Day: July 12, 2019

On May 28, the Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Project was launched in central China’s Hubei province. As a part of this project, Hikvision joined forces with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the One Planet Fund (OPF) to provide advanced products and technologies for protection of the Yangtze Finless Porpoise, the only aquatic mammal left in China’s longest river. When talking about endangered species in China, most people may immediately think of the Giant Panda. However, the Yangtze Finless Porpoise (renowned as ‘smile angel’ for the iconic perma-grin, and as cute as a panda), is even closer to extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified it as ‘critically endangered,’ with only about 1,000 of them remaining in the wild in 2017. The good news is that more and more people have been working together in conserving the Yangtze River ecosystem, the home to the ‘smiling angel.’ The Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Project is just an example. By using Hikvision’s equipment such as underwater cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles, the project will support the nature reserve in monitoring the Yangtze Finless Porpoises’ habits as well as the hydrobiological environment in an efficient way. It will also be able to collect necessary data for the research on the porpoise’s life habits in natural waters and for the improvement of protection. According to Lei Gang, Director of WWF Wuhan region, the number of Yangtze Finless Porpoises in this area has grown from only about 20 to nearly 100. However, it still requires joint efforts of governments, enterprises, NGOs and other social organizations to address the severe challenges and prevent those porpoises from extinction. As an important technical partner of this project, Hikvision is working closely with other partners to realize effective management of habitat patrol and protection for Yangtze Finless Porpoises. “In recent years, Hikvision has been deeply engaging in sustainable development initiatives, including our efforts to protect the Yangtze Finless Porpoise and the local biodiversity through innovative technologies,” said Fu Hao, Head of Hikvision Hubei Business Center in China.  

Mayport Naval Station (Fla.) stops both intruders from penetrating grounds On June 3, 2019, when a man couldn’t produce credentials at Mayport Naval Station, he gunned his engine and attempted to enter. The security staff activated their vehicle access barrier, a Delta DSC501, to pop out of the ground. The vehicle crashed into it and was brought to a standstill. The violator was taken to the hospital and died two days later. Eight days later, on June 11, a man, driving a Ford F-350 truck, also tried to get on base. Again, the DSC501 popped out of the ground and the attacker collided with it where the truck was stopped in its tracks. The violator was arrested and is now facing state and federal charges. “This high security barricade was originally designed for the U.S. Navy and has also been selected for use at U.S. Embassies, among many others. Set in a foundation only 18 inches deep, the Delta DSC501 is able to survive and operate after a 1.2 million foot pound impact,” attested Greg Hamm, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Delta Scientific, “In testing, the DSC501 not only stopped and destroyed a 65,000 pound (5.4 million foot-pounds) dump truck but the barricade continued to stand, preventing a potential second attack.” Its K12/L3 certification meets the government’s highest levels. With its shallow foundation and aesthetic design, this anti-terrorist barricade obviates the concerns of interference with buried pipes, power lines and fiber optic communication lines. The shallow foundation also reduces installation complexity, time, materials and corresponding costs. The DSC501 is suitable for high water table locations and areas with corrosive soils. Delta Scientific Corporation is the leading manufacturer of vehicle access control equipment with over 260,000 square feet of production facilities in Palmdale, Calif. Delta’s three product lines consist of high-security vehicle barricade systems, parking control equipment and guard booths. Delta Scientific has been engineering and manufacturing vehicle access control equipment since 1974 and sells its products worldwide.  

It is essential that governments be able to issue identification credentials so citizens can exercise their civic rights and duties, access programs and services, and travel freely to and from other countries. HID Global® has enabled numerous African countries to issue millions of these credentials as the company helps to propel a variety of initiatives across the continent aimed at providing ‘identity for all.’ “Secure issuance is a key part of our identity portfolio that is helping nations in Africa and other emerging economies close a big gap between citizens who have a legal way to identify themselves and those who don’t,” said Craig Sandness, Vice President & Managing Director – Secure Issuance with HID Global, “Our successes in Africa range from Angola’s voter ID card program to deployments in multiple countries that enable governments to issue national IDs, driver’s licenses, health cards, work permits and refugee identification credentials. We are also actively involved in designing programs for civil servants to securely access government buildings and government assets such as PCs or server rooms.” For many countries, an e-Passport is the building block of democracy and cornerstone of citizenship as their first step to launching an identification program. HID Global’s secure issuance offering spans all aspects of creating and managing these and other credentials and issuing them wherever citizens are located. Notable deployments in Africa include: Resident, healthcare and other national IDs: Eight African countries have either deployed or are developing one or more of these ID card programs using HID Global printers. Several are also in the early stages of deploying systems for issuing government employee ID cards for use by members of their military and police forces. Voter IDs: Angola used HID® FARGO® DTC5500LMX printers to roll out a voter ID program in over 200 municipalities and cities across the country. Over 650 systems were deployed in Angola to issue over 8 million cards in less than 8 months. ePassports: Several countries in Africa are using HID Global’s ID personalization systems for ePassports that provide successful identification and an easier travel experience for citizens. Driver’s licenses: HID Global’s decentralized driver’s license issuance solution is being used by several African governments. Noticeably, one country is using these solutions to speed program deployment for over 25 million citizens. The company is also supplying pre-printed smart cards that include various overt and covert security features. The cards are then personalized locally with photo, variables data, custom holographic laminate and owner biometrics using FARGO HDP5000 printers. Refugee identification: HID Global is working with international organizations to help connect African refugees with vital resources in multiple countries. HID FARGO HDP8500 and HDP5000 printers are being deployed at refugee camps to issue the necessary credentials for accessing food, water, shelter, financial aid, and educational and other services. Student IDs: The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is using HID FARGO Direct-to-Card ID card printers/ encoders to improve the efficiency, accuracy and integrity of its educational testing program for more than 2 million students annually. The latest additions to HID Global’s portfolio address the challenges African nations face in issuing credentials to remote locations while also serving high-volume needs of large metropolitan areas. The company’s HID® FARGO® ConnectÔ solution enables ID cards to be issued from anywhere and any device via a web interface in a trusted environment, changing the paradigm for governments whose citizens live in distant, hard-to-reach locations with limited infrastructure. For governments that need to meet the needs of large metropolitan populations, the new HID FARGO HDP6600 printer offers the world’s fastest retransfer throughput for ID card personalization.  

Avigilon was selected to help protect the security of Independent Express Cargo Ltd. in Dublin, Ireland. Independent Express Cargo is one of Ireland’s largest pallet delivery operators, serving as a national transport network hub and full third-party logistics supplier with 25 depots across the country and over 1,000 active clients. To improve security throughout its Dublin site, which consists of 180,000 square feet of warehouses on a nine acre site, Independent Express Cargo worked with integrator Usee.ie to install a complete Avigilon security solution. The new system features Avigilon Control Center (ACC) video management software, which provides security operators with a more efficient way to manage video from a central location. ACC™ software also includes advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and video analytics capabilities, including Avigilon Appearance Search™ and Unusual Motion Detection technologies. Additionally, a combination of Avigilon cameras – including the H4 Pro, the H4 Multisensor and the H4A Bullet with self-learning video analytics – were deployed to achieve optimal coverage while allowing security operators to leverage the benefits of real-time analytics. By implementing a complete Avigilon security solution that leverages advanced AI technologies, Independent Express Cargo has seen an increase in operational efficiencies and improved security of its sites, assets and resources. “With complete security solutions from Avigilon, we have been able to increase the speed at which we can detect events across our sites,” said Owen Cooke, Director of Independent Express Cargo, “In the fast-paced environment of transportation logistics, this has dramatically increased efficiencies so that we can continue to focus on our number-one priority – our customers.” “Avigilon AI and analytics allow our customers to improve operations while maintaining system flexibility and ease of use,” said Bernard Pender, Chief Executive Officer of Usee.ie, “Choosing Avigilon helps us meet our client’s goal of deploying a highly intelligent and user-friendly video security system.”  

The high-performance Predator Ultra HD PTZ video surveillance camera from UK CCTV manufacturer, 360 Vision Technology, has entered service at the National Coastwatch Institution’s (NCI) Felixstowe lookout station, to help protect lives along the coastline of the River Deben estuary. Felixstowe Coastwatch is a charity funded, volunteer-based organisation with over 50 highly trained volunteers available to man lookout shifts. It’s also part of the NCI, a voluntary organisation established in 1994 to restore a visual watch along UK shores after many small Coastguard stations had been closed. “Originally, the first idea to tackle the maritime issues at the River Deben estuary was to build an additional lookout tower,” said Ian, “That would have been a prohibitively costly exercise for a charity-based organisation. However, after a visit to the NCI Station at Portland Bill, I was inspired by the use of CCTV there and interested to establish if video surveillance could be deployed to monitor the remote Deben estuary from our existing lookout station. “The first task was to experience CCTV cameras in action, so we visited the Port of Felixstowe, the Felixstowe Town CCTV system and the Great Yarmouth Port Authority, where we saw the 360 Vision Predator in action. Impressed by the quality of its images, I contacted 360 Vision Technology for a demonstration, at which we were able to record video from the proposed location of the camera mast. “After the demonstration of the camera’s capability, I was able to prepare a detailed report to our trustees, setting out a comprehensive business case as to why a CCTV camera would offer the best solution to the issues we were facing at the mouth of the River Deben. I was able to use the recorded footage of the demonstration to produce a video highlighting the impressive capability of imaging technology.” From Ian’s report, approval of the project was granted and the 360 Vision Predator Ultra HD was installed by STC Solutions Ltd, after funds were raised from council-allocated budget and fundraising events organised by Felixstowe Coastwatch volunteers. “When we placed the order, 360 Vision Technology had just launched their Predator equipped with a 40x optical zoom,” said Ian, “This was an important factor for us, as the entrance to the River Deben is expansive, and identifying vessels and individuals there would be greatly assisted by the optical zoom of the 360 Vision Predator camera.” With no line of sight from the camera to the lookout tower, an innovative wireless transmission solution was employed, using a belfry tower at a midway point in Felixstowe, where the signal is relayed to enable control and recording of the high definition images back at the lookout station. “Now operators can view superb live images of the River Deben, to confirm the identity, position and situation of vessels in the mouth of the river and if necessary, contact HM Coastguard if we observe any problems,” Ian explained. Thanks to the broad integration capability of 360 Vision’s Predator Ultra HD, all surveillance video is archived for retrospective investigation, and controlled via a QVIS Viper NVR recorder. In addition, seamless ONVIF integration into Cambridge Pixel’s ‘RadarWatch,’ a flexible client display application for radar display and target tracking, allows Felixstowe Coastwatch’s operators to set up virtual tripwire lines across dangerous areas of the river and shallow waters close to the main shipping channel. Once crossed by a vessel, the trip alarms instantly alert operators and provide immediate verification of a vessel’s precise location, along with high-definition visual verification from the Predator camera. Also displayed as an overlay on screen, via the Predator Ultra camera and Cambridge Pixel technology integration, is Automatic Identification System (AIS) ship transponder information for each vessel, including a compass bearing supplied by the Predator camera’s head, which indicates which way the camera is pointing. “This means we can instantly identify and position any specific vessel we’re seeing with the camera,” said Ian, “We can also view the banks of the river and its beaches, to ensure that no members of the public are in danger.” Taking advantage of 360 Vision Technology’s any colour and any finish design offer, the Predator Ultra camera was supplied in a Marine Grade white paint finish, and along with its powerful 40x zoom lens, is equipped with a ½” Ultra camera module to ensure maximum imaging performance, even in low-light conditions. This innovative installation has been so successful that Felixstowe Coastwatch is currently looking at other areas of the coastline where high-definition 360 Vision Predator Ultra HD cameras could assist with their daily operations, to protect the public and maritime traffic.  

Users retain full control over their private and personal data Gemalto, a Thales company, is launching its Identity Management System (IDMS) that can help governments address the challenges posed by a world in which over one billion people have no official ID. Using the latest biometric capture and identity verification techniques, Gemalto’s solutions enable public authorities to empower citizens with a fully secured and trusted foundational identity. This system supports people identification and authentication so they can securely access online and offline services such as education or healthcare, and proves their right to participate in elections, apply for a passport or open a bank account. Users retain full control over their personal data, choosing how and when it is shared with service providers. UN targets universal provision of ID by 2030 The staggering number of citizens rendered invisible to public agencies by the absence of an official ID includes one out of three children worldwide. Most international financial institutions are supporting digital ID schemes in many countries over the next ten years. These initiatives are also backed by the UN, which has itself set the target of everyone on the planet having a legal identity by 2030. Mobile, biometric-based registration can reach remote and isolated areas Gemalto’s IDMS provides authorities with a fully integrated, end-to-end solution which can adapt to existing identity schemes and orchestrate its interactions. The process starts with registration of a person and capture of their biometrics, with easy to use mobile technology ensuring coverage can reach even the most remote regions. Registration is followed by entry onto a central database or civil registry and the creation of a unique individual identifier. Reaping the benefits of foundational ID This Foundational Identity can provide the basis for issuance of digital and physical ID credentials, and subsequent registration with numerous different public bodies and services. All these processes can be verified beyond doubt using the individual’s biometrics and unique identifier. Gemalto’s approach also offers citizens outstanding protection, and assurance that their data will not be used for commercial gain. Promoting inclusion, fighting fraud For governments, a universal ID program facilitates accurate planning of public services, and comprehensive social inclusion strategies. Robust protection against the threat of fraud is also provided as part of the digital ID platform to further boost efficiency, convenience and adoption of eServices. The foundational identity also eliminates the need for individual bodies such as those responsible for health and welfare, to continually repeat enrollment procedures. “A unique legal ID is a basic human right that can unlock access to many more – including education, welfare and participation in the democratic process,” said Frédéric Trojani, Senior Vice President Identity and Biometric Solutions for Thales, “Our identity management system leverages unrivalled experience in delivering digital identity solutions that empower citizens, defend their personal data, and ensure unhindered access to the rights and services.”