IDIS has provided a full 1,000 camera solution for the Zedwell Piccadilly Hotel in London, UK. The video technology manufacturer collaborated with integration partner, Rukey Solutions, to ensure the project was completed in just two months.

 Zedwell Piccadilly Hotel

The Zedwell Piccadilly was recently expanded and transformed with a top-to-bottom refurbishment. According to IDIS, this included an extension with a major annex in neighbouring Great Russell Street, which brings the total number of rooms to over 700. Video surveillance is an important resource for the hotel’s management team and staff. Not only does this it improve safety, it enhances and subsequently improves guest experiences whilst ensuring security for visitors and employees.

IDIS video surveillance solution

Offering plug-and-play connectivity and immediate interoperability of IP cameras, NVRs and network accessories, IDIS DirectIP played a pivotal role in the project. The new system is made up of 413 x full HD IR dome cameras, offering crisp and clear image capture even in low-light, including up to 20m distances in darkness. The project also features 40 x 5MP IR Super Fisheye Compact cameras, replacing multiple fixed lens cameras and allowing the most efficient wide area scene coverage of the hotel’s communal areas. In addition, 14 HD IR bullet cameras were installed to cover locations including entrances, exteriors and back-of-house areas including loading bays and stock rooms. At the heart of the solution, making extended image storage affordable, are ten 8000 Series 4K NVRs. The solution is supported and operated using IDIS Center VMS.

“The heart of London’s West End”

Jan Kotze, Head of Security, Zedwell said: “Guests look to us for a relaxing experience and great value in the heart of London’s West End and now, with this upgraded IDIS video solution, they also have the assurance of enhanced security, safety and the most efficient possible service.”

Smiths Detection has been selected for EU funding as part of a consortium to develop an intelligent border control screening algorithm. The company has confirmed that the algorithm will automatically detect narcotics in passenger baggage.

Narcotics detection algorithm

The consortium, BAG-INTEL, is coordinated by Legind Technologies and funded by Horizon Europe – the primary funding program for research and innovation of the EU. This consortium combines technology providers and customs agencies to solve customs and border control challenges by targeting specific bags ‘needing manual inspection’. According to Smiths Detection, its role will be to create an effective narcotics detection algorithm. The company’s algorithm will be developed by leveraging material discrimination. In addition, shape-based deep learning will play a pivotal role.

Making the world a safer place

“Smiths Detection is committed to advancing the uptake of digital solutions for everyday detection needs and being part of this consortium is another example of this,” said Glenn Tracey, Science and Technology Director, Smiths Detection. “The development of the narcotics detection algorithm aligns perfectly with work that we are already doing in this area and will be an excellent addition to the iCMORE family. “Most importantly, working closely with our partners is a positive step in supporting the ongoing fight against narcotics and making the world a safer place.”

Having started only 8 years ago with its entry into the global intrusion market, the company is now expanding horizontally by adding entirely new product verticals to its portfolio. Ajax Systems has introduced whole new CCTV products with a different approach to privacy.

The company’s latest camera line up includes the Turretcam, Bulletcam, and Domecam Mini, which have been designed to embody the signature of Ajax design shapes. Each camera model is packed with one of four possible configurations: a lens with a viewing angle of 85 or 110 degrees and 3K or 4K resolution. Every Ajax camera is engineered to easily adapt to changing light with True WDR technology. This smart tech, involving hardware and software, fixes uneven lighting in complex scenes, frame by frame, in real-time.

Also, the cameras are equipped with a digital microphone, that uses a custom noise cancellation system, and in addition, all the cameras meet the IP65 protection class, capable of withstanding harsh weather conditions.

The new cameras seamlessly utilise the Ajax Cloud to transmit system events. The proprietary Jetsparrow technology ensures fast peer-to-peer transmission of video data. With AI analysis capabilities, these cameras can detect and recognise various object types, such as humans, vehicles, and pets. As a result, the surveillance system is able to record only relevant events, conserving storage space.

Video archive can be further optimised by setting up the pixel movement detection feature, and specific zones can be defined to ensure recordings are triggered only when movement occurs in the selected area. To make surveillance precisely selective, it is also possible to enable cameras only when the system is armed.

New NVR

The synergy of Ajax systems and video surveillance will be delivered by Ajax NVR — network video recorder. It offers integration with Ajax video management system (VMS), ensuring seamless synchronisation with the entire Ajax ecosystem, and allows wide compatibility with most IP cameras. The NVR is available in 8 and 16-channel versions, providing instant access to video archives through the Jetsparrow streaming technology with TLS encryption.

Hanwha Vision, the global vision solution provider, has achieved “ISO 27001 (ISO/IEC 27001)” certification, the international standard for information security, and has been recognized for its stable information security management system (ISMS).

ISO 27001 is the world’s best-known standard for ISMS, established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). In order to achieve this certification, a company must pass 93 controls organized into four sections, including organizational, physical, technological, and people controls.

Hanwha Vision voluntarily pursued this certification to develop its information protection management system, a key ESG item, and to improve the company’s security level. It has achieved more effective results by acquiring the latest version of ISO 27001 (2022) that reflects rapidly changing digital environment trends, such as cloud, IoT, and AI.

Hanwha Vision has been managing internal security for the past 30 years, constantly emphasizing the importance of security to fulfill its social responsibilities as a company that provides security solutions based on vision technology. The company conducts regular security tests led by its in-house security specialized team, S-CERT. And this year, the company was selected as a CNA (CVE Numbering Authority) organization, working alongside leading tech companies globally to manage the program’s vulnerabilities. Hanwha Vision has also acquired numerous security certifications from reputable global authorities such as UL CAP, FIPS, and TTA.

Hanwha Vision will take this certification as an opportunity to raise the level of information security and strengthen its efforts to become a more reliable partner for its partners and customers.

“Technology advancement is like a double-edged sword in security.” a Hanwha Vision official said, “As a global vision solution provider that develops and utilizes technologies such as AI and cloud, we will never stop thinking about and realizing sustainable technologies to maximize the positive functions of state-of-the-art technologies and to utilize them safely at the same time.

Enlighted, a leading property technology company owned by Siemens, has announced the expanded use of artificial intelligence (AI) in its Location Services solution, and the addition of two new partners to the Enlighted AI partner ecosystem.

Enlighted’s Location Services – a Real Time Location System – tracks the location and movement of assets and badges in buildings, using existing Enlighted intelligent lighting infrastructures. With the introduction of AI machine-learning models, the accuracy of finding assets and personnel badges is improved to greater than 98 percent, empowering businesses across industries to optimize their operations and better control inventory.

High levels of accuracy are especially critical in healthcare and manufacturing, where understanding exact location is essential for many critical use cases. The enhanced system reduces implementation costs dramatically via existing Bluetooth-enabled lighting control sensors. These AI capabilities build on the existing Enlighted Touchless Workplace solution, an AI-driven mobile app which allows occupants to control workplace temperature. AI solutions Location Services (RTLS) and Touchless Workplace are part of the Siemens Xcelerator Marketplace, an open digital business platform to accelerate digital transformation.

Stefan Schwab, CEO of Enlighted said, “Sensors in smart buildings collect an enormous amount of data. AI-based applications are a transformative way for commercial buildings to maximize and use this data, optimizing efficiency while improving the occupant experience.” He added, “These new capabilities and partnerships demonstrate that Enlighted is continuously innovating and expanding its offerings with the most advanced technology.”