Author: dtaitano

Access Control Systems: Six Key Planning Steps

At one time, the function of an access control system was simply to enable facilities to control the ability to enter and leave without using hard keys, while creating a logging system with no paper. Access control systems have evolved into multi-faceted tools that can control the movement of people and assets, support video, and integrate cameras as well as financial and vending systems — all with the use of one smartcard or token. Because of this complexity, it’s essential to follow the proper steps in planning access control systems.

Massena NY Teamsters Agree on Language for Security Cameras

A dispute in Massena, NY, going back to August over the installation of cameras in the Town Hall has been settled. Town Supervisor Joseph D. Gray said that officials wanted to install cameras in public buildings to ensure the safety of employees as well as visitors. But Mickey S. Smith, business agent for the Teamsters Union Local 687, questioned why cameras would be put in areas not accessible to members of the public.

Oregon Lawmakers Propose Bill Allowing Body Cameras, Citizens Recording Police

Oregon lawmakers are working on a bill that would require the state’s police officers to wear small body cameras like the one modeled on a New York City police officer at a news conference, above. Recent high-profile police killings and the double murder of two New York City policemen have made body cameras for officers a popular idea that Oregon legislators are already moving on.

IBM: Patent Issued for Automatically Determining Field of View Overlap Among Multiple Cameras

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) has been issued patent number 8913791, according to news reports. The patent’s inventors are Datta, Feris, and Pankanti, Zhai. This patent was filed on March 28, 2013 and was published online on December 16, 2014.

Few Laws Regulate Police Use of Surveillance Systems

Police across the country are using increasingly sophisticated surveillance systems to monitor daily life in their communities. Ultra-high-definition cameras, software that can read license plates and recognize faces, and systems that can alert police to suspicious behavior have given law enforcement unprecedented access to our everyday activities. Average citizens and privacy advocates say the ability to monitor and record public activity at such an extraordinary level is a threat to personal privacy.

Scranton Plans Surveillance Camera Video Wall at Police Station

Scranton?s plan to allow private, existing video surveillance cameras to feed into a network at the city?s police headquarters would be like having extra eyes on the streets, Police Chief Carl Graziano said. A community video-camera surveillance network would involve private surveillance cameras in the city, such as those at banks, businesses or colleges, to link to the police station on South Washington Avenue.

Industrial Networking Solutions Selects Sphere 3D SnapServer NAS for Video Surveillance and Security Solution

Sphere 3D Corporation (NASDAQ: ANY), a virtualization technology and data management solutions provider (and formerly Overland Storage), announced that its long–term channel partner, Industrial Networking Solutions, has selected Sphere 3D’s SnapServer network attached storage (NAS) for integration with MOBOTIX video surveillance cameras and management software.

St. Louis Police Release Footage of Antonio Martin Fatal Shooting

St. Louis County police released footage on Wednesday evening they said shows 18-year-old Antonio Martin pulling a gun on an officer before being shot and killed, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The footage was taken from three different security cameras at the Berkeley, Missouri gas station where Martin encountered the unidentified officer. However, the officer […]

LA County Sheriff?s Department to Start Collecting Face and Eye Scans

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved $24 million in state funds for the LA Sheriff’s Department (LASD) to get new identification technology that would include palm prints, face recognition, iris scans, and voice recordings, in addition to fingerprints.

X-Band RADAR Blimps Over Washington DC Tracks Aircraft, Cars, and Boats

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Maryland – After a protracted development program, The U.S. Army is planning to finally deploy by year?s end the first of its new airships designed to aid in air and missile threat detection for the Northeastern U.S. The deployment is highlighting what some in the nation?s defense establishment say is a vulnerability in U.S. homeland protection: the ability to detect a cruise missile targeting a U.S. city.

Atmel and Fingerprint Cards Enter Strategic Partnership for Biometric Fingerprint and Touchscreen Solutions

Atmel® Corporation, a global leader in microcontroller and touch technology solutions and Fingerprint Cards AB (FPC), a world leader in fingerprint verification solutions, announced the two companies are jointly bringing the world’s best capacitive touchscreens and touch fingerprint area sensor technology to smart devices. The joint integration accelerates an OEM’s time-to-market by bringing must-have high-performance security and user interface solutions from two leading providers.

Military Medical Facility Selects NICE Suspect Search to Help Ensure Patient Security

NICE Systems (NASDAQ: NICE) announced that the San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC), the largest U.S. Department of Defense Level I Trauma and Burn Research Center, is in the process of deploying the NICE Suspect Search video analytics solution. This will enable personnel to track and locate missing patients or suspicious persons during time-critical scenarios to help ensure ongoing security and safety at a facility that serves hundreds of thousands of U.S. service members and their families.

Drone on Drones: New Court Decision Reflects Shifting Views on Privacy in Public

Whenever drone policy is raised as a topic, privacy concerns follow close behind it as a discussion point. The idea of aerial surveillance that is cheaper, less time-intensive, and requires fewer man hours to get off the ground leads immediately to concerns about the development of a surveillance state, where individuals can be monitored round the clock, and every public action can be recorded for posterity.

Wearable Tech Shakes Up Access Control

Marrying access control to wearable technology will vastly improve user experience while boosting security, says Brivo Labs. Brivo Labs was into wearable technology long before wearable technology was cool. "The lanyard with an access control card on it is a wearable, so we’ve been in it for years," said Lee Odess, general manager of the Bethesda, Md.-based company that has sold access control products for 15-plus years.

Avaya Networking Ranks ?Best in Show? for Video Surveillance at Maine?s Fryeburg Fair

Fryeburg Fair Charlotte’s “web” just got a whole lot faster at the Fryeburg Fair. The largest agricultural fair in the state of Maine –and the second-largest in New England– Fryeburg Fair is a staple in the community, serving more than 300,000 visitors the week of the event. As with any large-scale public event, Fryeburg Fair places a high priority on safety and security.

IP Video Growth Predicted to Surpass Other Segments of Surveillance Market

A new market research report finds IP video surveillance is likely to surpass the analog system in 2014 as a result of advantages in terms of quality, scalability, and flexibility. The report profiles the major companies active in this field, including Axis Communications AB (Sweden), Avigilon Corporation (Canada), Bosch Security System, Inc. (U.S.), and Pelco by Schneider Electric (U.S.) among others. This report has divided the industry into four segments: system, hardware, software & services, applications and geography.