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Here are some photos from last week’s NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill. (My full SIW report is here.)

Above: NBFAA President George Gunning addresses members during breakfast as the association’s lobbyist, John Chwat, looks on.

Above: Representative Paul Broun (R-GA) addresses the members during breakfast. He spoke about the importance of enabling the security industry to do federal background checks on people they hire in order to protect both themselves and their customers.

Above: Representative Michael Arcuri address members during lunch, thanking them for their commitment to security.

Above: NBFAA members gather for a group photo during lunch at Rayburn Building.

Above: A view of the Capitol Building from atop Honeywell’s headquarters at 101 Constitution Avenue.

Above: NBFAA President-Elect Mike Miller (left) shares a moment of solidarity with current NBFAA President George Gunning.

Above: From left to right: Zach DeWaters, VP, Chwat & Co., Inc.; John Chwat, President, Chwat & Co., Inc., and Director of Governmental Relations for NBFAA; Samantha DeBee, Director Governmental Relations, Chwat & Co., Inc.

Above: Honeywell, a $37 billion dollar company last year, gave NBFAA members a tour highlighting the company’s wide range of technologies and products.

Above: During the tour, Honeywell displayed a model city to showcase how its technologies work in the real world. (In the upper left-hand corner is an airplane; in the upper-right is a satellite.)

Stay tuned for a report in Security Dealer & Integrator as well!

-Greg

When I heard Wakefield, Mass.-based NoblePeak Vision’s TriWave camera won the SIA New Product Showcase “Best In Show,” my thoughts turned to when I was first introduced to their technology last September at ASIS. At the time, I had been impressed enough by the demo I had seen to write: Another company focused on high-tech surveillance engineering, NoblePeak, was showing off a futuristic technology they plan to start offering dealers next year. NoblePeak’s “Germanium” technology, capable of sensing the spectrum from near-infrared to short-wave infrared, is able to display nighttime images by using “Night Glow.” Phil Davies, vice president of marketing for NoblePeak, explained that hydroxyl ions in the earth’s atmosphere absorb sun rays during the day, and at night they “glow”-the human eye can’t detect this “glow,” but NoblePeak’s Germanium technology can. As such, this camera has a uniform light source which enables it to deliver quality images during the night.

Today, more than six months later, I stopped by NoblePeak’s booth during Day 2 of ISC West to congratulate them on their newest award. Clifford King, Ph. D., one of the founders of NoblePeak and a developer of the technology, showed me that they’re now able to demo the camera at VGA resolution (which is a big improvement over the tiny screenshots they were using at ASIS). He also was able to report that NoblePeak is finally starting to sell product.

I also had a chance today to stop by the booth of another SIA New Product Showcase winner, VideoIQ, which won in the category of video analytics with its iCVR . The iCVR is a camera with built-in storage and video analytics, allowing the camera to efficiently manage network bandwidth by only transmitting video over the network when there is an alarm. For instance, an iCVR pointed at a parking lot will record video locally to the camera for hours at a time, but as soon as a car pulls into the lot seven seconds of video will be transferred over the network (the 2 seconds before the “incident” and 5 seconds after).

Scott Schnell, president and CEO, VideoIQ, also pointed out some other features of the iCVR solution. One was that the cameras can have an audio output, allowing a guard at a command center to call out a warning or directions to a suspicious person. An example Schnell used was a car dealership where somebody is walking around the lot after hours. Once the guard has been alerted to a suspicous person, he or she can take a proactive approach and actually call out to the person something like, “The car dealership is now closed. If you would like to see a car, please come back during normal business hours tomorrow.”

Another feature that Schnell demoed for me was VideoIQ’s ability to search by objects. For instance, you can search for “people” or “cars” or “trucks” as opposed to just things that move.

Many new products at the show seem “cool,” especially the SIA New Product Showcase winners. However, as with most new products, it’s going to take a while to see how they really do on the market place. Will they hold up in real world environments, and if so, exactly how profitable will they be? Time will tell.

-Greg

Last summer I saw an ad for a local security technician class and figured it would be worthwhile to check out. However, when I called to sign up, I was informed that the class had been canceled.  They needed a minimum of 15 students, and I only would have been #3.

Admittedly, I was quite surprised.  Not because the class was canceled, but because it didn’t even come close to getting launched.  Only three people were interested? 

Ever since then I’ve come to have a greater appreciation for how difficult it can be for an organization to offer training and get the word out, as well as for technicians to find the time to attend it.  In theory it might sound easy, but in practice it is not.  

In the February issue of Security Dealer & Integrator I interviewed many distributors which actually offer training to security installation professionals around the country. 

Bob Gartland, president, AVAD, was one of the people who agreed to be interviewed. He noted that AVAD offers training to security dealers at 38 locations around North America, and he doesn’t think dealers fully realize the opportunities being afforded them by local distributors. One example he cited was the potential for security dealers to move into the installed entertainment side of the business. “(Security dealers) have the client relationships, and AVAD can teach them how to be in the (installed entertainment) business,” said Gartland.

Mary Hester, outside sales manager, JLM Wholesale, added, “I recommend always letting your distributor know that you want more in-depth training on a product or application.  A good distributor will be able to meet your training needs.”

If you’re interested in learning more about what type of training could be available to you from your distributors, then check out the February issue of SD&I.

-Greg

So I’m typing this from my hotel room’s balcony on Wed., Feb. 6, feeling a cool Caribbean breeze, overlooking a harbor off the Atlantic Ocean. Yep, I’m in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the Milestone Integration Platform Symposium (MIPS 2008). Life is good right now (as long as I don’t think about the Chicago winter to which I’ll soon be returning).

MIPS 2008 is one of two such events that Milestone Systems hosts each year (one in the Americas and one in Europe, and next year they’ll add Asia). At this symposium, Milestone will be able to educate people about the latest updates and capabilities of its various XProtect surveillance management software versions, as well as give about 200 attendees, comprised of distributors, integrators, resellers and manufacturers, an opportunity to network and learn from each other.

Amidst the busy schedule today, I had a chance to sit down one-on-one with Eric Fullerton, Corporate Chief Sales & Marketing Officer and President, Milestone Systems Inc. Fullerton has an extensive background working at (and running) IT companies and had plenty of IP security experience before coming to Milestone in September 2004 to head up its U.S. operations.

Fullerton noted that Milestone’s products are now in 87 countries and they have had 35,000 customer installations, which shows that they have come a long way as a company since their inception in Copenhagen, Denmark ten years ago. Milestone doesn’t sell direct to end users, rather the company sells to dealers/integrators and distributors. He puts a heavy emphasis on quality training for dealers/integrators so that they can properly install (and explain) Milestone’s surveillance management software for end users.

 ”We want to keep support calls down,” said Fullerton, explaining that if end users have to keep calling for help on the product, the end user will eventually start to think Milestone is at fault rather than their integrator for not having explained things properly. He estimated that the company is currently training 100 dealers/integrators per month globally on their XProtect products, as well as attending 30-40 shows in the Americas and 30-40 shows in Europe.

Despite Milestone’s successes, Fullerton acknowledges that the company does face its challenges in convincing some dealers and integrators that their product is the one to use.

“There is an inertia,” he said. “The part of the channel that’s not converging is selling yesterday’s technology.” He explained that the main challenge Milestone faces is getting dealers and integrators to see the value of an open platform, and so Milestone will continue to trumpet this message. He also noted that while Milestone offers an “open platform” which allows dealers and integrators to plug in “best-of-breed” solutions into their software, some competitors are also saying that they are an open platform — but he says most are not really open. An example Fullerton cited was Cisco. In his view, Cisco doesn’t decouple hardware from software, and he said such a decoupling is necessary to be an open platform like Milestone.

There also were a wide variety of seminars and workshops which attendees can choose from. Today I attended the Architectural and Engineering (A&E) track, which consisted of six presentations (”Video Analytics” by Mike Sherwood, channels director, Vidient; “Access Control” by John Moss, CEO, S2 Corporation; “Megapixels Per Foot” by Paul Bodell, vice president business development, IQinVision; “IBM Video Analytics” by Steve Russo, director of security & privacy technology, IBM Global Technology Services; “The Open Platform Vision” by Henrik Friborg Jacobsen, V.P. strategic alliances & co-founder of Milestone Systems A/S and Mark S. Wilson, marketing director Americas, Milestone Systems; and “Large Project Milestone Success Stories” by Fredrik Wallberg, marketing program manager Americas, Milestone Systems, and Courtney Dillon Pedersen, media communications manager, Milestone Systems).

I found all of the presentations informative. Both presentations on video analytics touched on many topics which I’ve already written about, however, when I spoke with some of the attendees they gave high reviews of the video analytics discussions. From what I can tell on this first day, people are finding the discussions to be worthwhile.

Uh oh, so now that cool Caribbean breeze has brought in the dark clouds of a rain front. I can even feel a few sprinkles. I guess you could say I’ve got trouble in paradise — better get this laptop inside…

-Greg McConnell, associate editor, Security Dealer & Integrator

Every morning before I run out the door I do a quick check for three important items–do I have my wallet, keys, and cell phone?  I’ve made it a pretty good habit and it’s rare that I’ll forget one of them (although I did forget to wear a belt to work yesterday, which was kinda embarrassing, so maybe I should add that to my morning checklist). 

On a serious note, most of us aren’t looking to add to our checklist of things to take with us everyday.  Instead, we’d like to simplify our life with fewer things to remember.  Interestingly enough, cell phones seem to have great potential for not only empowering people on the go, but also for reducing the number of things we need to carry. We’ve already seen MP3 players and cameras migrate to cell phones (and TV has also migrated to cell phones in countries like Japan), but more could be on the way. For instance, wouldn’t it be nice if your cell phone could take the place of you keys?  Well, it could be closer than we think…

Last week Dr. Nick Willis, CEO, ECKey Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand, and Ken Erickson, U.S. Business Development Manager, came into my Chicagoland office to visit wtih some editors in the security industry (Deborah O’Mara, Gale Johnson, and me).  They introduced to us a new product that they will be launching at ISC West and entering in the SIA New Product Showcase.  Essentially, this product is a 2-inch Bluetooth reader and relay which could theoretically be integrated with any existing electrified lock. 

There will be various versions of ECKey available eventually, but the one demonstrated in the office was $269, can register up to 20 Bluetooth-enabled devices (such as cell phones or PDAs, etc.), and it doesn’t require any software to be installed on the Bluetooth device. (Bluetooth is a wireless technology currently on more than one billion devices worldwide.) Once your phone is registered, then whenever it gets within a certain range of the reader–a variable that you can set between 1m and 15m–then your phone will “unlock” the door like a proximity card (a higher-end “smart card” version is in the works).  Also, it should be noted this device essentially works like an on/off switch, so it could also be used to disable your own alarm system when you arrive.

 
Pictured above: Dr. Nick Willis demonstrates ECKey on an electronic lock and how he can change various parameters from his laptop.

Willis said he got the idea for ECKey after observing how “everything is going onto the cell phone.”  He figured the next logical step was for our keys to migrate to the cell phone, and so he got to work programming the solution.  He noted that the market for Bluetooth technology is strong and growing, and despite the fact that Apple purposely diminished Bluetooth’s capabilities on their new iPhone, ECKey still works with the iPhone because its interactions are on the lowest layers of software.

The demonstration given by Willis and Erickson in the office worked pretty well.  However, as with all new products, it takes a while to see how effective they are in the real world.  We’ll keep an eye on the ECKey.  It should be interesting to watch.   

-Greg

Photo credit Timothy O’Rourke of the New York Times, taken at the China Public Security Expo.

Okay, so I nearly had my license to blog revoked because it’s been something like 7 weeks since I last posted. Sorry, folks… I guess I know what my New Year’s Resolution is for 2008!

Now that I have that piece of uncomfortable business out of the way, I wanted to address the video surveillance system being built for next summer’s 2008 Olympics in China. For more than a year now I’ve been reading how, when completed, it will be the largest and most advanced video surveillance system in the world. Given the fact that this system would be deployed for the world’s most celebrated sporting events and ceremonies, the Olympics, I was pretty excited about the system and all of the potential benefits it could bring.

But now the focus is turning to the political ramifications of this video surveillance system and exactly how it will be used after the 2008 Olympics are long gone. Furthermore, American companies that are aiding in this 2008 Olympics video surveillance project could come under increased criticism, much like Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google have been criticized at times for their business efforts in China. As with any technology, there is always the potential for it to be used for good or bad.

Something to keep an eye out for next year is how mainstream media outlets start to cover this story. Here’s an excerpt of an article I just read in the Interational Herald Tribune:

With athletes and spectators coming from around the world, every Olympic host nation works to build the best security system it can. In an era of heightened terrorism concerns, it could be argued, high-tech surveillance systems will be an indispensable part of China’s security preparations. And given China’s enormous economic potential, corporations are always anxious to get a foothold here; the Olympics provide a prime opportunity.

But as the first authoritarian regime to host an Olympics since the former Yugoslavia in 1984, China also presents particular challenges. Long after the visitors leave, security industry experts say, the surveillance equipment Western companies leave behind will provide authorities here new tools to track not only criminals, but dissidents too.

Looks like video surveillance cameras will be an even hotter international story next year.

-Greg

Admittedly, when I think about “residential” security systems I picture a house on a green lawn with a sticker in the front window letting the world know that it is protected.  And honestly, there’s a good reason I have this “picture” in my head.  It’s what I’m used to seeing.  After all, I haven’t seen too many burglar alarms in apartments. 

Back when my mom was single and living in New York City, she had her apartment burglarized while she was on a business trip.  When she got back and discovered that a break-in had occurred, she had the police come out to file a report.  While there, the police let her know that the criminal(s) would likely be back because there was easy access to her window (from an adjacent roof) and she had left her travel schedule on the refrigerator so they would know when she would be away. 

My mom’s solution back then?  Move to a different apartment.

But things are changing today and more security solutions are being offered for apartment dwellers.  A few weeks ago I was on the phone with Tony Dohrmann, CEO and founder of LaserShield, which sells an alarm solution both to dealers and direct (in Home Depot, CompUSA, Sears, etc.) Dohrmann wants his solution to be as simple as possible for users to buy, install (just plug it in), and secure their home.  One niche that he’s really targeting is renters because they’re currently underserved when it comes to burglar alarm systems, despite the fact that they’re robbed more often than homes.

On SIW earlier this week I learned that ADT is also aggressively pursuing the renters’ market.  They have teamed up with Multibrand Corporation, which will market ADT’s security solutions to its renters and owners of apartment units.

As burglar alarms become more efficient and mobile, we’re going to see them pop up in more and more places.  For now, I’m glad to see reinforcements on the way for the renters.

-Greg

In Security Dealer magazine, one topic we try to cover often is the whole “convergence” issue as it relates to dealers/integrators needing to become educated about IP networks in order to provide cutting-edge physical security solutions now and into the future. With this topic in mind, I’ve been asking some people at the ASIS show what their thoughts are regarding how a security dealer/integrator should approach the increasingly important topic of learning information technology (specifically IP networks).

I’ve received some varying responses, but the common thread seemed to be that dealers/integrators of different sizes will likely have different strategies. From a practical standpoint, there isn’t a cookie-cutter strategy that can be used by every dealer/integrator company of every shape and size regarding a strategy of handling IT-intensive projects. If you’re a large dealer/integrator, then it likely makes sense to bring the IT knowledge in-house and do the projects on your own. If you’re a small dealer/integrator, then perhaps the thing to do is partner with another company or hire a consultant.

In today’s world of constant media coverage, it can become a little too easy to over-hype or exaggerate a problem or trend—and that’s certainly something I try to avoid. But on the other hand, a journalist does want to appropriately identify important trends and, if a problem is foreseen, sound the warning. There’s a fine line between providing a service to your readers and unnecessarily fear-mongering (or perhaps “nagging” is a better term) them into making a change.

When it comes to security dealers and integrators, what do you see as some various strategies that could be used in order to avoid losing out on an increasing number of physical security installs where IP networks are involved? Do you think dealers/integrators should have a “sense of urgency” when it comes to learning IP?

-Greg

So the ISC East show in New York began today. Early on the foot traffic was a bit light (rainy weather could have contributed to this), but later in the day things picked up.

Some of the new product demos that stood out to me were NAPCO’s iSee Video as well as Honeywell’s Total Connect. Both got me to thinking about what the market might be for basic video surveillance without including alarms; or as Ken Weinstein, Senior VP program marketing, security and custom electronics, Honeywell, said, “There could be a market for people who want video before they’d consider an alarm.”

I’ll have more about the products I saw at the show in a future article/post, but for now I thought I’d share a little about my experience today in New York City. With today being the 6th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I didn’t know quite what to expect with a security show in NYC on 9/11. Would it be “just another day,” or would it feel over-hyped or somewhere in between? I had no idea.

Admittedly, as I got up and started the day, it seemed “pretty normal.” Sure, I was thinking about 9/11, but as the day went along I found much of what was going on the show floor to be business as usual. Other than stopping for a moment of silence at lunch during an NBFAA meeting, there were few 9/11 reminders.

But in the late evening, that soon started to change as I found myself, along with a few other members of the security industry and press, walking toward Ground Zero, looking up at the Twin Tower light beams in the distance. For someone like me who hasn’t been to NYC since 9/11, this was starting to feel like a big deal. For the first time today, I was feeling the magnitude of that gloomy anniversary.
When we arrived at Ground Zero, we walked around to what seemed like a makeshift memorial. I started reading some of the writings, but soon decided that I could only handle so much. It really was hard at times to make it through a few sentences without getting teary eyed.

Anyway, one thing that impacted me while looking at all the different tributes placed at this site was the sense of unity. I saw a sign showing the U.S. and Canadian flags together, saying “Side-by-Side.” I also saw a page of 8.5″x11″ paper with the following typed on it: “26 Russians were killed on 9/11. We will never forget.”

But what I’ll probably remember most was the parked fire engine in the nearby street. I could hear a firefighter talking on a microphone to a group of people in the street. He was describing to them a particularly tense moment on 9/11 when a fellow firefighter was telling him to “Run!” Apparently one of the towers was about to collapse. As this firefighter told his story, he stopped every now and then, overcome with emotion. At one point, after another long pause spent trying to regain his composure, he remarked. “I’m sorry. That’s part of the story too.”

-Greg

So this past Friday I made it over to Bolingbrook, Ill., for the grand opening of Windy City Wire’s new headquarters. The company threw a huge party extravaganza with entertainment that included rock bands, exotic animals, and Chicago’s very own Luvabulls. There were also 20 vendors on hand, making for a mini-tradeshow inside the warehouse. I was definitely surprised by the size and scope of the event. Windy City Wire spared no expense on their “Windy City Wild” party.

Here’s the front of WCW’s headquarters before the party really got rockin’.

What’s a security get-together without the blue Pelco truck?

There were some unusual pets on display, including a crocodile, a giant turtle, and the above yellow snake. Looks like this Windy City Wire employee is getting more than she bargained for. (”Yikes, this guy really is a snake!”)

Windy City Wire’s warehouse has plenty of room for the company’s expected growth. Inside is where vendors set up camp for hundreds of attendees.

Some guys get all the luck.

Windy City Wire’s Lauryn Toczylowski (front left) and Stephanie Richter (center) get to hang with the band, “.38 Special.”

Wake up. Party. Rock ‘n Roll. Repeat.

Whew! A lot went on at Windy City Wire’s party; and who knows, there could be a sequel next year…

-Greg