Swiftlane - Experts & Thought Leaders

Altronix, the provider of power and data transmission products for professional security applications, continues to expand the company’s popular line of Trove™ Access and Power Integration Solutions. Altronix Trove™ now seamlessly integrates with Swiftlane DCU 5 Door Controllers, simplifying board layout and wire management. Systems integrators can now easily configure and deploy Swiftlane access control for up to 12 door systems. Companies are rapidly moving to cloud-based access control solutions in the remote first post COVID world. The Swiftlane and Altronix partnership now enables rapid deployment of contactless entry to offices through face recognition and mobile credentials. Remote access grants By using a combination of remote access grants for face recognition, mobile and PINs, and a cloud-based access control and wireless video intercom solution, companies can now manage primary and satellite offices remotely. Regarding multifamily buildings, package theft has become a major problem. Food deliveries are at an all-time high, increasing burden for property access. Food deliveries are at an all-time high, increasing burden for property access Technology like video-based wireless intercoms and remote unlock can now be deployed seamlessly using the Altronix-Swiftlane solution, creating user experiences that residents desire. “Our collaboration with Swiftlane streamlines the design and installation process, saving time and labour which ultimately makes projects more profitable,” said Alan Forman, President, Altronix Corporation. “In addition to the convenience and cost-efficiency these preconfigured Trove kits deliver, they can be further customised with a number of options including advanced network communications.” Access control solutions Altronix and Swiftlane pre-configured Trove kits support four and twelve door systems. Trove1 and Trove2 solutions provide scalable flexibility for custom applications, where specific power requirements are needed. “Our partnership with Altronix provides high degrees of efficiency and convenience to systems integrators and end users by expediting system deployment with assuring quality and performance.” “Altronix has a long history of delivering reliable, efficient and versatile power solutions. By combining Swiftlane's face recognition and mobile access control solutions with Altronix’s Trove solutions, we are able to deliver rapid deployment of touchless access control technology,” said Saurabh Bajaj, CEO and Founder, Swiftlane. “We look forward to further enhancing this combined offering as new products and solutions become available from our respective companies.” Altronix products are manufactured in the U.S.A. and backed by a lifetime warranty.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the 2020 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards, the flagship awards program in partnership with ISC West recognising innovative security products, services and solutions. Top among the winners – who were recognised on July 9 during a virtual awards show – was Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, receiving the 2020 Best New Product Award. Since its inception in 1979, the SIA New Product Showcase has been the security industry’s premier product awards program. New products are reviewed by a panel of judges with extensive industry experience, and in 2020, following significant deliberations, the 30 judges presented awards for technologies covering 23 product and service categories. Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, received the Best New Product honour for its 3D Surveillance with Leica BLK247, submitted in the Emerging Technologies category. Building security The 3D Surveillance with Leica BLK247 is “a first-of-its-kind reality capture sensor for building security and operations,” said Leica Geosystems. “It is the latest product in the company’s BLK product line, a collection of reality capture, scanning and photogrammetry hardware and software. The BLK247 offers continuous, 24/7 LiDAR-based 3D monitoring and change detection within spaces. It does this using LiDAR, 3D digital fencing and continuous scanning to monitor buildings and spaces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” The prestigious Judges’ Choice Award was presented to Suprema Inc. for the Airfob Patch product, submitted in the Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware – Wireless category. “Airfob Patch is the world’s first mobile-to-RF-card signal translator, enabling mobile phones to communicate with the existing RF card readers,” said Suprema Inc. “Wire, batteries nor construction is required for installation. Airfob Patch charges itself by using the existing RF field signals transmitted from the RF reader. It transforms the RF fields into its own power source.” New Product Showcase Merit Award SIA is proud to present John Spooner with the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase Merit Award" Additionally, John Spooner – executive vice president at Alarm Detection Systems and an active volunteer judge in the SIA New Product Showcase program. Spooner received the New Product Showcase Merit Award, which recognises an individual or company who, through their support of the New Product Showcase, demonstrates a commitment to the vision and mission of the program, contributes to its success and promotes the advancement of SIA and the security industry overall. “SIA is proud to present John Spooner with the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase Merit Award; John has not missed a single SIA New Product Showcase event since he began as an active volunteer judge in the program 17 years ago,” said Chris Grniet, chair of the SIA New Product Showcase Committee. “He has always been a fair and honest participant and has never hesitated to jump in and help whenever we need him. He has been exemplary in his commitment, participation and ability to help the group reach consensus.” Services and contributions “Following hours of panel-driven judging and technology demonstrations, SIA is thrilled to recognize the 2020 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards for their innovative products, services and contributions representing the best new offerings in the market,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA applauds all the honourees who received awards in 2020 and particularly Leica Geosystems and Suprema Inc. for standing out in this highly competitive field of entrants to earn the Best New Product and Judges’ Choice distinctions. Additionally, we congratulate John Spooner on receiving the 2020 New Product Showcase Merit Award in recognition of his many valuable contributions to this premier program.” Award winners The 2020 SIA New Product Showcase winners are: Best New Product Award Winner – Leica Geosystems, Part of Hexagon: 3D Surveillance with Leica BLK247 Judges’ Choice Award Winner – Suprema Inc.: Airfob Patch New Product Showcase Merit Award Winner – John Spooner, executive vice president, Alarm Detection Systems Category Awards Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware – Wireless Winner – dormakaba: BEST Switch™ Tech Access Control Software, Hardware, Devices & Peripherals – Wired Winner – Swiftlane: Swiftlane Access Control Honourable Mention – Altronix Corporation: Tango Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection and Biometrics Winner – Gibraltar Perimeter Security: G-1441 Ultra-Shallow Bollard Winner – IDEMIA: VisionPass Commercial Monitoring Solutions Winner – IronYun Inc.: AI NVR Edge Analytics Communications and Networking Solutions Winner – Axis Communications, Inc.: AXIS C8210 Network Audio Amplifier Convergence and Integration Solutions Winner – Blue Light: Blue Fusion Design, Diagnostic and Installation Tools Winner – Alarm.com: On-Site Wrap Up Emergency Communication Systems Winner – Verint: NowForce Emerging Technologies Winner – BioConnect: BioConnect’s Unified Mobile Access Solution Winner – IPVideo Corporation: HALO IOT Smart Sensor 2.0 Fire/Life Safety Winner – Kidde: Kidde Optica Smoke Detectors Hosted Solutions/Managed Services Winner – SiteOwl: SiteOwl Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solutions (Physical) – Wireless Winner – Alula: Slimline Touchpad Honourable Mention – Cartell: CW-SYS Wireless Driveway System Lock and Key Solutions Winner –Medeco: All Weather Padlock Honourable Mention – Abloy Oy: ABLOY® BEAT Mobile Solutions (Connected) Winner – CloudScann: Visual Intelligence Control Centre (VICC) With VisualC3 Mobile Honourable Mention: Rapid Response Monitoring: rapidSMS Smart Home Solutions Winner – Alarm.com/Building36: Smart Water Valve+Meter Threat/Risk Management Software Applications Winner – Splan Inc.: SIVI™ – Splan Intelligent Visitor Insights Video Surveillance Advanced Imaging Technologies Winner – Axis Communications, Inc.: AXIS Live Privacy Shield Video Surveillance Cameras (HD/Megapixel) Winner – Bosch Security and Safety Systems: MIC IP Ultra 7100i Honourable Mention – Hanwha Techwin: PNM-9085RQZ Video Surveillance Data Storage Winner – Dragonfruit AI: Dragonfruit LiveArchive Video Surveillance Hardware and Accessories Winner – EIZO Inc.: FDF2711W-IP Video Surveillance Management Systems Winner – Airship Industries, Inc.: Airship EMS v5.4.5 During the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase virtual awards ceremony, in addition to the presentation of the overall and category-specific awards, attendees enjoyed hearing insights from New Product Showcase judges into innovations driving product advancements in the security industry.

In today’s fraught times, business continuity and success hinges on how you manage the visitors to your company. By prioritising safety and security, and coupling them with top-notch attention and customer service, you win loyalty and gain a reputation that will serve you in years to come. An excellent way to accomplish this is by identifying and implementing the best visitor management system for your company. And visitor management systems go beyond ensuring the safety of your visitors and staff safety from your visitors. A feature-rich VMS will track your guests' activities, so you can better understand their preferences for future visits. That way, you can manage visitor experience and tailor amenities and preferences. Both customer loyalty and brand reputation benefit. Visitor management systems: who uses it, and why is it used? Visitor management refers to all the processes put together by an organisation to welcome, process, and keep track Visitor management refers to all the processes put together by an organisation to welcome, process, and keep track of all the guests daily. A visitor management system (VMS) is the technology used to manage guests for their convenience, safety, and security. Several features are typical in today’s applications. They include preregistration tools,  video intercoms, self-check-in stations, and health screening. In visitor management, the term "visitor" doesn't only refer to guests but also anyone without an authorized access credential. For instance, an employee without their access credential logs in as a visitor. The same applies to a delivery man or a technician carrying out routine maintenance. A VMS helps to account for everyone within the organisation at any given time. Who uses visitor management systems? You need a visitor management system to manage a school or hospital, an office, or even a residential building. Here's why: Visitor management system for schools: schools are among society’s most vulnerable facilities. A VMS is almost mandatory in this setting. It helps to identify visitors, detect intruders, and alert security of any unauthorised access. Visitor management system for offices: A VMS accounts for guests at all times. They include clients, maintenance contractors, delivery men, employees without credentials, friends, and family, Visitor management system for hospitals: access control is essential in hospitals, and managing visitors plays a major role. Hospitals offer access to pharmaceuticals, medical records, newborns, and expensive equipment. It is crucial to monitor restricted hallways and sections with video intercoms and track unauthorised persons' movements. Residential visitor management system: tracking people's movement is a key VMS component. In case of a crime, knowing who had access to the building within a specific time frame can help in the investigation. Plus, tracking the activities of visitors can deter future crime. Why is the visitor management system important? A video intercom makes it much more difficult for a visitor to impersonate a known guest. VMS accounts for everyone within the organisation in cases of emergency. VMSs can prevent intruders and alert the security department of a breach. A VMS creates a positive visitor experience, which shapes perception of the organisation. With a trusted VMS in place, employees can focus on being productive. Health screening gives staff peace of mind. It increases employees' willingness to return to work in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic. How does a good VMS address occupant and visitor safety? The necessary technology to ensure building safety The best visitor management systems contain the necessary technology to ensure building safety. To maximise occupant and visitor safety, a VMS should have the following features: Job one of a VMS is visitor identification. It also helps deter potential criminals. Some VMSs go beyond identification by running a quick check on the visitor's ID and alerting security of any discrepancies. By identifying and proving a visitor's identity, the VMS ensures the safety of employees and other visitors. VMS helps with compliance A good visitor management system helps the organisation follow regulations, such as for occupancy. In the COVID era, some states may require health screening for guests. Health screening helps protect the building's occupants from exposure to health hazards. Information security VMSs also aid in information protection. It takes mere seconds for a rogue visitor to download files into a jump drive, photograph exposed blueprints, or copy customer lists. Visitor management systems restrict visitor access to parts of the building and track the whereabouts of guests. Visitor privacy With pen and paper systems, walking up to the receptionist often gives visitors full view of the visitors list. Visitor management systems seal that vulnerability. Visitors can check in without fear that anyone nearby can see their information. Emergency evacuation With a good VMS, the exact number of people within the building is always known. In the case of an emergency, first responders can use VMS data to identify everyone on site. This is a safety net for both the occupants and visitors to the organisation. How to manage building visitors System features depend on the purpose and setting of the VMS. Yet certain features and processes are essential. Preauthorisation and health screening The first step is knowing the visitors upfront. Preauthorisation allows everyone to know who is coming and when. Guests specify the time and purpose of their visits. You get to welcome and accommodate your visitors accordingly. Some systems may also be able to upload documents of interest, such as proposals, contracts, presentations, or agendas. Health screening is critical today. It signals that the organisation cares about its guests. A visitor is more likely to visit an organisation that prioritises health and safety. Health screening is a way to protect your staff and send the right message. Video intercom Along with health screening, video intercom is a key element of VMSs. It enables secure video identification with remote, touchless, and COVID-safe access into buildings. Intercoms are a safe and secure way to communicate with audio and video without physical contact. Video allows you to visually verify the visitor. The audio component enables spoken communication. Some systems even use facial recognition technology and mobile app unlock. When integrated with access control, visitor arrival is seamless. Upgrade to touchless access Touchless access is the safest and most secure VMS option Touchless access is the safest and most secure VMS option. It is more sophisticated because it receives visitors without them having to lift a finger. It's also convenient and effective. In this time of the novel coronavirus, the demand for hands-free systems is surging. VMS has pivoted to met this demand. Many organisations are finding how touchless systems increase safety in the workplace. Visitor logging is essential for managing guests to your building. Besides being a source for verification and data tracing, it also helps in real-time to know who signed into the building and who hasn't signed out yet. Tracking the movement of visitors within the facility makes it clear where they are at all times. This way, there can be an effective emergency action plan for visitors and other occupants. This feature has use in contact tracing, health investigations, and other investigations, such as for theft.