Behind the Scenes Innovation Demonstrated at ISC West

Behind the Scenes Innovation Demonstrated at ISC West

At the end of the day, the security industry's main goal is to provide security, safety and peace of mind, so that all living beings can enjoy a life-time of happiness. This is accomplished by various products and services offered, but where do these innovative ideas come from? What do companies and associations literally "do" behind the scenes to promote inventive thinking and creativity to battle the bad guys? Here's how some are plunging in and taking on this challenge.

Z-Wave Alliance, creator of an interoperable standard, a certification process and partnerships with over 300 companies to create smarter homes and secure business applications, launched the Z-Wave Labs Program to foster innovation. Seeking applications from small businesses, schools and individuals young and old, a panel of Z-Wave members will choose a monthly winner who will receive a Z-Wave kit, 1 full year of membership in the alliance and a mentor to create, develop and build a concept product.

FIBRO Home Automation System provides homeowners with the ability to control their lighting, HVA, coffee pot, water valves, etc. remotely, saving homes from fire and flood. To prove their creativity, innovative thinking and that their products work effectively, FIBRO presented the Mt. Everest Challenge. They actually sent Polish-born Mariusz Malkowski, a security professional who is dedicated to the development of the home automation industry, to the top of Mt. Everest to prove that you can control your home from the "top of the world."

As crazy as this may sound, I witnessed Malkowski via Skype from the showroom floor with his tablet in hand, sitting on the side of Mt. Everest as he pressed a button on the touchscreen and coffee literally brewed from a Keurig right before my eyes! That's serious stuff right there!

Later on in the day, I meet with March Networks who is taking data and analyzing it in a rather innovative way. Because their management software has business intelligence, the ability to capture dwell time, people counting and more, March Networks developed an innovative analytic with proof of video capture.

As a real-use example in retail security, an individual enters a retail establishment and March Networks' software captures this person, adding him/her to the real-time occupancy count. The software then analyzes the dwell time of that individual as he/she enters a predetermined "zone," a particular area within a store, let's say an end-cap, measuring the time in which the individual stays in the zone.

Taking the occupancy count and zone dwell time of a period of 7 days, for example, at this particular end cap, the store can determine the percentage of people that actually stopped to view the end cap. And, because this was all captured on video, the percentage is backed by proof of video capture.

This stuff is pretty powerful, and this is just but three examples of behind the scenes innovation that I learned at ISC West this year. Imagine if I could pick the brains of the 1000+ exhibitors. It would be mind-blowing!

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Freedom of Choice

    In today's security landscape, we are witnessing a fundamental transformation in how organizations manage digital evidence. Law enforcement agencies, campus security teams, and large facility operators face increasingly complex challenges with expanding video data, tightening budget constraints and inflexible systems that limit innovation. Read Now

  • Accelerating a Pathway

    There is a new trend touting the transformational qualities of AI’s ability to deliver actionable data and predictive analysis that in many instances, seems to be a bit of an overpromise. The reality is that very few solutions in the cyber-physical security (CPS) space live up to this high expectation with the one exception being the new generation of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) software – herein recategorized as PIAM+. Read Now

  • Protecting Your Zones

    It is game day. You can feel the crowd’s energy. In the parking lot. At the gate. In the stadium. On the concourse. Fans are eager to party. Food and merchandise vendors ready themselves for the rush. Read Now

  • Street Smarts

    The ongoing acceptance of AI and advanced data analytics has allowed surveillance camera technology to shift from being a tactical tool to a strategic business solution. Combining traditional surveillance technology with AI-based data-driven insights can streamline transportation systems, enhance traffic management, improve situational awareness, optimize resource allocation and streamline emergency response procedures. Read Now

  • Midtown Manhattan Shooting Kills 4, Including NYPD Officer

    Four people were killed, including a NYPD officer, in a midtown Manhattan shooting on Monday. That’s according to CNN. Read Now

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.