July, 2020 - securitylinkindia

Case Study

Genetec Introduces Transit Portfolio to Unify Security and Operations

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 24, 2020November 14, 202406 mins

Transit agencies have traditionally relied on multiple single-purpose proprietary systems that don’t interconnect. To help security, IT, operations and vehicle maintenance staff work together, Genetec, a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, recently announced a portfolio of solutions designed to help transit organizations unify their security and operations from a single intuitive interface. The Genetec Transit Portfolio enables key stakeholders to work in sync using a solution that unifies wayside and onboard security with operational and intelligence products that leverage their existing security infrastructure to bring additional insights. Most onboard and wayside systems are built on separate, closed architectures that require costly custom updates and integrations to communicate with other systems in a limited way. Transitioning to a single, open platform under a single pane of glass helps unify systems while laying the foundation for coordinated processes, efficient incident response, and collaborative work. This makes it easier to build internal processes to increase an agency’s overall operational efficiency. Additionally, transit agencies are increasingly being solicited for information from external partners (neighboring transit agencies, law enforcement, city services etc). A unified system establishes an infrastructure that facilitates sharing data while keeping it secure. “To meet evolving demands and travelers’ expectations, transit agencies need to find creative ways to provide a safe and seamless journey for their customers, while also having the right systems and protocols in place to ensure efficient operations,” said Jermaine Santoya, Industry Marketing Manager for Intelligent Mobility at Genetec, “Using a unified security platform allows them to track all events in their vehicles and premises, record and retrieve actionable information efficiently, and provide an optimal ex-perience for all commuters.” At the core of the Genetec Transit Portfolio is the Genetec Security Center platform which unifies video management, access control and automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) capabilities. With the Security Center Omnicast™ video management system (VMS), transit agencies can monitor their infrastructure and vehicles to help protect commuters and staff using a wide range of industry-leading cameras, encoders, and CCTV equipment. Security Center Synergis™ access control system secures entrances for staff and commuters, improves compliance, while leveraging existing network and third-party access control devices. Security Center AutoVu™ automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) makes it easier for parking management teams to enforce parking restrictions by locating and counting vehicles of interest like buses, taxis, and car-sharing services, and providing a real-time inventory of vehicles on access roads and in monitored parking lots. The Genetec transit portfolio also includes a number of transit-specific capabilities: Security Center Fleet Monitoring: provides a unified, non-proprietary solution, to configure and interact with the different devices on board each vehicle in a fleet to provide live video, GPS localization, and vehicle telematics. Security Center Transportation Sensor Management: ingests data from a wide variety of sensors to count people or vehicles entering the premises, track occupancy, and serve as triggers for procedures. Sipelia™ Communications Management: extends a transit organization’s security with SIP-based communications that promotes collaboration between colleagues through embedded audio and video calls while allowing operations staff to manage public address systems as well as incoming and outgoing calls with intercom devices. The portfolio also includes a number of additional options including: Genetec Mission Control™ is a collaborative decision management system that empowers transit agencies to use their existing sensors and security devices to collect and qualify data to identify complex situations and incidents. Once incidents are identified, the system launches a response that allows operators to follow transit-specific processes and meet compliance requirements. The Genetec Clearance™ collaborative investigation management system can help speed up investigations by allowing agencies to securely collect, manage, and share evidence from different sources with both internal and external stakeholders. Streamvault™ is a line of turnkey security infrastructure solutions that range from workstations to fully furnished servers and hardened onboard computers for vehicle fleets.

Case Study

MOBOTIX Donates Thermal TR Camera to AVIS Milano Blood Donation Bank

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 24, 2020November 14, 202406 mins

AVIS Milano, a blood bank association based in Milano, Italy, would also like to send a huge ‘Thank You’ to MOBOTIX, Ideologica and all others involved for graciously providing state-of-the-art security measures. A thermal technology system was donated by MOBOTIX, the German multinational manufacturing company, and installed completely free-of-charge by its partner, Ideologica from Bergamo. This generous gesture is a sign of solidarity that also represents an action of social responsibility at an international level, to support the Lombard capital in a time of serious difficulty. Lombardy is still one of the regions most affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Due to the emergency, hospitals remain overcapacity, surgeries postponed, and staff continue to work fatigued because of what they’ve had to sustain over the past few months. In addition to this already critical situation, the Milanese capital suffers from a major blood scarcity. A significant figure in May 2020, 5,215 fewer blood units were collected (14.49% less) than in the same month of 2019. Many donations made were due to the appeals launched by AVIS Milano. Thanks to the responses of citizens, even non-periodic donors, who went to the Lambrate headquarters in recent weeks in order to generously help. To ensure donors’ maximum security and to avoid crowding in the waiting rooms, regulating access and managing the flow became extremely important. AVIS Milano has immediately taken necessary measures. Thanks to MOBOTIX’s donation and the completely free installation by Bergamo-based company, Ideologica, the association is now able to provide the highest level of protection before a potential donor is accepted. A MOBOTIX thermal TR imaging camera has been installed in the room where donors are processed and wait for access to donor acceptance protocols. The camera, which is equipped with a radiometric thermal sensor, is able to detect variations in temperature of those present in the access room. It was integrated into AVIS Milano’s existing system by Ideologica in just one afternoon, and was programmed to detect any temperature rise above 37.5 degrees Celsius (as required by law to allow the donation), with an accuracy level of 0.3 degree. If a donation candidate displays any change from this value, an immediate auditory alarm is triggered. The donation candidate with a potentially higher temperature is then escorted to another location and informed of the reasons for their donation refusal and is encouraged to visit his or her attending physician for further investigation. In respect of privacy, the system has not been set up to be viewed remotely with a video image on any external PC. The medical staff immediately receives a report that a person with a temperature above 37.5 degrees centigrade has appeared in the entrance hall. “Thanks to the contribution of MOBOTIX technology, we were able to identify the person potentially at risk of COVID-19 through the temperature symptom from the moment of entry, avoid contact with other donors present and advise the individual on an immediate follow-up with their doctor,” commented Sergio Casartelli, General Manager of AVIS Milan. “Technology should always be seen as positive improvement in any application regardless of how it is used, either to facilitate or to provide a final solution. We as MOBOTIX are committed to promoting and providing through our solutions and our partners as many benefits and opportunities as possible. “We are extremely proud and humbled that we could collaborate with AVIS and that our technology could support the work AVIS has done to ensure availability of blood in Milan. “This is one of the most important actions any organisation could have taken to provide support at this critical time,” concluded Phillip Antoniou, Vice President Sales Europe South / West & MEAPAC.

National

DEP Develops Garuda Using Drones Technology to Prevent Harm to Aerial Territory Assets

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 24, 2020November 14, 202405 mins

Drones are being used in diverse industries including defense, entertainment, agriculture With the increasing use of autonomous machinery in our day-to-day lives, the influence of drone technology across verticals is extraordinary. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are turning out to be game changers in multiple sectors with special emphasis on defense, entertainment, agriculture, and ecommerce sectors. Their applications are known for real-time monitoring, wireless coverage provision, remote sensing, delivery of goods, photography, precision in agriculture and surveillance. The most recent examples are the use of drones in managing on ground situation for Covid-19 and spraying of pesticides to rid large tracts of agricultural lands of locust infestation. However, one of an interesting application involving drones or UAVs is to prevent birds from causing damage to assets present in the aerial territory. To avoid the risk of collision with birds, deterrence methods have concentrated on various methods to scare birds from active airspace. DEP has made its contribution to solving the problem. DEP’s product engineering team set out to develop an application specific unmanned aerial system (UAS). DEP’s approach consisted of designing the airframe, deterrence method, radio control & autopilot, camera, power, ground control, drive train, and pre-flight systems. For the airframe, Garuda incorporates the conventional twin propeller airplane layout rather than flying wing type, which was initially proposed. DEP also provides a comprehensive list of pre-flight system checks and failure management tips. Karthik Shankaran, Chief Innovation Officer, Detroit Engineered Products said, “For the aviation industry, aerial territory holds equal importance as land territory and so does its protection. When dealing with million-dollar assets, the protection of these assets is of utmost importance. Birds often fly into the line of assets, putting their lives at risk as well as causing damage to the assets. Of current relevance is the use of drones in agriculture. The infestation of locusts in India has necessitated the use of drones to spray chemicals in order to protect crops.” “The technology of UAVs may not be immensely used at this point; however, its importance cannot be undermined to protect the aerial as well as land territory. Since we have technologies to protect and benefit the lives, manufacturers and product designers should aim to build on existing technologies. Detroit Engineered Products (DEP), an engineering solutions and product development company, has been working to design drones that are operative even for the most complex situations with better productivity, cost efficiency and flexibility,” Sankaran added. Detroit Engineered Products (DEP) is an engineering solutions and product development company. Since its inception in 1998 in Troy, Michigan, USA. DEP is now a global company with presence in USA, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, China, Korea, Japan and India. At the soul of DEP is a passion to transform the product development process associated with vehicle and powertrain systems. Knowledge together with partnerships across various global automotive OEMs has led to MeshWorks, DEP’s proprietary CAE platform, which rapidly reduces the development time of products across industries. Products like IC sensor and processes like 3G+ optimization, MDO etc., coupled with proactive development and enhancements into electric and alternative energy fields assisted DEP’s robustness in the electric vehicle arena leading e-Powertrain technology.

National

Accelerating AI at the Edge with NVIDIA Jetson Platform

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 24, 2020November 14, 202406 mins

AVerMedia®, an NVIDIA® Elite Partner, recently launched new compact AVerAI NX211B and NX213B AI edge computing systems designed to leverage the powerful capabilities of the NVIDIA Jetson Xavier™ NX for AIat-the-edge applications. The products are designed to address the physical space concern for the industries. These products are developed to work even in extreme temperatures ranging from 0°C to 70°C. They are well suited to be implemented and used across smart cities, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, robotics, transportation, and other verticals. The AVerAI NX211B and AVerAI NX213B work concurrently with smart cameras to gain situational awareness and respond to real-time safety and security threats. They support various video input sources from IP camera, USB camera, MIPI camera, and capture cards supporting HDMI/ VGA/ 3G-SDI/Composite video sources. AVerAI products are designed for industrial applications in the environment dealing with extreme temperatures between 0°C to 70°C and in places where the high physical space is a concern. The best cost-effective choice for AIoT edge computing is in intelligent video analytics applications like Healthcare, Smart Cities, Robotics, Manufacturing, Transportation, etc. The AVerAI NX211B is an active-cooled system suitable for industrial environments in confined spaces where temperatures range from 0°C to 70°C. AVerAI NX211B provides the access to a list of rich I/O functions, which includes 2×2 Lane MIPI CSI-2, 1×4 Lane MIPI CSI-2 MIPI camera input (optional item), 1x 4Kp60 HDMI output, 2x USB 3.0, 1x GbE RJ-45, 20-pins GPIO expansion, 1x Micro SD card slot, and 1x Micro-B USB 2.0 for recovery. It also features a single-mould PCB terminal block module for the easy power connection. It comes with the compact dimensions of 76.6mm(L)x91.4mm(W)x70mm(H) and design for reliable field installation. Additionally, it comes with a single-mould PCB terminal block module for the easy power connection and can simultaneously decode and analyze 8-channel 1080p 60 IP camera videos. The AVerAI NX213B is a passive-cooled system with 8-channel PoE (PSE) ports for IP cameras and a SATA port for storage, ideal as AI NVR in smart cities and retail applications. It is specially crafted as an application ready platform for multiple applications to improve the performance, flexibility, and time to market. With NX213B, software developers not only can deploy their deep learning software on this system but can also market their software in a Box PC as a complete solution. This helps to simplify the efforts and processes of the system integration in launching their AI solution into the market faster. Moreover, it comes with the WaveFin technology which helps operate in the environment up to 65°C without airflow. The Jetson Xavier NX module with cloud-native support delivers up to 21 TOPS of accelerated computing with 384 CUDA® cores and 48 Tensor Cores in a credit-card sized form factor. It can run modern neural networks in parallel and process data from multiple high-resolution sensors – a requirement for full AI systems. As an NVIDIA Elite partner, AVerMedia® develops ruggedized active/ passive-cooled thermal designs and technology for the full NVIDIA Jetson lineup, including the Jetson Nano, Jetson Xavier, and Jetson Xavier NX modules. Using AVerMedia’s accessory-extended video capture card products on the Jetson platform provides the ability to receive HDMI, VGA, SDI, and composite video inputs, as well as dual 4Kp30 HDMI video inputs for collecting real-time video data from different application scenarios for analysis.

National

Kochi Smart City Command Centre Equipped with Delta Video Wall Solutions Goes Live

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 24, 2020November 14, 202405 mins

Delta, a leading provider of video wall solutions, successfully set up a large-scale video wall for Kochi smart city in its integrated command control & communication centre. Kochi smart city has India’s first integrated command and control communication center (IC4) which is completely deployed on cloud. The IC4 will be the brain for city operation, exception handling, and disaster management. It will also provide insights by processing complex datasets at an aggregated level to derive intelligence for improved planning and policy making. Kochi city in Kerala, India is among the first 20 cities selected under Government of India’s smart cities mission. The smart cities mission (SCM) aims to rejuvenate the prevailing urban ecosystem through area based development (ABD) strategies. The objective of the SCM is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘smart’ solutions. Delta equipped IC4 with two sets of video wall – 391sqft Delta video wall made up of 27 screens of 70” each in 9×3 configuration, and 116sqft video wall made up of 8 screens of 70” each in 4×2 configuration. A large video wall installed at the centre will help response to situations, both proactive and reactive that will truly make the city operations ‘SMART.’ Delta’s video walls with Windows based control system at the centre will be for monitoring and surveillance. CCTV cameras installed in public places across the city can be accessed from video walls. The emergency services like police, fire stations, other rescue services and LED street-lights have been integrated with IC4. In the long-run other government services can also be integrated. “Being a 24×7 facility, part of which will be utilized for Covid-19 war room, was very critical to us and team Delta exceeded our expectations. Delta engineers were able to quickly install the setup and helped us complete the project on schedule despite the state lockdown imposed due to the pandemic. The end-result turned out even better than what we had anticipated,” commented a CSML official. Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Delta Displays support team managed to install and complete the setup within tight deadlines. IC4 will be of immediate help to affected areas in case of floods or disease outbreaks. This will become the heart of Kochi smart city for monitoring, maintaining and addressing the needs of millions of people with quality services and facilities. The IC4 and adjoining war room, both consist of Delta’s Superior video wall solutions. This is one of the best made smart city command centers in India in terms of scale, infrastructure, technology and functional aspects. Delta’s LED video wall at the centre will support in monitoring operational parameters, anomalies, alerts/ events and help in a fast response by decision-making operators. Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala inaugurated integrated command and control communication centre (IC4) under Cochin Smart Mission Limited’s (CSML) via video conferencing on June 8, 2020.

Feature

Equip the Business with Intelligent Video Technologies for Safe Reopening

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 24, 2020November 14, 202408 mins

Businesses are now gradually reopening in many countries, and people can return to restaurants, office buildings, and public spaces. A safe reopening process will rely heavily on effective public health strategies, including increased testing for the virus, social distancing, occupancy restrictions, and cleaning and disinfection activities. In many countries, temperature measurement and the wearing of masks have been commonly made mandatory in both business and public environments. While social distancing and occupancy restrictions are considered necessary in public areas such as shopping malls and transportation hubs, workplaces like office buildings and industrial parks are looking for solutions featuring authorized entries with confidence. In lifting the restrictions for businesses and public areas, innovative video technologies can also help organizations meet and exceed health guidelines for safe and effective reopening. Preliminary temperature screening upon entry The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, a very well-known public health organization, have issued new guidelines for reopening offices. The CDC advises daily health checks including temperature screenings before employees enter a workplace. To achieve this, security cameras equipped with thermographic video technology can be an effective tool for rapid and safe initial temperature screening. Applications include, for example, schools, industrial parks, hospitals, office buildings, malls and hotels etc. Prama Hikvision’s temperature screening solutions offer various product types including installed thermographic cameras, hand-held thermographic cameras, metal detector doors, and MinMoe access terminals that can be flexibly deployed for a wide range of applications. Compliance with mask guidelines Wearing masks is recommended as a measure to contain respiratory droplets and protect the general public. Masks are also commonly included in worldwide health guidelines towards reopening. Hence, compliance with this guideline has become crucial to many organizations. Video technology can help monitor the use of protective masks in clever and unobtrusive ways. AI algorithms can detect whether a person is wearing a mask. The system then triggers a pre-defined action if no mask is detected such as, for example, a voice prompt or a link to an access system to deny entry. This provides a simple way to monitor the situation, or even to remind people of the rules. Prama Hikvision’s thermal and AcuSense cameras, as well as MinMoe temperature screening terminals are equipped to detect masks. A specialized interface on Prama Hikvision’s DeepinMind NVRs can also be used to visually display temperature and mask status together, making monitoring much easier. Social distancing and density control Social distancing plays an important role in ‘flattening the curve’ in the spread of coronavirus. In various countries, the recommended physical distancing might differ slightly, but maintaining a distance of a meter or more (3-6 feet) will remain a key recommendation of health authorities. In addition, store managers also need to identify and mitigate areas where shoppers may congregate, so as to ensure safe shopping spaces. Technologies incorporating social distancing and occupancy detection can be put into places like these to assist the process. Prama Hikvision’s flow control system utilizes highly accurate people counting technology. A clear, dynamic display and real-time alerts ensure pre-defined capacity thresholds are never exceeded, even in locations with multiple entrances and exits such as, for example, shopping malls and supermarkets. A digital sign can be integrated at entrance areas to display real-time occupancy data, as well as temperature and mask information, letting customers know when it is safe to enter premises. In waiting areas such as cash registers in supermarkets and indoor ATMs in malls, Prama Hikvision’s video solution provides the necessary features and functionalities to assist with the process of social distancing. These technologies use people counting and 3D modeling to measure the distance between people accurately. The exact measurement can be adjusted, well within the social distancing minimum separation guidelines. Touch-free access control for hygienic authentication Schools and workplaces have previously made use of traditional access control and time attendance systems such as ID card swiping, PIN codes, or fingerprint scans, which require staff and students to frequently touch shared surfaces. This only increases the risk of spreading infection. With touch-free access control terminals, organizations can not only eliminate the risk, but greatly enhance their daily operational efficiency. Prama Hikvision’s MinMoe temperature screening terminals unify temperature screening, mask detection, and access control & time attendance in one model. The system only grants entries when the guidelines are met, which is particularly useful in highly-populated workplaces like industrial parks and office buildings. Find out more Reopening requires all of us to move forward together, employing the recommended best practices and maintaining safe daily habits in order to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Cutting-edge video technologies can help various organizations better observe the instructions and guidance. At Prama Hikvision, we have launched dedicated product packages for applications, including schools, hospitals, industrial parks, retail stores, office buildings and hotels.

National

nCipher HSMs Provide Root of Trust to HashiCorp Vault

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 24, 2020November 14, 202404 mins

nCipher Security, an Entrust Datacard company, and a leading world player in hardware security modules (HSMs), has partnered with HashiCorp, a leader in multi-cloud infrastructure automation. The integration of nCipher nShield® HSMs with HashiCorp Vault means customers can deploy a high-assurance security solution for centralized secrets management that helps meet regulatory compliance mandates. HashiCorp Vault manages and protects sensitive data by securing, storing and tightly controlling access to tokens, passwords, certificates, and encryption keys for protecting secrets and other sensitive data. The solution addresses secret sprawl and the challenge of having varying lifecycle and protection policies created by multiple applications offering unique secure repositories to store access credentials. The security foundation of HashiCorp Vault is the encryption and decryption of secret assets. nShield HSMs protect the master key securing HashiCorp Vault, providing a robust root of trust. The use of HSMs is a best practice for high-assurance encryption and key management, and help organizations in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and government to comply with regulatory requirements. “Secure key management is essential to protect data and applications, and when centralizing this function, the security of those keys is even more important,” said Juan Asenjo, Director of Product, Solutions, and Partner Marketing at nCipher Security, “nCipher HSMs provide HashiCorp Vault with a robust root of trust enabling customers to deploy seamlessly and with confidence. We are pleased to join forces with HashiCorp and provide a strong solution for our joint customers.” “We are pleased to welcome nCipher Security to the HashiCorp partner program,” said Asvin Ramesh, Director, Technology Alliances at HashiCorp, “The integration allows organizations to manage their secrets across diverse environments in a single application, with best in class security. With DevOps now mainstream in enterprise environments, we are seeing increased usage of Vault not only for secrets management but also other use cases like data encryption and identity-based access.” nCiphernShield HSMs are among the highest-performing, most secure and easy-to-integrate HSM solutions available, facilitating regulatory compliance and delivering the highest levels of data and application security for enterprise, financial and government organizations. The unique security world key management architecture provides strong, granular controls over access and usage of keys. Benefits of using nShield HSMs with HashiCorp Vault: Mitigate risks created by secret asset aggregation and enable compliance for regulated markets. Deliver greater control of data on-premises, in the cloud, and hybrid environments. Establish an auditable method for enforcing security policies. Provide a FIPS 140-2 level 3 and common criteria EAL4+ root of trust.

Feature

How Mystery Shopping Service Can Help Companies Re-evaluate Compliances Post Lockdown

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 21, 2020November 14, 202409 mins

India has courageously passed through four lockdowns and businesses that were hitherto shut due to the scourge of the pandemic are now gradually recommencing operations. The government of India has instructed all industries to open with the utmost caution and adherence to the health compliances established by the WHO and the global medical fraternity. As businesses seek to resume affairs with paramount diligence and risk-mitigation in a post-pandemic age, how can the retailing and manufacturing sector ensure that store owners and retail vendors are abiding by all the health and safety mandates laid down by the authorities? The answer to this complex question is simple one – ‘mystery shopping.’ So what exactly is mystery shopping? Companies usually, in a tremendously fast-paced business order, lack the luxury and time to personally monitor and micro-manage their brand and product legacies and how they are retailed by sellers from the countless shops, outlets, and branches that house their products. In crucial times as now, when the national economy is just trying to get back onto its feet, it is imperative that business owners get an inside scoop into the thick of things. They need to be certain whether store owners and wholesalers are complying with all the compulsory countermeasures and policies laid down by the government for business conduct, and that’s where mystery shopping comes into the picture. Mystery shopping otherwise also known as secret shopping is a mode of collecting key intelligence regarding the nature and quality of vending that is practiced by retail owners who sell products of particular companies to the masses. Now, if the said company wants to gauge the service quality or the retailers compliance with regulation, or to collect specific information regarding their products and services, this slightly unconventional method proves quite functional. Any trained member from the company’s staff or people hired from any of these specialized service providers can pose as routine customers and walk into any of the company’s retail outlets to witness first-hand the shopkeeper’s behavior and his overall quality of proprietorship. This technique is employed extrinsically by a gamut of market research firms, supervisory organizations and watchdog bodies, or even domestically by companies which are eager to attain clarity involving the end to end market journey of a company’s product. From the minute it reaches the retailers vault until the point it is procured by a customer, mystery shoppers can easily fathom the various positives and down points involving the various purveying practices and shopkeeper tactics. It is a manner of surveillance employed by companies to understand the various bottlenecks in the system or the proverbial chinks in the armor. Mystery shopping is becoming a popular and widely embraced form of collecting pertinent data and market intelligence by business leaders which helps them gather real-time insight concerning the customer service representatives’ compliance with industry-specific norms and parameters. It serves as a highly interactive and experiential method for assessing the value eminence provided by the company agents to its customers. By closely supervising agents for anomalies in observance to the company’s business conventions, it gives them the leverage needed to engage in the necessary risk alleviation. If a company can successfully mitigate the numerous perils to business optimization it helps them steer clear of considerable penalties and a harmful public image. The process of mystery shopping programs revolves around tailored scenarios that aid mystery shoppers test an agent’s actual worth in concurrent circumstances and arrive at conditions that will generate the most beneficial impact. It proffers organizations the power to determine the future course of action by scrutinizing a pre-constructed situation to provide a knowledgeable point of view to the leadership. Mystery shopping allows the retail owners and company agents to manage their various blemishes and plus-points founded on direct and workable responses. Mystery shopper programs are all the more relevant in present conditions. As India looks to rise from the depths of an economic freeze owing to the lockdown, companies need to inquire into the actual state of the business that is administered on the ground i.e., an internal glimpse into the proceedings that are dealt in their retail outlets or stores by the brand’s designated sellers. It is of the utmost essence to ascertain whether shopkeepers are under the various health compliances and safety measures authorized by the government on account of the pandemic. The failure on part of the agents/ purveyors in practicing the compulsory protocols, such as negligence in observing the laws of social/ physical distancing or interacting with customers without adorning the necessary PPE and other countermeasures can have disastrous consequences. Mystery shopping programs allow organizations to step inside the shoes of their customers and directly learn about the various shortcomings in their product vending processes and thus rectifying them, in a post-pandemic scenario, it can become an invaluable tool for measuring the various operational hiccups and detriments that not only impede business streamlining but also compromise the safety of the customers. Even, it can also help check various compliances, at times even the ambiance of the outlet to ensure if the same is as per company guidelines. In normal times it is to check the price undercutting, however in new normal, it’s about short supplies and black-marketing of products.

Latest

Prama Hikvision Smart Video Technology Helps Manage Crowd Density & Maintain Social Distancing

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 20, 2020November 14, 202407 mins

Health organizations around the world have created the common awareness that maintaining a safe distance between people is one of the best practices, we have to avoid being exposed to COVID-19 and in slowing its spread. As various countries and regions push to reopen businesses and relax stay-at-home orders, social distancing remains an ongoing requirement. More than that, crowd density information is also considered a significant reference in managing the ‘social distance’ of workplaces, businesses and public spaces. Business owners are working hard to keep employees, customers and visitors protected. Dealing effectively with ‘density’ – a new imperative for management and operations – complicates staffing and interpersonal interaction. Limiting the number of people to ensure safety In the current situation, public and private managers and authorities have to do more than ever before to keep people safe, and in many cases efficient calculation of customer traffic will be essential. Prama Hikvision’s flow control solution uses people counting cameras and digital signage, which provides a dynamic onscreen display to show users how many people are entering and leaving a building or an area, and sends real-time alerts in case pre-defined capacity thresholds are exceeded. These people counting camera utilize highly accurate 3D binocular stereo vision and deep learning algorithms, making complex counts easy, even in multi-door sites. More important, the flow control solution can be easily and rapidly deployed. It is designed to be simple to use and highly accurate, with options to suit all potential application scenarios. In locations with a single entrance, one people counting camera can be installed at the entrance and connected to the digital signage. For multi-entry scenarios, people counting cameras can be installed at each entrance and exit, equipped with I-Series NVRs or HikCentral to calculate numbers of people entering or leaving, so as to accurately provide real-time number data. Multiple entries and exits For example, a supermarket can install a clear and easy-to-understand, dynamic data number display at each entrance to provide real-time updates for people waiting to enter. An alert is generated when the pre-configured maximum is reached, and an audio alarm can be triggered if anyone attempts to enter before the numbers go below that threshold. At present, with expenses more critical than ever, users can use the flow control solution to automatically monitor the situation, empowering businesses and possible reducing the required number of security guards and other resources. Maintaining a safe social distance in public In areas where crowds are unavoidable such as cash registers in supermarkets and the ticket kiosks at public transportation hubs, managing distances between people queuing (standing in line) is also critical. Authorities in various locations have established specific guidelines and legislation in this area, balancing the needs and risks for citizens. Prama Hikvision dual lens cameras (DS-2CD6825G0/ C-I(V)(S)) help retail stores and other businesses measure social distancing, and its advanced 3D binocular stereo vision and deep learning algorithm can be configured to trigger alarms according to local regulations and requirements. Users can set the minimum contact distance threshold needed; when the distance becomes less than this preset threshold, an instant alarm and popup will appear with audio and video linkage. And there’s more Alongside the density control solution, Prama Hikvision also offers a mask detection solution. This technology ensures that anyone entering a premise is wearing a face mask when they are required to do so. Those without a mask will not be granted entry. The mask detection solution can be delivered in a variety of formats depending on user needs – added to a specialty camera or a Prama Hikvision DeepinMind NVR for users with existing camera systems, integrated into Prama Hikvision’s temperature screening thermal solution, or as part of a MinMoe door access unit with built-in face detection technology. Entry can be denied if a mask is not worn and/ or an out-of-range skin-surface temperature is detected. As businesses begin to emerge from lockdown, they need to find ways to reduce risks of furthering the spread of the virus. This affects whole populations and all their normal activities – from getting coffee on the way to work and boarding public transportation, to shopping and eating out. But there are some technologies that they can turn to – innovations that will facilitate a ‘new normal’ and keep people safe. And Prama Hikvision will be there, every step of the way.

Feature

How ‘touch-free’ Access Control with Temperature Screening Helps Businesses in Returning to Work

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaJuly 20, 2020November 14, 202404 mins

Businesses are reopening and employees are returning to work. Managing protection for workers, customers, and visitors with the lingering effects of COVID-19 poses challenges in the business world. To cope with these challenges, it is crucial for businesses to maximize protection while operating their access control systems effectively. This requires safer and faster temperature screenings, controlling access, and recording attendance, as well as visitor management. Touchfree access control systems with a temperature screening function creates an especially effective solution. For this reason, Prama Hikvision introduced its MinMoe ‘touch-free’ temperature screening terminals to the market. Prama Hikvision’s MinMoe terminals employ face recognition and thermographic technologies to make access easier and safer for work areas, record attendance, and simultaneously screen temperatures without requiring employees to touch a terminal or gate. The ‘touch-free’ nature of the terminals is also suitable in high-throughput scenarios for fast temperature screening with access control, such as offices, factories, retail stores, schools, and so on. Fast and accurate temperature screening with thermographic technology Equipped with advanced thermographic cameras, the MinMoe temperature screening terminals quickly and accurately detect elevated skin-surface temperatures for preliminary screening. The 0.3- to 2-meter recognition distance enables flexibility in deployment and detection. When detecting abnormal temperatures, MinMoe terminals can be set to deny access requests and alert operators to further confirm a person’s actual core body temperature using clinical measurement devices. Further, the terminals support a fast temperature measurement mode, which will detect temperatures only (identity authentication will not be conducted in this mode). ‘touch-free’ access control and attendance recording Many diseases have the potential to spread when people touch contaminated objects and surfaces. Because of this, reducing contact with terminals or gates – or avoiding touching altogether – increases employee hygiene and safety when passing through access control and attendance recording equipment. Compared against conventional fingerprint access control and time attendance devices, MinMoe terminals offer a pleasant ‘touch-free’ experience. Powered by a deep learning algorithm, MinMoe terminals ramp up accuracy of face recognition to over 99%, ensuring speedy and almost ‘non-stop’ passing. Furthermore, the terminal performs well in low- and even zero-light environments. Mask detection In many areas and scenarios, wearing masks has been suggested or even required by local governments, communities, or businesses themselves. Quick, automated mask detection will be another demand for access control systems. MinMoe temperature screening terminals can detect whether a person is wearing a mask. When a registered face is recognized but not wearing a mask, the device will prompt an audio reminder. This provides a simple way to automate monitoring and uphold requirements, regulations, and ultimately, safety.