Bosch - Experts & Thought Leaders

The collaboration of Bosch and Genetec™ is bringing even greater benefits to customers with direct-to-cloud integration of Bosch cameras with Genetec Security Centre SaaS, as well as new intelligent detection and enhanced search capabilities available through Genetec Cloudlink™ cloud-managed appliance connections. Available with camera firmware release 9.40, customers choosing Genetec Security Centre SaaS gain support for Bosch application-specific artificial intelligence (AI) offerings to accurately detect and classify objects, including firearms, persons or vehicles, increase the granularity of metadata to enable faster searches for video evidence, and more. Cyber security standards Genetec Security Centre SaaS is a unified physical security as a service key with cyber security Genetec Security Centre SaaS is an enterprise-grade unified physical security as a service solution with the highest cyber security standards.  It is built on a hybrid-cloud, open architecture to give organisations the freedom to choose the devices and cameras that work best for their businesses and the ability to continue support of on-premise deployments while incrementally migrating to cloud. It offers massive scalability, flexibility, and ease of deployment and operations. Benefits from visual intelligence capabilities Bosch cameras feature Intelligent Video Analytics Pro (IVA Pro) to accurately detect and classify objects based on specific goals. The intelligent cameras serve as the foundation for solutions that help secure perimeters, elevate safety for building occupants, and capture data for decision-making. With support for IVA Pro offerings from Bosch, Genetec customers can benefit from the latest in visual intelligence capabilities. These offerings include edge-based visual firearm detection. When someone brandishing a firearm approaches a location, the video analytics is designed to promptly alert personnel, who can verify the firearm and take proactive measures. Integration for the latest Bosch cameras Bosch cameras capture clear metadata about objects in a scene, including object type, speed, colour, and more Bosch cameras also capture detailed metadata about objects in a scene, including object type, speed, colour, and more. This advanced level of captured data enables more granular searches using the Genetec natural language forensic search. Operators can easily scan the metadata recorded alongside video from Bosch cameras to quickly locate relevant video evidence of an event, increasing efficiency to speed investigation workflows. Camera configuration and video viewing with Security Centre SaaS is also possible with the new direct-to-cloud integration for the latest Bosch cameras,  including the new Flexidome 8100i, the 3100i, 5100i and 7100i series. By eliminating the need for on-site servers, direct-to-cloud integration reduces costs associated with the installation and maintenance of hardware for a more cost-effective investment for customers. New capabilities of Bosch cameras “With a commitment to partnership that continues to bring greater value to the industry, we are focused on delivering new capabilities for our mutual customers to leverage the visual intelligence features of Bosch cameras,” said Chuck O’Leary, Vice President of Sales – Video Systems and Solutions in North America. “Together, through the support of Bosch cameras in Genetec Security Centre SaaS, we help customers enhance the safety and security of their locations and quickly find meaningful information in video footage for faster and more efficient responses to potential risks and threats.”  Hybrid video surveillance deployments “Bosch and Genetec have a long-standing partnership built on delivering innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our shared customers."  "The integration of Bosch cameras with Security Centre SaaS and Genetec Cloudlink™ provides system integrators and end users with the flexibility to implement cloud-based or hybrid video surveillance deployments using their existing or direct-to-cloud Bosch cameras,“ said Jonathan Doyon, Senior Product Group Director, Security Centre SaaS, Genetec Inc.

The PSA Network (PSA), the world's largest consortium of professional systems integrators, will host its annual convention October 14–17 in Marco Island, Florida, at the JW Marriott Beach Resort. The event is exclusive to PSA's network of security integration members and owners. Attendees will travel from across the country to attend top-tier education sessions, network with peers and participate in planned excursions in paradise. PSA Convention 2024 “Our team has worked hard to ensure PSA Convention 2024 is an exceptional event,” said Matt Barnette, president and CEO of PSA. “From the educational lineup to the networking opportunities, PSA members will be impressed. We cannot wait to see the impactful conversations and collaborations that will emerge.”  Data-driven insights Jeremy Bess and Patrick Luce will assign attendees with data-driven insights to cut the noise Josh Linkner will headline PSA Convention with his keynote address on how small, everyday innovations can drive oversized results. In this inspiring, timely and high-impact keynote, Linkner will show attendees how to de-risk the creative process, build the capacity to unlock breakthrough transformations and gain the creative confidence to take responsible risks. Likewise, economists Jeremy Bess and Patrick Luce will empower attendees with data-driven insights to cut through the noise. The presentation will connect the microeconomic dynamics of the security markets with the core economic phenomena that PSA integrators deal with every day. Key technology partners Another excellent dynamic of PSA Convention is the opportunity for integrators to make personal connections with key technology partners. Sponsors of this year's event include: Aiphone Ai-RGUS AirSight Altronix AMAG Technoogy Arxys ASSA ABLOY BCD Bosch Security and Safety Systems ComNet by acre security Digital Watchdog Hanwha Vision HID IML Security Solutions LenelS2 Pelco SECLOCK Snellings Walters Velasea VICON Windy City Wire Zenitel Zitko If they are a PSA member interested in attending PSA Convention 2024, visit the PSA Convention website. Registration includes a three-night hotel stay if they register before September 23. 

Award-winning global manufacturer of intelligent access control and security solutions, ICT (Integrated Control Technology), is delighted to announce the appointment of Roberto Licari as Sales Director for Western Europe. The stage is set for ICT to capitalise on the accelerated growth throughout Europe initiated by Thomas Napora, VP/GM for ICT EMEA, in 2023. Thomas Napora explains, “Western Europe is a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation that is exported around the world. These future-focused organisations demand high-security solutions to protect their intellectual property, physical locations, and employees. I am delighted that we can offer dedicated support to this vibrant region with the addition of Roberto to our team.” PSIM sector positions Roberto joins ICT with a wealth of industry experience from specialist manufacturersRoberto joins ICT with a wealth of industry experience from specialist manufacturers, including Advancis, Verint, Bosch, and Overland Tandberg. His involvement in the international physical security integration management (PSIM) sector positions him as a senior industry expert and a valuable resource for ICT’s growing customer base. Roberto Licari added, “I am thrilled to have been selected to represent ICT in Western Europe. With my background in sales leadership and business development, I look forward to introducing our Western European customer base to the scalability of the ICT product portfolio.” Significant benefits in new role His experience in integrations and enterprise project development will undoubtedly provide significant benefits in his new role, echoing the ICT message of Unified Solutions in the Access Control arena. With core responsibilities across Liberia, Italy, France, Benelux, the DACH region, as well as Malta and Israel, Roberto will be taking ICT on tour throughout 2024.

Dr. Henrik Siegle has been the CTO at Bosch Building Technologies since November 2021. In this interview, he speaks about the megatrends of energy efficiency and sustainability, and about new developments in the building technology sector. Dr. Siegle, the building industry is currently facing major challenges in the form of climate change and energy shortages. How is Bosch Building Technologies dealing with these challenges? Dr. Henrik Siegle: Energy efficiency and sustainability have long been key priorities for us – and, indeed, for the entire Bosch Group. For Bosch Building Technologies, this also particularly applies to building automation. We have continually built up our strengths in this area in recent years, including through the takeover of other companies, especially in the United States and Germany – all with the aim of making buildings more energy efficient and more sustainable. We do this in a variety of ways, including automated HVAC control systems based on presence detectors, intelligent lighting and shade control. This approach enables us to optimise the operation of buildings, cut costs for customers and play our part in saving resources. Bosch itself became climate-neutral in 2020. How did you manage that? To achieve climate neutrality, we have implemented measures in four key areas Dr. Henrik Siegle: Bosch started addressing energy efficiency issues early on, which is why the Bosch Group, with more than 400 sites worldwide, is already climate-neutral. To achieve climate neutrality, we have implemented measures in four key areas – increasing energy efficiency, using more renewable energy from our own production, purchasing green energy and, finally, offsetting unavoidable CO2 emissions. We are working on further optimising our mix of measures, because the Bosch Group is totally committed to energy efficiency. We want to promote use of our energy-efficient products, but that’s not all – we are also keen to demonstrate our corporate commitment to sustainability. That’s why we analysed all our divisions, documented energy consumption and developed strategies for each individual division to cut our use of energy further. As the Bosch Building Technologies division, we supply solutions for the Group. One example is our cloud-based energy platform, which is used to analyse the individual energy flows in a factory on a very frequent basis and to predict future consumption. This enables us to continuously optimise our energy consumption at each individual site. The Bosch plant in Homburg is a good example. Since introducing the energy platform there, we have cut CO2 emissions by 6,700 metric tons in the first two years alone – that’s a reduction of 12 percent. At the Bosch Group, we also aim to reduce the CO2 emissions that we don’t generate ourselves directly, but which are produced in the supply chain, for example, or when our products are used. At Bosch, we are aiming to reduce these emissions by 15 percent by 2030. Can you give us some more examples of what Bosch Building Technologies is doing to help improve sustainability? Dr. Henrik Siegle: There are many initiatives and projects underway to increase sustainability at Bosch Building Technologies. One example is an environmentally friendly packaging concept that recently won an award within the Bosch Group. The concept, which involves reusing packaging material, not only significantly reduces the volume of waste, but also speeds up the repackaging processes. What’s more, the optimised size of the packaging also substantially reduces freight and storage volumes, which again cuts CO2 emissions. Our remote services are another fantastic example of the steps we are taking to increase sustainability. By offering our customers remote maintenance, we reduce the working hours involved, but that’s not all – this also prevents our service engineers having to travel to the customers’ premises, which again helps cut CO2 emissions. What is the significance of energy efficiency in the building sector overall? Dr. Henrik Siegle: Alongside industry, the building sector is responsible for approximately 40 percent of total CO2 emissions, so energy efficiency is clearly hugely important. The high proportion of emissions demonstrates the enormous potential for reducing energy consumption in the building sector and what big contribution we can make in this area with our sustainable solutions. Bosch turned the climate neutrality that we achieved as a Group into a business model Bosch turned the climate neutrality that we achieved as a Group into a business model and set up Bosch Climate Solutions GmbH, which is now part of Bosch Building Technologies. This means we are now in a position to offer to develop a climate neutrality strategy for other companies and supply them with the solutions they need through our system integrator. Companies have growing obligations to report on what they are doing to help the environment – and that’s why we’re working together with our partners to develop the building management services suite, or BMSS for short. This open, domain-spanning service offering combines and integrates the individual building systems, services and software solutions from various areas of application. This means the reliable facts about sustainability that are needed for ESG reporting can be generated – in other words, facts that constitute evidence of environmentally friendly operations. When it comes to the demand for energy efficiency solutions, is there such a thing as a typical customer? Dr. Henrik Siegle: We have a huge range of customers – from schools and hospitals to drugstore chains and industrial sites. Bosch Building Technologies offers a smartphone-based solution to provide contactless access to buildings Alongside sustainability, the connection of individual systems in safety and security technology has been a key topic for a long time now. How is Bosch Building Technologies positioning itself here as a full-service provider? Dr. Henrik Siegle: When it comes to connectivity, Bosch Building Technologies benefits hugely from cross-divisional collaboration within the Bosch Group. Overall, connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT) are topics that we actively addressed at Bosch at a very early stage. As a result, we now have many years of experience of developing relevant technologies and applying these solutions professionally. There are a few solutions, in particular, that really stand out, such as Aviotec, our VdS-approved video-based fire detection system. The system’s security camera performs intelligent video analysis, which means we can detect a fire at a much earlier stage compared to conventional fire detection technology. What’s more, the camera’s built-in intelligence means it can be used for other purposes What’s more, the camera’s built-in intelligence means it can be used for other purposes, too, such as anti-intruder and anti-theft protection. We can also use it to monitor compliance with social distancing rules, for example. This is an innovative example of the connection of domains. However, it also goes without saying that connectivity plays a major role in our business within systems, too. In this context, I would like to mention our connected solutions that make it possible for technical building equipment processes to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. These solutions include condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, for instance. One example is fire detection systems that independently supply information about their own operating condition and the necessary maintenance intervals. Another example comes from our Access & Intrusion business unit: We now also offer contactless access to buildings via a smartphone-based solution, i.e. via mobile credentials. In your view, what are the current and future market trends in security and building technology? Dr. Henrik Siegle: Well, regardless of market trends, it’s really important to us that we always put the customer at the centre of everything we do. What we want are solutions that meet customers’ needs – both now and in the future. Thanks to our user experience, or UX, method, we have an excellent understanding of what a customer actually wants and needs. That’s why we involve customers in the testing of our innovations as early as possible – it helps us find out whether and how the future product works in practice. We’re therefore always particularly close to our customers. We don’t just develop our products and solutions on this basis, but our services, too. When it comes to video security and intelligent building control in particular, artificial intelligence plays a key role Innovations in building technology are very wide ranging and, in my view, they all revolve around the megatrends of energy efficiency, sustainability, security and artificial intelligence. When it comes to video security and intelligent building control in particular, artificial intelligence plays a key role. This has huge potential – and we want to realise this potential more and more at Bosch. The video-based fire detection system that I’ve already mentioned is an excellent example. The thing that makes us stand out on the market is our business model, which is based on two key pillars. One of these is our system integrator business. This means we offer everything from a single source, right from the initial inquiry, consultancy and planning through to implementation and operation. The second pillar is our product business. The direct customer interface in the system integrator means we get direct feedback in the system integrator itself, both from customers themselves and from our colleagues. We incorporate this feedback into our product development processes. How is your system integrator business doing? Dr. Henrik Siegle: Very well. We’ve experienced good growth in this area in both Europe and North America. What’s more, just recently, we’ve also significantly expanded our system integrator business again through acquisitions in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. One of our priorities is ensuring that our technology is always state of the art. Developing our expertise in this area also means that regular training for our associates is important, since technical developments are becoming more and more dynamic. Given this background, are you also feeling the impact of the skills shortage? Our business model can only work if we have skilled, motivated associates Dr. Henrik Siegle: It may sound obvious, but needless to say, our business model can only work if we have skilled, motivated associates. The question of how we attract new associates is not the only important one – it’s also vital to consider what we do for the ones we already employ. For example, we have our own academy spread across three sites in Germany, where we provide our associates with regular training, and we also put on a wide range of professional development seminars. To attract new talent, we offer dual study programmes along with programs for trainees, Master’s students and PhD students. We also often attend various career fairs. What’s more, we’re working more closely together with universities and institutes. We have quite a lot to offer in this regard. Our purpose, ‘Building solutions for a better life,’ doesn’t just motivate me personally – it also resonates very well outside Bosch. Bosch gives its associates the opportunity to work directly on important topics of both the present and the future with the aim of making the world a safer, more sustainable place – using state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence! Nevertheless, the skills shortage naturally still poses a major challenge.

GSX 2022 this week in Atlanta highlights the changing role of security in the enterprise. The role of the security director increasingly will encompass facets of cybersecurity as well as physical security. Transitioning to an operation that incorporates both disciplines requires a workforce that embraces education and building new skills. Education and the opportunity to build new skills are evident everywhere at GSX, including in the hundreds of education sessions and also in the knowledge shared on the show floor in the exhibit hall. Risk-based decisions “I really just do physical security.” That used to be a common phrase in the industry, but no more. In addition to ‘upskilling,’ security practitioners also need to speak the language of business and to insert the concepts of security into that language. Fast changes in security are challenging today’s professionals to keep up. The GSX education sessions seek to meet the need. Embracing ESRM includes a complete change in the thinking and approach to security Among the topics at the GSX conference is ESRM (Enterprise Security Risk Management), a security approach that focuses on risk-based decisions and partnerships with asset owners. It’s an approach that requires a holistic view of security risk. Embracing ESRM includes a complete change in the thinking and approach to security. Rather than seeking ‘approval’ for security decisions, security professionals identify risks and possible mitigation strategies and present them to management. Shaping access control Activity in the exhibit hall was brisk on the first day, which was heartening to those who attended a vastly downsized show last year in Orlando. At this show, there is even carpeting. Trends lead the lively discussions at GSX. In a presentation on the show floor Monday, manufacturer Brivo shared top trends that are shaping access control. The trends include: Hybrid work is here to stay. Some 60% of respondents to a Brivo survey said access control is extremely or very important to the hybrid work model. Providing immense value to an organisation, access data helps to manage occupancy and is part of the larger discussion of facility utilisation. Data analytics is ‘mission critical.’ Combining data from multiple sources, including access control, becomes powerful when leveraged using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools. Applications such as anomaly detection help companies improve operations. Some 65% of respondents to the Brivo survey say integrating access control with other technologies is an important trend. Keeping people healthy Other trends identified by Brivo include mobile credentialing and security centralisation (cloud) Other trends identified by Brivo include mobile credentialing and security centralisation (cloud). Among other exhibitors, Johnson Controls is focusing in their booth on solutions, not products, including the convergence of physical security into the digital space. The OpenBlue system is a digital platform that incorporates security, HVAC, fire/life safety, and building operations in a single platform that is the ‘nerve center’ of an organisation. Increasingly, the areas ‘security’ is responsible for are expanding. During the COVID pandemic, for example, security had to embrace a role in keeping people healthy (as well as safe). The challenges of the pandemic accelerated the OpenBlue portfolio as more security professionals expanded their role. Security operations centre “Moving into the digital space, and digitising what used to be a security operations center, enables us to increase automation and enable security operations to respond more quickly,” said Kenneth Poole, Johnson Controls’ Vice President, National Accounts, North America Building Solutions. Security directors are responsible for things they have never been responsible for before" “Surprisingly a lot of customers are being forced into new areas,” Poole added. “Security directors are responsible for things they have never been responsible for before.” Poole says he is encouraged by the willingness of ‘old school’ security directors to embrace the new reality. Azena’s approach to supplying edge-based camera applications on an ‘app store’ is gaining momentum. Several new applications are being announced at GSX, among the 110 apps on the Azena app store. Apps can be loaded onto Azena-enabled cameras manufactured by Bosch, Hanwha, Vivotek, BST, TopView, and Ability. Video management system Azena has simplified the integration of its app solutions, enabling developers to make only slight changes to an app and ensure it is compatible with the largest video management system (VMS) platforms, including Milestone, Genetec, and NX Witness. A wizard on the camera enables simplified mapping of data analytics to events in a VMS system. New applications in the Azena app store include video sensors to prevent ‘bed fall’ accidents in hospitals and healthcare facilities, incidents that can cost $35,000 on average and account for $34 billion in the United States in a year. The app identifies video signs of an imminent bed fall, such as excessive movement in bed. The analytics run inside the camera and the video feed doesn’t leave the device, so there are no privacy concerns. An Azena app is installed in a camera mounted on ‘Yellow,’ the ‘robot dog’ manufactured by Boston Dynamics Effectiveness of metal detectors Another new application is gun detection that can augment the effectiveness of metal detectors. Also, an Azena app is installed in a camera mounted on ‘Yellow,’ the ‘robot dog’ manufactured by Boston Dynamics and configured for security applications by Prosegur. An Azena app is installed in a Vivotek AI box on the back of the dog; it can detect fire, smoke, and moved luggage. Azena apps for flare and leak detection are becoming more popular in the oil and gas industries, and there are camera apps that can monitor tank levels. Cisco Meraki is introducing two new camera models at GSX, with 4K and 4MP options, a terabyte of storage for 4K, and 256Gb of storage for 4MP. Air quality sensors The cameras will allow most customers to record 30 to 90 days of video in the camera at the edge The cameras will allow most customers to record 30 to 90 days of video in the camera at the edge. Also at the show, they introduced a push button and air quality sensors that are easy to incorporate into a Cisco Meraki application. Cisco Meraki also offers a dashboard that is integrated with the rest of the product portfolio to enable users to view devices on the same interface and in the same ‘pane of glass.’ For physical security users, there is the Meraki Vision Portal, which enables physical security users to run a more effective investigation. Features include a floor plan view and the ability to switch among multiple cameras. Users can instantly search videos using ‘motion search’ to easily find an event in a video.

Since 2018, an open platform has been developing to enable the security and safety industry to work together smoothly across brands and systems to improve user experience and solutions. Pioneering the effort has been the Open Security & Safety Alliance (OSSA®). Delivering video-sensing solutions such as cameras and AI boxes, the open ecosystem is a reality. We are turning to OSSA President Johan Jubbega and OSSA Strategy Committee Chair Steve Ma for a progress update. Why is now the perfect time to tap into this newly established open ecosystem? How are members working together to address important trends now and on the horizon? The discussion follows. Solving industry problems Q: How and why are you involved with OSSA? Steve Ma: Our thinking as an industry has evolved, and we now realise that open designs and integrations are necessary in order to flourish and succeed in the security and safety space – and beyond, as our technologies often find application in neighbouring domains. My colleagues at VIVOTEK and I strive to be more collaborative, and therefore also more creative and innovative to be ready for the future. OSSA is the ideal forum. Coming together in this manner helps organisations avoid reinventing the wheel It helps to gather with other international companies that are committed to the same cause. As chairman of OSSA’s Strategy Committee, I am on the forefront of where we want to collaborate and standardise, and in turn where we prefer to leave room for individual diversification components. Coming together in this manner helps organisations avoid reinventing the wheel and allows us to effectively solve real industry problems with agility and intelligence. Eventually, I expect that our efforts within OSSA will lead to faster innovations and further dissemination of technology. Johan Jubbega: Like Steve, I have been involved in OSSA from the beginning and witnessed the overwhelming willingness to collaborate in open ecosystems in our category. We are three years under way as an Alliance, and a lot of the hurdles have now been cleared. The most compelling result of overcoming those obstacles involves our OSSA specifications and agreements that collectively allow third-party video (analytics) applications to run on agnostic brands of video-sensing devices. OSSA facilitates cooperation on many levels, and it’s important to me as president that our group remains approachable and accessible to anyone who shares in this vision of an open, data-driven ecosystem. We remind everyone the door is open, and there’s a role for stakeholders and large or small innovators to get involved at whatever effort and member level they wish. Interoperable analytics apps Q: Can you share thoughts on a couple of industry trends for 2022 and beyond? Ma: Next-level dissemination and greater accessibility of technology is a big trend that will impact our security and safety landscape. Our industry will be able to facilitate and make better use of the incredibly rich data flows produced by devices and applications already deployed. Trust and clever data management are two important factors woven in here as we progress together into a new frontier of sharing data across apps, solutions, brands, borders, and continents. Next-level dissemination and greater accessibility of technology is a big trend that will impact our security In this type of collaboration, there are a lot of moving parts, and it requires input from the right stakeholders plus buy-in and adoption from the market. A good example of this is OSSA working on a series of data APIs: To prevent tight-coupling of (analytics) applications, which is at odds with the Alliance's openness, OSSA is working on a set of generic (vendor-independent) Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for a uniform yet abstracted representation of objects of interest. The goal is not just to identify ‘things’ by means of video analytics, but instead to aggregate this information from various devices to enable the descriptive relationships between those ‘things.’ The idea is to connect the dots between what, for example, a camera senses on the edge of a parking lot and what another camera captures inside or elsewhere using different but interoperable analytics apps and hardware. This will bring newfound knowledge around probabilities for safety, security, and beyond. Jubbega: Yes, reaching new heights around what’s seen versus what’s sensed is going to be an amazing area we all break into together. The possibilities will be astounding of what we can hopefully soon be interpreting with all this data. IoT is certainly essential to this process, and thus another trend OSSA members are focused on is extending our open approach to adjacent areas across security, safety, and out into the broader IoT. This involves tapping into other domains so next-level concepts such as Digital Twins (the real-time digital counterpart of a physical object or process) can be facilitated more easily. Video-sensing devices Another working group within OSSA is focused this year on creating a test methodology Q: How do these trends/resolutions tie back into the OSSA work groups’ focus for 2022? Ma: As far as making stronger associations between data points, our members are working on a model that allows for this type of knowledge integration. The OSSA Data API aims to enable uniform consumption and the production of vast amounts of useful data attained by video-sensing devices. As mentioned, trust will be critical as we start to rely more and more on information from other hardware and software sources. Another working group within OSSA is focused this year on creating a test methodology based on conformance specifications that serve as inputs for a forthcoming hardware Certification Model. This effort will help guide the compatibility of OSSA standards to ensure quality and uniformity across Alliance outputs. Finally, as Johan alluded to, we see in the new world of IoT that innovation tends to spill over and bring benefits to nearby areas. We have the Beyond Video IP workgroup that’s focused on connecting our way of thinking to other domains in the security and safety space. Agnostic operating system Q: Why is now the time to get involved in the Open Security & Safely Alliance and the industry’s evolving Open Ecosystem? Jubbega: The open platform principle we were founded on is transitioning from philosophy to real solutions that are now available to the market. We started by delivering a Technology Stack for video-sensing devices, paired with the first OSSA technology specifications that collectively enable third-party software and analytics to run agnostically on cameras that adhere to OSSA specifications. An open Alliance like OSSA combined with a platform business model is the perfect solution to elevate us all OSSA member company Azena – in parallel – created a corresponding and agnostic operating system associated with our industry’s biggest Analytics App Store. To date, there are 15-plus ‘Driven by OSSA’ hardware products from members that adhere to OSSA specifications, and users can mix and match those with 100-plus software apps that are enabled by OSSA specifications. So, a lot has already been taken care of, and that makes it an ideal time to get involved in the Alliance to further guide the trajectory of our future together. Ma: I totally agree. Now is the right time because the platform (both the collaboration framework and technology) is finally here and ready for use. We have all been waiting for this reality to arrive. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can align and start to solve real industry problems exponentially by working collaboratively inside of, for instance, camera systems and AI boxes. An open Alliance like OSSA combined with a platform business model is the perfect solution to elevate us all. The market is going to move fast. And through OSSA and its specifications, we are ready to move with it. New open ecosystem Looking ahead to ISC West: Many OSSA spokespeople and member organisations will be at ISC West 2022, March 23-25. Johan Jubbega will be at the Bosch Building Technologies Booth #11053 and Steve Ma will be at the VIVOTEK Booth #22015. Both companies, and other member organisations as well, will have ‘Driven by OSSA’ video-sensing products on display. Visitors are invited to stop by to talk about this new open ecosystem and how to join OSSA to cross-collaborate and bring about good change for the industry.