Hexagon Geosystems - Experts & Thought Leaders

Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division and RapidSOS announced a Digital Alerts solution for enabling firefighters to respond to commercial building fires and emergencies faster and with more accurate data. El Paso County 911 District in Texas is the first to deploy the new solution, bringing more efficient and informed emergency response to their community.   Digital Alerts With Digital Alerts, emergency communication centres (ECCs) receive fire dispatch information from commercial building monitoring centres in real time, eliminating the need for a phone call.  When a building’s fire panel communicator issues alarm signal data, it is assessed by a central station automation system for accuracy, and a Digital Alert is routed by the RapidSOS Intelligent Safety Platform and received at the ECC by Hexagon’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system.  Reduces response time The new solution delivers critical data to field responders and 911 telecommunicators The Hexagon CAD system automatically creates an incident, bypassing the initial call to a 911 telecommunicator, thus eliminating manual handoffs and reducing response time.  The new solution delivers critical data to field responders and 911 telecommunicators, including triaging the type and severity of the hazard and the location within the building.   Time- and life-saving integrated solution “In a commercial fire, seconds can cost lives,” said Bill Campbell, Senior Vice President of Global Public Safety/North America for Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division. Bill Campbell adds, “Integrating RapidSOS’ groundbreaking Digital Alerts with Hexagon’s CAD system provides a critical head-start that first responders need. El Paso County 911 is the first to deploy this time- and life-saving integrated solution, and we anticipate many more deployments at ECCs across the country.”  Efficient and effective response “RapidSOS created Digital Alerts to reduce response times and the errors that can occur in manual handoffs,” said Karin Marquez, Chief Public Safety Brand Officer at RapidSOS. Karin Marquez adds, “Through this integration, we’re able to deliver the information from the sensor to the monitoring centre, then to 911 digitally from end-to-end for an efficient and effective response.”        Public safety “The district is proud to be the first to deploy RapidSOS’ Digital Alerts technology integrated with Hexagon’s CAD system,” said Scott Calderwood, Director of El Paso County 911 District, adding “Any time we can give first responders more time and information heading to an emergency, it’s a win for public safety.”  Hexagon and RapidSOS will be discussing the new technology in an upcoming webinar on March 19, 2024.

Hexagon’s Geosystems division announced a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V Mobile Intrusion Detection (MIND) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Accur8vision detection system A8V MIND is a portable version of the Accur8vision detection system that can solve complex but temporary security demands in various sectors and is flexible in its application. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 metres from this device.  Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area. Applications of the A8V MIND On-site staff can have the A8V MIND up and running in a matter of minutes at a new site On-site staff can have the A8V MIND up and running in a matter of minutes at a new site, effortlessly establishing surveillance perimeters. It is lightweight so that a single person can easily transport it and set it up in different locations. Applications of the A8V MIND include protecting parked aircraft, securing police interventions, temporary safeguarding during pipeline disturbances; and controlling access to temporarily hazardous areas such as substations, heating plants and water plants. Reliable 3D surveillance “Many surveillance solutions are designed for long-term security monitoring, but some situations require an ad-hoc surveillance setup or a more flexible solution. The A8V MIND provides reliable 3D surveillance for temporary or rapidly changing circumstances,” said Martin Vojtek, Business Director 3D Surveillance at Hexagon. He adds, “We are convinced that A8V MIND, the unique, flexible solution for protecting people and assets from intruders, will transform the security industry. Our security solution provides reliable and effective protection for critical applications that are essential to society and the economy and require a particularly high level of protection." This innovative solution will be featured at the Digital Defence Summit as part of Hexagon’s flagship digital reality solutions conference HxGN Live Global, from June 12-15, 2023.

Qognify, part of Hexagon, a provider of video and enterprise incident management solutions, and Johnson Controls Security Products, a unified group of access control, video, location-based security, and intrusion brands present an integration between their products Qognify VMS and Kantech EntraPass. Faster and targeted response The integration of both software products enables users to better understand situations based on the synchronisation of event and video data, allowing a faster and more targeted response to event-based scenarios. For instance, “forced door”, “door held open” and “clearance” alarms from EntraPass can be displayed as events within Qognify VMS, synchronised to the associated video recording.  Furthermore, these same types of system events can be visualised on maps and floor plans to enable a better situational understanding as well as to initiate door actions such as “unlock” or “lock” from the VMS map view. One user interface The integration turns Qognify VMS into a single pane of glass for video and EntraPass access control" Jeremy Howard, Vice President of Physical Security Sales – Americas at Qognify, is excited about the integration and the potential it offers, "Qognify has a large install base of video platforms where the JCI Kantech EntraPass is part of the overall security ecosystem." Jeremy Howard adds, "The integration turns Qognify VMS into a single pane of glass for video and EntraPass access control, allowing users to visualise and respond to common events in one single UI without the need to implement a complex and costly PSIM solution. This allows organisations that manage for example retail stores or office buildings to improve the response to any physical security threat while keeping the total costs for their security systems reasonably low.” Increases operational efficiency Jeff Tousignant, Integrations Product Manager at Johnson Controls Security Products, said, “The integration of EntraPass with Qognify VMS increases operational efficiencies by ensuring that operators are presented with all relevant information in one user interface." Jeff Tousignant adds, "This helps to save time and facilitate decisions when every second counts."

Inadequate security measures on your essential infrastructure can have severe consequences.  Consequences  Consider the rail industry: If a vandal cuts the cables on a vital mechanism that controls train signals, train safety is jeopardised. To avoid train collisions or derailments and thus significant damage to property and potential loss of life, the operating company must shut down the service until the infrastructure is repaired and the network is up and running again. The disruption affects the rail ecosystem itself, but also the people using the trains, the transportation of cargo, and more. The financial cost of repairing the damage, restoring signal functionality, and compensating for delays can be substantial. For another example, consider electrical substations: A fire or targeted attack can damage the system and lead to devastating power outages.     Traditional surveillance limitations  Traditional video surveillance has its limits when it comes to protecting transformer stations Traditional video surveillance has its limits when it comes to protecting transformer stations. The facilities are often located in rural areas, where straying animals or flying leaves trigger false alarms. 3D Surveillance solutions overcome these challenges by volumetrically securing the area and immediately detecting intruders only raising the alarm in the event of a human intruder and even identifying drone attacks.  Protecting critical infrastructure with 3D surveillance  Critical infrastructure must be monitored. It remains at risk if operators do not have systems for monitoring entire areas rather than just the periphery if security personnel has limited information in case of an intrusion and if security response protocols are not automated.  3D Surveillance solutions 3D Surveillance is an important tool for protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring the safety of those who rely on it. Integrating LiDAR technology, 3D Surveillance solutions provide a comprehensive view of the area being monitored with real-time monitoring and response, protecting critical infrastructure from damage and providing a more comprehensive security system. Advanced analytics and artificial intelligence Security personnel can identify and verify threats more easily and track the movements of individuals or vehicles, as well as respond to incidents as they happen. 3D Surveillance systems can be equipped with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to detect patterns and anomalies that may indicate a potential threat. This can help to prevent potential attacks or accidents before they occur, as well as enable more accurate responses to incidents.  Talent challenge  Turning to autonomy by implementing sensor- and software-based solutions requires fewer if any, in-person patrols 3D Surveillance can also help tackle the talent challenge in the industry: Recruiting security professionals involves extensive background checks, and jobs in the industry are notorious for their low salaries, which results in high staff turnover. Turning to autonomy by implementing sensor- and software-based solutions requires fewer if any, in-person patrols and ensure reliable infrastructure protection.   Additional security measures In many countries, more stringent legislation now mandates the implementation of additional security measures to safeguard critical infrastructure, particularly at a country's points of entry, such as airports and harbours. Protecting the perimeter is no longer enough. For instance, airport management must ensure that critical areas, including the space around aircraft and near unauthorised access points, are secure. While multi-layered screening of individuals at the perimeter is a valuable security measure, it must be complemented by smooth and efficient surveillance of the entire area, which can only be achieved through advanced technology.   Different adoption rates 3D Surveillance technology is only beginning to gain traction in most locations, and adoption rates differ significantly from one region to another. For instance, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe have embraced 3D Surveillance to a greater extent than Western Europe. Regions with lower adoption rates will likely catch up as they seek to reinforce the security of their critical infrastructure, especially given the conflict in Eastern Europe.  Vandalism and damage protection 3D Surveillance enhances the security of critical infrastructure, reduces the risk of downtime and loss of revenue 3D Surveillance offers reliable protection against vandalism and damage - major concerns for companies that rely on critical infrastructure. LiDAR-based, software-enhanced 3D Surveillance solutions provide real-time insights and enable automatic processing of the information so that operators can autonomously and quickly detect and respond to potential threats. These solutions are scalable and customisable, allowing companies to adapt their security measures to their unique needs and changing environments. 3D Surveillance enhances the security of critical infrastructure, reduces the risk of downtime and loss of revenue, and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements. Asset management and maintenance planning Beyond its security benefits, 3D Surveillance can help with tasks such as asset management and maintenance planning. It can help identify potential problems or maintenance needs before they become more serious issues by providing a real-time view of the monitored infrastructure. This can help to reduce downtime and keep critical infrastructure running smoothly.  Real-time management  The same technology can also perform volume monitoring tasks and thus facilitate the management of valuable resources such as bulk material, grain, wood chips, or chemicals. By scanning the stock 24/7 and automatically calculating stock volume updating records in real-time, this technology supports lean production systems and automated processing.