A report from website Dvice.com says that Olympus is building a 360-degree lens and camera package that could be used for video surveillance. It’s a market that’s seen strong plays from companies like IPIX, Grandeye and others. There’s no official word yet from Olympus on what exactly they plan to do with this engineering project.
-Geoff
Video analytics has found a new home: Billboards. A company called Quividi has developed a camera/analytics system that can be used in billboards to determine whether people are looking at the billboard and which can supposedly determine basic audience properties (gender, height, sex, etc.). The technology is being used for street-level billboards, and although video is not stored, there has been some concern over public privacy.
Read the full story from The New York Times (you may have to register; some of their content is for registered users only).
-Geoff
Today, we went live with an article about uptime for network video solutions, part of a series Fredrik Nilsson (Axis Communications) writes for us titled “Eye on Video.”
John Honovich, former director of product development for 3VR, posted some notes on his site and we’re happy to share with you his additions to ensure system uptime. Read John’s response here.
-Geoff
Unsecured wireless surveillance cameras make the news again. This time it’s in the UK where some youths are intercepting the video from cameras to edit the clips into an “art house movie.” The entire activity sounds like it was influenced somewhat by the movie “Look”, which told its story through CCTV camera footage.
Done for art or done for nefarious purposes, this news piece is a great reminder that security has to be enabled on security devices.
Here’s the Reuters story on this video sniffing topic.
-Geoff
It’s only Thursday, but I know who earns the award: Bio-Sense.
Never heard of them? Neither had I until I was a post on engadget (consumer technology geek blog). OK, go check them at their own website (bio-sense.com).
So why did they win this almost value-less blog award? Here’s why: This Israeli company is working on an audio analytic called DogGuard that can tell whether a dog is barking because it’s just cold and tired and wants to come in, or whether it’s angry because there is someone trying to get onto the property. I personally can tell when our German shepherd and our labrador are annoyed that they’re stuck in the backyard versus the bark for “Evil UPS driver is here”, but if it wasn’t my dog, I’m not so sure I could tell the difference.
Here’s the DogGuard pitch: “DogGuard incorporates the extraordinary, age-old skills of well-trained watchdogs into advanced, state-of-the-art technology. Using its highly sensitive sensors, DogGuard interprets the dogs’ barks, precisely indicating an unauthorized access attempt to any secured site. In addition to such early alerts, the dogs also serve as a deterring and delaying factor, thus providing the response team with a longer response time.” The company apparently already has some implentations for this amazing work they’re doing at Bio-Sense.
-Geoff
“Is the dog barking because it wants another beer or is someone breaking into our high-security facility?”
Day 3 in photos — IFSEC 2008… It was a great day of meetings, and I’m always surprised by the number of companies that are strong in Europe but which aren’t pushing their wares in the U.S. According to a lot of companies, that’s because of the expense of getting UL listed. I suspect part of the matter is that there’s a lot of business to be done in Europe that some aren’t scaled to take advantage of the U.S. market.
Traffic was a touch quieter on the show floor today, but yesterday was so strong that I’m not sure it mattered. Simon Parker, group director for CMP (which puts on IFSEC), said Tuesday’s traffic was quite good (they scan the attendees as you come and go from the halls to get a good count on traffic).
Well, let’s get to the photos…
Basler entered the security market here at the IFSEC show with their IP cameras. It’s hard to get the scale in this photo, but this is a camera about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and it’s packed with 1200×1600 resolution. Construction seems quite on these, and Basler comes out of the advanced imaging/machine vision industry, so they’ve already had plenty of time to get quality of their products dialed in. It’s a nice welcome to the industry…
One of the stands I was most impressed with was Surveillance Consulting Group’s IED jamming system, show here mounted in a mobile configuration.
One of the hottest products on display at IFSEC has to be this incredibly ingenious little system from infrared lighting company Raytec. It’s a small infrared lighting system designed to enable night vision for surveillance cameras, and it’s powered entirely over IP lines using Power over Ethernet. You’re seeing the power supply, PoE “switch” and infrared units here.
Stunning displays at LG’s booth — not a name you see often in the U.S. associated with video security.
Sony was showcasing its megapixel line of IPELA cameras. They have a huge promotion going on here at the show with “Go Mega” plastered everywhere.
Also at the Sony booth, a camera demonstration to show analytics and motion capture. The design levels of the “big boys” booths here is incredible.
And finally, our traditional pic of the IFSEC booth attractions. One more day of IFSEC before we head back stateside.
-Geoff
Oops, I guess we’re a little slow on the Day 2 IFSEC photos, but yes, the camera was still working. Tuesday packed a real punch, allowing me to get much deeper into the aisles of the tradeshow floor and to meet with some scheduled press appointments. Here’s a look at the technology and flavor of the show.
JVC’s IP camera line is getting stronger, and in the top of this photo, you can see an as yet unreleased camera that provides megapixel imaging, so I’m told.
Simon Jerome, V.P. of sales and marketing (Europe and Canada) for Visual Defence was demonstrating their 3C (Command and Control Centre) video and integration platform.
I popped by the Stanley booth to have a look at their iPAC system, a nifty acess control system for up to 16 doors. Simplicity is the key here.
See Tec had an eye-grabbing metal robot-like structure at their stand. The company provides video surveillance management software.
An afternoon press conference at Axis Communications highlighted this can-style camera that snaps into a hole in a drop ceiling and can be installed in less than a few minutes.
Keri Systems’ NetXtreme access control system
Slowly, I’m giving up my biometric information to every firm on this planet. At tradeshows, I’m always being enrolled as a test subject as part of a demonstration of on-display biometric systems. Who knows how many companies have my fingerprints now… And after stopping by Hitachi’s demonstration of the VeinID finger vein recognition solution, I can proudly say that my veins are now on file in some random computer. Neat system, though.
Kicking back at DualCom’s booth playing Sega Rally. Surprisingly, I came across another booth that had a full-size video game console for weary tradeshow attendees…
More to come from Day 3…stay tuned.
-Geoff
SecurityInfoWatch.com is across the pond in Birmingham, England, at the NEC convention center for the massive IFSEC security tradeshow. The attitude is a nice mix of new product technologies, establishing partnership and a lot of networking and social outlets for the European security industry. Besides our reports on the main SecurityInfoWatch.com IFSEC 2008 news page, we’re collecting our photos for this blog.
Entering the halls of the NEC, site for the IFSEC 2008 tradeshow in Birmingham, England.
The halls of the NEC are set up in such a way that there is a focus to different areas of the tradeshow floor. And the exhibits are where the focus is for this show. There are some good content sessions, but not nearly as many as you would expect from attending a comparable show like ISC West or ASIS International’s Seminars and Exhibits.
One of the startling things about the IFSEC show is the quality of booth presentations. Two-story booths with extensive meeting rooms and lounges aren’t uncommon here, as evidenced in Panasonic’s showcase booth for the surveillance solutions.
Visit IFSEC and you’re sure to come across huge UK security products distributor Norbain. They’re holding a promotion to let some lucky attendee win this Brig Eagle powerboat.
The SecurityInfoWatch.com team was able to catch up with Baruch Peled, CEO of Mango DSP (left) and Erez Meir, sales manager (right), to take a look at the companies unique approach to embedded technologies. Mango DSP has been strong in the U.S., but is ready to make a big push into the European security technologies space.
IP video company IndigoVision was showing their end-to-end IP solution. Ray Ede, in their technical sales group, was able to show some of the new features of the ControlCenter system, including analytics, a handy video incident bookmarking tool and other features that are boosting usability. IndigoVision CMO Joanna Brace reiterated a feeling a lot more about networked video: “IP is no longer an early adoption technology,” she said, though she admitted the market has been a bit confused about discussion of open standards and open architecture. Open architecture, she said, is not about connecting different hardware systems. Rather, she said, it’s about the ability to integrate entirely different platforms.
I was quite impressed by Risco Group’s new SynopSYS system, which integrates building management and security/access/surveillance into one easily managed solution.
UK-based access control firm Paxton Access was on my list. Trish Bambury, the marketing manager, had a lot to show off, including a really unique system for using license plate recognition for access control (and it doesn’t need a DVR or NVR — instead, the camera works like the access reader, and the system verifies whether a plate number is listed in the system to determine whether to grant access).
The real product showcase at Paxton, however, was a number of door hardware pieces. On site were the Marine reader which is built for harsh and maritime environments, and still quite stunning in its design, and the Architectural reader, which fits in with architects needs and can be customized to match building designs.
Sometimes you just have to deal with vandals. Paxton’s vandal resistant keypad deals with them and even manages to retain a nice sense of style.
Of course, if you’re looking for Paxton’s most haute designed reader, it’s this one. The LCD screen allows the user to upload four unique images, so that the customer could put their logo on the screen. Images could be anything from just welcome messages to an event image like “Access Denied, please visit Security Office in building 2″ or anything the integrator or client could come up with. Slick, indeed.
Okay, this wasn’t on the exhibit floor, but here’s a name you don’t see much of in our industry anymore: Philips.
And finally, as tradition at IFSEC seems to dictate, one of the smiling faces on the IFSEC tradeshow floor.
More coverage tomorrow, stay tuned.
-Geoff
Back in Episode 23 of our SIW Radio podcast series, we discussed mobile device security as part of our “IT Basics for Physical Security Pros” series with Kevin Beaver, CISSP. One of the focuses of that audio program (which is now available through the iTunes store for free) was about devices like laptops and blackberries — which are the core business computing tools of today — are lacking even security like password-protection.
The thing about these devices is that they are so easily stolen. A criminal can throw a laptop under an arm or drop a Blackberry in a pocket. Such, it seems, was the case with a Mexican embassy official who attempted to steal Blackberries from White House staffers in late April. According to a report on Fox News’ website and an Associated Press report, the Mexican staffer simply grabbed some Blackberries that were left on a table outside a meeting room (security and custom dictate that these devices don’t get into high-level meetings with President Bush) and almost got away with it, were it not for surveillance video systems set up by the U.S. Secret Service.
Can you imagine the intelligence information that was sitting on that table? [Also check out a new blog post on this same White House Blackberries topic from our friend Kevin Beaver at his Security on Wheels blog.]
-Geoff
Want an approximation of what it might feel like to be a TSA security screener working at a busy checkpoint? Shockwave has a simple Airport Security game out that runs in your web browser. You can choose your level of play — Fickle, Abitrary or Knee-Jerk — and you have to spot threats in luggage and on persons. Click the bottle of liquid in the carry-on bag, manage new security updates (”No cell phones in carry-ons”) and deal with alerts like “security queue too long”. It’s just like the stress of being an airport screener, but at least if the air passengers get angry at you, you can just turn the game off and get back to your real work.
Get to the fun at Shockwave’s Airport Security game landing page. — Geoff
