Security technology is racing ahead the following trends are set to become mainstream in 2017. How many of them are implemented within your organization?
1) Robots
Self-driving and functional in daytime or complete darkness, this autonomous security guard can patrol an area and record all activities detected, instantly alerting officials of intrusions or criminal activity. Security robots are capable of recognizing obstacles such as walls, animals, and humans and can operate up to 16 hours before recharging. Equipped with video, sound, and intrusion detection sensors, security robots relay all of their recorded data back to a server. In the event it is disconnected from its console, it will store the data until the connection is restored. Depending on the manufacturer and applications chosen by the customer, many robots have emergency call buttons to summon help, which may prove helpful in parking facilities or campuses.
Why it's trending: Aside from its impressive array of capabilities, security robots are ideal for incidents that may be deemed too dangerous for humans, or to assess ongoing incidents before law enforcement steps in. Minimizing danger to your personnel will offer them more opportunity to focus on developing a critical and strategic response.
2) Audio Analytic Systems
Capable of detecting aggression, gunshots, or explosions and immediately reporting the analyzed sounds and location to law enforcement, audio analytic systems are closing the gap of response time to an incident as well as reducing the number of incidents overall in the cities that utilize them. Integrating with video surveillance, audio analytic systems are providing officials with critical evidence and an incredible advantage for responding to and solving violent crime.
Why it's trending: According to a report by Urban Institute, Washington DC's gunshot detection system detected 336 incidents of gunfire (many within close proximity to schools), all in the span of one day. Most of the incidents went unreported by witnesses nearby, meaning that the vast majority of gun-related crime that took place that day would have never been addressed by law enforcement if not for their gunshot detection sensors.
3) Biometric Authentication
Kicking passwords to the curb, biometric authentication can scan your eyes, face, fingerprints, voice, signature, gait, and even your odor. Access control towers which can read four of your fingerprints with the wave of a hand, regardless of whether or not the hand is wet or dry, have been making their way onto the market as ideal solutions for high-traffic secure areas. With biometric authentication methods often maligned due to their lagging authentication process, manufacturers are tackling their number one hurdle: speed. With fingerprint access already mainstream and many government agencies already on board with some of the more sophisticated methods such as iris scanning and facial recognition, it's only a matter of time before you can toss out that access card on your key chain.
Why it's trending: Unlike access control key cards and fobs, you can't forget your fingerprint, eyes, face or voice at home. And duplicating any of these methods will be nearly impossible for anyone looking to gain unauthorized access to guarded areas. Just think about how nice it will be to no longer have to recycle the same two or three passwords for everything!
4) Drones
The area of surveillance with a drone stands out as the number one advantage of their use as a security measure. Public sporting events and school campuses have implemented them to ensure the safety of the public. Search and rescue teams have benefited from drones that can access difficult-to-reach areas such as remote crashes or fire-stricken sites. There are even ski resorts that have started using drones to detect weaknesses in the mountains and potential avalanche threats, granting authorities time to clear the area and perform a controlled avalanche to minimize damage and prevent injuries. With the FAA developing standards, guidelines and laws governing drones as they relate to privacy, they are a growing presence that can change the way we use surveillance in the future.
Why it's trending: Drones can save lives, and it's been proven repeatedly. From quickly delivering flotation devices to stranded swimmers, to scanning the water for sharks, or searching for and locating missing persons, a drone can cover expanded spaces in a fraction of the time that it would take ground forces to do so.
5) Cloud-based Video Analytics
Imagine having a dozen additional sets of eyes watching a public area, looking for potential criminal activity? With video analytics this is now a reality. Video analytics are capable of telling you how many cars passed through an intersection in a specific span of time, whether or not an object has been stolen or moved, spot the face of a missing person in a crowd, detecting property and violent crimes as they occur, and so much more.
Why it's trending: In addition to the superb image quality, analyzing events can maximize your surveillance capabilities by providing you with data that can help you better delegate your resources during specific times or events, detect patterns in traffic and behavior, and scan crowds for facial recognition. You can also configure your detection lines or zones to record specific activity based on your organization's needs.