R.I.P. COVID-19

INDUSTRY FOCUS

R.I.P. COVID-19

By my estimation, that crazy pandemic might have slowed things down a bit for the past two years. Working from home, tele-calls and other means to keep a personal distance of at least 6 feet. COVID-19 and all its variations are still hanging around but it hasn’t stopped technology innovations.

A memory from the 2021 ISC West was a reminder of a tradeshow on life support. Things changed for the better. What’s new in security products took a huge leap forward in March during ISC West.

Above all else, it was amazing to see friends, face-to-face. So, where did this year’s tradeshow land in terms of attendance, exhibitors and overall buzz? Is the security industry resilient?

“It truly was amazing to see all our attendees, exhibitors and partners in person again! Clearly the security and public safety industry is ready to get back to face-to-face meetings, as the Show Floor was packed and the electrifying energy consistently included positive messages throughout the week such as ‘exceeded our expectations,’” said Mary Beth Shaughnessy, event director of ISC Security Events.

People in the security industry are passionate about their calling of providing security systems and solutions. Attendance only proved to me that providing security will never be on life support. One thing I have noticed, and was mentioned several times during ISC West conversations, the pandemic provided a means by which engineers and product managers could concentrate more on new product development.

From my travels on the show floor, I noticed several new products and amazing iterations of products that had been launched previously. Technology is ever changing, and advancing so quickly. Back on track, ISC West is soaring once again.

“SIA was inspired by the outstanding growth seen at ISC West 2022 and by seeing the energy and dedication on the show floor, in the conference sessions and at events taking place throughout the week,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson.

Perhaps as many as 20,000 attendees and exhibitors attended. I’m not naïve enough to think the pandemic is over but hoping it can now rest in peace.

This article originally appeared in the May / June 2022 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Tradeshow Work Can Be Fun

    While at ISC West last week, I ran into numerous friends and associates all of which was a pleasant experience. The first question always seemed to be, “How many does this make for you?” Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • New Report Says 1 in 5 SMBs Would Be Forced to Shutter After Successful Cyberattack

    Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) play a crucial role in the U.S. economy, making up 99.9% of all businesses and contributing to half of the nation's GDP. However, these vital economic growth drivers face an escalating threat—cyberattacks that could put them out of business. Read Now

  • The Yellow Brick Road

    The road to and throughout Wednesday's and Thursday's ISC West was crowded but it was amazing. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • An Inside Look From Napco at ISC West

    Get a look into the excitement at ISC West 2025 from Napco. Hear from some of their top-tech executives live from the show floor. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Upping the Ante

    I am not a betting man in terms of cards, dice, blackjack or that wheel with the black marble racing around the circumference of a spinning wheel, but I would bet on the success of ISC West this year. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) 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. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.