussi Electrical, with support from Seadan Security’s Albion branch, led by business manager, Michael Madigan. “I’ve been dealing directly with Michael and his team at Seadan for the past 10 years and in that time, we have developed an excellent working relationship,” Guida said. “They are readily available to offer product support and advice on design and construct solutions and go the extra mile to ensure our installs run seamlessly.” With Madigan’s guidance, Seadan’s Casey Jobben, who specialises in the design and implementation of bespoke integrated security solutions, took on the task of putting together the solution. Although challenging, the brief was simple: To ensure the CCTV and video intercom systems be not only networked and seamlessly integrated, but to ensure the security components were aesthetically pleasing. To win the Lucent job the integrated security solution had to be as beautiful as the building. “This system really was a challenge to overcome,

however, I thought that in order to accomplish everything in the brief, there needed to be a single branded solution in order to ensure a worry-free integration,” said Jobben. “I decided Dahua was the obvious choice. I’ve worked on a number of jobs involving many brands over the years and some of the best results have been when I’ve worked with Dahua for CCTV and intercom – its solutions are reliable and stand the test of time.” This is no small application. There are 250 CCTV cameras installed throughout the Lucent’s commercial and residential levels, from the rooftop pool deck to the basement and gym. The intercom system is big, too, with around 200 door stations. “Unlike CCTV, where the objective was for the equipment to be discreet, the intercom door stations and monitors needed to be not only prominent, but to also be a technological feature of each room,” said Jobben. “I chose the Dahua Black Glass Video Intercom Door Station which complimented the architecturally-designed foyer of the building. To match the modern and minimalistic look of all 198 individual apartments, we choose to integrate the Dahua 7-inch colour monitor. “When you organise the security for a job of this calibre, it’s almost inevitable to come across a couple of hitches along the way…But what impressed me mostly was the way that the entire solution just worked seamlessly. We used Dahua network switches utilising fibre network as well as copper and it integrated the full IP intercom and IP CCTV solution alongside a Rosslare access control system with a headend management platform solution. The fact that we had nearly all of these components in stock made the process easier.” Lucent Gasworks is a 17-storey residential tower created by Cavcorp to uniquely fit Brisbane’s health and wellness, contemporary lifestyle. Lucent is one of the Brisbane’s iconic architectural landmarks, distinguished by an unprecedented array of luxury amenities and exclusive services, as well as a private 1600sqm rooftop oasis. Situated in the award-winning Gasworks Precinct, Lucent enjoys a prominent location and features one of Australia’s largest open-air dining and shopping precinct, with landscaping, health and wellbeing, curated food + drink and bespoke services, and retail store across an 8000sqm piazza. Lucent features a five-star lobby featuring marble flooring, timber ceilings and dramatic lighting. Other features of the building include a 55 metre infinity pool with 360 degree views, a detox sauna and spa, commercial sized fitness studio with leading edge Technogym equipment, yoga lawn, golf simulator, 44 sun lounges and relaxing gardens. n

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Up to 75% faster installation with FLEXIDOME IP starlight 8000i au.boschsecurity.com From unpacking the box to the perfect video image. In addition to exceptional detail (up to 4K ultra HD with starlight and HDR), the latest bitrate management techniques alongside H.265, leading data security and state-of-the-art Intelligent Video Analytics, the FLEXIDOME IP starlight 8000i camera can be installed up to 75% faster! With wireless or remote configuration and commissioning using the Bosch Project Assistant App, you can set the camera to the required field of view without having to touch the bubble or lens. This not only reduces time, but also the labour required. The app also enables pre-configuration (such as loading camera IP, Mac addresses and naming) prior to installation with the help of QR codes. Once installed, simply connect to the network to find the cameras and continue to commission wirelessly without having to step on a ladder. This makes reporting and maintenance easy too. So you always get the perfect image and can move onto your next job in less than half the time (or enjoy a round of golf more often!). Ask for a demo today. Call Bosch on 1300 026 724 or email stsales@au.bosch.com Watch video

Flexidome 8000i - Security Electronics Ad.indd 1 SEM319_49.indd 1

26/02/2019 10:22:50 AM 27/2/19 1:48 pm

● News report

Technology

FACE RECOGNITION NOW 20X BETTER BETWEEN 2014 and 2018, facial recognition software got 20x better at searching a database to find a matching photograph – so much better are the latest convolutional neural networks solutions that NIST says end users should be demanding old systems be upgraded with the latest algorithms. HILE the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) evaluation of 127 software algorithms from 39 developers found face recognition technology was improving, its study showed some solutions are much better than others. NIST’s Ongoing Facial Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT), updates the agency’s previous evaluations of facial recognition software. Comparing the reports indicates that the field of developers has grown and that, broadly speaking, facial recognition software is improving at an increasing rate. The test—performed in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 evaluations judged how well an algorithm could match a person’s photo with a different one stored in a large database. This type of one-to-many search is often employed to check for a person who might be applying for a visa or driver’s license under a name different than their own. The team found that just 0.2 percent of searches failed this year, compared with a 4 per cent failure rate in 2014 and 5 percent in 2010. Failure means that when an image of a person’s face is submitted to the recognition software, it fails to return the matching face image that resides in the database. All the topperforming algorithms from the latest round make use of machine-learning software architectures called convolutional neural networks. According to NIST’s Patrick Grother, one of the report’s authors, the rapid advance of machinelearning tools has effectively revolutionized the industry. “The implication that error rates have fallen this far is that end users will need to update their technology,” said Grother, a NIST computer scientist. “The test shows a wholesale uptake by the industry of convolutional neural networks, which didn’t exist 5 years ago. About 25 developers have algorithms that outperform the most accurate one we reported in 2014.” However, the latest algorithms do not all perform

the same, and the best algorithms are far ahead of the pack. “There remains a very wide spread of capability across the industry,” Grother said. “This implies you need to properly consider accuracy when you’re selecting new-generation software.” The NIST evaluation team used a database of 26.6 million photos to test software submitted by companies and one university team. The participants did not have access to the database, which NIST kept sequestered from the developers. The NIST report includes results for the effects of aging on faces, scalability to large databases, the identification of twins, and the use of poor-quality images. With good quality portrait photos, the most accurate algorithms will find matching entries, when present, in galleries containing 12 million individuals, with error rates below 0.2 per cent. The remaining errors are in large part attributable to long-run ageing and injury. However, for at least 10 per cent of images - those with significant ageing or sub-standard quality - identification often succeeds but recognition confidence is diminished such that matches become indistinguishable from false positives, and human adjudication becomes necessary. The accuracy gains stem from the integration, or complete replacement, of prior approaches with those based on deep convolutional neural networks. As such, face recognition has undergone an industrial revolution, with algorithms increasingly tolerant of poor-quality images. Whether the revolution continues or has moved into a more evolutionary phase, further gains can be expected as machine learning architectures further develop, larger datasets are assembled and benchmarks are further utilized. Interesting, too, is the speed of improvement. In April 2014, NIST reported mugshot-based face recognition accuracy for algorithms submitted to NIST in October 2013. In an exact repeat of that test - searching mugshots in an enrolled gallery of 1.6 million subjects - the most accurate algorithm in June 2018 makes a factor of 20 fewer misses than the most accurate algorithm in 2013, the NEC E30C algorithm. This means that about 95 per cent of the searches that had failed now yield the correct result .n

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● Case study

Briefcam

SAFE CITY BRIEFCAM UPGRADE BRIEFCAM Video Content Analytics has been upgraded at the City of Ipswich Safe City control room in Queensland, further assisting security operators and Queensland Police to reduce time-totarget in investigations.

riefCam’s technology allows us to do fast reviews and provide intelligence to police, so they can further their investigations and operations,” said Larry Waite, Ipswich Safe City and corporate security manager. Having recently upgraded to a newer version of BriefCam, the city and police are very excited about the new capabilities for making investigation time even quicker, Waite said. “What would normally take an hour and a half to 2 hours to review, now takes about 5 minutes. Long term, the more we use it, the more efficient our time use is going to be.” And while there are legal restrictions regulating the use of face recognition, the city is eager to leverage this capability to accelerate finding missing children. By simply adding an image of the missing child, the city can run a quick search, isolate potential matches in video, and recover the missing child. Briefcam works by aggregating video data over

“B

BRIEFCAM’S INTUITIVE TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US TO DO FAST REVIEWS AND PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE TO POLICE, SO THEY CAN FURTHER THEIR INVESTIGATIONS AND OPERATIONS.

time to help users uncover trends and patterns for driving operational efficiency, visualizing the information as data analytics dashboards. Briefcam analyzes video to detect, track, extract and identify people and objects that appear, driving security enablement and operational decision making. First implemented by the city in 2014, BriefCam’s Video Content Analytics platform has enabled the city to become smarter, supporting law enforcement, optimizing municipal operations and transforming the city’s video into actionable intelligence for the benefit of the city council, residents and business owners. Integrated directly into the city’s Genetec VMS, BriefCam was able to provide immediate value to the City of Ipswich. Initially, the technology was used to effectively and efficiently locate missing children at a large swimming lagoon. Operators used BriefCam’s video analytics to accelerate searches, enabling them to filter video objects based on attributes, such as clothing colour, and reunite missing children with their families. After the initial implementation of Briefcam, the city quickly realized that this technology would have other powerful uses and began using the same search functions to locate stolen vehicles, filtering objects based on vehicle descriptions to quickly isolate targets and provide critical intelligence to the police. “BriefCam’s intuitive technology allows us to do fast reviews and provide intelligence to police, so they can further their investigations and operations,” Waite said. Beyond criminal investigations and emergency response, the City of Ipswich increasingly relies on BriefCam to streamline municipal activities. When planning local events, the city leverages BriefCam for traffic optimization in the affected areas. Understanding usual traffic volumes and considering how the expected crowd will impact the overall traffic in the area, the city can predictively prepare for increased crowding on event day. The city uses this information to proactively issue parking permits ahead of mass events to prevent congestion. The city also plans to start using BriefCam for investigating cases where there is a known suspect or – in the case of a stolen vehicle – a specific object that can be identified. In these cases, the city plans to configure alerts to be notified when people or object matches are detected on pathways monitored by video. BriefCam’s alerting

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BY J O H N A D A M S

system will enable operators to immediately assess and confirm the match, so that responders can be deployed immediately to apprehend the suspect or recover the stolen property. BriefCam VS Forensics is a PC-based software solution that takes large video streams covering many hours of events and compresses them into seconds. It goes without saying that for security teams with hundreds of cameras covering a complex application like Ipswich Council’s SafeCity solution, the process of mining video streams searching for reported events can be a full-time job. Essentially, BriefCam’s VS Forensics solution synthesises events from real time video streams, presenting them as compact, overlaid progressions of events, which each event time-tagged. Operationally, what this means is that an entire morning’s events can be compressed into 5 minutes of video, with events overlayed not quite on top of each other so the eye can see multiple persons and/ or vehicles moving across the screen, each tagged with an event time. Operators simply select video clips based on time and appearance to play back in real time. Briefcam allows security operators to ask it to only show green cars that have passed a camera, if that’s what they are looking for, or the cars, based on the direction of travel and other parameters.

“Basically, you set up the parameters and BriefCam goes to work compiling the footage using metadata and metatags,” Waite told SEN when we visited Ipswich a couple of years ago. “You give BriefCam the camera and say ‘look for a thing over 12 hours’ and then go away and work on something for 10 minutes. When you return, the task has been completed. Briefcam sorts through the metadata and finds the footage on our servers and collects it on its own server. We can find the answers very fast – a stolen car or a missing child just using details like the colour of a shirt or hat.” According to Waite, Safe City’s installation of Briefcam is part of a policy of applying technology that allows the control room operators to work at maximum efficiency. “A key to our thinking with BriefCam is that we can’t keep adding more staff as the system grows each year – operators will be tripping over each other,” says Waite. “We need to start looking at smarter ways to do time consuming things and Briefcam really meets that demand. It certainly takes the time out of searching. Operationally, we installed it to allow us to keep an eye on events in some of the quiet areas we typically don’t have to monitor in real time but want to keep an eye on as efficiently as possible.” n

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● Regulars

Products

Editor’s choice

What’s new in the industry.

GENETEC SECURITY CENTER 5.8 DUE Q2, 2019

HANWHA HAN-XNP-6550RH

l GENETEC has announced a new version of Security Center.

l HANWHA HAN-XNP-6550RH is a 2 megapixel outdoorrated IR PTZ camera with the world’s best optical zoom of 55x magnification. It has a unique adaptive IR technology which adjusts the dynamic infrared radiation angle with the zoom ratio, providing an outstanding low light performance for long range monitoring. Furthermore, the HAN-XNP-6550RH supports advanced digital image stabilisation (DIS) by combining the standard DIS function with the gyro sensor to compensate for unstable images caused by shaking. This makes it suitable for harsh conditions such as high pole mounting and windy areas. With a high PoE requirement of 60W, this camera requires a high PoE switch from the new Aetek range. For more information, please head into your local CSD branch.

With customizable live dashboards, enhanced privacy protection features, a brand-new map-driven mobile app, and new functionalities that help users actively monitor the health of their system and ensure compliance with cybersecurity best practices, version 5.8 will ensure that users can optimize their physical security environment while benefiting from greater visibility into their operations. A customizable live dashboard will enable users to create custom dashboards to display real-time data, such as video feeds, alarms, reports and charts in a way that is meaningful to them and their specific job function (security, operations, IT etc.). Users can set up their dashboards using simple point-and-click tools. A brand-new collaborative mobile app will provide operators complete access to their Security Center system when they are on the move and allow them to turn their smartphone into a valuable contributing sensor to their security system. .

Distributor: CSD Contact: 1300 319 499.

Distributor: Hills Contact: 1800 685 487

UPDATED IP150 MODULE

PALGATE – SMART ENTRY SOLUTIONS

l PARADOX IP150 Module is an internet communication device

l PALGATE is an innovative next generation gate management system providing complete control for gates, doors and anything switchable. If it’s got an electric latch and/or a motor – PalGate can work with it. PalGate devices are highly secure, cloud-based access control systems which can be managed via a free app and/ or the cloud. PalGate allows gate manufacturers, installers or end users with one or multiple gates the ability to control many scenarios including gate position, user permission, access scheduling and grouping of users. Log into the web interface and a new world of control is yours. View all your gates on a map, check remote battery, voltage and signal status. The database allows you to search by: customer, device, serial number, remote/label/tag, location, phone, etc. Features include GSM control, long range RFID, smart remotes, wireless ground loop and bluetooth connectivity. Total gate control in the palm of your hand.

that enables the user to control and monitor their Paradox security system remotely from anywhere in the world over the internet via the new and improved Insite Gold App. The IP150-V4.40 and Insite Gold now offers a cloud server or static IP connection that does not require port forwarding. Other features include selectable push notifications with customisable sounds, IP monitoring, 16 email addresses, a customised company logo and much more. For more information, please head into your local CSD branch. Distributor: CSD Contact: 1300 319 499.

Distributor: PalGate Australia www.palgate.com.au

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HID GLOBAL RELEASES IOT-BASED DURESS BADGE FOR HOSPITALS

COMNET’S NEW WIRELESS ETHERNET LINK ACCELERATES TO 240MBPS

l HID Global announces the launch of its BEEKs duress badge beacon, which it says can be used to protect doctors, nurses and other caregivers from threatening situations that can occur in a hospital. These badges, enabled by Bluvision (part of HID Global), provide valuable location services and can help ensure everyone is safely out of a building in emergency situations, according to the company. The duress beacon is the latest addition to the HID Location Services IoT platform, which makes it possible to streamline and enable multiple location services applications in a unified healthcare IoT ecosystem. The Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) duress functionality provides a fast and easy way for hospital personnel to send security staff real-time distress alerts from anywhere in or around the hospital campus if they are in duress and in case of other emergencies, according to the company. The BLE beacon can be used by itself or integrated into popular access control cards..

l ComNet has released its Generation 3 line of NetWave wireless products, distributed locally by Allguard Distribution. The NW1 Gen 3 increases throughput up to 240Mbps, adds a 10/100/1000Mbps port and pass-through PoE, and is designed for applications of up to 3200 metres. The new NW1 throughput is greater than the original 95Mbps the original NW1 offered. The NW1 is also available in kit form as the NWK1 and consists of 2 MAC Address-locked radios and mounting hardware. Each NW1 unit is enclosed in a new durable enclosure and is designed for extreme conditions and has an extended operating temperature range, as well as being IP67-rated for resistance to water and dust intrusion. ComNet says the NW1 also features a specially designed connection procedure using LEDs to assist in aiming the units for optimal performance. Distributor: Allguard Distribution Contact: +61 3 9378 2450

Distributor: HID Contact: +61 3 9809 2892

HANWHA WISENET X PLUS l HANWHA has released Wisenet X Plus series featuring a

modular design giving easy setup with magnets to lock sensor modules into the housing. There’s also easy pre-IP assignment for network configuration by simply connecting an Ethernet cable to the camera through the hole in the module box. The tilt angle has been extended for greater flexibility in camera placement and use cases. While the conventional tilt angle remains at 67 degrees, the X Plus camera features an extended tilt range of up to 85 degrees. This satisfies the user’s desire for greater viewing flexibility through its guaranteed wider coverage, especially when installed in places with low ceilings. The latest Wisenet X Plus series boasts shock-detection technology via new built-in gyro sensors, detecting unusual physical shocks and then notifying the user for the quickest possible response. The audio playback feature also improves response time and can hold up to 5 pre-recorded messages for user-defined situations through the built-in microphone. The have a remote-control motorised lens and high resistance to weather and physical impacts with IP67, IP66, IP6K9K, and IK10+ ratings. They also feature an increased operating temperature range of -50 to 60C.

NESS CORPORATION DISTRIBUTING NX WITNESS VMS l NESS Corporation is distributing Nx Witness VMS solutions. According to Ness’ Peter Mohan, Nx Witness is an openarchitecture IP-based video management system that combines cross-platform cloud, server, desktop, mobile, and web applications into a seamless, stable, fast, responsive, flexible, easyto-use VMS for any end-user application small or large. “What makes NX Witness stand apart is its fast learning curve, with staff typically requiring just half a day to become proficient, as well as its high security,” Mohan said. “NX Witness is secured against local and remote hacking – even the NX development team wouldn’t be able to hack a production system, which means an external intruder certainly couldn’t.” You can buy single camera licences at reduced pricing for project and quantity purchases, or get server and licence packages ready to go as 4-channel, 16-channel and 32-channel servers bundled with a start pack of 4 or 8 licences. Distributor: Ness Corporation Contact: +61 2 8825 9222

Distributor: EOS Contact: +61 2 9749 5888

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● Regulars

Help desk ■ Below are the approximate recommendations for rest times (complete rest, that is) between sets according to your goal, per the National Streng th and Conditioning Association (NSCA). *Note that since fat loss depends primarily on diet, there is no official rest-period prescription for it, although we feel that both short and long rests work, depending on the program.

Q: What characteristics would you look for in a CCTV camera if money was no object? A: I think we’ve had this one before but it’s worth re-visiting. I’m going to mention features as well as characteristics. Let’s assume this camera is for a typical public CCTV application and is installed outside with only ambient light for support. I’d want a larger than normal sensor size with 1080p resolution. I’d chase resolution with focal length. I’d want compression to be highly evolved and bitrate to be workable without loss of data. I’d look for very high ISO. Low motion blur day and night. I’d want a demonstration to be sure walking faces held together in low light conditions in which most crimes happen - I wouldn’t buy a camera unable to deliver this performance. I’d want incidental plates, within reason. Low levels of blooming. Strong colour rendition in default modes but not too saturated. A lens that showed zero CAs, and few ghosts and internal reflections. I’d want weather and vandal ratings. I’d want strong operational WDR performance but won’t put a number on this because some wonderful cameras deliver excellent WDR management from mundane sounding numbers. Night mode would be clean and quick, and if the camera had integrated IR, I’d prefer an array with a balanced spread and depth of field to an array with reflection-inducing high power.

Our panel of experts answers your questions.

I’d want an image stream devoid of pulsing and stray rebuild artefacts. I’d want low noise until sub 10 lux and then I’d trade noise against low levels of motion blur. I’d like a sharp image stream with plenty of contrast around tonal edges even when conditions got tough in the presence of low or variable lighting. Cyber security tools would be strong and constantly improving. Whether I chose a solid IVA capability oncamera would depend on my choice of management solution. The camera would have a highly developed relationship with my site’s VMS and my team would have a strong relationship with supplier, integrator and consultant. In all cases, I’d want these organisations and/or individuals to have a long history of service and to be represented by a stable team with serious integrity. You’ve said to ignore price, but I’ll touch on it anyway. Although I would place cost behind core operational requirements, I’d want cost to be competitive. Many of the characteristics highlighted here tend to be subjective in the absence of deep comparison testing. You can also undertake serious camera performance testing using software in a controlled environment. I would argue that there are applications for which this sort of professional testing would represent a

serious cost saving when balanced against operational certainties. Q: Is it true that you can get access through an LPR-controlled vehicle entry point with a license plate printed on a T-shirt you’re wearing, or with a piece of cardboard on which an authorised license plate is printed? A: We’ve never actually seen this happen, but we’ve heard it’s true from VMS manufacturers and integrators whose opinions we respect. They’ve activated systems using carried number plates and a properly-sized copy is certain to work, as well. This suggests you could gain access using a copy of an authorised plate attached to a vehicle. Something else to take into account is that some LPR software picks up design features on plates and interprets them as numbers. Taking this into account, a second factor of authentication is likely to be needed for sites which are serious about their vehicle access control. Q: We’re wondering whether we can link 2 sections of leaky coaxial cable to create a single long zone in a perimeter security application? A: This is a tricky one. Leaky coax – or ported coaxial cable sensors – are

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ordinary coaxial cables installed in pairs. Holes milled into the external shield of transmission cables allow a predictable spill of low frequency electromagnetic energy into the environment which is detected by receive cables. When the consistent electromagnetic signals in the sensor circuit established by calibration during commissioning are disrupted by intrusion, a controller generates an alarm event. Bear in mind, the milled holes in the cable shield increase in size the greater the distance from transmitter to receiver when these are at the same end of the twin run – this means linking 2 cables with different aperture sizes may interfere with the required signal strength at the far end of the run and could lead to false alarms. Having said this, if the cables are codirectionally coupled, with transmitter and receiver at opposite ends of the pair, then port sizes will be consistent along the run. Side-stepping these issues, we’d be thinking about using the 2 cable lengths as separate zones rather than trying to join them into a single monster run. Standard leaky coax runs are huge anyway – up to 300 metres. Trying to respond meaningfully to events along a 600m zone in anything but a helicopter is going to be a major pain. Q: What do you think of audio as an intrusion detection technology for reducing false alarms or as a primary detection method? Is audio viable, or is it better used in support of video verification? A: Audio can work alone or add considerably to situational awareness. An important aspect with standalone would be making sure your audio alarm sensors are recognised by standards. Given the potential for software-based analytics, audio could be rated almost as highly as video verification in terms of confirming the presence of intruders and

SOMETHING AUDIO DOES DO WELL IS PICK UP SOUNDS FROM A WIDER AREA – THERE’S NO LIMITED ANGLE OF VIEW AS THERE IS WITH CCTV CAMERAS.

generating a police response. An NO/NC audio sensor could send a zone into alarm, or a compressed audio file could be sent to the monitoring station for analysis by an operator. Software could be used to analyse an audio stream and alarm events triggered by thresholds including the sound of voices, gunshots, doors slamming – any sound clearly not generated by thermal expansion and contraction and plant equipment. If you consider operators need to view video to ascertain the presence of intruders, listening to an audio clip or listening to a live audio feed is no imposition. Something audio does do well is pick up sounds from a wider area – there’s no limiting angle of view as there is with CCTV cameras. Q: We’ve heard a lot about back doors in IP cameras – practically every manufacturer has had issues over the past few years. But what about IP access controllers? How would you secure these network-connected systems when they must be exposed to public networks?

A: We’d be limiting IP addresses that have access through the firewall using a tiny white list. Ensure the IDS reports attempts to breach protected ports. Minimise or eliminate wireless network communications unless encrypted. Consider whether there’s a need for the security workstation to be exposed to local data networks. It’s possible to build dedicated links to minimise touch points. Other things we’d be doing would be cyber security 101. For instance, no default passwords, ensuring adjacent automation devices linked to the access control system are also secure, implementing a process of vulnerability testing and reporting. Training of staff so they are aware of the risks posed by operator error – opening attachments, using third party thumb drives, etc. It also helps to get across the software that is controlling boards and devices across the entire solution. If it’s just an access control system, that’s easier, but if there are oddments of automation, that means devices run by who-knows-what code with who-knows-what vulnerabilities. A lot of automation code is free or open source. Finally, ensure physical security of the control panels with tamper switches and secure the workstation, card printer and camera used to support the access control system. n

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SELECTING CCTV CAMERAS & LENSES

MARCH 2019 ISSUE 407

l Noosa Council Powers Up CCTV Upgrade l Special Report Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New in 2019? l Case Study: Devonport Council Living City l The Interview: Brendan Bain, Logical Services l Monitoring: 5G Security Threats l Case Study: Lucent Gasworks Dahua Integration l Technology: Face Recognition Now 20x Better l Case Study: Ipswich Safe City BriefCam Upgrade l New Product: Hanwha Wisenet X Plus Camera

events ISC West Dates: April 9-11, 2019 Venue: Sands Expo, Las Vegas, NV, USA Contact: Outside the US call +1 203 840 5602 or email inquiry@isc.reedexpo.com ISC West is the largest security industry trade show in the U.S. allowing you to network with more than 30,000 security professionals, with technology encompassing everything from access control to unmanned vehicles from more than 1000 manufacturers and distributors.

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SecTech Roadshow 2019 Dates: May 2019 Venues: 5 city Australian tour Contact: Monique Keatinge +61 2 9280 4425 SecTech Roadshow in its 5th year takes leading electronic security manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers on a national tour.

Security 2019 Exhibition & Conference

Date: July 24-26, 2019 Venue: International Convention Centre, Sydney Contact: +61 3 9261 4662 Security Exhibition & Conference offers Australia's largest showcase of cutting-edge security technologies from more than 150 exhibitors.

IFSEC London 2019 Date: June 18-20, 2019 Venue: ExCeL, London, UK Contact: ifseccustomerservice@ubm.com IFSEC International is Europe's leading integrated security event. IFSEC welcomes high-level security professionals from 113 countries who come to source specialist security equipment across IT, cyber, perimeter protection, access control and more. IFSEC 2018 attracted a record number of top-level decision makers and security industry elite, 34 per cent of whom held an annual purchasing budget of over ÂŁ1 million.

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Security and Government Expo 2019

Date: November 14, 2019 Venue: The Realm Hotel, Canberra Contact: Monique +61 2 9280 4425 SAGE 2019 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 city in a relaxed and informal environment.

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