Page 20 - Security Today, September 2018

The Age of Voice Voice is evolving as an active partner in the security industry
BWy Jim Hoffpauir
e all are talking to machines these days. We talk to assistants in our home, in our cars and on our phones. By using our voice, we feel more engaged (Thanks to Alexa!). We also become more productive, freeing our hands and minds
issues developed around full integration with access as well as the exponential increase in manpower in identifying and responding to incidents. As well, video clarity, management, storage and eviden- tially sound reporting had to evolve to meet the need. Many of these issues have finally been addressed. However, the people, process and integration issues are still a challenge. Along with these issues is the continued challenge of cyber defensibility.
Given all this, consultants and integrators have traditionally led with access and video. Audio was a stepchild, an afterthought.
There were compounding reasons for this. Much like video, the level of integration with other enterprise systems was poor. The access and video management vendors reflected the market by not making audio a core capability of their offerings. The level of clarity, when it was truly called upon to deliver, was a significant challenge; one that has damaged the credibility of the audio market. Finally, intercom was just as challenged as video vendors in making cyber defensibility a core part of the design of their systems.
The market is shifting. The devices security executives are de- ploying are sensors. They collect and, at times, aggregate data, but the data needs to be turned into information. The information, ultimately, must provide a comprehensive understanding of orga- nizational risk, situational awareness and real-time response. That requires a new business model for most vendors and new evaluation
for other tasks.
At the same time we are communicating with the machines, we
are teaching them about us. The more we engage the better they can assist and anticipate our needs.
Even at this stage in the technology, we still have our issues. The exceptional user experience is still wanting. Often it is due to the limi- tations of clarity that befuddles the machine and leads to multiple attempts by the user to communicate.
With all these issues, how is voice evolving to meet the needs of organizational security?
It turns out, there are very similar problems that have diluted voice’s promise.
Facing Challenges
The first challenge was the industry’s initial focus on implement- ing access control, finding a way to easily validate identity and pro- vide appropriate access. The second generation was to deploy video to augment human beings and increase situational awareness. Key
18
0918 | SECURITY TODAY
COVER STORY