Irisity- Experts & Thought Leaders

Located in downtown Houston, Texas, USA, at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB), the Houston Living Lab (HLL) serves as a testing ground for city departments and partners to test and validate new technology. In 2017, the Houston First Corporation (HFC) established the lab following a successful collaboration with Milestone Systems and several other security manufacturers to rapidly deploy video technologies for nearly one million attendees at the Super Bowl Live festival. Now HLL develops smart city solutions for deployment across Houston. Security technology solutions With the help of the Houston First Corporation — a local government corporation created to operate the city's convention and performing arts facilities — the City of Houston hosts many high-profile events annually. One of HFC's long-term goals is establishing Houston as a pioneer in smart city initiatives to further promote the region as a tourism and convention business destination. City of Houston and HFC needed to bring together technology partners and build on living infrastructure To accomplish this goal, the City of Houston and HFC needed to bring together technology partners and build on existing infrastructure to further enhance public safety and security during events. In 2017, the city hosted Super Bowl LI, an event that became a literal game changer in how the city rapidly deploys integrated security technology solutions. Legacy security systems The 10-day Super Bowl Live festival at the 12-acre Discovery Green featured free well-known music artist concerts and other attractions. The neighbouring GRB hosted the NFL Experience event with interactive activities and player appearances. When hosting large events spread out over several venues, the city found that the added congestion from portable event stages, booths, and attendees changed the environment. This rendered the standalone legacy security systems inadequate when hosting the events. “In these situations, the green space is no longer open; it’s cluttered with event structures, banners, and everything that comes with a festival. We found that our existing camera system was getting either visually or audibly interfered with,” said Jack C. Hanagriff, former Program Manager for the City of Houston’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security. Access to the camera system In the six-month planning period before the festival, Verizon installed fibre-optic cable for the event Determining a temporary system was needed to provide security at Super Bowl Live, Hanagriff and his team brought in Milestone Systems on the recommendation of HFC's long-time integrator Teksys and manufacturer Axis Communications. Milestone helped design and test a rapidly deployable, fully integrated supplemental camera and video management software (VMS) system at Discovery Green. In the six-month planning period before the festival, Verizon installed fibre-optic cable for the event. This allowed access to the camera system with Axis F Series modular cameras, Q Series PTZ dome cameras, and thermal imaging systems. Milestone open platform  Using a Milestone open platform system design, the temporary festival infrastructure easily integrated with the non-Milestone VMS already used at GRB. The system was built on the Milestone design. “We were able to tie both VMS networks into our existing homeland security network. We converged the two systems to give law enforcement, the fire department, and other agencies access to all systems seamlessly,” said Jack C. Hanagriff, adding “Again, this system did not exist just four days prior.” Houston Living Lab inspires Smart City R&D HLL allows city departments and partners to test and validate technology in an active environment After successfully collaborating with Milestone Systems and other security manufacturers for the Super Bowl Live events, HFC established the Houston Living Lab. The HLL allows city departments and partners to test and validate technology in an active environment. Technology partners include Milestone Systems, Axis Communications, Cradlepoint, Dell Technologies, Haystax, Acre Comnet (formerly Razberi), Siklu, and Verizon. Video analytics are provided by Athena Security, Citilog, EAGL Technology, Evolon Technology, Irisity (formerly Agent Vi), Sound Intelligence, and AirSight (formerly 911 Security). Technology Partnerships Enhance Public Safety The 1.9 million-square-foot GRB Convention Center has diverse security needs. Beyond public safety and monitoring aggressive behaviour in and around the centre, the security team proactively improves traffic at intersections and manages four large parking garage operations. In 2021, HFC worked with Houston Public Works (HPW) on designing and installing an on-premises software solution to easily bring together the latest technologies at GRB. The 1.9 million-square-foot GRB convention centre has diverse security needs Milestone video management technologies provide seamless integrations with cutting-edge security applications. Nearly 600 legacy Axis Communications cameras are integrated with Milestone Smart Walls in multiple security and parking command centres spread across facilities in the theatre and convention districts, providing complete situational awareness at any given moment. Relationships built at the HLL HFC wanted to be able to identify dangerous situations and be proactive rather than reactive to help mitigate risks. They now have visibility into different situations, such as vehicles driving the wrong way, large crowds gathering in an area or even listening for glass breaking, car alarms, gunshots, or aggressive behaviours.  “The relationships built at the HLL were instrumental in helping us support the needs at other high-profile sites throughout the city that were identified with concerns regarding general public safety and quality of life,” added Jack C. Hanagriff.

Identiv, Inc., a global pioneer in digital security and identification in the Internet of Things (IoT), introduces its expanded Velocity Vision Ecosystem, the industry’s most robust, enterprise-level solution delivered by a single solutions provider. The new ecosystem merges the powerful features of Identiv’s Velocity access control and video platforms with best-in-class cloud storage, hyper-converged infrastructure, and analytics into a single point of contact, facilitating integrator deployments in any industry. All-in-one Velocity Vision Ecosystem The all-in-one Velocity Vision Ecosystem integrates the most cutting-edge digital technology into any physical security operation. It combines into a single solution the power of Hirsch Velocity and Velocity Vision VMS with new partnership technologies: Vision AI video analytics, Vision Cloud, and Identiv Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI). Visibility and control With this solution, you can protect your assets, secure any environment, and transform security operations" “With our expanded Velocity Vision Ecosystem, you can see it, secure it, and prevent it. You get complete visibility and control of your physical security operations,” said Mark Allen, General Manager of Premises, Identiv. He adds, “With the end-to-end solution, you can protect your assets, secure any environment, and transform security operations.” Enterprise-level integrated video solution “The all-in-one ecosystem provides our partners with the leading edge technology expected of an enterprise-level solution with complete integration delivered by Identiv,” said Mike Taylor, VP of Global Sales, Identiv. He adds, “By deploying a best-in-class integrated video solution from a single point of contact that ensures product interoperability, integrators can save time and resources. We’re providing the easiest system to deploy and manage, with the most advanced security technology, to secure any size campus and keep operations running smoothly." System inclusions The Velocity Vision Ecosystem includes: Velocity Vision: The unified, open-platform VMS was built to provide a real-time intelligent security solution in a single-pane-of-glass view. An optional Boring Toolbox add-on from the Boring Lab simplifies enterprise management with additional features. Hirsch Velocity Software: Identiv’s flagship, fully integrated security management system manages access control and security operations in hundreds of different facilities, from single high-security rooms to multi-building, multi-location campuses. Vision AI: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments, this video analytics solution delivers the highest accuracy levels in the most challenging environments. Vision AI powered by Irisity supports installations of all sizes and can be applied to any number of cameras, delivering the most attractive TCO in the video analytics market. High availability and full redundancy limit system downtime and data loss. Vision Cloud: Scale on demand while reducing both CAPEX and OPEX with Vision Cloud powered by Wasabi. The technology instantly enables on-premises VMS with unlimited scalability, security, and disaster recovery. Offload video surveillance data to this simple, first-of-its-kind hybrid cloud storage solution without affecting existing operations. Identiv Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) powered by Scale Computing: This platform brings simplicity, high availability, and scalability together, allowing customers to experience the convergence of hardware and software with centralised management in one simple interface. It combines virtualisation, servers, storage, and backup/disaster recovery into a single, turnkey solution. Physical access control and video intelligence solutions The Velocity Vision Ecosystem is available worldwide exclusively through the Identiv Channel Alliance Network partner programme. Identiv’s physical access control and video intelligence solutions provide the highest security at the lowest cost. Robust, feature-rich systems, hardware, and software verify frictionless access managed from anywhere.

Irisity continues to strengthen its management through the recruitment of Keven Marier as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Irisity AB has announced that after an extensive search for the right candidate, its Board of Directors has appointed Keven Marier as Chief Executive Officer. Starting date will be as soon as possible, in dialogue between Irisity and his current employer. Security industry experience "Keven brings 20 years of extensive international security industry experience, insights and relationships in both software go-to-market, technology and partner development," comments Lennart Svantesson, Irisity's Chairman of the Board, adding "Keven has the unique combination of industry insights, strong execution skills and leadership which will help Irisity to scale up to the next level of international growth." I am incredibly honoured and excited to be joining Irisity as the next CEO" "I am incredibly honoured and excited to be joining Irisity as the next CEO," says Keven Marier, adding "Irisity is one of the video content analytics pioneers, and is a leading provider of stand-alone video content analytics software. But most importantly Irisity has great people, patents and potential. I look forward to working together with such a great team and company in scaling up Irisity." Provided manufacturing training Keven comes to Irisity from Milestone Systems AS, a pioneer in video management and intelligent software, where he is the VP of Technology Partners. Over the past 9 years at Milestone, Keven has worked in several leadership positions including as the Open Security and Safety Alliance VP representing Milestone. Before this, Keven was the CEO of Connex International, Inc which provided manufacturing training, certification, deal enablement and professional services which was acquired by Milestone Systems in 2013. Marcus Bäcklund will stay on for the handover to Keven after his six years as Irisity CEO. “Again, I would like to thank Marcus for his valuable contributions to Irisity and for successfully managing a smooth transition of the company leadership," says Lennart Svantesson, Chairman of the Board of Irisity.

The upcoming ISC West trade show in Las Vegas will offer innumerable networking and learning opportunities for attendees. Manufacturers will take the opportunity to promote their businesses and showcase products and services to a targeted audience. Best of all, the event will be "in person," an advantage we should never again take for granted. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: What big announcements do you expect at ISC West 2023?

Security and privacy are often seen as being at odds. In effect, you must have less of one in order to get more of the other. However, newer technologies are eliminating the need to make such a difficult choice. Innovation is paving the way for greater security and protection in a climate where privacy concerns are also paramount. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How can security address individual privacy concerns while increasing protection?

Since they were invented, video surveillance cameras have been used mostly for security applications. However, the advent of video analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) has paved the way for use of video data in a variety of other applications, from process control to measuring occupancy to analysing customer traffic trends. The ‘data’ aspects of ‘video data’ are feeding many new applications that no longer involve operators looking at video images on a screen. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How can video data be leveraged in an enterprise beyond security?