What is the most underutilised technology in the security marketplace and why?

My first thought is not so much an underutilised technology but a widespread technology that’s not being used to the fullest. Nearly every digital video system sold in the last 10-plus years can record on motion. These systems also have an easy way to show when this motion occurred. If end users simply look at where video was recorded over weekends and at night, they quickly see things about their facility they didn’t know. School principals learn there were kids in the school over spring break. Store managers see people coming in late at night and stealing.  A simple 10 minute-a-week review, using systems people already have, can provide highly valuable insights into an end user’s facilities.

Biometrics readers should be achieving much deeper market penetration than they currently do. While modern biometrics systems offer high levels of protection, ease of use and flexibility, the technology is still sometimes perceived as expensive, unreliable and easy to fake. This is largely based on operator experiences with earlier systems that sometimes failed to deliver on their promises. Biometrics technology has moved on rapidly in the last few years and now offers the perfect solution for many real-world security needs. Importantly, the price point has also lowered significantly as demand has grown, with all the signs that it will continue to become even more affordable in the future. As with all security products, installers and end users need to be careful to invest in good quality solutions. However, well-developed and manufactured biometrics systems deserve to play a key role in many types of security projects moving forward. 

The rate technologies emerge is increasingly breath-taking. Consequently, the full range of what’s already out there is beyond knowing. One example has kept me awake at night for years because the security industry doesn’t use it: video game technology. The computing power in these machines is phenomenal because cutting-edge R&D on hardware and software returns billions of dollars. That scale makes it cheap for all of us. High resolution video and graphics on PCs and handhelds, with fast refresh rates, in 3D, on virtual reality headsets and heads-up-displays, with 3D scanners, gyros and accelerometers, wirelessly, using enormous number-crunchers in the cloud. Photo-realistic models of your sites, modelled with commonplace software, incorporating physics-based lighting, animations, and complex simulations such as fire, flood, crowd flow, even “active shooters” using artificial intelligence. Enough already? I’ve been designing CCTV using 3D CAD for 15 years and strongly believe security is poorer for ignoring this powerful technology.

Hosting and Cloud are taking off both in the consumer and B2B space, while in the security space, the usage has been relatively limited, so far. In access control there has been some uptake over the last couple of years, and video surveillance is finally starting to take off. Now that the industry is starting to recognise that the technology is secure, robust and scalable, it will be interesting to see which companies are the first to benefit from this great opportunity.

Too many security professionals wanting to stop car bombers or errant drivers are under the misconception the vehicle access control barriers must be dug into the ground. They are unaware of portable barriers, which can be temporarily put up within 15 minutes and moved on to another location once an event is over or permanent barrier is installed. From sporting events to political conventions to a Farmer's Market, portable barriers provide a quick, inexpensive solution to traffic control and stopping errant drivers from creating harm. Within only 15 minutes of being sited, the mobile crash barrier lowers itself into position with built-in hydraulic jacks. There is no hand cranking. Wheels are stored at the sides and then the vehicle ramps are folded out, completing the deployment. To move the barrier, the procedures are simply reversed. That means being able to deploy security equipment in tough conditions at a moment's notice. 

It’s a shame that intercoms — both video and audio versions — are often among the most underutilised security solutions. They are proven, reliable and cost effective while serving multiple security purposes. Linked with an electronic lock, a video intercom is a valuable access control tool. Users remain safely behind a locked door while viewing and speaking with visitors before granting access to main or secondary entrances, lobbies, will call, alley doors and/or shipping and receiving areas. Some units are equipped with digital pan/tilt/zoom cameras to eliminate blind spots and augment video surveillance. Audio intercoms with paging capabilities can be used to provide routine updates or emergency notification instructions throughout an entire building or campus setting. Too often intercoms are overlooked in favour of more expensive technologies that tend to grab media attention.

Access control, intrusion detection and video management are important solutions when talking about a company’s security of people, assets and data.  The protection of assets through management of lockers and cabinets, however, is often not taken into account from a security perspective. Offering management of storage as an integral part of an access control solution has many benefits on usability and increases security. In hospitals, for example, patient safety comes first and therefore cupboards for drug storage need to be secure at all times. Applying access control to lockers and cupboards ensures that authorised staff can use a single card to enter the building and get secure access to cupboards and lockers. This reduces management of keys and it offers easy management of authorisations which improves security. Moreover, it offers audit trails to gain insight in who had access to which cupboards, again having major benefits on security.