Utilities


South Africa Rail Freight Operator Uses NICE IP Video Surveillance

NICE Systems Ltd. recently announced that Transnet Freight Rail, the leading provider of logistics and the largest rail operator in South Africa, has decided to standardize on NICE, undertaking a multi million-dollar project to implement NiceVision Net, NICE's end-to-end solution for IP video security.

Intelli-Check/Mobilisa Introduces TWIC Card Reader

Intelli-Check/Mobilisa Inc. recently announced that it will be launching its latest product, the IM 2700 -- Transportation Worker Card Reader at GovSec, U.S. Law and Ready.

Stopped In Their Tracks

Before Sept. 11, 2001, perimeter security provided an extra barrier of protection for an airport and its people—typically from hijackers and vandals. Although that is still true, there is now an added threat. Today, we cannot afford to let a terrorist or attacker get near airport facilities, people or passengers. In all too many cases, getting close is all they have to do.

Port Authority Of Los Angeles Taps Unisys For ID, Access Control System

The Port Authority of Los Angeles has contracted with Unisys Corp. to design and manage an identification and access control system, using smart card and biometric technologies, to identify workers who require access to restricted areas in the port.

A Global Shift

If you don’t think the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, continues to have strong repercussions throughout the world, then you haven’t traveled much in the last six years. Security is still the word du jour—perhaps even more so as time goes on. Transportation venues continue to protect themselves from terrorist threats.

Down to Earth

One of the first reactionary attempts to bolster security after 9/11 occurred at airports. Immediately after air service was reinstated, the public saw uniformed Marines armed with M-16s at every security checkpoint, concrete barriers at each entry point, security guards ransacking passengers’ luggage and, of course, taller fences going up around airfield perimeters. As with most things in life, an unexpected event usually generates an unexpected— and sometimes irrational— response. Such was the case with the nation’s aviation facilities.

Where Checkpoint Screening Goes Wrong

The last thing you want to find out while flying from one city to another is that airport security has been compromised. With so many people choosing flights as a preferred mode of transportation, airport security is paramount.

A Message for the Masses

Towering high-rises, sprawling college campuses and mass transit hubs can all have hundreds or thousands of people occupying them at any given moment. When a crisis emerges, it’s critical to protect lives, and that job becomes difficult when people are spread throughout a facility or across a wide area.



Sky Raiders

Today’s airports are at the frontline of homeland security. Checking for shoe bombs, banned liquids and suspected terrorists are part of the daily routine for airport security personnel. In fact, airport vulnerability has become such an issue that the Department of Homeland Security assigns the airline industry its own threat level designation. For example, airports can be assigned to threat level orange, meaning “High Risk of Terrorist Attacks” while the rest of the nation is at yellow, or “Elevated Risk.”

No Longer An Easy Target

Transit and shipment systems crisscross the country above and below Americans at hurried rates, moving millions of passengers and tons of freight each day. Above us, the active airways, often represented by blinking dots on a radar screen, nourish the nation's commerce and travel. Yet, this same frantic flow makes the country's circulatory system difficult to secure and, thus, attractive to attackers.

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

New Products

  • 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.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”