Page 67 - Security Today, March 2020

can be detected and prevented.
• Unattended luggage can be discovered and investigated by se-
curity staff more quickly.
Airports are complex environments, and not every concern relates to passenger flow. Beyond flight-related concerns, airports are also large retail centers, and IoT applications for cameras can be applied in these settings as well. Analysis of shopper behaviors can help manage queues at shops and overall movement within the retail area .
Before people even enter the terminal, cameras can also provide license plate recognition, collect data on vehicle accidents and alert security to abnormal or suspicious behavior on airport grounds.
Optimizing Waiting Times
at Major Airports
One frequent bottleneck at airports are security checkpoints, which can easily cause long waiting times and operational irregularities. This can frustrate passengers and increase the workload of staff members. For this reason, many airports use camera systems to monitor the number of visitors. If a queue becomes too long, the system informs staff or provides this information via displays.
“IoT-enabled cameras help their users gain a greater understanding of how passengers and employees behave.”
At one of Europe’s major airports, operations staff have im- plemented intelligent visitor management using an existing cam- era system. Video data is analyzed in real time, meaning waiting times can be predicted with 96 percent accuracy. The predicted waiting times are communicated via displays to control visitor flows. The result? An improved customer experience, increased security and more effective planning of personnel deployment.
The digital networking of camera systems offers the opportu- nity to improve how resources are used, to de-
sign processes more efficiently, to reduce costs
and, ultimately, to raise the level of the experi-
ence for everyone involved.
Hartmut Schaper is the CEO of Security and Safety Things.
Striving for IoT Excellence
If networked security cameras are to provide the best possible support for success within an airport environment, their deployment must be planned and implemented appropriately with consideration given to the cameras, the IoT platform and the IoT applications.
Security camera manufacturers are increasingly equipping their products with AI functionality. The basis for this is a new generation of powerful microprocessors in the devices, offering sufficient computing power to run complex applications such as video analytics directly in the camera. This non-centralized approach means only the results of this analysis, and not personal data, is transferred within the IP video system, which is important for compliance with data protection regulations.
IoT platforms connecy security cameras with the systems that save, process and evaluate IoT data. They make dependencies transparent and offer functions for controlling devices and applications. The challenge for companies is to find the right platform for their specific application.
Airports, and others considering an IoT deployment, should consider the following requirements when selecting an IoT platform:
• Edge device functions allow for non-centralized data processing in the networked device.
• The platform provides development tools and standards for prototyping, reporting and access management.
• IoT applications are offered for many functions that can be easily installed and tested.
• Functions and software on IoT devices from different manufacturers can be centrally managed using a standard operating system.
• Various protocols and data formats are merged in a common software interface to enable the flow of data between networked devices.
• A secure flow of data between devices and applications is guaranteed, centrally managed and maintained using a standard operating system.
• The platform offers intelligent tools for data analysis.
There are already numerous IoT applications for security cameras available from which airport operators can choose, the majority of which are operated in the devices directly. Although this previously would have meant high installation and maintenance costs, applications are now simple to install and update. Some app specific requirements to consider include:
• Quality standards for app development and a standard operating system ensure high quality and compatibility for the apps.
• Applications are easy to install, test or update via an application store.
• Multiple apps can be used in parallel on a single security camera.
• IoT applications must meet high security standards to protect the systems against attacks or manipulation by third parties.
Many IoT projects fail because companies aim to achieve too much all at once. The same applies with regard to IoT security cameras. Users should start with measures that deliver initial successes quickly and with low risk. This approach allows them to gather experience and continue to gradually develop activities. Companies that quickly achieve measurable results are often those that systematically establish the conditions for this. Here are some best practices that can assist with the deployment of a successful project:
• Develop an IoT strategy that takes into consideration all of the business, technical and operational requirements. This provides the project
participants with direction and stresses the importance of the topic.
• Create the technical basis for the project and define clear responsibilities. The most ideal way is to set up a separate IoT department, incorpo-
rating the IT department at an early stage to integrate cameras with existing back-end systems and to ensure that no data silos are created.
• Orient toward existing best practices and, when possible, use ready-made solutions. Even though IoT measures should be individually tai-
lored, thisshould contribute to reaching the goal more quickly and reliably.
• If these prerequisites are met, the next step is implementation. Companies with little IoT experience should be guided by an integrator.
WWW.SECURITYTODAY.COM 65