News

New software developments have dominated technology innovation in the physical security industry for years, making more things possible to the benefit of integrators and end users. However, hardware is another important piece of the puzzle. No matter how great your software, the system doesn’t perform unless the hardware works too. In our enthusiasm over software developments, let’s not overlook the latest in the hardware world. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How...

Johnson Controls has announced it has acquired the remaining stake of Qolsys Inc., a globally renowned residential and commercial security and smart-home manufacturer, after owning a majority stake in the company since 2014. Smart building solutions expert Qolsys enhances Johnson Controls global innovation platform, delivering next generation security and smart building solutions. The Qolsys founders and leadership team will remain in Silicon Valley (San Jose, California), assuming key roles i...

Johnson Controls, a global provider of smart and sustainable buildings, is launching OpenBlue - a complete suite of connected solutions and services that combine the Company’s 135 years of building expertise with cutting-edge technology. This open digital platform, when integrated with Johnson Controls core building systems and enhanced by Fortune 100 technology partners, will make shared spaces safer, more agile and more sustainable. Johnson Controls OpenBlue is the culmination of years...

Johnson Controls, a globally renowned company in creating smart buildings solutions and helping reopen buildings, as part of the ‘new normal’ in COVID-19 pandemic period, announced the launch of its smart elevated skin temperature scanning solution, the Tyco Illustra Pro Thermal EST. A healthy and safe environment starts with a holistic approach that encompasses not only a building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) infrastructure, but adds temperature screeni...

Johnson Controls has announced the release of the Innometriks Cheetah SE Bio High Assurance Smart Card Reader with fingerprint biometric matching. Seamless integration with PACS The Innometriks Cheetah SE Bio High Assurance Smart Card Reader’s advanced system and seamless architecture allow for efficient integration with a range of physical access control systems (PACS) with its secure and open-based OSDP protocol. With this update, enrollments are captured and stored in a central databa...

As businesses, schools, hospitals and sporting venues look to safely reopen in a COVID-19 world, thermal imaging systems will play a critical role in helping to detect and distinguish skin temperature variations in people. Thermal surveillance, a mainstay of traditional physical security and outdoor perimeter detection, is now being deployed to quickly scan employees, contractors and visitors as part of a first line of defense to detect COVID-19 symptoms. In the coming weeks and months, the se...

PSA, the consortium of professional systems integrators, announces the addition of Tyco Cloud to its Managed Security Service Provider Program (MSSP). Tyco Cloud is a cloud-based physical security management suite from Johnson Controls developed for video surveillance, access control, intelligence, and integration services on an open and modern micro services architecture. “Tyco Cloud has more than 20 years of experience providing cloud-based security services,” said Tim Brooks, PSA...

Video is widely embraced as an essential element of physical security systems. However, surveillance footage is often recorded without sound, even though many cameras are capable of capturing audio as well as video. Beyond the capabilities of cameras, there is a range of other audio products on the market that can improve system performance and/or expand capabilities (e.g., gunshot detection.) We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How does audio enhance the perf...

When a fire or other emergency occurs in a building or facility, first responders depend on every available resource to ensure a safe and orderly evacuation and response. One element in any response plan is the facility’s physical security systems, including access control, video surveillance and intrusion detection. How can these systems contribute to an orderly response to a chaotic situation?  We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the role of security systems...

Alcatraz AI, developer of secure frictionless access control products, will unveil the new Alcatraz Rock 3D Facial Authentication Platform at ISC West Booth 13127 this March in Las Vegas. Alcatraz representatives will also be in the Johnson Controls ISC West Booth – No. 20005, the Boon Edam Booth – No. 8037, and STANLEY Security's Pacom Systems Booth – No. 23067 during the show. Alcatraz AI, developer of secure frictionless access control products, will unveil the new Alcatraz...

Johnson Controls introduces the Tyco HD Encoder, an ideal solution that allows high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) analogue cameras to function within an evolving IP infrastructure. The product is supported by both exacqVision, American Dynamics and VideoEdge. IP video surveillance Available in one-and four-channel options, the Tyco HD Encoder allows users in networked environments to retain HD and SD cameras while adding IP cameras over time, leveraging the benefits of IP while...

At ISC West this year, emerging technologies will be on display to help organisations manage their environments, from the building itself to who’s on the premises and what’s going on at any given moment. Top of mind this year is cybersecurity, compliance and management of security assets as threats rise and governing bodies put regulations in place that businesses need to react to. The good news is that the shift in approach to holistic monitoring of cyber and physical assets can mov...

Johnson Controls has announced that it has appointed Phil Clement as the company’s chief marketing officer responsible for all global activities related to conceptualising and implementing market strategy and demand generation, including achieving marketing targets through in-depth market development, research and planning. Market strategy expert Clement most recently served as global chief marketing and communications officer for Aon. As Aon’s first ever global CMO, Clement was re...

Ten years is a long time, but it seems to pass in an instant in the world of security. In terms of technology, 2010 is ages ago. Changes in the market have been transformative during that decade, and we called on our Expert Panel Roundtable to highlight some of those changes. We asked this week’s panelists: What was the biggest change in the security industry in the 2010-2019 decade?  

Johnson Controls has added to its successful Illustra Pro camera family with the Illustra Pro Gen3 Bullet, featuring new Smart Wide Dynamic Range that optimises video quality while minimising configuration time. Available with standard or telephoto lens and in megapixel resolutions of 3MP and 4K, the Pro Gen3 Bullet provides customers with a selection of video images to match their operational requirements and is ideal for a wide variety of deployments in both medium and large-sized facilities....

Johnson Controls has added to its successful Illustra Pro camera family with the Illustra Pro Gen3 Bullet, featuring a new Smart Wide Dynamic Range that optimises video quality while minimising configuration time. Available with a standard or telephoto lens and in megapixel resolutions of 3MP and 4K, the Pro Gen3 Bullet provides customers with a selection of video images to match their operational requirements and is ideal for a wide variety of deployments in both medium and large-sized facilit...

The new year is several weeks old, so it is safe to say that many of our New Year resolutions have fallen by the wayside. Despite the limited success of our personal resolutions, the new year is a great time to take stock, look ahead, and plan to make 2020 the best year yet. Thinking about our industry as a whole, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What should be the security industry’s “New Year’s resolution?” 

Tyco, the security brand of Johnson Controls, launches a new video support portal which offers a comprehensive and easy to use one-stop resource for installers, system integrators and distributors who may require technical support for American Dynamics and Illustra video solutions. Visitors to the support portal are able to raise a support ticket for any product under warranty or use a Live Chat facility to instantly connect with a member of the video technical support team based at Tyco’...

Fire & Safety, concurrently held with Secutech Taiwan April 2020, will have international and local manufacturers showcasing products and solutions for best practices in fire safety for various verticals as well as effective disaster prevention and mitigation technologies. Countries from the APAC region is expected to see an increase in fire safety demands as increase in infrastructure developments requires both in pass and active fire safety equipment. Government regulation also plays a ma...

Universal Security Systems Limited has won the 2019 C-CURE Enterprise Partner of the Year Award. The Award was presented to Alex Deal, Operations Director of Universal Security Systems, by Gordon Morrison, GB Sales Director for the Johnson Controls’ Tyco access control and video brands, at the C-CURE Enterprise Partner Appreciation Dinner, which took place on 15th January at Boisdale of Canary Wharf. User-friendly access control platform “We enjoyed significant sales growth during...

Johnson Controls announces that its Tyco Software House C•CURE 9000 v2.8 and Tyco American Dynamics victor 5.4.1 are the first platforms to be officially certified as meeting new third-party security standards from UL (Underwriters Laboratories) for on-premise commercial security systems. UL- 2610, which provides standards for Commercial Premises Security Alarm Units and Systems, updates the requirements for this technology to include cybersecurity provisions and cloud functionality. UL&rs...

Johnson Controls has announced the release of its new product offering, EntraPass v8.20 which will further simplifies how users remotely access the EntraPass go Mobile App. EntraPass v8.20  With EntraPass v8.20, EntraPass go Pass Mobile App users gain improved search capabilities and other efficient upgrades to deliver a remote and real-time access control solution. EntraPass go Pass requests will no longer be attached to a selected SmartLink, eliminating the need to configure every conne...

Johnson Controls introduces the exacqVision Facial Matching solution, an Artificial Intelligence enabled system that provides immediate notification of persons of interest who are returning to a retail business, venue, or other premise. Tyco will be displaying the solution at Booth 4142 at the NRF 2020 show in New York, January 12-14. Using highly accurate deep learning analytics, exacqVision Facial Matching serves as a “front door host,” with immediate recall of recognised visitors...

Johnson Controls introduces exacqVision VMS 19.12, providing enhanced security and communication with new ONVIF 2-way audio support, and offering more camera license deployment flexibility for Enterprise Manager customers, adding to the powerful features of Exacq VMS software. Exacq’s ONVIF camera integration supports the ability to talk and listen through IP cameras equipped with audio I/O. This new feature is available with exacqVision 19.12 and is perfect for businesses that utilise en...

Look who’s talking about the top issues in the physical security industry in 2019. Our website’s Expert Panel Roundtable discussions in 2019 reflected some of the most timely and important topics in the industry. The very most-clicked-on Expert Panel Roundtable discussion in 2019 was about the year before – reviewing what caused disruptions in 2018. The second most popular was about 2019, the year ahead. Other hot topics that made the Top-10 list of roundtable discussions incl...

Johnson Controls introduces the latest generation of Tyco American Dynamics victor Workstations, now with a space-saving compact option. Users will be able to choose the optimal platform for their environment from Compact, Standard, Performance, and High Performance servers. victor Video Management System These workstations provide scalability from small, single-site locations to enterprise-level deployments. Pre-bundled with the victor Video Management System (VMS), the hardware features high...

Cloud applications are an everyday facet of business these days, exemplified by systems such as Office 365, Salesforce.com and Dropbox. The physical security market is also embracing the cloud after overcoming some initial concerns and thanks to improvements in cloud offerings. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: which security markets are likely to embrace the cloud?

Public spaces provide soft targets and are often the sites of terrorist or active shooter attacks. Public spaces, by definition, require easy accessibility and unrestricted movement. Given that openness, what security technologies can provide real results? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How is technology innovation impacting the security of public spaces?

Johnson Controls has announced the release of the advanced CEM Systems S3050 Portable Reader is a lightweight hand-held card reading device for use with the AC2000 access control and security management system. It is designed to be used for ID card validation at temporary entrances or remote sites which have no power and as a mobile device for random checks within pre-defined zones. Portable ID card reader A large full colour touch screen provides quick and easy navigation and also provides in...

Tools such as standard operating procedures (SOPs) and checklists ensure that every factor is considered when installing a physical security system – or do they? Security system installations are detailed projects, and any overlooked detail is a missed opportunity to make the system better. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the most overlooked factor when installing physical security systems?