COVID-19

Interface Shares its top Security Industry Predictions for 2021

2021 could prove to be almost as turbulent for the security industry as 2020. In the earlier part of the year, we expect the industry will continue to grapple with the fallout from COVID-19 with possible disruptions to the equipment supply chain. However, assuming we can keep our critical workforce healthy and an effective vaccine is successfully deployed in Q2, the situation could improve very quickly.

Why Interoperable Communication is Essential in Today’s New Normal

COVID-19 shut down the United States seemingly overnight back in March. Students couldn’t return to school, thousands of employees shifted to a completely remote workstyle and many businesses closed their doors to visitors to try curbing the spike of cases. Nearly every industry faced many new challenges, and communication proved critical to navigate the new normal. Historically, communication has been vital in nearly every crisis.

Calipsa Survey Shows Video Monitoring Centers Surviving COVID-19

Owners and managers of video monitoring centers have generally fared well during the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly half increasing business according to a recent international survey conducted by Calipsa. The Calipsa Video Monitoring Report 2020 found 47% of respondents said the pandemic had stimulated business growth, providing an average 33% increase in clients and a 30% boost in revenue. More than a third (37%) of businesses reported no change in performance.

Irisbond Launches Hiru, the World’s First Multiplatform Eye Tracking Device

Irisbond has launched Hiru, the world’s first eye tracking technology that is compatible with any device regardless of operating system. With Hiru, anyone can operate devices with just a single glance from a computer to an ATM machine, an elevator or an access control system in an office building. Irisbond’s innovative eye tracking technology provides a new hands-free way of communicating with the world around us, which is proving crucial given the devastating impact of COVID-19.

Pangea Assists Liberty Latin America in Protecting its Employees Against the Spread of COVID-19

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Israel’s Pangea will supply workplace protection systems to Liberty Latin America, one of the leading communications companies in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Pangea multi-sensor solution integrates thermal imaging, video analytics and biometric access control technologies for screening large volumes of people entering buildings and public spaces.

Boon Edam Publishes Whitepaper on Effect of Pandemics on Entrance Security

Boon Edam has published a new whitepaper for architects and security professionals entitled, “The New Lobby: How Will Securing Buildings Change in a Post-Pandemic World?”. The publication begins by explaining the importance of creating a physical security plan that addresses and controls unauthorized entry due to tailgating and continues with discussions around how COVID-19 has impacted building design, forcing facility owners and designers to provide touchless entry and social distancing while upholding building security.

Interface Security Systems Helps Thrive Restaurant Group Implement New Managed SD-WAN, 4G/LTE, UCaaS and Security Systems

Interface Security Systems recently provided Thrive Restaurant Group, one of Applebee’s largest franchisees in the US, with a scalable network, communications and security services. The new solutions include a next-generation secure SD-WAN architecture with network upgrades, 4G/LTE wireless capability, unified communications as service (UCaaS) with cloud-based VoIP and a secure and standardized business security systems platform.

Aiphone Introduces a New IP Video Guard Station for Multi-tenant/ Commercial Spaces

Aiphone has added the IXG-MK IP Video Guard Station to its robust portfolio of solutions in its IXG Series Multi-Tenant Video Intercom System. The IXG-MK provides visitors a convenient way to call a building’s concierge, receptionist, or security guard directly from the entrance station. This is helpful when visitors are unsure how to reach a tenant or if they are simply trying to deliver a package to the front desk.

Open Systems is Named by Gartner in its 2020 Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response Services

Open Systems announced that it has been listed as a Representative Vendor in Gartner’s 2020 Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response Services1 (MDR). This news comes as the company’s recently launched MDR service has already won notable deals with several enterprise customers to protect more than 150 of their sites worldwide. MDR is an increasingly popular security option for enterprises.

Luxand Has Released a New Face Recognition SDK with a Thermal Face Detection Feature to Help Fight COVID-19

Luxand released a new FaceSDK 7.2 version with numerous improvements, including a major Thermal Face Detection feature, that helps small, medium and enterprise level companies fight the spread of COVID-19. Thermal face detection is a major feature that makes it possible to detect faces on streams and images from thermal cameras for anti-spoofing or fever-screening needs. Combined with a thermal camera, this new feature detects high temperatures in humans, meaning potential coronavirus cases.

Iris ID Introduces IrisTime – A Contactless, Biometric Time and Attendance Solution

Iris ID, a new biometric time and attendance platform providing a fully customizable and accurate solution to meet the leading workforce management needs of small businesses to enterprise organizations worldwide. IrisTime also offers a new technique for authenticating employee identity that uses a fusion of iris and face recognition to increase accuracy and convenience.

Davista Social Distancing Ensures a Safe Return to Work

Davista announced the availability of its AI-powered social distancing platform. The solution is designed to help businesses, organizations, and government agencies ensure social distancing efforts to keep individuals safe while promoting a healthy return-to-work. Across the globe, governments, corporate entities, and health and law enforcement agencies are working to find solutions to COVID-19 while making strides to get their local economies back up and running.

Blaine Frederick Joins Alcatraz as VP of Product

Blaine Fredrick has joined Alcatraz as Vice President of Product to lead the technology startup in product development as it delivers its secure, autonomous access control platform. As VP of Product, Frederick serves as a liaison between business, technology and user experience. He manages all components of the Alcatraz Rock product from strategic planning to tactical activities. He connects internal resources with the needs of the addressable market.

Suprema to Introduce New Fusion Multimodal Terminal at Live Sessions of Suprema Connect

Suprema invites industry members to the “Fusion Face Recognition” live session scheduled on September 17th, where it will introduce the new FaceStation F2 Fusion Multimodal Terminal. The live session is part of Suprema Connect 2020, Suprema’s first virtual event, designed to compensate for traditional security conferences, most of which were cancelled due to COVID-19. At the Fusion Face, Recognition live sessions a Suprema expert will go over the features and technology of FaceStation F2 in detail.

Security Professionals Overcome the Challenges of COVID-19

In what has become an annual event spearheaded by Mission 500, students at Crosspointe Elementary School in Boynton Beach, Florida will once again have essential school supplies, provided by COPS Monitoring thanks to the generous efforts of the “Back to School Backpack Event.” Rather than meeting in-person to assemble the backpacks and distributing them directly to the students at Crosspointe Elementary School, the school supplies, bags, and positive mental health items were shipped to the school so that teachers can sort the items and distribute them safely.

ISC EAST 2020 Event Has Been Canceled

ISC East 2020, scheduled for Nov. 18-19, 2020, in New York City, has been canceled due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 as further discussed below, and continued restrictions on large events. Amidst extensive travel restrictions across the majority of the U.S., health and safety concerns due to the pandemic and the essential workers’ responsibility of security and public professionals during this time, it is not viable to meet in person for the event this year.

Security & Safety Things Announces Winners of App Challenge

Security and Safety Things GmbH announced the three winners of its App Challenge, a contest designed to promote the development of innovative applications for smart cameras in the retail, manufacturing and transportation sectors. The winning apps provided solutions to help these vertical markets overcome new challenges as a result of COVID-19 conditions. This application provides a way for retailers to discern customer satisfaction through the use of hand gestures and facial expression emojis.

New Suprema FaceStation F2 Combines Visual and IR Face Recognition

Suprema announces the introduction of the FaceStation F2 Fusion Multimodal Terminal. The new multimodal biometric solution delivers exceptional authentication accuracy and anti-spoofing performance by the fusion of visual and infrared face recognition technology. The FaceStation F2 can also be combined with Suprema Thermal Camera to detect users with high skin temperature, and features mask detection capabilities to help prevent the spread of infectious viruses such as COVID-19.

SISCO CORP Keeping Personnel Safe During the Pandemic

SISCO CORP has turned its technological prowess toward protecting personnel greeting visitors at schools, hospitals, and businesses nationwide from COVID-19. SISCO’s technology reduces investigative time by providing the hospital, school, or business and the CDC with an investigative tool to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading further, said Tom Madden, whose public relations firm TransMedia Group is spreading the word why SISCO is the leader in identity management solutions.

Sentry Security Launches Human Temp Scanner for Schools

Sentry Security Solutions now offers Human Temperature Scanners. This product line is designed for quick and easy deployment at scale across school campuses, businesses, and other commercial applications. Campus and Workplace Protection during COVID 19 requires new technology like Sentry Live HT thermal imaging. The solution is currently being utilized for hospitals, corporate campuses, airports, retail stores, train stations, event centers, grocery chains, schools, universities and restaurants.