Bomb Dog used by the American Military in Afghanistan

This video tells a story of a bomb dog used by the American military in Afghanistan.  Bomb dogs have been an invaluable asset to US military operations as they are capable of detecting explosives, finding enemy combatants, and chasing down anyone who tries to escape.  General David Petraeus, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, has said of the dogs "The capability they bring to the fight cannot be replicated by man or machine.  By all measures of performance, their yield outperforms any asset we have in our industry. Our Army would be remiss if we failed to invest more in this incredibly valuable resource."

Satellite's Facial Rec Spotted Bin Laden in September 2010

U.S. officials revealed yesterday that facial recognition software honed in on Osama bin Laden from satellite as early as September 2010. The al-Qaeda founder was identified while he was exercising in his Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound, a win that led to Sunday's successful operation.

We now know that the compound had been under surveillance for months prior to that first sighting. 

This type of facial recognition wouldn't have been possible only a few years ago. The extreme high-definition image resolution of the satellite's camera, combined with today's advanced facial rec capabilities, enabled officials to ID bin Laden from space--an amazing concept, even in 2011. 

ONVIF UP-DATE

ONVIF, the organization looking to standardize IP-based physical security products showed the standard is growing quickly among vendors at a demonstration in Las Vegas.


ONVIF held a public demonstration of IP-based device interoperability with more than two dozen network video terminal (NVTs) and network video clients (NVC) gathered together in a ballroom at the Sands Convention Center during the ISC West 2011 trade show. According to Jonas Andersson, chairman of ONVIF’s steering committee and director of business development and global sales at Axis Communications, “We wanted to show that it’s working,” he said in an interview during the event. ONVIF is the leading global standardization initiative for IP-based physical security products. Anderson said there are currently more than 700 products available in the market that conform to the ONVIF specification. “As of the end of March, there are more than 700 and we’ve been adding almost 100 per month” in the last few months, said Andersson.


ONVIF membership has grown to more than 280 companies, according to the organization. The recently-expanded specification now includes video storage, analytics and a pending addition of physical access control, with the release of the ONVIF Core Specification 2.0 to encompass video storage, display devices, video analytics and other areas, ONVIF said it is getting closer to its goal of providing a global open network interface standard for physical security equipment. The expansion of the scope to include physical access control systems is slated for release in 2011, it said.


The event was ONVIF’s fourth interoperability showcase and continues the group’s tradition of providing an open forum during major security industry events to foster communication with companies actively involved in the development and implementation of the ONVIF specification and provide education about standards, it said.  Companies taking part in the demonstration include network video firms such as CNB Technology, Hikvision, Bosch Security Systems, GVI Security, LG Electronics, Siemens, Axis Communications, Sony and several others. “The rapid adoption rate of the ONVIF specification in the security industry has proved that ONVIF is becoming the de facto standard in the market,” said Andersson. “End users, integrators and consultants are beginning to embrace the ONVIF specification as a critical tool in the design of today’s network video surveillance systems.”


One of the demonstration participants, thermal imaging systems maker FLIR, demonstrated it could connect its systems with a number of NVCs in the demonstration room. A FLIR spokesman said the process of conforming to the ONVIF standards allows the company to validate the interoperability of its products more quickly, resulting in faster incorporation by systems integrators.

Data Center Best Practices for Integrated Physical Security

Just finished a White-paper  titled  "Data Center Best Practices for Integrated Physical Security Technology Solutions and SAS 70 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD-7) Compliance" It’s time to get physical—as in physically protecting a data center and all of its assets.  The need for ironclad virtual security measures, such as managed firewalls, is well known. Yet physical security is often placed on the back
burner, largely forgotten about until an unauthorized party manages to break into or sneak onto a site and steals or vandalizes systems. Read more below...

Protect Your Home and Family as well as Your Department from Physical Security Threats

As a contracted provider of Physical Security Solutions for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under contract FAC64, I wanted to answer physical security questions you may have on your mind. I specialize in helping departments that don't have a specialized security manager’s on staff. I do this by assisting non-security professionals create and operate effective protection programs that allow safeguards to be managed without having a dedicated physical security professional.  Today’s security technologies offer fantastic tools to deter a variety of threats.

I recently had a conversation with Security Professionals within the Commonwealth.  In that conversation I became aware that security technologies, policies and procedures are primarily focused on facilities and not on the personal residences of our elected and appointed officials.  I was asking these questions because I was aware of protection policies that were addressed back in 2007 at the federal level, originally concerning the Federal Judiciary.  I have some ideas that you may want to consider since the January 8^th 2011 event in Tucson, AZ brought to the forefront the clear and present danger a person with no concern for themselves or others can cause. 

I am available to individually meet and discuss your individual concerns, in the mean time I would suggest some policies and procedures that you may want to consider.  I have included the following checklist to introduce some reasonable ideas and enhancements to improve basic safety:

·         A professional physical security review of key person’s home including their home security alarm system (if available).

·         The alarm should be monitored (or installed) and a clear escalation process for a State Police and Local Law Enforcement enhanced priority response, such as: “crime in progress.” with follow-up.

·         Make sure all keys and codes are protected and not available to non-family members.  (There are other options to provide limited access to vendors, cleaning services, etc.)

·         Do not put key person’s name or title outside their residence or in their mailbox.

·         Do not put key person’s home address on any public records or public accessible records. (Consider holding title to real and other property in trust.)

·         Change key person’s mailing address to key person’s work address and use a post office box or business-address telephone number on their personal checks.

·         Apply for confidentiality on driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations owned or leased by key person, spouse, and children from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) thru the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) administered by the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

·         Make sure their telephone number is unpublished and unlisted.

·         Do not give out identifying information such as home address or telephone number unless absolutely necessary or required for governmental purposes.

·         Ensure that key person’s home address and telephone numbers are not listed on Web sites other than those secured by government agencies.

These are just a few ideas; threats to public officials can come in many different forms: in writing, by telephone, verbally through an informant or a third party, or through suspicious activity.  Threats and inappropriate communications can be anything that harasses or makes ominous or unsettling overtures of an improper nature and can include inappropriate pictures drawings or trespassing.  Any received threats should always be reported immediately, even if they appear minor or inconsequential.  Law enforcement should determine whether a threat is credible and warrants investigation.

Please call my direct line at (508) 453-2731 if I can be of service to you and help you improve your personal security.  I appreciate and look forward to the opportunity to meet and work with you, as I continue to provide value and serve the unique needs of public-sector clients, continuing our track record of strong service, safety and support. 

About American Alarm and Communications, Inc., 

AACI is in a unique position to improve personal protection of key individuals as a Massachusetts based Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Listed, and federally recognized 24-hour Security Command Center and Central Station.   Every day we manage a full range of security, communication and escalation procedures specifically designed for our key customers.  We are an independent, family-run business with three offices throughout Massachusetts.  Our founders, three engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, have worked to bring the benefits of new technology and solutions to our customers. Though we have grown over the years, our mission has remained the same: to provide the best possible security technology and customer service to protect homes and businesses across Massachusetts. www.americanalarm.com

Avigilon announced the introduction of Avigilon Control Center Mobile (ACC Mobile)

Last week at ISC WEST Avigilon, the performance and value leader in high definition (HD) and megapixel video surveillance systems, today announced the introduction of Avigilon Control Center Mobile (ACC Mobile), a new application that enables security professionals to connect to the Avigilon Control Center Network Video Management Software (NVMS) platform over any IP wireless network with Apple devices including the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Commercially available in June 2011, ACC Mobile enables operators to remotely view live and recorded surveillance video to improve response times to incidents from any location.

“With increasingly demanding security requirements, security personnel are regularly called to the field to respond to incidents and require remote access to their systems outside of regular business hours to review or verify incidents,” said Rick Ramsay, product manager at Avigilon. “By providing remote access to HD surveillance video, ACC Mobile gives security professionals the tools they need to efficiently secure the entire site, expediting response times and ensuring investigative success.”

Extending the award-winning High Definition Stream Management (HDSM) technology of Avigilon Control Center, ACC Mobile is designed to efficiently support HD and megapixel images and detail up to 16 MP. Leveraging the Avigilon Control Center gateway web service, ACC Mobile can be easily connected to an unlimited number of servers and cameras, expanding access to video surveillance data for greater coverage and remote monitoring.

Avigilon Control Center 4.8 Network Video Management Software

The latest version of the award-winning enterprise-class NVMS platform, Avigilon Control Center 4.8 captures, transmits, manages, stores, archives, plays back, and exports HD video while efficiently handling bandwidth and storage. New features include an extended HD Point-of-Sale transaction engine for easier display and management of transaction data; audio output functionality to facilitate two-way audio for enhanced security; a gateway web service to enable remote connection; and expanded third-party camera and access control integrations for greater interoperability and a more unified approach to security.

About Avigilon

Avigilon designs, manufactures, and markets award-winning HD surveillance systems. The performance and value leader, Avigilon’s solutions protect and monitor thousands of customer sites in more than 60 countries around the world. Avigilon Control Center, the world’s first open HD Network Video Management Software platform, and megapixel cameras deliver full situational awareness and actionable image detail. Campuses, transportation systems, healthcare providers, public venues, infrastructure, and manufacturing sites with security, safety validation, and compliance requirements all benefit from reduced investigation time and more successful investigations by immediately producing indisputable video evidence. Avigilon earned Frost & Sullivan’s HD Surveillance Company of the Year award in 2009, the Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation in 2010, and was ranked among the top five fastest growing technology companies in Canada in the 2010 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 ranking. For further information, please visit www.avigilon.com.

Ocularis V2.0 by OnSSI

Ocularis allows you to centrally manage all the components of your physical security information system, including:

• Access control
• Fire alarms
• Video analytics
• Radiation detection
• Loss prevention systems
• Point of sale
• Elevator systems
• Building management
• Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning system
• Facility automation

Ocularis is designed to work best in multi-site, multi-server environments and it offers a number of key tools that improve how security issues are handled. See this 2.0 video/demo.

Recently OnSSI, announced integration of their highly acclaimed Ocularis software platform with video analytics functionality provided by Mate Intelligent Video, a MangoDSP company.

The Mate intelligent video system can provide alarms in Ocularis related to various modes of detection. This includes directional motion such as a boundary crossing or virtual path crossing detection; a static object like a stopped vehicle or object left behind; or an object removed, which helps to prevent vehicle theft, stock shrinkage or to protect a valuable object. The system can also combine multiple video analytics events using rules dependency to trigger an alarm and to minimize false alarms; for example, at the entrance of an office building, Path Detection followed by Loitering would trigger an alarm only when the loitering is done by a person coming from outside and would filter out the people from the building who go outside. Mate has also developed a number of advanced and proprietary video surveillance technologies such as behavior tracking, people and car counting and tailgating detection.

"Integration of the Mate video analytics product expands the functionality of Ocularis and provides customers an additional choice of video analytics systems to work with Ocularis," said Gadi Piran, President and Chief Technology Officer, OnSSI. "Video analytics work hand-in-hand with Ocularis to control the amount of information an operator has to deal with and to involve operator response only in situations that require his or her attention. Combined with Ocularis, Mate video analytics can prioritize alarms requiring response, improve system functionality, make systems more efficient and enable real-time reaction to incidents."

Complementing Mate’s intelligent video capabilities are features of Ocularis such as instant investigation during live monitoring, open platform support for hundreds of camera models, centralized user rights management and map navigation with active camera previews. Advanced video investigation tools, including the Time Slicer and Kinetic Motion Timeline, are also included in Ocularis, which is scalable for an unlimited number of cameras and servers at multiple sites with single-camera incremental licensing, and is bundled with unlimited installs of Ocularis Client software.

Mate Intelligent Video filters video information to display events of interest and automates video surveillance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The ability to react in real time boosts proactive surveillance and improves security operations. Other applications include perimeter security, monitoring cash register lines or airport check-in queues and sending an alarm when a large crowd of people gathers.

"Mate intelligent video enhances the benefits of video management software such as Ocularis by monitoring and automating the video content an operator sees," said Daniel Peled, EVP Sales, Mango DSP, Inc. "Ocularis is a user-friendly system that provides operators with helpful tools to manage even large numbers of camera feeds, and Mate video analytics works to make those video systems even more efficient and effective."  GOTO www.ONSSI.com for more information.