Luxembourg News

The single largest group of consumer IoT devices being deployed is for home automation and residential security Business and technology analysts are in unanimous agreement that the number of IoT devices will explode into the many 10’s of billions within the next five years. These billions of new computing devices will produce enormous volumes of data about ourselves, our society, and our physical environment. The security industry is at ground zero of this upheaval. In f...

The holiday season generates 34% of annual sales for retailers but accounts for 37% of annual losses It is that time a year again, when shoppers and shoplifters converge on our retail outlets looking for that all important deal or steal. Peak shopping season This year, the National Retail Federation estimates holiday spending will rise 3.6% from 2015 to more than $655 billion. While the peak shopping season used to be defined as the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Ev...

Innovation is not an end goal but an ongoing process that must be sustained Regardless of market, the challenge of commoditisation is very real for manufacturers as companies producing lower-end products continue to imitate the most advanced technologies. This creates a perception among customers, and the marketplace in general, that even leading-edge products with greater features, functionality, and value are indistinguishable from others on the market. As a result of commod...

Merging objectives into a business relationship requires ongoing communication along with a shared vision and values A myriad of books has been written on business relationships. From establishing and maintaining business relationships to compensation issues and contract terminations, there’s a how-to book out there on most every aspect of business. While I have never published a business “how-to” book, I do have the benefit of experience in successfully navi...

In a fast-moving market like physical security, sharing information is an essential component of growth. However, there often seems to be more information available than an integrator or end user could ever digest and put to use. How does one go about finding the information he or she needs in an environment that can seem to be drowning in information (sometimes the wrong information). We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable to share their strategies and suggestions. Specifically, we...

This executive brief explores the security risks associated with using CSN instead of reading the data protected by security mechanisms. When contactless smart cards are implemented and deployed properly, they represent one of the most secure identification technologies available. However, some manufacturers, in an attempt to sell a ‘universal’ reader capable of reading almost any contactless smart card technology, actually disable the built-in security...

An extensive survey revealed that 72% of paramedics were in favour of wearing BWCs at work Body worn cameras (BWCs) are fast becoming a staple piece of equipment for police officers across the United States. Police forces, such as NYPD, have trialled and adopted BWCs to take advantage of the many benefits associated with greater accountability and transparency, as well as potential cost savings. Yet, unlike the European market where other industries have also bought in to body...

Long-predicted consolidation in the video surveillance market seems to have slowed somewhat lately – no big mergers or acquisitions have been announced. However, the announced “partnership” between industry giants Bosch and Sony this week presents a new variation on the theme. No companies changed hands, but the result is one fewer player selling video equipment into the market. In the latest deal, Bosch will handle the sales and marketing globally for all of Sony’s vide...

Thermal cameras see heat rather than light, so they are a perfect “human detector” Safeguarding outdoor assets in a reliable and cost-effective manner often comes down to a single requirement: Accurate intruder alerts and timely information about the unfolding event. While there are many technologies available for outdoor security, smart cameras with video analytics have emerged as the solution of choice for detecting intruders in real time outdoors. Yet the best...

The security and safety industry has seen tremendous advances in cloud-based access control recently as cloud computing has opened up a world of possibilities for security and access control. Whether controlling access for a single door or for an entire enterprise spread out over multiple locations, cloud-based hosted or managed solutions allow security dealers and monitoring companies to provide end users with cost-effective, fully-functional turnkey solutions. The benefits are m...

A recent 200-metre addition to Frankfurt’s skyline, Tower 185 incorporates several advanced environmental elements in its design. The original plans specified that the entire building should be equipped with a mechanical locking system. However, with repeated key loss, the management company decided to install a more flexible, user-friendly solution suited to securing a landmark new skyscraper: SMARTair™ wireless access control. Electronic cylinders To date, over 90 electronic cyli...

Arecont Vision created the category of multi-sensor panoramic cameras back in 2006. Now the market is taking off, and many manufacturers now offer panoramic cameras. I recently spoke with Jeff Whitney, Arecont Vision’s Director of Marketing, on the current market for panoramic cameras, and also about some other hot topics – from cybersecurity to making the installer’s job easier. SourceSecurity.com: Where do you see the category of multi-sensor panoramic cameras going from he...

Vulnerability scans rely on mostly automated tools to find potential vulnerabilities at either the network or application level Security vulnerability in any network can be found and exploited by hackers and others in no time. The only questions are when this will happen and how much damage an individual could do once they’ve gained access to the network. Recognising this reality, most organisations test their own networks for security weaknesses, whether to meet compli...

Iris recognition measures the unique patterns in the coloured portion of the eye (the iris) and compares that ‘signature’ to the one on file Since the late 1990s, iris recognition technology has been used in banks and airports as a means of identity authentication. Today, its use is widespread in government facilities, schools/research centres, correctional/judicial facilities, healthcare and others. There are a number of reasons for its rising popularity, but firs...

Currently some retailers operate two separate speaker systems in their stores: one for broadcasting background music and one for announcements Twenty years ago, IP network cameras launched a revolution in video surveillance. Today, network audio systems are about to do the same for the speaker market. Back in 1996, the predominant video cameras were analogue. They weren’t intelligent. They required an expensive and complex head-end of recording and monitoring systems....

The fully customisable app offers hotels the flexibility to add functionality as required MediaConcepts, an innovative provider of integrated digital solutions for global hospitality organisations, has integrated its mobile application, Priscilla, with SALTO System’s access control system. Optimising guest experience Already a feature-rich application that offers hotel guests a more intuitive way to access information and services throughout their stay, Priscilla&rsquo...

Bosch and Sony aim to set new standards in high-resolution and low light video imaging Bosch Security Systems and Sony Corporation signed a contract to establish a business partnership to collaborate in the development of innovative products and solutions in the field of video security applications. Effective from the beginning of 2017, the two companies aim to combine their technological expertise to set new standards in high-resolution and low light video imaging. As p...

A clear image is the desired end-result of video systems – or is it? In a growing number of applications, it’s not the image itself, but rather what information can be gained from the image, that is most important. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable to comment on some of the ways information from video is valuable to end users. Specifically, we asked: In what applications does information derived from video images provide more value than the images themselves?

When WiseStream is combined with H.265 compression, bandwidth efficiency can be improved by up to 75% compared to current H.264 technology Hanwha Techwin has launched three new Samsung Wisenet P Series 4K cameras equipped with H.265 compression and WiseStream, a complementary compression technology which dynamically controls encoding, balancing quality, and compression according to movement in the image. As a result, the bandwidth and storage requirements of the 12MP resolutio...

As the trend from analogue to IP continues to progress, more and more security devices are IP-enabled for seamless network integration With rising concerns over organisations’ physical security and potential network vulnerabilities, it has become more important now than ever for security professionals and other decision makers to take actions that will guard against potential problems and help prevent system failures. One specific area of heightened focus is the implemen...

If all the components within a security and wider IT network have the ability to interact together, they can offer so much more than their individual capabilities The widespread use of open protocol systems is one of the most important developments in the security and safety sector for decades. With a heavy reliance upon various security softwares (even for physical security), using open systems has gone from being a desirable selling point to a necessity in the security indus...

ONVIF will be eight years old in the next several weeks. It has been interesting to watch the open industry forum’s impact on physical security since it began in 2008 with a goal to develop a global standard for the interface of IP-based physical security products. ONVIF’s influence has accelerated just in the last year, with the number of ONVIF-conformant products in the market growing from about 5,000 a year ago to more than 7,000 today – more than a 40 percent increase. ON...

Airbus Defence and Space will upgrade communications systems on UK vessels over the next four years Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded the Maritime Network Evolution contract with the UK Ministry of Defence. The contract value amounts to £36 million, and will cover the communications networks of 20 Royal Navy warships, including Type 45 Destroyers and Queen Elizabeth Class carriers, upgraded over the next four years. Maritime architecture This solution creates t...

Visitor management refers to the methods organisations use to admit and track visitors to their facilities. The concept is not new. Many facilities use some form of visitor management, ranging from simple sign-in sheets to high-tech approaches that scan government IDs to capture relevant data. But visitor management is more than a sheet of paper or a technology. It is also a policy that governs the how, why, and who of visitors. Increased security driving VMS upgra...

In 2015, Twycross Zoo launched a £55 million plan to develop its site over two decades. High on the agenda was a new access management solution to replace a mechanical master-key system that was labour-intensive to administer. The zoo’s development team worked closely with trusted security contractor Rossells to select the right system to meet their vision. They chose CLIQ®, which was initially installed at the zoo’s Gibbon habitat. This easy-to-install, intelligent mechat...

The ACT brand will remain through the well-known products being added to the Vanderbilt portfolio Vanderbilt, a provider of state-of-the-art security systems, announced the completion of its purchase of Access Control Technology (ACT) Ltd. The integration of ACT’s product line into Vanderbilt’s core offering brings significant depth to the company’s access control and video surveillance while also bringing a new cloud-based solution to the portfolio. ACT365...

Multi-modal biometrics refers to a technology that combines a number of biometrics working together as a multifactor solution Global terrorism is on the rise. For many years, the West felt immune to these incidents, often asserting that these were problems felt only in countries with heated conflicts, such as Syria, Iraq, Israel and Nigeria. However, recent terror attacks have taken place in both Europe and the United States: Belgium, France (Paris and Nice), Orlando, various...

Aiphone’s IX system offers video entry security, internal communication, emergency stations and multicast paging Users of the Aiphone IX IP network PoE based intercom and security system are now able to remotely utilise many of its key features via their Android and Apple smartphones and tablets, thanks to the launch of a new mobile app. Enhanced flexibility Designed to enhance the flexibility and ease of use of the IX system, Aiphone’s new free mobile app, avail...

The partnership can help identify & reduce the impact of incidents with in-vehicle video from trains CNL Software, a world leader in Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) software, is pleased to announce its technology partnership with r2p Rail and Road Protec GmbH, a leading developer of intelligent technology systems, including CCTV, passenger counting, infotainment and fleet management. The partnership brings together r2p’s mobile CCTV technology with C...

Panoramic cameras enable an operator to assess a wide field of view at a glance and to zoom in to view additional detail as needed. Providing this capability are a single camera, a single mounting location, and often using a single cable. Complete 180-degree or 360-degree coverage brings total situational awareness of the area being viewed. Panoramic cameras can also enable you to record everything in the field of view, all the time, and to zoom in for detail, wheth...