Answering widespread demands for new curbs on aggressive policing in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, Amazon is halting law enforcement use of its facial recognition platform for one year, the company said Wednesday.

The company has marketed its software platform, called Rekognition, to law enforcement agencies for years, and its short blog post announcing the shift did not provide an explicit reason for the change of direction. The post did note that Amazon supports federal regulation of facial recognition technology and that the company hopes the one-year moratorium “might give Congress enough time to implement appropriate rules.”

The move came two days after IBM announced that it was getting out of the facial recognition business entirely, citing ethical concerns over the powerful technology. In a letter to Congress, the company’s chief executive, Arvind Krishna, wrote that “IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any [facial recognition] technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms,” or any other purpose that goes against the company’s core principles.

Cities around the country, including Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco, have banned the technology’s use by public agencies outright over fears that the software, which employs machine learning algorithms to automatically detect human faces in digital video and match them to names, presents too great a risk to privacy to be used responsibly.

A 2019 California law banned the use of facial recognition software — and any other biometric surveillance that can identify people by tattoo, gait or other individually distinguishable characteristics — on photos or video collected by law enforcement agencies.

Motorola Solutions and Avigilon Corporation, a Motorola Solutions company, announced that they have been selected to help protect Marino’s Market in Alabama.

With over 18,000 customers shopping each week at its two store locations, it is crucial for Marino’s Market to protect its business from customer theft, false liability claims, shrinkage and procurement issues. To address these concerns, Marino’s Market deployed a security system that provides greater visibility throughout their stores to help ensure that employees follow cash handling procedures correctly and track down deliveries. Since deploying a comprehensive Avigilon and Motorola Solutions system, Marino’s Market has seen an improvement in the efficiency of its security operations by 75% and its shrinkage has been reduced by 50%.

The new system features Avigilon Control Center (ACC) video management software, an Access Control Manager system and a suite of Avigilon cameras including the H4 Mini Dome and H4 Pro models as well as the H4 Multisensor, H4 Fisheye, H4A Bullet and H4 IR PTZ cameras, which feature self-learning video analytics.

Marino’s Market also uses Motorola Solutions CLS1410 two-way radios to enable efficient communication between store managers.

“Having an Avigilon system is like having a virtual security guard; it gives me so much more freedom because I don’t have to do all the work myself — the analytics and search functions of ACC takes a lot of that work off my plate,” said AJ Marino. “And you can find information so fast that you can respond in near real-time before the perpetrator even leaves the store so that you can intercept them and address the issue.”

“We are pleased to offer Marino’s Market technology that helps them provide a safe and positive shopping experience to their customers, while also ensuring the proper handling of goods,” said John Kedzierski, senior vice president, Video Security Solutions at Motorola Solutions. “The system has enabled the market to operate more efficiently and demonstrates the potential of Avigilon and Motorola Solutions security offerings within a busy retail environment.”

Hikvision, a world leading supplier of innovative security products and solutions, has been awarded CNPP Certified certificates for 15 of its thermal cameras as heat detection systems.

CNPP is an international player in risk prevention and management in the fields of fire and explosion safety, security and malicious acts, cybersecurity, environmental issues and occupational risks. Among the portfolio of CNPP activities, the certifications issued by its subsidiary CNPP Cert. are recognitions and passports of trust. As a third party, CNPP Cert. awards certifications as part of a collective approach where all stakeholders are members of the certification committee: security professionals, users, technical consultants, insurance companies and public authorities.

“I am very happy that after several months of work, we have obtained CNPP certifications for our thermal security cameras”, says Franck Carette, Thermal Product Manager at Hikvision Europe. “In addition, we are the very first manufacturer of security products to obtain this certification.”

Three certificates were issued following conformity tests carried out according to the technical specification CNPP ST LPMES – DEC.19.005 of February 1, 2019. The certificates were awarded to thermal security cameras belonging to the following series:

Bullet series (32.20.221): DS-2TD2136T, DS-2TD2137T, DS-2TD2166T, DS-2TD2167T, DS-2TD2636T, DS-2TD2637T, DS-2TD2667T

Dome Series (33.20.221): DS-2TD4136T, DS-2TD4137T, DS-2TD4166T, DS-2TD4167T

PT series (34.20.221): DS-2TD6236T, DS-2TD6237T, DS-2TD6266T, DS-2TD6267T

Vivotek recently held its 2020 Annual Shareholder and elected a new Board of Directors. There are nine Directors: Bill Lo, Simon Chang, Judy Wang, Zoe Cherng, Owen Chen (in the middle of picture above), Eddy Lan, Ji-Ren Lee, Sin-Hui Yen, and Chung-Yang (Ric) Huang. Three of those elected Ji-Ren Lee, Sin-Hui Yen, and Chung-Yang (Ric) Huang are independent directors of the board.

Subsequently Vivotek also held the first meeting of the new Board of Directors. The board elected Mr. Bill Lo, the General Manager of Delta Building Automation Business Group as Vivotek’s new Chairman. The Vivotek operation team includes: Chairman, Mr. Bill Lo; President, Mr. Alex Liao; Executive Vice President of Brand Business Group, Mr. William Ku and Executive Vice President of ODM Business Group, Mr. Gordon Chen. This new team will carry out leadership of Vivotek while enhancing corporate governance and achieving long-term sustainability for the company.

The former Chairman Mr. Owen Chen founded Vivotek Inc. in 2000, building on his profound experiences in telecommunication research and development. Under Mr. Chen’s leadership, Vivotek moved from technology licensing to the development of IP surveillance systems and focused on 3 core technologies: video, voice, and communication. He insisted that research, development, design and manufacture all take place in Taiwan and developed practices of Own Brand Manufacture (OBM) and Own Design Manufacture (ODM) from the outset. Under his leadership of over the past two decades, Vivotek held its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, expanded its global footprint into over 116 countries and established branch offices in 6 countries. With deep roots in Taiwan, Vivotek has grown into a global company of 1000 employees. The company has ranked as Taiwan’s top IP surveillance company and claims the position of the only Taiwanese company among the top 20 in the global security market.

Of his company and its history, Mr. Owen Chen said: “Over these two decades, we have strived to win this marathon. Now, this marathon has become a relay race. To overcome existing challenges, passing on the torch to reshape Vivotek is imperative. Facing the fierce competition of globalization, the company decided to partner with Delta Electronics in 2017. Combining our strengths, Vivotek is able to advance development in technology, channel penetration and operation efficiency. I will remain on Vivotek’s board of directors. In this way we can retain and continue to build a sustainable business in Vivotek.”

Bill Lo, the new Chairman of Vivotek, now serves as the General Manager of the Building Automation Business Group at Delta Electronics Inc. Before joining Delta Electronics in 2017, he worked at IBM for over twenty years with proven track records in international business development, customer service, and coordination capability. Mr. Bill Lo stated, “I’m very proud to serve in my new position as Chairman of Vivotek. Security and video surveillance are such critical aspects of building automation as they go beyond and extend diverse applications in smart cities, smart retail and smart transportation. I will work side by side with Vivotek’s team; together we can maximize and synergize our two companies.”

Planning for the latest edition of SICUREZZA – a leading event in Europe for security and fire protection sectors set to take place at Fiera Milano from 17 to 19 November 2021 – comes at what is a challenging time for the sector, testing its ability to respond promptly and efficiently.

At this delicate time, security technologies can play a key role in safeguarding public health. While thermal cameras and certified systems to instantly measure temperature are already in operation at airports and other highly trafficked locations, allowing for the immediate identification of subjects at potential risk of Covid19, systems to control access, count people and control flow are all useful solutions with which to manage and monitor any public space, so as to guarantee everybody’s safety.

Not to mention the importance of IT security solutions. With Covid19, smartworking has become an absolute priority in order to protect jobs and people, and has been adopted by 72% of firms in Italy (Infojobs source), projecting the country forwards in terms of its digitalisation, while also obliging companies to focus on the issue of network and data security.

Success stories, innovative ideas and proposals, and new integrated solutions can all serve as useful weapons in the fight to control the spread of the virus as we all work to build a “new normal”. In this context, SICUREZZA 2021 will present new products from companies around the world and allow all those interested in the subject of security and fire prevention technology to meet and discuss, strengthened by its solid positioning in the eyes of all players in the sector.

The exhibition format, which focuses on technological innovation and integrated solutions and offers a range of certified training opportunities, is truly at the service of those firms, associations and businesses that make up the sector, enliven the market and are able to offer concrete solutions to suit the current times.

SICUREZZA, confirming the contemporaneity with Smart Building Expo, the trade fair for technological integration, completing and integrating the offer on display, is once again ready to serve as a platform for progress, of use even outside of its sector of reference. More than ever before, safeguarding every economic and social context now also depends on the development of those indispensable technologies that make the culture of security a concrete experience in our everyday lives.

Informa Markets, in consultation with its exhibitors and event partners, has made the decision to reschedule IFSEC International and its co-located shows.

This postponement and rescheduling covers the following events: IFSEC International, FIREX International, Safety & Health Expo, Facilities Show, Intelligent Building Europe, Workplace Wellbeing Show, Counter Terror Expo, Ambition, Forensics Expo Europe, and World Counter Terror Congress (organised by Clarion).

Originally set to take place on 8–10 September 2020, the events are now scheduled for 18–20 May 2021 at ExCeL London.

Chris Edwards, Group Director for IFSEC International said:

“We know how important our events are as a forum where our communities come together to learn, network and meet suppliers. We have a proud track record of hosting the largest gatherings of any event in our industry in the UK, and often beyond, and no one is more disappointed in this decision than us, but after much deliberation we are sure that this is absolutely the right thing to do in the circumstances. Our focus over the last three months has been on ensuring that we can provide a safe and secure environment for our visitors, exhibitors and staff and whilst we felt confident of achieving this we also have a duty to our customers to provide an event that matches the standards they expect of us. Additionally, as you know these events have strong international participation and this would be severely compromised given the current restrictions. After carefully considering the options and following discussions with exhibitors and event partners it became clear that postponement is the most sensible option.”

Axis Communications is expanding its R&D office for software development in Linköping, Sweden, by moving to a new office building. The new 2,800 square metre building is planned to be ready for occupancy in late 2021, and adds to the company’s existing presence in Linköping established in 2018.

Last year, Axis generated sales of SEK 11.8 billion, of which 18 percent is invested in R&D. The software development office in Linköping focuses on cloud solutions, new services and developing overarching comprehensive solutions and systems for managing and analysing video. To meet the growing demand for innovation, Axis continues to expand the team as planned, from todays 40 employees to about one hundred.

“Proximity to the universities and the faculty of engineering is natural for us as an innovative industry leader and therefore we are focusing on continued research and development both in Lund where we have the headquarters, and Linköping,” says Kenneth Jonsson, Vice President R&D, Axis Communications. “We’re continuing to invest in both cities and as we grow, we naturally need larger premises. We have now agreed with the municipal real estate company Sankt Kors to rent an entire building at Ebbepark, Linköping with occupancy in November 2021.”

The six floor office building is part of the Ebbepark district, located between Linköping city centre, the University and the Mjärdevi Science Park. The project is built with sustainability in mind, where each decision aligns with strategies for environmental, social and economic sustainability, such as recycling, smart energy solutions, stormwater management, urban cultivation and solutions for car and electric bike pool.

“We see many benefits of having an office in Linköping, which features a combination of a high-quality university and a vibrant business community. This gives us a good basis for finding the right skills and executing successful R&D projects,” says Jonsson.

Gary Craig has been appointed as Sales Director at global systems leader, Advanced, further strengthening its senior leadership team.

A well-known figure in the fire industry, Gary has spent the past 35 years in the sector with previous leadership positions at several key product manufacturers. In his most recent role as Global Sales Director at Johnson Controls, Gary was responsible for driving growth and customer engagement across multiple channels and brands.

In his new role at Advanced, Gary will be responsible for accelerating growth in both UK and international markets while maintaining the business’ core values and building upon its reputation as the preferred choice in fire alarm control and indicating equipment manufacturer.

Gary said: “Advanced’s track record within the industry for manufacturing and supplying high-performing, reliable and easy to use fire alarm control panels is second to none, and I am thrilled to be able to be able to join at a time when the business is enjoying such strong growth across both its UK and export markets. I look forward to building upon these foundations alongside the sales team, who all have a great breadth of knowledge and experience and are well respected by our customers, specifiers and end users.

“A key focus for me will also be the development of new markets and channels whilst constantly striving to enhance our customers’ experience at every touchpoint. Accelerated new product development and a focus on digital connectivity and cloud-based platforms will put Advanced in a strong position to leverage new technologies and remain at the forefront of our industry.”

In 2019, Advanced’s turnover increased by 20 per cent to £25million on the back of particularly strong growth in the UK, Europe, Asia Pacific and Australia.

Advanced’s Managing Director, Pete Browitt, said: “Gary is an excellent addition to our leadership team and his appointment will, without doubt, bring value and momentum to the strategic direction of the business. His strong background in sales, coupled with his international focus and expertise will help take us to the next level in areas such as customer relations and our growth strategy.”

Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 company Halma PLC, protects a wide range of prestigious and high-profile sites across the globe – from London’s Shard to Abu Dhabi International Airport and Miami’s Sands Pointe development.

Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. Advanced’s reputation for performance, quality and ease of use see its products specified in locations around the world, from single-panel installations to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multiprotocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

The Axis Talk 2020 – first online conference in Eastern Europe will take place on June 25, 2020 in four languages ​​- English, Czech, Polish and Russian. The full day program will offer, among other sessions, keynote from Martin Green, the inventor of the first IP-camera and the co-founder of Axis Communications or other international experts.

Axis Communications’ is introducing a new event format for the whole Eastern Europe – digital conference broadcasted online, which will take place on June 25 from 9.50 to 16.00 (UTC +1). Participants can register either for individual sessions or spend the whole day at the online conference.

Everything important about security, video surveillance and IP-technologies
The online conference is intended not only for Axis partners and system integrators, but also for all interested end users. It will bring the latest information about IT and security solutions, smart IP-technologies and surveillance industry as such.

The main featured presentations will include following keynotes:

10.00–10.20
Evolution of Security IoT – a dialog about the past, present and future
What were the beginnings of the Internet of Security Things? What we face today and what awaits us in future developments? These topics will be discussed between Martin Gren and Magnus Zederfeldt

11.00–11.30
AI analytics in the surveillance industry
AI and deep learning bring opportunities for a new generation of video analytics. For many use cases expectations are very high, at the point of being inflated. How do we take advantage of the new opportunities for system solutions and operator efficiency while balancing these expectations?

13.40–14.10
Axis end-to-end solutions for surveillance
Introducing the benefits with an end-to-end solution from Axis with emphasis on AXIS Camera Station. We will introduce Axis range of network video recorders, demonstrate solution ease-of-use and special capabilities, and highlight how AXIS Site Designer helps you to easily design your solution.

14.50–15.20
Audio for security – amplify your surveillance offering with IP audio
Deterring crime by speaking directly to the intruder? Yes, you can. There are many situations when network audio can enhance a security solution. Get to know network audio and its benefits.

The entire Axis Talk 2020 conference program and free registration can be found on the dedicated conference website.

Momentum builds towards an exciting and secure exhibition, a diverse conference programme and debut of The Next Web’s Growth Quarters

MUNICH 19 JUNE 2020: Planning for Integrated Systems Europe 2021 is well underway with its organisers, Integrated Systems Events, committed to delivering a compelling and safe exhibition for the world’s audiovisual integrated systems community.

The 17th edition of ISE is set to take place at its new home at the Fira de Barcelona, Gran Vía, 2-5 February 2021. The world class exhibition centre plans to reopen for business in September. This will follow the successful completion of a collaboration with risk mitigation consultancy AON and the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona which will determine the specific security criteria for holding B2B events at the venue later this year.

Over 850 world leading technology and solutions providers have already committed to participate at ISE 2021. Over 55,000 sqm of exhibition floor-space has been confirmed for nine dedicated technology zones. This represents a 5% increase on the total floorspace booked for the 2020 show.

The state-of-the-art exhibition centre will house a new-look ISE featuring nine dedicated technology zones, in an easy to navigate layout. These are: Audio, Broadcast and Content Creation (new), Digital Signage & DooH, Education, Live Events (new), Residential, Smart Building, Unified Communications and VR/AR/XR.

A significant development for ISE 2021 is the strategic partnership with The Next Web (TNW), a world-leading technology media brand with extensive reach among global start-ups and technology businesses in general. In conjunction with ISE, TNW will present Growth Quarters – four days of keynotes and presentations addressing all aspects of business growth and scale-up, presented by inspiring technology innovators and experts. TNW will also present Fast Lane, where start-ups create solutions that address specific ‘pain points’ within AV businesses.

In addition, a five-day solutions-themed series of 14 conferences will cover a wide range of topics including digital signage, design and build, control rooms and XR. The extensive programme has been devised in association with ISE co-owners AVIXA and CEDIA. Both associations will also produce their own dedicated series of training sessions and themed events.

ISE will also be developing the show’s digital reach to help engage with a bigger audience than ever before. This will include a wide selection of cross-platform live ISE content being made available, along with many other engaging digital opportunities to help attendees connect with the world’s leading technology innovators as well as hear from thought-leaders and experts.

Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, commented: “ISE is committed to delivering an engaging in-person event in Barcelona and is taking all necessary steps to deal with the new post-pandemic reality that will impact those attending exhibitions and conducting international business.

“The Fira de Barcelona has partnered with AON and the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona and other experts to create a set of safety protocols that are designed to guarantee health and safety around the conditioning of spaces and the regulation of visitor flows. This work started in April and involves risk evaluation, the creation of mitigation strategies and an action plan. Once completed, guidelines for event organisers and exhibitors will be communicated.

“We are listening and adjusting to ensure the show continues to provide the connections the industry needs to grow brands and business. We are determined and confident that we can deliver a compelling show in a safe and secure environment.”

ISE 2021 will take place at the Fira de Barcelona, Gran Vía on 2-5 February 2021.

For more information please visit: www.iseurope.org and www.firabarcelona.com