Coming into ISC West, many in the industry had expected a renewed push toward use of mobile credentials (contained on smartphones, for example) instead of cards for access control. HID Global didn’t disappoint. A highlight of the second day of the show was a press conference in which HID Global announced new elements of its initiative to lead the industry into use of mobile credentials.
Uses of smart phone credentials for identity management
HID already provides SEOS mobile credentials, and the company foresees continuing movement into areas such as use of smart phones to store secure citizen IDs, cloud-based user authentication, and involvement in the coming Internet of Things (IoT). HID wants to lead the next phase of the mobility journey, while educating the market on the convenience and value of mobile credentialing.
Key to the success of mobile credentials is to balance the need for convenience and the need for security, and to provide a smooth upgrade path. The company wants to build on innovation, to expand applications and use cases for mobile, to leverage and expand partnerships, and to develop and implement a solution with connected products and complemented by services. In short, they seek to deliver end-to-end trust.
HID Mobile Access Solution
The HID Mobile Access Solution provides security with the convenience of using a smartphone as an access credential, with cloud-based management services powered by SEOS. Announced at the press conference were support for Android Wear and Apple Watch devices, and software development kits (SDKs) for third party integration. Also announced was a new strategic partnership between HID Global and NXP’s SmartMX-based secure element devices. Through the collaboration, NXP and HID Global aim to enable the use of wearable devices to open electronic locks at commercial buildings, hotels and workplaces in the future. Additionally, NXP and HID Global are cooperating on a broad range of opportunities to expand the adoption of secure access to more applications and use cases.
HID’s goID platform enables secure IDs to be loaded directly over-the-air onto a smartphone. Government IDs around the world will be transitioning to smart phones in some cases.
Mobile security system management and data access
There are other roles for smartphones highlighted at ISC West, too. More and more manufacturers are introducing mobile apps that provide end users access to the data from their various systems - whether video, access control, intrusion or whatever - using a smartphone.
For example, access control company Galaxy Control introduced two apps at ISC West, each available for Apple iOS or Android formats. One app, called PersonPoint, allows authorised users to activate and de-activate cardholders remotely, with the added benefit of viewing e-mail activity reports. DoorPoint is the other app, which allows users to remotely lock, unlock and pulse doors, view door status and view activity report data. In an emergency situation, the app also allows security personnel to activate and reset crisis modes if necessary and to view current crisis mode status.
Hands-free identification
Galaxy Control also announced a new integration with SRI Identity; an iris recognition biometrics provides dependable, hands-free and touchless identification at a low price point. The biometric system interfaces with Galaxy like any other reader, while providing higher security.
SRI Identity’s IOM (Identity on the Move) Access Control Tablet is a viable option to replace card readers in new or existing access systems, and provides advantages over traditional readers.
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| Arecont Vision announced it MegaVideo Flex tethered camera line, providing a variety of resolution options, including 1.2MP, 1080p, 3MP, or 5MP |
Growing popularity of analogue HD
There was video to see on the second day of the show, too, and not all of it was IP. More cameras with analogue HD are now being used, and, as of ISC West, the various analogue HD (1080p) formats - AHD, HD-CVI, HD-TVI - can now be combined into a single system.
Advantages of analogue HD include lower costs, no compression or latency and the ability to use existing infrastructures of coax cabling - just replace the cameras and the DVRs. The technology is already popular around the world, and manufacturers expect it to increase in the United States.
Korean company Nextchip is at ISC West to help spread the word about AHD and to educate the market on the technology’s capabilities. Nextchip has been coming to ISC for eight years; they make the chips that go into cameras that use AHD technology - they say it is the defacto standard based on their having the largest market share. Nextchip sells to various camera manufacturers; a combination image processor and transmission chip inside the camera interfaces of a matching receiver chip installed in an analogue HD DVR. More than 60 percent of the company’s business is in China - they have a branch in Shenzhen. The overall message: IP video may be popular, but there are alternatives (including AHD) that might be ideal for some systems.
On the IP video side, Arecont Vision announced its MegaVideo Flex tethered camera line, providing a variety of resolution options, including 1.2MP, 1080p, 3MP, or 5MP. The H.264 remote focus true day/night indoor/outdoor cameras consist of a low-profile camera sensor attached to the main unit using a USB cable up to 40 feet long. There are also optional IR LEDs available for night viewing. Applications include ATMs; there are many new uses for the versatile cameras.
IDIS’s proactive exhibiting approach to ISC West
Booth traffic held up well on the second day of the show, but at least one exhibitor vowed not to depend on the show being busy in order for his booth to be busy. Keith Drummond, Senior Director of Sales of IP video manufacturer IDIS, says his sales team focused on setting up appointments, including some with end users, in advance of the show. The result is that the IDIS booth had more traffic on the first day of the show this year than for the entire show last year; and the second day appeared to be about 50 percent higher than that, Drummond commented.
Since IDIS’ Direct IP technology was introduced to the U.S. market a year ago, the company has made a lot of progress - there are now repeat customers (in addition to future customers). IDIS facilitated introductions between their dealer channel and end users at their booth during ISC West.
IDIS has implemented H.265 throughout its systems; they’re ahead of the curve compared to the rest of the industry that has not embraced the new standard as fast. “End-to-end can embrace technology and get it to market faster, and less costly,” says Drummond. Components “know” each other, and performance and functionality are native throughout, which reduces the burden on integrators.
IDIS also has a new 64-channel NVR, and is featuring new pan-tilt-zoom capabilities called “rubber band control” and “slingshot control.” With the former, left-clicking on a mouse makes it easy to follow a target, accurately and rapidly, with the target remaining centred in the frame. The “slingshot” control involves clicking and magnifying a spot on a video screen to automatically direct the PTZ to view that location. In general, the features provide smoother and more effective control of PTZs.
