Page 26 - Security Today, April 2017
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“Whether you’re a small business looking for intrusion detection and video alarm verification, or in need of perimeter protection for a critical infrastructure thermal cameras have proven to be an ex- tremely reliable solution,” said John Distelzweig, vice president and general manager of FLIR Security. “FLIR is advancing the technol- ogy in such a way that thermal cameras are not only affordable for any security system they are optimized with analytics that outper- form visible cameras.”
Thermal imaging is just one facet of infrared technology. Infra- red refers to lighting that is invisible to the human eye, which can be used to illuminate objects or individuals in the dark. Its use greatly expands the human ability to identify and respond to security threats.
Today, advanced infrared and LED lighting technologies are es- sential to capturing clear, accurate visuals of what’s happening.
“A well-manufactured infrared illuminator preserves the life of your LEDs, increases image clarity, eliminate hot spots, and pro- vides wider angles for your cameras” said Eddie Reynolds, CEO of illumiar. “They are also completely invisible to the human eye. The most important benefit of any security tool is not how it performs independently, but how it increases the effectiveness of the overall security solution.”
Sound – Audio Monitoring
Audio is an increasingly important element of security systems, espe- cially in combination with information analysis software.
“When it comes to the security solution, audio adds ears to the visual capture device, transforming the surveillance system from re- active to proactive or even preventative” said Richard Brent, CEO of Louroe Electronics. “The emergence of audio analytics solutions is changing the security deterrence landscape by flagging audible threats like verbal aggression against law-abiding citizens and giv- ing personnel the ability to intervene before the situation escalates to physical assault.”
The current leaders in audio technology note five major benefits that come with adding an audio component to security systems:
Greater evidence. Audio provides important details in the event of a crime, capturing suspects’ names, accents, languages and other identifying information.
Incident verification. As more municipalities require verification before responding to 911 calls, audio serves as a valuable tool to sub- stantiate events by capturing sounds like breaking glass, gunshots or people calling for assistance.
Real-time response. A two-way audio system combined with cameras enables a monitor to verbally engage anyone approaching a facility without dispatching a security guard. This provides better protection in restricted, prohibited or hazardous areas.
Employee training. An added value of specialized audio systems is that they can help mitigate employee disputes or serve as training tools to train employees.
Intelligent analysis. Audio analytics allows a security solution to determine what sounds are irrelevant and what sounds are criti- cal to recognizing a threat. Upon recognition, sound detectors send automatic notifications to police and security officers, shortening re- sponse time when every second counts.
Smell – Chemical Detection
With the persistent and evolving terrorist threats around the world, chemical detection is becoming increasingly important. Such tech- nology includes sensors with the ability to identify everything from explosives, weapons, and chemical agents, to nuclear and radioactive materials, narcotics and contraband.
Among the more specialized technologies are X-ray, trace detec- tion and infrared spectroscopy. These types of solutions serve the
transportation sector by screening passengers, cabin and hold lug- gage and air cargo. However, they also help protect ports and borders by inspecting vehicles and cargo for weapons, drugs and contraband. X-ray scanners help protect critical private and government infra- structure, including courts, prisons and other government buildings from terrorist threat.
“The ability to detect trace-level evidence makes it possible to screen for concealed bombs in military, law enforcement, and home- land security missions. FLIR’s Fido X2 handheld explosives trace detector features the TrueTrace technology core, which enables the sensor to uncover traces of explosive material that are invisible to the naked eye,” said Dennis Barket Jr., vice president and general manager of FLIR Detection. “This trace evidence provides action- able intelligence, and can lead to catching a terrorist ahead of the act, rather than after the fact.”
Touch – Biometrics
Biometrics is the measurement and statistical analysis of a person’s physical and behavioral characteristics. This technology is primarily used for identification and access control, as well as for identifying individuals who are under surveillance.
Iris recognition is a method of biometric identification that uses pattern recognition, based on video images of one or both irises, to identify an individual’s unique, complex patterns. When it comes to the authentication processes available today, this solution is best of breed.
“Iris identification will enable the next generation of smart devic- es and IoT to create more secure access control than what is typically available today,” said Mark Clifton, CEO of Princeton Identity. “The days of remembering and entering passwords will soon be past.”
Intelligence – AI and Robotics
This emerging trend is perhaps the most exciting and is seen by many in the security industry as the dawn of a new era of cognitive security. Leading innovators are now building a new generation of systems that can understand, reason and learn about constantly evolving threats through the analysis of reports, web text and thread data at an unprecedented speed and scale.
A unique combination of data mining, machine learning, natural language processing and human-computer interaction is being devel- oped to take on cybercrime. The goal is to help security analysts spot, recognize and address threats. It can be said that this type of cogni- tive security is taking an immune system-like approach.
“We will still need a human; someone who can deal with dilem- mas, who has common sense, morals and intuition,” said Martin Borrett, CTO at IBM Security Europe. “If you look at the cognitive systems in use today—in healthcare, for instance—the doctor is still there, they’re still in front of the patient to make key decisions and take responsibility. The same would apply to cyber security.”
Other companies have taken yet a different approach, looking to reduce crime through a unique combination of hardware and software. Various approaches include developing small robots equipped with a variety of sensors including a video camera, thermal imag- ing sensors, a laser range finder, radar, air quality sensors and a microphone to compile information. When a threat is sensed, all of these aspects work together to alert and notify local authorities
of danger.
As threats become ever more sophisticated,
it’s clear that security measures will continue to expand technology’s capabilities through em- ploying all the senses.
Kevin Friedman is a freelance writer with Maize Marketing, based in Los Angeles.
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