Motorola Solutions, Inc. - Experts & Thought Leaders

Motorola Solutions announced the new Pelco, an innovative portfolio of artificial-intelligence-powered devices that are purpose-built for enterprises operating in some of the most challenging environments, like oil and gas and ports.  Backed by the company’s deep engineering expertise and significant investments in research and development. Smart surveillance The portfolio brings together specialised security technologies from the strategic acquisitions of VideotecPelco’s device lineup features fixed cameras, ruggedised and long-range cameras, smart sensors and AI analytics that easily integrate with a broad set of third-party video management systems (VMS). Since acquiring Pelco in 2020, Motorola Solutions has completely transformed the camera line, which has more than doubled in breadth since the company brought engineering and design in-house.  Under a contemporary new Pelco mark, the portfolio brings together specialised security technologies from the strategic acquisitions of Videotec, IP Video and Silent Sentinel.  Advanced threat detection “Pelco provides security operators with robust AI-powered security solutions capable of performing across a wide range of environmental conditions,” said Hamish Dobson, corporate vice president, Pelco.  “We’ve purposefully created Pelco to combine rugged hardware, state-of-the-art sensing and AI-powered analytics for a VMS-agnostic device portfolio that is driving higher standards in critical infrastructure security.” Expanding security solutions Expansions to the portfolio broaden growth opportunities with enterprises and critical infrastructure verticals like transportation, aviation, maritime and utilities. Such operations routinely endure extreme weather, corrosive elements and other hazardous conditions where standard security cameras and devices would quickly be damaged.  Precision in protection Pelco’s new specialised portfolio includes:  Esprit Anti-Corrosion cameras that can withstand the harsh elements of maritime environments. The ExSite Enhanced Thermal 2 fixed camera, which gives hazardous sites like power plants a thermal imaging security camera with global explosion-proof certifications. The Halo Smart Sensor, an all-in-one intelligent sensor that protects privacy while detecting events like vaping, gunshots, abnormal noises, motion and emergency keywords like “help.” The Aeron and Jaegar cameras, which offer detection capabilities at distances of up to 20 miles in extreme environments associated with military, aviation, maritime and critical infrastructure. All Pelco devices are supported by Elevate, a cloud-based camera support platform. Elevate assesses camera health and expands the sensing capabilities of the camera with cloud-based AI. Future-ready surveillance Pelco devices are engineered to be compatible with Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) -conformant systems, simplifying installation, enabling flexible integrations and alleviating costly system overhauls.  Pelco IP cameras enable regulatory compliance with the current National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA) Sec. 889 rules for the procurement of secure equipment. Experience the new Pelco at booth #14059 at ISC West from April 2-4 in Las Vegas.

The province of San Luis in Argentina is implementing a Motorola Solutions mission-critical radio communications system for its Provincial Police. The Tetra system will expand coverage and enable new capabilities for first responders to help protect communities across the province. Unified for faster response “This new Tetra system represents a decisive step forward in our commitment to enhancing community safety and security," said Javier Salomón, director of technology and security, San Luis. "Our previous analogue system’s limited coverage hindered emergency services communication. The new Motorola Solutions system expands coverage and enables inter-operability between our nine police departments across the province to support real-time collaboration, shorter response times and greater operational efficiency." Strengthening regional security The first phase of the system expansion will extend coverage to San Luis, Villa Mercedes and MerloThe Tetra radio technology is also used by the province of Santa Fe and will additionally interoperate with systems in the neighboring provinces of Córdoba and San Juan to facilitate robust coordination between police forces and swift, unified responses to national security threats. The first phase of the system expansion will extend coverage to San Luis, Villa Mercedes and Merlo while also introducing critical new capabilities. Group calling will enhance inter-city coordination, and geolocation will allow the Provincial Police to more precisely locate and direct field-based agents, improving response times and operational efficiency. Connected for safety “The province of San Luis spans nearly 77,000 square kilometres across mountains, deserts and lakes, which presents unique considerations when it comes to voice communications for emergency services,” said Elton Borgonovo, MSSSI vice president, Latin America and Caribbean Region, Motorola Solutions.  “The deployment of our new Tetra system will help to keep first responders connected across this diverse terrain so they can better serve every corner of the province.”

The City of New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP) is pleased to announce the official launch of the NOLA Ready Public Safety App, powered by Motorola Solutions. This new mobile application is designed to enhance public safety and emergency preparedness for both residents and visitors. All individuals planning to attend major events in New Orleans, including the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, and other large gatherings, are encouraged to download the app. NOLA Ready Public Safety App The NOLA Ready Public Safety App is a comprehensive tool that keeps people in New Orleans informed and prepared for large events and emergencies, including severe weather. The app provides real-time updates on essential City service information, empowering users to make informed decisions and take prompt action. “We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community,” said NOHSEP Director Collin Arnold. “With the NOLA Ready Public Safety App, we are enhancing our ability to communicate with residents instantly and directly, making it easier for New Orleans to stay prepared and safe during any emergency or large-scale event.” Key features Incident Reporting: Report emergencies or suspicious activity with the push of a button, helping local, state, and federal authorities respond more effectively. Interactive Maps: Access live, interactive maps showing service updates and more. Preparedness Tips: Find resources, checklists, and information on how to stay safe during various types of incidents. Rave AppArmor platform It is continuously updated to meet the community's evolving needs, keeping residents and visitors informed The app is powered by Motorola Solutions, a global pioneer in public safety and enterprise security technology, and leverages its Rave AppArmor platform. It is continuously updated to meet the community's evolving needs, keeping residents and visitors informed on a day-to-day basis and ahead of major events. Emergency preparedness and response “We are proud to support the City of New Orleans with purposefully designed technology that enhances emergency preparedness and response,” said Jehan Wickramasuriya, Senior Vice President of AI and Intelligence Platforms at Motorola Solutions. “The NOLA Ready app gives community members an easy way to alert public safety officials to emergencies or suspicious activity, enabling quicker and more accurate responses for a safer community.”

With the new year well underway, 2023 seems almost like a distant memory. However, a bit of distance might be just the thing to enable us to examine the impact of the year 2023 on the physical security marketplace. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What factors had the biggest impact on the security marketplace in 2023? 

Technology is driving new opportunities in the security industry. Innovation trends include artificial intelligence (AI), edge-based systems, mobile systems, a greater focus on software, and efforts to simplify operation of security systems, even as capabilities become more complex. ISC West 2022 reflected these changing trends. “In addition to emphasising technology innovation, ISC West also reflected an industry that is resilient, dedicated and passionate,” said Mary Beth Shaughnessy, the Event Director of ISC Security Events. ISC West 2022 “Almost 12,000 dealers, installers, integrators, end users and consultants reconnected at ISC West 2022, and there were nearly 20,000 total industry professionals in attendance (including manufacturers),” adds Mary Beth Shaughnessy. The 550 exhibitors and brands on display reflected an industry that has come through the COVID-19 pandemic in better shape than ever, poised for even greater success in the years ahead. Turning video and access control into knowledge Deployment of AI to ‘watch video’ can inform users of what’s happening in real-time Motorola Solutions emphasized several themes that were heard repeatedly throughout the show. “One trend is fulfilling the need to turn video and access control into sources of knowledge, inside the enterprise,” said John Kedzierzski, Motorola Solutions’ Senior Vice President of Video Security and Access Control. Deployment of AI to ‘watch video’ can inform users of what’s happening in real-time, while monitoring access control yields the equivalent of an operating system inside a building. Using the Cloud offers consumer ease-of-use to systems The second trend listed by Motorola Solutions is working to bring the consumer ease-of-use experience into enterprise security solution applications. Professional security systems were previously complicated to buy, install, manage and upgrade. However, using the Cloud, even distributed enterprises can bring consumer ease-of-use to systems, from improving the out-of-box installation experience to boosting the ability to manage the system. Transition to ‘mobile first’ interfaces The third trend emphasised by Motorola Solutions is transition to ‘mobile first’ interfaces, reflecting the need for busy security executives to be on-the-go, but with full access to their systems, without being chained to their desks. Since the last springtime ISC West show in 2019, Motorola Solutions has grown rapidly, both organically and through acquisition of IndigoVision, Pelco, Openpath, Envysion, and Ava Security. Cloud-based Orchestrate system Integration is simple through a ‘drag-and-drop’ approach that doesn’t involve writing code In addition, the company is making it easier to integrate video and access control systems with Motorola’s radio systems, typically carried by security guards. The cloud-based Orchestrate system translates ‘events’ from access control and video, to trigger notifications on a mobile radio. Integration is simple through a ‘drag-and-drop’ approach that doesn’t involve writing code. Simplifying implementation of AI Artificial Intelligence (AI) has traditionally been associated with the use of large servers or even intelligence in the Cloud. Several exhibitors at ISC West helped to change that misconception. For example, Oosto offers a simpler and more economical approach. They supply edge appliances for AI. The purpose-built Vision AI appliance, a small box, puts intelligence at the ‘near edge’, by connecting to up to five cameras. Easy and dependable ‘failover’ ensures redundancy without a big investment, and the system can work with any IP camera, including an end user’s installed base of cameras. Oosto’s TCO (total cost of ownership) calculator Oosto’s TCO (total cost of ownership) calculator spells out how much a customer can save versus using a big server, including lower costs such and power and cooling. AI was probably the biggest buzzword at ISC West, but there was also emphasis on the practical results of applying AI to physical security. Artificial Intelligence (AI) - the biggest buzzword at ISC West I believe our purpose is to bring buzzwords, like Cloud and AI together in a way that is useful to end-users" “What surprises me (at the show) is that there is a lot of generic marketing of AI, but we are trying to step back from our analytics and look at applications that serve certain end-users,” said Jeff Corrall, Vice President - Product Management at March Networks, adding “As an industry, we are still at the stage of AI as a buzzword.” Jeff Corrall further said, “I believe our purpose is to bring buzzwords, like Cloud and AI together in a way that is useful to end-users. We have to live with the buzzwords, but what we really want is to apply them. That creates a stickiness with the end-user — when high technology is making a difference.” March Networks Labs address specific end-user problems and then apply their systems to provide a solution. Jeff Corrall adds, “A lot of AI is responding to what the customer is asking for, and we are stepping back and making sure the end-user will use it on a consistent basis.” ‘Edge versus cloud’ was a common theme at ISC West Edge versus Cloud ‘Edge versus cloud’ was a common theme at ISC West, pondering where in a system the ‘intelligence’, such as AI and machine learning, as well as other functionality, should reside. Among the companies addressing the quandary was Axis Communications, which focused on the issue using a racing theme at their presentation to the industry press. The winner of the ‘race?’ - The combination of both approaches working together as a team, of course. AXIS Speed Monitor on exhibit One introduction at the show was the AXIS Speed Monitor, a speed detection app available using ACAP Axis Communications also highlighted the deep learning analytics of the ARPEC 8 camera chip (introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic), which will be deployed across their camera line. One introduction at the show was the AXIS Speed Monitor, a speed detection app available using ACAP (Axis Camera Application Platform), the capability to load ‘apps’ onto camera chips at the edge. They also introduced the D4100-E Network strobe siren (a smart edge device), the Audio Manager Pro (a cloud-based software system enabling zoning and callouts for specific areas in a building), the W101 body worn cameras with GPS capabilities, and a Barcode Reader for doorstop applications (another ACAP app). ‘App Store’ approach to expanding applications Azena is at the centre of expanding applications at the edge, promoting new applications through an ‘App Store’ approach that sells software apps that can be loaded onto cameras that are equipped with Azena’s operating system. In the last couple of years, the company (formerly known as Security and Safety Things) has expanded its offerings. There are currently 108 apps in the store from 30 to 40 app developers. There are 14 camera models (from six manufacturers) that are commercially available and run their operating system. The newest camera is a fisheye model from Vivotek. “What we have seen is that a lot of the use cases are pretty unique,” said Fabio Marti, Vice President - Marketing for Azena. Two examples are an application that monitors a flame to ensure it is burning cleanly (no smoke). Another system monitors nets covering fish farms to avoid birds getting tangled up in the nets. Fabio Marti said “A challenge is to find new business avenues for integrators. Everybody is not eager to look beyond their comfort zone.” Focusing on software to ensure user experience Software systems are one of the major focal points for innovation in security systems Software systems are one of the major focal points for innovation in security systems and Verkada is focusing on how software innovation can improve systems. “For decades, innovation was on the hardware front,” said Filip Kaliszan, Verkada’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), adding “We saw an opportunity for more innovation on the software side. The customer experience revolves around software.” Ensuring an end-to-end experience “We want to guarantee an end-to-end experience,” adds Filip Kaliszan. As a new company with a ‘hybrid cloud’ approach, Verkada focused on appealing to end users to convince them of the value proposition. Once an end user was convinced, Verkada brought in an integrator partner to deliver the solution. In effect, Verkada finds demand and brings that demand to the integrator. Software-centric operation of a modern building Verkada is broadly focused on ‘software-centric operation of a modern building.’ After starting out in video, Verkada has since expanded into systems for access control, alarm systems, and other categories. They use a combination of third-party hardware and equipment that is custom designed to work seamlessly with their software systems. Verkada’s end goal is to put the various systems together into a platform. They will continue building each product category, which will eventually be unified into ‘the operating system for the building of the future.’

The “Roaring Twenties” was a decade of economic growth and widespread prosperity, driven by recovery from devastation, a construction boom, and welcoming of new technologies such as automobiles and electricity. As we look ahead to the big picture of the 2020s, 100 years later, are there parallels that suggest a successful decade ahead? Might recovery from the devastation of COVID-19 help to drive even higher levels of economic growth and technical innovation? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Does the new decade represent a new “Roaring Twenties” for the physical security market?