September 3, 2026
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Home Articles posted by a&s Adria (Page 199)

Securitas presents new global brand identity

Securitas, the world’s leading intelligent protective services partner, has launched a major update to its global brand identity and positioning. Headlined by the tagline ‘See a different world’, the new brand highlights the company’s human and progressive approach to security, and the positive impact of its innovation and technology. It includes the first major update of the well-known Securitas logo since 1972.

Securitas’ new brand delivers an original tone of voice, visual identity and a positive and proactive storytelling agenda. It will be visible on Securitas’ personnel uniforms, vehicles, equipment and facilities, as well as its digital tools and online channels. The brand will be rolled out gradually across the company’s worldwide operations.

The tagline ‘See a different world’ emphasizes the expertise and diversity of Securitas’ people, and the innovativeness and relevance of its offerings. It is intended to resonate with audiences within and beyond the security business, and to enable Securitas to engage in conversations with a wider range of stakeholders.

Magnus Ahlqvist, President and CEO, Securitas: “Our new brand shows the world who we are and where we’re going. It builds on Securitas’ proud heritage and values of integrity, vigilance and helpfulness, and focuses on our unique people and high-impact technology. We work with many of the world’s most recognizable companies, and our new identity makes it clear how we can help create a more sustainable and inclusive future together with our clients and partners. It will open even more doors for our business and accelerate our strategy execution.”

Securitas has 355,000 employees serving 150 global clients and more than 150,000 clients in total across 48 markets. The company is accelerating its digital transformation through investing in data-driven tools and analytics and by interacting with clients in innovative ways, and aims to double its sales of electronic security and security solutions by 2023.

Mauro Silva, VP Brand and Strategic Marketing, Securitas: “This is a milestone for our company and our industry. We reflected on our strategy, our world and what clients expect from us today and saw an opportunity for differentiation. Securitas is a knowledge-driven company where engaged and talented people make a positive difference every day. This brand expresses our confidence in the future, while remaining true to our heritage and people, and makes our leadership clearer than ever.”

Securitas’ new brand identity has been developed in partnership with the brand agency Kurppa Hosk.

Security Summit 2021 – Virtual Event Conference and Exhibition

Security Summit 2021 – Virtual Event returns in a larger, improved and more ambitious format

One of the largest virtual industry events in Europe, Security Summit 2021 – Virtual Event Conference and Exhibition will once again open its doors in an online format starting May 4th through May 6th 2021. This has been announced by a&s Adria magazine, Security Summit organizing board and their partners who are inviting all participants, sponsors and media outlets to attend the event that will focus on B2B networking, business matchmaking, education and exhibition, all within the scope of security industry, smart solutions, mobility, cyber security, ICT, IoT & automation, security & safety training and education. All of these segments will be presented in the form of B2B matchmaking events, keynote speeches, presentations, case studies, panels, side events etc.

Security Summit 2021 is a place at which the industry professionals and experts from these industry niches and verticals from Europe and the rest of the world will gather to present their products, solutions and services, share expertise and enter new partnerships. The participants’ pool includes manufacturers, distributors, system integrators, installers and project managers, security managers, SME owners, decision-makers, representatives of government security agencies as well as end-users.

Attendees are invited to register here, download an event brochure and find additional information. Registration for the event is free of charge.

To stress the importance of linking businesses in these challenging times, Security Summit 2021 Virtual Event invites all of its current and future business partners to try out its B2B networking program that supports the companies in their search for future partners. These B2B sessions are planned in an online format from 9 AM until 5 PM on all days of the Summit. All interested parties can choose which day(s) of the event are most convenient for them and immediately schedule 1on1 meetings in accordance with their business preferences. You can sign up for free for this business matching event via https://pro.connect2bnet.com/signup

Types of industries that will be covered at Security Summit 2021:
– Smart Solutions
– Mobility
– Cyber Security
– ICT, IoT & Automation
– Security & Safety
– Training & Education

Why Security Summit Is One of the Key Online Industry Events in Europe

The predecessor of this year’s event, Security Summit Virtual Event 2020, has attracted 2,084 visitors in 2020 with 83.33% satisfaction rate. The event’s innovative concept, creative design, easy and practical registration and attendance process have been recognized by numerous participants who are expected to return in even higher numbers in 2021.

Its simulation of the conference and exhibition halls and side events, as well as a fast, direct and informative platform for arranging meetings delighted many and cemented the event’s status as one of the largest European online trade events in the security, smart technology, cyber security, IoT and other industries.

Continually increasing numbers of participants are a testament to the reputation, quality and dedication that the organizer of Security Summit brand has been building.

Why Our State-of-the-Art Online Event Platform Is the Backbone of Our Success

Our innovative platform simulates the physical space of premises used for live trade shows and conferences. The user simply logs in and enters the exhibition hall with virtual stands. The virtual stand has all the promotional materials one needs i.e. brochures, professional articles, videos, business cards, contacts and other information.

In this way, the visitor can get all the necessary information he/she needs, and, more importantly, immediately get in touch with the relevant person from management, sales, marketing or technical departments of an organization of their choice. Every profile gives a valuable insight into the represented company, thus prompting other visitors to cooperate with it.

Keeping an International Character Regardless of the Circumstances

The virtual edition of the Security Summit 2020 has achieved enviable results in terms of statistics. The Virtual Summit brought together participants from as many as 69 countries, making this a truly international event.

When it comes to sponsors, 82 companies decided to support the event, have a virtual booth and enjoy the benefits of having easier access to new customers and clients.

In addition, the partners of the event have been recruited among the high-profile global companies and organizations, such as BOSCH, Huawei, Motorola Solutions (Avigilon), HID Global, FLIR Systems, Hikvision Digital Technology, Honeywell, ASSA ABLOY, Konica Minolta, ZKTeco Europe, Vanderbilt, Vivotek, ISEO, and others, together with the associations covering these industries.

Thus, the main idea of Security Summit 2021 is to once again bring companies together with the aim of exchanging experiences and innovations, engaging in networking as well as presenting products and solutions.

In the Tradition of a Live Event

a&s Adria magazine, a professional security magazine providing total security solutions with 15 years of experience, is a member of a&s media Group and Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media. It is also an organizer of the annual leading trade show for the security industry in the Adriatic region – Adria Security Summit powered by Intersec (a member of Messe Frankfurt Group).

Why You Should Participate:

1. Networking (B2B virtual meetings with peer professionals)
2. Education (live sessions, keynote speeches, case studies, and side events)
3. Exhibition (brand awareness, product placement)

Official Spoken Language: English

Agenda: May 4 – 6, 2020

09:00 – 17:00 B2B matchmaking
11:00 – 13:00 Keynote speeches
13:00 – 14:30 Case studies
13:00 – 17:00 Side events

Detailed agenda of the event is available on https://vsecuritysummit.com/agenda/.

For more information, you can reach our team:

Tarik Rovčanin
+387(0)33 788 985
tarik.rovcanin@asadria.com

Adis Hodžić
+387(0)33 788 985
adis.hodzic@asadria.com

Seid Malanović
+387(0)33 788 985
seid.malanovic@asadria.com

360 Vision Technology announces significant energy cost savings for Elexon Charge Code Users

Capitalising on the unrivalled low power consumption of their CCTV surveillance cameras, 360 Vision Technology is delighted to announce that its Invictus range of PTZ cameras have been assigned their own Elexon Charge Codes, with the benefit of substantially lower energy bills for organisations operating Public Space Surveillance (PSS) systems.

Public sector bodies, such as local authorities and urban traffic control, are charged for their Unmetered Supply (UMS) outdoor powered devices via a Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC). Elexon manages the BSC, and makes sure that electricity suppliers are paid, and customers are billed, according to the specific Charge Codes relating to a products’ power consumption. For CCTV systems, the generic Elexon Charge Code predominantly accredited to surveillance cameras is tagged at 100 Watts power draw. This means that electricity consumption is typically billed at 100W per camera deployed.

However, using 360 Vision’s low power consumption Invictus PTZ cameras, and their new Charge Codes, organisations operating CCTV systems can achieve power consumption savings of an incredible 70%. Impressively, these cost savings are achieved whilst also utilising integrated LED white light or infrared illuminators. This is a significantly lower power draw versus peer PTZ cameras with generic Charge Codes.

“It’s imperative that security equipment vendor specifications include Elexon charging codes, and for local authority clients it’s a fundamental requirement,” says Derek Maltby, Managing Director of security consultants, Global MSC Security. “We are delighted to see that with this initiative, 360 Vision Technology are proactively driving-down the operational costs for Public Space Surveillance owners.”
“The new Elexon Charge Codes for the highly popular Invictus PTZ surveillance camera range is set to save CCTV system owners substantial energy costs,” says Sara Fisher, 360 Vision Technology’s Sales Director. “On a 100-camera system, surveillance system owners could save more than £18,500.00 in energy costs and in turn, reduce their carbon footprint by 37 tonnes over a 5-year period, compared to the closest equivalent camera models on the market. That’s a compelling return on investment and a significant reduction in the cost of ownership. Furthermore, the Invictus camera’s low power draw of less than 13W (in automatic low-power mode), is unrivalled when it comes to green energy credentials.”

For more information on Invictus cameras and Elexon Charge Codes, or full range of rugged PTZ surveillance, thermal and radar imaging cameras, customers can contact 360 Vision Technology on +44 (0)1928 570000, email: info@360visiontechnology.com, or visit their website at https://www.360visiontechnology.com

Intelligent IP cameras help to monitor the flow of people at London Bridge Station

Over 48 million people, more than the population of Spain, visit the recently upgraded London Bridge Station every year. Already the fourth busiest train station in the UK, this figure is set to increase – especially as a result of the Thameslink infrastructure improvement programme, which according to Network Rail increased station capacity by more than 50 percent.

Finished in 2018, the project was the biggest railway upgrade since Victorian times, and included a comprehensive rebuild of platforms, new track infrastructure, an improved concourse, better signalling and more. And, through the multi-billion pound scheme, the location is now home to around 900 of Bosch latest connected cameras, all fully integrated into the highly-sophisticated station management system.

Beneath the glitz of the new public areas, the intelligent network of the cameras discretely monitor the flow of people twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The cameras allow security operatives to quickly identify potential incidents and areas of congestion. All of the video and data feeds are securely transmitted to a control room located at the heart of the station – giving Network Rail and British Transport Police (BTP) the ability to monitor and control any camera throughout the building.

“For us, the London Bridge project was an immense challenge. The existing analogue system had to be kept running whilst the new digital solution was installed. We also had to ensure that our system was fully integrated into the numerous other third-party platforms located both on- and off-site,” adds Lindsay Brennwald, London Bridge project lead at Bosch UK. “Our daily discussions and weekly meetings with Network Rail’s project partners continued for more than four years.”

Planners from Bosch needed to accommodate for the complex architecture on site – a mix of new construction and historic remodels. The result is a scalable security network that covers the most safety critical parts of the station, including ticket barriers and platforms. For the duration of the construction work, London Bridge, one of the oldest stations in the world – never closed its doors to the numerous commuters and tourists crowding its platforms on a daily basis.

Alongside the London Bridge project, Bosch is currently working with other British transport partners such as Transport for London. Major investments and upgrades have been completed at other stations, including London Waterloo, and are underway on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link network – which will all see Bosch IP camera systems introduced across their facilities.

In search of more flexible security, this Belgian expo centre swapped mechanical keys for key-based access control

London, March 2021 – Size can be a major factor for any security project. The bigger the scale, the greater the challenge. With hundreds of doors and a 3km perimeter, the Flanders Expo is larger than most buildings. They sought a modern replacement for mechanical locking — which was “time consuming and not practical for users,” according to Bart Serraes, Operations Supervisor for the Easyfairs Group.

Choosing electronic security made sense: it saves security staff wasting time travelling physically around a big site. Wireless door devices were also important, because laying a projected 10km of cabling would be expensive and impractical.

Locking technology would need to serve both interior and exterior doors; Flanders Expo has many of both. Insurance requirements demanded electronic locking technology which could also activate deadbolts.

Key-operated CLIQ® electromechanical locking ticked all the boxes: “CLIQ intelligent key technology provides the familiar security of traditional locking alongside the powerful features of electronic access control,” says Stephan Schulz, CLIQ Product Manager at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEA.

CLIQ has a unique combination of high-end mechanical and electronic protection. A range of key-operated electromechanical cylinders and padlocks maximise physical attack resistance. CLIQ technology layers encrypted, user-friendly electronic security on top — adding control and convenience without adding wires: all CLIQ devices are wireless. Power to operate lock microelectronics comes from a standard battery inside every CLIQ key, with a lifetime of up to 10 years.

And because it is key based, CLIQ offers a simple step up from mechanical security. “As a company, we needed a more flexible system. That’s how we chose CLIQ,” adds Bart Serraes.

Electromechanical deadbolts meet insurance requirements — and more
Programmable CLIQ electromechanical locks now secure over 200 interior doors at the exhibition hall, as well as 100-plus openings around the building’s perimeter. Because CLIQ’s programmable keys can operate the deadbolt — not just the latch-bolt — door security meets standards set by Easyfairs’ insurers.

The electronics inside every lock are activated when a battery powered CLIQ key is inserted, meaning no door wiring was needed.

With their mechanical system, “the chance of losing keys was high, the process to get new keys not user-friendly,” says Bart Serraes. Now they can program keys to allow access for different types of user, using the intuitive CLIQ Web Manager software. They flexibly grant or deny access to both internal users and external partners and suppliers — and revoke rights in any lost key without needing to change the locks. CLIQ is a “flexible system for determining access rights,” says Bart Serraes.

Flanders Expo became the first Easyfairs site to install CLIQ access control. A second venue has already followed. Partnering with a global market leader, with a long history of innovation and service provision, gives Easyfairs a system which is reliably supported and can evolve over time.

Perimeter and interior security now have the flexibility they need: CLIQ locks can be installed and integrated into their access control system anytime.

To learn more about key operated CLIQ® mechatronic access control technology, download a free Solution Guide at https://campaigns.assaabloyopeningsolutions.eu/cliq

Temperature screening and weather: there is no place for humans

An ordinary thermal scanner in a guard’s hands in a mall, school or government agency is not the best way to avoid the spread of viruses. He works slowly and imprecisely. Another thing is an access control system with face recognition and temperature screening. Partizan STD-2MP, for example, takes into account a lot of related factors. Weather conditions are one of the most important.

There is no such thing as bad weather…

… but it strongly affects the measurement results. In cold weather, the temperature of exposed parts of the body can drop one degree below real. In the heat, on the contrary, to rise to 37.4 °, in reality being the canonical 36.6 °. But STD-2MP can’t be fooled! Analyzing a person’s condition, the device takes into account everything – even the temperature difference between hair and a cap.

An algorithm based on the principles of artificial intelligence comes into play. The device compares the temperature of a person and the objects around him. It captures the warmth of previous visitors and calculates their normal temperature at the current moment. For example, in the morning the average temperature of visitors was 36.2 degrees. But the day was hot and sunny. Therefore, by lunchtime, people “warmed up” to 37.2. The device takes the weather into account and makes the measurement as clearly as possible. “Come on in, guys, everything is ok.”

Failure is not an option

It is also important to note that scanners are usually installed indoors, and people come from the street, where the temperature is completely different. The intelligent algorithm of Partizan STD-2MP calculates the nominal normal temperature from the total human flow. It is enough for the device to check just 3 visitors and the algorithms for detecting persons with abnormal temperatures are activated.

Does it sound complicated? Let’s look at the example. The device measured the forehead temperature of three visitors. It turned out to be at the level of 35.4-35.8. Partizan STD-2MP compares the obtained data with real body temperature and gets the real result – 36.4-36.8. But when a visitor with a forehead temperature of 36.9 is going in, everything seems to be within the normal range. But no. The device “understands” that real body temperature is much higher. “You shall not pass!”

Put on your mask!

In addition to temperature screening of visitors, Partizan STD-2MP can also recognize their faces. The system does this even with a mask on. So no one needs to take it off. We’re still talking about fighting viruses, aren’t we?

And, of course, Partizan STD-2MP can do everything what a proper control system should be able to do:

1. Keep records of visits (including registering arrival and departure time)
2. Restrict or grant access
3. Give an alarm signal in case of violation

How does it look like

The Main Partizan STD-2MP module is no larger than a regular tablet with a 7” IPS display. There is also a temperature screening module, a white backlight, a 2MP IP CCTV camera, and a built-in access controller. Partizan STD-2MP can be installed near the turnstile, on the walk-through frame or just at the entrance doors. To do this, the accessories catalog has all sorts of different brackets – both for floor and wall.

By the way, about accessories. You can put a cover on the device, for example, in the form of funny ears. The cutest life hack that will come in handy if you take Partizan STD-2MP to use in preschool institutions. Kids will love it.

Body temperature screening at the entrance to public places has become a routine act since the coronavirus 2020. Partizan STD-2MP will make this process invisible, fast and maximum efficient. Far better than make “beeps” using manual scanner aiming against visitor’s forehead each time.

In case of any questions please contact:
sales@partizanstore.eu
tel (English and Hungarian languages): +420 608 496 889
tel (Czech and Slovak languages): +420 608 880 986
tel (Russian language): +420 608886587

 

The number of Smart building startups increased 38% in two years

A new report on the Smart Building Startup landscape from Memoori has identified 665 private companies founded between 2011 and 2020 in the smart buildings sector. This number has increased 38% in two years. The findings showed that there was no slowdown in the number of startups receiving investment last year despite the Covid-19 global pandemic and ensuing recession.

Indeed, investment in startups has accelerated in a number of key areas which address building technologies mitigating the spread of coronavirus throughout commercial real estate. The research demonstrates the critical contribution that startups are making to the introduction of innovation in the Smart Buildings & PropTech space.

Memoori’s analysis of venture capital and private equity funding has recorded the highest level of investment in startups over the last 4 years. Total capital invested in the global smart building space since 2012 amounts to $18.8 billion.

136 startups have been acquired in the last three years, which, according to the research, is the highest level of consolidation activity in the last nine years accounting for 72% of the total number of acquisitions over this period. Strategic buyers across the smart buildings landscape have continued their acquisitions strategy undeterred.

In the crowded marketplace of smart building startups, new entrants will need to differentiate themselves, either through their business model, partnerships or innovative technologies, in order to succeed. The report analyses the future for startups, recent and forthcoming IPOs and SPACs, disappearing and inactive startups as well as a summary of closed startups.

For the purposes of the research, startups are defined by Memoori as “private companies formed no earlier than 2011 that are focused on the commercial and industrial buildings market, that are not a subsidiary or an acquisition of a larger company and that are often financed by venture capital or private equity funding.”

Cloud Based License Plate Recognition Gains Traction With Niche Applications

As network connectivity and bandwidth availability continue to improve, the use of cloud is becoming more and more popular. Cloud-based solutions have made inroads into the day to day life of most people, right from the personal level in the form of emails to video surveillance footage.
Izvor: a&s International
E-mail: redakcija@asadria.com

Storing surveillance camera footage on the cloud allows you to run several analytic applications on them without having to worry about space and additional infrastructure. A solution that is increasingly gaining market interest in this regard is cloud-based ANPR solutions.

In this article, we explain the benefits and limitations of cloud-based ANPR solutions, along with their applica- tions, especially in intelligent transport systems.

What are the benefits of Cloud-Based ANPR Solutions?

The main difference between on-site and cloud-based ANPR solutions is where image processing takes place, according to Adrian Cseko, Head of Sales at Asura Technologies. In the case of cloud processing, the user sends data to the ANPR provider’s cloud, and results are returned to the specified database or system.

“Thus, the advantage of cloud-based solutions is that the client does not have to purchase a server and set it up on-site to run ANPR software,” Cseko said. “Moreover, most cloud-based solutions can be accessed in a subscription-type model, sometimes the pricing adjusted with processing volume. So, if avoiding CAPEX is the aim of a project, or there is simply no space to accommodate a server, a cloud-based ANPR solution may prove more beneficial. Also, as fewer elements are needed to be installed on-site, an ANPR-based operation may roll-out out earlier if a cloud-based solution is used.”

The Key Two-Fold Advantage
Evidently, there are several advantages to using cloud-based ANPR solutions. According to Gabor Jozsa, CMO at Adaptive Recognition, these can be classified under technology and cost. Jozsa listed some of the significant benefits under both these categories from the perspective of the solution that their company offers.

Cost Advantages
• Zero capital investment required.
• 50-60 percent Total Cost of Ownership reduction compared to on-premise systems.
• 3-4 times shorter implementation- and integration time.
• Start to recognize your own images in just 1 second after registration. Build your application around ANPR Cloud within one day. Start generating revenue in just days.
• Transparent and flexible pricing perfectly matches to every application.
• Adaptive Recognition’s ANPR Cloud offers credit-based, pay-as-you-go pricing packages.
• Minimal to zero OpEx: core engine updates, preventing maintenance, API updates are done by Adaptive Recognition. 99.9 percent SLA level secured worldwide, in all regions.
• Thanks to pay-per-use pricing, the actual cost of service is equivalent to practical use. There is no burden due to flat rates when the required service is low. You can recognize 1 million events at once and pay only for that. Then you may recognize 10,000 in the following months. You will always pay based on the service used.

Technological Advantages
• Integrators can finally focus on application functionality instead of setting up and operating an on-premises infrastructure.
• Easy to use REST APIs results are in JSON format.
• Anyone can become an ANPR expert. Simply upload your still images to Adaptive Recognition’s ANPR Cloud. The rest is done by the service, which tweaks the OCR engine’s internal parameters for the best results.
• ANPR Cloud is elastic, offers an unlimited scale. It is robust and stable.
• ANPR Cloud offers practically unlimited processing resources compared to on-premise, PC / server-based systems. This gives you a real competitive edge, mainly when you feed input images from all around the world. Specific OCR engines that yield the best result for one region can be run parallel in the ANPR Cloud, while this would require expensive and complex on-premises architecture.

How to Get These Benefits?
But cloud-based ANPR may not be suitable for every installation. According to Walter Verbruggen, Sales Director at Avutech Computer Vision, a cloud solution is ideal for a single, existing camera somewhere in the field, streaming video to the cloud ANPR service. It does need some thinking about: what do you want to do with the ANPR data?

“In case a smart security management system would send packets of snapshot images to the cloud, network bandwidth (and costs) can dramati- cally being saved,” Verbuggen said. “Cloud benefits in general: no local server to maintain or support, monthly subscription-based.”

Is a Cloud-Based ANPR Solution Suited to Your Business?

Cloud-based processing is ideal where the return-time of results is not a crucial point, e.g., when gathering traffic information or registering vehicles in a barrierless access control project. This means that if you want immediate results based on the ANPR reading, like opening a gate or raising a boom barrier, an edge-based solution may work best. But there are several verticals where such applications are not required, and this is where cloud-based ANPR is more useful. Here’s an overview of the major verticals that would benefit from cloud ANPR. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list, as the continuous development in technology enables more and more verticals to use cloud- based ANPR.

1. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
An intelligent transportation system (ITS) allows authorities to automate the process of managing traffic in a city to make it smarter and more efficient. ANPR has a vital role to play in ITS, especially in controlling over speeding and role rules compliance. Since these applications don’t require immediate action taken based on the plate reading, a cloud-based infrastructure that minimizes the investment on the camera side may be ideal.

2. Tolls for Motorways, Turnpikes, and Bridges
If your business involves toll collection on motorways, bridges, etc., without the use of a barrier, then a cloud-based ANPR may be suitable. This is because even as the vehicles pass through toll gates, payments can be triggered from an ANPR reading that is processed on the cloud. Such a system would help avoid unnecessary lines or crowding at toll gates and speed up the system. This may also come in handy in places where congestion charges are applicable.

3. Parking With Pay-by-Plate Services
If you provide gated parking space services, customers can make payments to use your parking space using wallets that are attached to their number plates. An ANPR solution that detects the plate can trigger the payment from wallets that may be connected to license plates. This may also be suited for other businesses like a car wash and vehicle servicing.

4. Mobile Patrols and Law Enforcement
Law enforcement officers may need to search for stolen vehicles or criminals fleeing in cars based on a number plate. In such situations, the system needs to search within video footage from multiple cameras. A cloud- based solution enables this as it is not limited to independent cameras. This application would come in useful at public facilities, shopping mall parking lots, campuses, etc.

5. Personalized OOH Advertising
A cloud-based ANPR solution can aid businesses in providing tailored services to customers. Based on the reading of a license plate, the system can recognize the customer, which in turn automates the customization process. An excellent example of this application is in targeted OOH advertising with location- based demographics based on ANPR and vehicle segmentation. This can also be used to automate loyalty programs wherein the system, after identi- fying the customer, offers specialized services as per the plan.

6. Drive-Off Prevention
A drive-off prevention system based on a cloud- based ANPR solution helps in running a license plate against a database of previous drive-offs. When the solution is located in the cloud, access to databases from third-parties like police or business associations becomes easier and real-time.

Final Word
As governments worldwide increasingly explore the concept of smart cities, the use of cloud becomes more and more inevitable to integrate different solutions. Using cloud-based ANPR would give authorities more control over services like law enforcement. Of course, there are some applications where a cloud-based system is not feasible, and, in many countries, there are challenges like lack of stable network connectivity. But if such problems are dealt with, a cloud-based ANPR solution offers numerous benefits.

Why Cloud-Based ANPR Will Greatly Benefit Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

With the rising popularity of smart and safe cities, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have seen a spike in demand in recent years. According to MarketsandMarkets, the global ITS market for roadways is expected to grow from US$ 17.9 billion in 2020 to $36.5 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 15.3 percent. The research firm expects several factors to drive this growth, including increasing concerns toward public safety, growing traffic congestion problems, rising favorable government initiatives for effective traffic management, increasing adoption of eco-friendly automobile technologies, and the development of smart cities across the world.

Aiding Public Services
Cloud solutions are integral to the development of intelligent systems, mainly because it provides centralized control which is essential for integrating multiple applications. Adrian Cseko, Head of Sales at Asura Technologies, pointed out that cloud-based ANPR may prove to be a viable choice for urban or even highway traffic enforcement projects.

“ANPR is arguably the best choice to obtain reference data of speeding vehicles or ones violating traffic rules,” Cseko explained. “In some cases, an intact traffic surveillance camera footage can be used to detect traffic violations automatically (the wrong turn, passing the red light, crossing a closed line) and obtaining the vehicle’s number plate as well as part of the process. ANPR is also a great reference tool for congestion charging and may serve statistical purposes as well as an automatized form of vehicle counting for statistical purposes.”

Lower Costs, Better Performance
Gabor Jozsa, CMO at Adaptive Recognition, further explained that cloud- based solutions are faster and easier to set up, potentially reducing costs and increasing efficiency. “ITS system transition to the cloud, including applications like smart city applications, toll enforcement, stopping congestion relief using hard shoulder running, etc. can be done in 3-4 times shorter and with 50-60 percent cost reduction in TCO,” Jozsa said. “Other benefits include maximized scalability and optimized OpEx. Traditional, on-premise Intelligent Transportation Systems must be scaled to the peak workload, while ANPR Cloud flexibly adapts to the required workload.”

Highlighting his own company’s ANPR engine, Jozsa added that there is also the advantage of low false-positive rates when using a cloud solution for ITS. Also, AI-based data filtering and flexible business intelligence functions empower smart predic- tions and data-based decisions. Finally, wireless communication (4G, 5G: in the coming years) combined with cloud-based ANPR requires signifi- cantly less installation cost.

Benefits to large transportation companies
License plate recognition is not limited to public or government use for purposes like law enforcement. Transport companies that own their fleet would also benefit from automated license plate recognition to improve their operations.

However, not all transport companies may find a cloud-based ANPR worth the investment. Walter Verbruggen, Sales Director at Avutech, added that with regard to ITS, a cloud-based ANPR solution is particularly for larger transport organizations and distribution centers where there are many perimeter efficiency improvements to make for ANPR in general. Such organizations would need safe and secure parking areas for trucks along the highways, offering multiple services to truck drivers as well, all of which could be made easier and more straightforward with a cloud solution.

Conclusion
To sum up, cloud ANPR solutions are useful to ITS as they enhance the possibilities of the technologies that are in use. But technological improvement is not the only advantage. From a customer perspective, the reduced costs and easier installation are also attractive to implement an ITS system better. Finally, the use of cloud ANPR for ITS purposes would benefit large private transport organizations would have to deal with lots of vehicles in their fleet.

Challenges and Limitations of Cloud-Based ANPR Solutions

Despite their advantages, cloud-based ANPR solutions are not without limitations or challenges in their implementation. These are mostly technical but can, at times, be the result of budgeting concerns as well.

The most obvious limitation is that analytics on the cloud may not be suitable for solutions that require immediate actions taken based on the insights. For instance, a solution that opens a gate or boom barrier to a parking lot after identifying the user through ANPR needs to open gates within seconds. Failure to do this will cause in irate users or customers. You cannot afford to have network-related delays here, and hence, solution on the edge works better.

Internet Connectivity
Cloud-based solutions – as the name suggests – require an Internet connection to work, so they may not be feasible for projects where having an Internet connection is out of the question.

“Event detection is also an issue in case of cloud-based ANPR, which can be avoided if the bandwidth allows for a continuous video stream of the monitored areas (as in this case our solution uses video analytics-based triggering), but this is not yet realistic in terms of accessible infrastructure and also when considering economic reasons,” explained Adrian Cseko, Head of Sales at Asura Technologies. “Another way to tackle the problem is either an image pre-selection mechanism set in place, triggers (like inductive loops) or cameras that include some sort of triggering mechanism, the latter solution, however, may prove more costly due to the price difference compared to standard IP cameras that provide sufficient image quality for ANPR.”

Camera Quality
The basic rule of the thumb when selecting a camera for ANPR is that if a license plate is recognizable to a human eye, an ANPR solution will recognize it too. Having said that, since cameras on highways often have to deal with rugged conditions, there are several instances where they failed to give continuous clear visuals.

“Camera image quality is essential during all weather and lighting conditions,” said Walter Verbruggen, Sales Director at Avutech. “A dedicated ANPR camera system will always outperform another type of camera, as it is optimized for ANPR image quality, offers more speed and does not require any image or video compression, compromising the image quality.” Camera placement is also essential to capture license plates. Too far or too near would result in images that are not useful. Similarly, installing cameras too high or too low would also be problematic.

Finally, when the visuals are blurred because of rain, fog, dust, or other such elements, the ANPR solution would have difficulty recognizing the plates. It should be noted that these kinds of problems pose a challenge to any ANPR solution regardless of whether they are located on the cloud or the edge.

Lack of Customizability
Gabor Jozsa, CMO at Adaptive Recognition issues like network connectivity, is not limited to ANPR but could define any cloud-based system. However, a more significant limitation is the difficulty of providing services that may need certain unique recognition features.

“Limitation in customized features is an issue,” Jozsa said. “Sometimes, the customer’s application requires specific OCR engines and recognition functions.”

Limitations vs. Advantages
To conclude, both cloud-based and edge-based ANPR solutions have their advantages and disadvan- tages. Both are suited for different verticals and applications, which makes comparison difficult as well. Any decision to purchase from customers should be based on the application.

Bringing Trust to the Workplace

HID Global became its own case study in safely opening its sites

Author: By Jaroslav Barton, Director Product Marketing, Global Regions, HID Global
Contact: chris.gibbs@vol4comms.com
HID Global: https://www.hidglobal.com/access-control

As businesses and governments enter a new era of workplace safety, two prerequisites are preparedness and the ability to pivot quickly. Widely adopted access control, authentication, Internet of Things and other trusted identity offerings provide the foundation for safely and confidently reopening workplaces.

Facing the challenges
HID Global faced the same challenges in returning its employees to work. The first step the company took was to develop a strategy and comprehensive playbook, as well as processes for communicating to employees in a time of rapid change. These elements help guide the safety and security of employees while ensuring operations continue to run smoothly. The Return to Workplace playbook provided clear recommendations and reassurance for site leaders, employees and support for customers in an ever-changing environment.

Health and safety are front of mind for employees. It is essential to anticipate very real emotions and valid concerns. Equally important is looking ahead and showing what the ‘new normal’ looks like for employees by defining and providing reassurance about the new behaviours needed in an otherwise familiar place. The playbook provided this reassuring clarity.

Every office or facility has to adapt to its individual needs, but for HID Global they concentrated on four core areas: protection, cleaning, messaging and distancing.

For protection and distancing, HID Global turned to its own product and solution portfolio. Site-specific distancing guidance was provided related to face-to-face meetings and the time and spacing constraints, as well as greeting practices, dining habits and managing mail and package deliveries. The guidelines also covered activities related to meeting rooms, personal offices and workstations Site leaders also concentrating on how they could reconfigure assembly stations and other density- management challenges. Ongoing focus areas include ensuring compliance in cube arrangements, traffic flow pattern design and management, and the use of plexiglass and other barriers for ensuring separation.

Putting the guidelines in place
With these separation guidelines in place, HID then applied its own technologies to automate the process of compliance. There are two key components:
– Dynamic Workplace Safety – Cloud-based visitor management, remote employee and visitor badge issuance, and fully touchless access solutions reduce person-to-person contact. Rule-based physical distancing management provides immediate insights and alerts to keep employees compliant with safety and sanitation requirements.
– Automated Rapid Response and Compliance – Automated visitor compliance, contact tracing, physical distancing, and hygiene behaviour removes the burden of tracking new health and safety procedures.

HID piloted its solutions with 200 essential workers soon after public health distancing guidelines went into effect. The solutions were deployed across different physical environments from manufacturing floors to cubicles, eating areas and entrance lobbies. Each employee was given a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) fog on a lanyard, which uses peer-to-peer capabilities to sound an alert if people are closer than 2m for a specified time period. Simultaneously, this data was sent to the cloud for analysis and location information to identify where the incident took place within the building.

As an alternative to fobs, the same capabilities can be delivered using a badge/ badge holder that is easily added to existing ID cards. In either case, there is a full digital trail of an employee’s whereabouts and historical interactions while at work. Fobs can be issued to all onsite visitors and contractors as well. Employers define distancing policies and alert parameters for mitigating an infection outbreak per public health guidelines, and zones can be created with geo-fences around high-traffic areas (breakrooms, hallways, lobbies) to minimize large congregations of people.

Playing a key role
The solution also plays a key role when someone tests positive. With a click of a button, detailed reporting enables contact tracing using historical data on movement and interactions. This triggers safety protocols based on reporting that includes a chronological list of all the times two people were in the same zone or had a distance incident. The facility can assess the risk of each employee exposure and minimize disruption as it rapidly responds to cases and activates isolation procedures as needed.

The HID Global pilot revealed much about employee reactions to the global health crisis. They generally wanted to be part of something that could have a tremendous impact on the worldwide workforce. Their participation in the pilot also revealed how best to implement guidelines while also creating the optimal experience for employees. Additionally, the pilot underscored how an IoT ecosystem can quickly scale and adapt to the dynamic requirements of hospitals, manufacturing facilities and enterprise organizations. Real-time time monitoring and analytics capabilities can help ensure compliance with a number of other safety requirements, such as hand hygiene policies and other regulations introduced as part of the ‘new normal’. At the same time, organizations can leverage their investment in these IoT solutions beyond today’s global health crisis, since they lay the foundation to easily add even more IoT applications, all of which can be centrally managed on a single platform.

What makes smart homes smart and intelligent buildings intelligent?

The robust quality of the frogblue hardware (the frogs) is really only half the story. Frogblue also provide the management software that gets the most out of these high quality hardware products.

The same people who developed the original comprehensive intelligent video management software solution for the MOBOTIX camera are also behind the development of the frogblue intelligent building solution software.

That concept of building high quality and robust hardware on which to run their own intuitive and decentralized intelligent software continues with frogblue.

frogblue develop the smartest smart home and most intelligent building management software that allows an almost infinite pallet of programable possibilities, which provides the installer and user the most flexible and scalable interactive system available.

Each and every frog is capable of receiving, analyzing and forwarding messages and commands to every other frog in any other part of the system. The configuration of the frogblue system could not be easier. By allocating the same name to an input and an output of the frogs we create a virtual cable between these devices. Each input and output in each frog can accept and carry out multiple commands controlled by the internal logic module – this results in the incorporation of every individual aspect of the devices into a complete interactive proactive and thinking system with the software as the brain and the Bluetooth LE Mesh Network acting as the nervous system to distribute those commands and messages.

This means that the mood lighting control works in complete harmony with the shading and access control while the ventilation system works hand in hand with the temperature, humidity and air pressure sensors. The frogblue lighting ( external and internal) and access control can also communicate via the frogs with the security cameras and combine all elements of the overall installation. Gyroscopic sensors can tell any part of the system that a door or window is open (fully or partially) this could trigger an alarm notification that the heating in that room should be turned off ( why heat a room when the window is open) and at the same time it could notify the security system, alert & activate the nearest cameras and cause security lights to blink on and off at night.

All of this is available in the most scalable format on the market. The software is effective for a one frog intelligent light dimming solution as well as for a solution incorporating hundreds of frogs.

Frogblue offers professional installers and designers a professional software tool box combined with robust, reliable and intelligent hardware that enables them to customize their solutions and put their personal signature on the design or project.

The configuration of the frogblue system is done via the frogblue ProjectApp and the frogblue HomeApp is used to control and manage the system. For anyone who does not want to or cannot use a software App the frogblue system can also be controlled via the existing physical switches.

Answer is still A. Software, solve very complex projects and be future proof!

Partneri i suradnja: info@frogblue.si, www.frogblue.si

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a&s Adria – professional security magazine for providing total security solutions is a monthly circulating publication and a licenced representative of Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media for Adriatic region, which consists of following countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, FYR Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia.