In September, several of Faith Group’s security staff attended ASIS International’s GSX Conference in Orlando, FL. serving as technology ambassadors for the week to our clients and guiding them through demonstrations of the latest technologies and solutions. Our technical staff have provided a recap of the best tech and lessons learned throughout demonstrations at the conference.
Clinton McGraw, PSP
The biggest theme I noticed at GSX was expansions and refinements in the use of AI. In the past, it appeared many manufacturers were racing to include it because that was the industry trend and everyone had to have it without justification as to why. However, at the show I saw a big emphasis on use cases and real-world proof of concept examples which was encouraging. I also noticed that there is an increasing emphasis by manufacturers on utilization of Security Technology for non-security related business functions. This is important to many of our clients as it provides additional justification for investment in costly equipment.
Jimmy Houlihan, PSP, EIT
One of the new technologies I found interesting at GSX was the camera management software developed by Ai-RGUS. The software leverages artificial intelligence to ensure that video surveillance system cameras and servers are functioning as they were intended to. For example, the software will detect and alert the end user if a camera is not viewing the correct scene or if a camera is not meeting its set recording requirements. This has the potential to be a huge cost/time saver, especially for a large-scale camera deployment. The Ai-RGUS camera management software also gives the end user peace of mind that their camera solution is functioning in an optimal way.
Arun Pillai, PMP, PSP, CPP
Picking up on the above two sections, there was a notable increase in software vendors looking to enhance end user capabilities rather than directly competing with the large security system vendors. Realizing that these enterprise vendors would have an easier time getting their systems installed to large sites, AI and analytics vendors are showcasing their individual capabilities as an added value to clients and working directly with the largest vendors to integrate their solutions. No longer competing with the “best of breed”, vendors are focusing on micro-issues that customers are facing, and their integration into larger platforms allows for end users to maintain a macro view of their entire security enterprise.
Brendan Kamps, PSP, DHC, DHT, CHDAI
On Sunday before the show began, I had the pleasure of attending a Hanwha Specifiers Event. This was a great opportunity to learn about the recent product releases as well as to hear about where Hanwha is headed. One product stood out from the rest, and this was the SolidEDGE camera series.
The SolidEDGE camera is truly unique and can solve some very difficult problems for enterprises with a large number of remote sites. This camera includes an onboard SSD with Hanwha’s WAVE VMS preloaded. It also supports Hanwha’s wide range of edge-based analytics. As an added benefit this camera can support the recording for 5 additional video streams, as well as run the above-mentioned analytics on these cameras regardless of the camera manufacturer. These cameras can be connected to Hanwha’s cloud video management for remote viewing and control. These benefits allow this system to be quickly and easily deployed where traditional infrastructure currently doesn’t exist or is cost prohibitive.
Additionally, Faith Group had the opportunity to send some of our technical staff to experience GSX for the first time. Their experiences included networking with our Innovation Lab technology partners and attending classes.
Marcus Anderson
Although I have been in the security industry for many years, this was my first time attending a security event of this size. By having first-hand experience with some of the products that were on display and being able to answer questions that clients had while walking around, I was asked on more than one occasion by a couple of manufacturers if I could stick around to assist with their product demonstrations. My main takeaway from GSX was to learn about new technologies, promote our Innovation Lab that just officially opened in our St. Louis Headquarters Office, and to connect with our lab partners on a more personal level. Networking is a key point to make while at conferences. With the Innovation Lab just opening, I tried to make it a point to connect with as many of our manufacturers/technology partners.
Eddie Reese
This year I was able to attend the GSX convention for the first time. I arrived early to attend the ASIS Physical Security Professional (PSP) review course with Kevin T. Doss. This course reviewed major topics and definitions someone would need going into the certification exam. In this course we discussed topics like risk management, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), access control, intrusion detection, and video surveillance systems. There were also a few guest speakers who spoke on the ins and outs of Business Continuity Planning. Attending this course was a great opportunity to meet with other security professionals also working towards their certification.
On Monday, the official first day of the conference, the show floor was packed with impressive displays and a wide variety of new products. We visited many new and familiar vendors; one topic was always present: AI. One interesting demonstration of AI analytics that I saw was Ipsotek’s VISuite. During this demonstration, a person standing at a bus stop leaves a bag unattended – which another person comes up to loot through before also abandoning the bag on a bench. Analytics determines the bag is abandoned and triggers an alarm, which pulls up video of both events where someone is leaving this bag behind. An unattended bag is a major security concern for airports and many of our clients.
Contrary to AI analytics in interior spaces, I also thought it was interesting to see AI in license plate readers and vehicle recognition from Motorola Solutions. In their management system details like make, model, and color of a vehicle are displayed at an impressive speed while also offering video monitoring of the lane. This could be very useful for security operation centers covering the incoming and outbound lanes of traffic around an airport. If Law Enforcement puts out a Be On The Look Out (BOLO) on a vehicle, it would be extremely beneficial for an airport to have this recognition capability to find target vehicles before they’re even able to park.
One other software demonstration that stuck out to me during the convention was Hexagon’s Accur8vision which combines LiDAR, 3D mapping, AI, and other technologies as a security solution. During a demonstration, a 3D rendering of the show floor was displayed where mesh models of people would show up, walking in and out of the booths. Zones can be determined and point cloud models of people turn from red to green. Field technicians could use laser scanners like the Leica BLK2GO Pulse to survey and scan areas, capturing that data into a cloud-based model of the space. As a designer, I was interested to learn that you could also import a 3D Revit model into this software as a map of your detection zones.