Month: January 2023

Former Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, & Spl. Secy., Internal Security, MHA ASSOCHAM Conducted a National Conference on Homeland Security Finding comprehensive solutions along with the private sector for homeland security, that also serves as a force multiplier, is a crucial concept for Aatmanirbhar and Surakshit Bharat,” stated VSK Kaumudi, IPS (Retd.), Former Secretary (Security), Cab. Sectt., & Spl. Secy., Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, at the national conference on ‘Homeland Security: Public-Private Partnership for Managing New Age Challenges.’ The conference was organized by the apex industry body, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). In order to protect against criminal activities, terrorism, and other threats to the country, Mr. Kaumudi underlined the significance of advanced security systems. He spoke about the nexus between inimical elements abroad and local terrorists and criminal gangs that affects the well-being of Indian citizens along the borders as well as in the heartland. The Indian government has been encouraging startups and private parties for developing sophisticated technology for weapons and security equipment, skill development of security personnel, and in cyber security through private-public partnership. According to Mr. Kaumudi, India needs private-public partnership to foster the development of start-ups and to adopt the best available technology for robust security architecture. Sanjay Agrawal, Dy Director General (Disaster Management) at the Ministry of Communications of the Government of India, highlighted the importance of establishing a public-private partnership model to enlist industrial partners for commercial use of the network while taking into account geographical areas and designing communication models for nationwide homeland security. He further emphasized the need to utilize modern technologies in tandem with an integrated communication system in order to enhance safety measures. Additionally, he proposed that a well-devised communication strategy is essential in worst-case scenarios. He stressed that a combination of modern technologies and an integrated communication system will bolster safety, and a well-prepared communication strategy is essential in the event of a crisis. Kunwar Vikram Singh, Chairman of the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI), underscored the responsibility of the government to protect its citizens with the collaboration of all stakeholders. He also highlighted that due to socio-economic conflicts, it is essential to come up with a plan of action to address them. According to him, private security is a major component of the sector and India has the largest security workforce of around 1 crore personnel who safeguard the nation. Jasbir Singh Solanki, CEO of Mahindra Defence System Limited’s Homeland & Cyber Security division, highlighted cyber security as the biggest challenge given the prevalence of cybercrime around the globe. He urged a shift from a trader mentality to a builder mindset and advocated for the allocation of funds towards security protection technology. Alpesh Kankariya, Partner (Homeland Security and Surveillance) at PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited (PwC), emphasized the fundamentals of homeland security, which encompasses counter-terrorism initiatives, security from natural disasters and public health hazards, as well as national security from external adversaries. In his closing remarks, Anil Dhawan, Co-Chairman of ASSOCHAM’s National Council on Homeland Security & Disaster Management and MD of DB Secure Solutions Pvt Ltd., offered an insight into home-grown security solutions through the Public-Private Partnership model, as well as increased investment in research and development to meet specific security needs. Among eminent dignitaries, a joint knowledge report titled ‘Cognitive Command and Control Centres-Redefining homeland security with emerging technology’ was released by ASSOCHAM-PwC.  

In residential communities, commercial centers, and even industrial parks, ensuring effective site accessibility and security can be a challenge, as people come and go, alone or in crowds. Hikvision India provides a portfolio of solutions to help customers maintain efficient and secure accessibility on site Residents, employees, customers, deliverymen, maintenance personnel, and others create the familiar hustle and bustle at large buildings and facilities. In places like these where people come and go continuously, site operators must become experts in a variety of access control and security systems and products to know which functions are included and which are not. Their choices must ensure that authorized people – like employees, suppliers, visitors, and contractors – can all access sites and facilities quickly and easily. At the same time, on-site personnel must protect the sites and populations by identifying unauthorized people and then denying them access, which is essential in minimizing security events, vandalism, and other security risks. Organizations also risk investing further in access and security functions they already have, or, in other cases, finding gaps that are difficult to fill in a cost-effective way. For these scenarios, Hikvision has created a range of solutions to simplify site accessibility and security management and to give customers clearer access to the specific functions they need. It offers a roadmap to help customers accurately choose and deploy the functions they need to keep everyone safe while also guiding everyone to the right place at the right time at their sites. In this portfolio, key functional solutions can be mixed-andmatched to meet specific needs for all kinds of sites such as residential communities, shopping malls, office towers, airports, industrial parks, and much more. Here are a few of the essentials that Hikvision’s solutions include. Access Control Administrators commonly encounter the challenging task of granting authorized people access to necessary areas. Access control solutions have come a long way from keys, pin codes, and physical cards, but as technology advances, better solutions get introduced regularly. Hikvision Access Control solutions use multiple biometric authentication methods, including face and fingerprint recognition, to ensure that only authorized people enter buildings or sites. These solutions use deep learning algorithms to automate recognition of authorized people and to grant or deny access to sites or restricted areas. ‘Rapid passage solutions’ can be deployed at entrances and exits where many people need to pass in a short timeframe, and ‘extra-high security solutions’ employ multi-factor authentication and other technologies for restricted areas. Vehicle Entrance and Exit Vehicles regularly enter and exit from parking lots at all kinds of locations. Effectively and precisely identifying these vehicles, allowing registered vehicles in and out, and charging parking fees, challenges managers daily. Hikvision’s solutions for Vehicle Entrance and Exit Control help customers ensure that only authorized vehicles enter a site, while also improving on-site navigation and parking. These solutions recognize vehicle license plates (using ANPR cameras) and cross-reference this information with access ‘rules’ at the back end. Multiple parameters Vehicle Entrance and Exit Vehicles regularly enter and exit from parking lots at all kinds of locations. Effectively and precisely identifying these vehicles, allowing registered vehicles in and out, and charging parking fees, challenges managers daily. Hikvision’s solutions for Vehicle Entrance and Exit Control help customers ensure that only authorized vehicles enter a site, while also improving on-site navigation and parking. These solutions recognize vehicle license plates (using ANPR cameras) and cross-reference this information with access ‘rules’ at the back end. Multiple parameters At the enterprise level, finding an easy and efficient way to manage employee attendance is important for management. Using biometric authentication solutions such as face and fingerprint recognition, Hikvision’s solutions help organizations create an accurate, auditable record of employee time and attendance. A wide range of scheduling and attendance reports comes included with each solution as needed, with simple deployment in the cloud. Site managers can set up and deploy Hikvision time and attendance solutions quickly and easily on a single site, or at multiple sites. Visitor Management Visitor management is another headache for accessibility concerns, as both convenience and safety must be considered. Hikvision’s Visitor Management solutions maximize site security while also providing a much faster and better experience for visitors. Visitors can register and make an appointment via a mobile app or online, allowing site staff to grant them quick access to their authorized areas when they arrive. There are options for a receptionist to receive visitors in person as well as for visitors to check in and enter buildings using a self-service terminal. Perimeter Protection Perimeter protection has traditionally been a core component for site security. Here, Hikvision provides highly reliable Perimeter solutions for all kinds of scenarios, whether ‘short’, ‘medium,’ or ‘long.’ Key features of these solutions include real-time alerts and auditory and visual warnings to deter trespassers before they enter buildings or step foot on sites. With AI features to distinguish people and vehicles from other moving objects such as animals or falling leaves, the security team can focus their efforts on real security threats and respond to incidents much faster. Flow Control The ability to accurately count numbers of visitors and customers can be a major advantage for commercial organizations, improving service, safety, and even sales. Using dual-lens cameras with 3D binocular stereo vision and deep learning algorithms, Hikvision provides intuitive notifications and timely alarms when the number of people in a specified area reaches the preset threshold. With the ability to count people in queues and crowds, Hikvision’s Flow Control solutions enable users to respond with, for example, increased staffing at peak times or other actions that improve efficiency and service quality. Users also get a clear view of how many people enter and leave a site for improved security and safety.  

Prakash Prabhu – Chief Business Officer & Co-Founder, VisionBot In this feature, we will together discover the basic concept of Augmented Computer Vision, it’s use in the real world to automation of tasks, turn images and video in to strategic information, and build exception based alert reporting. We will also consider industry use cases and what we should consider when implementing AI/ ML driven visual content monitoring applications in any organization. Augmented Computer Vision To augment means to improve, enhance something and get more specific and detailed information. The goal is to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to derive enriched cognitive information from computer vision video data also known as cognitive augmentation or Augmented Computer Vision. Purpose Augmented Computer Vision focuses on using artificial intelligence (AI/ ML) tools in an assistive role to enhance the partnership between human and artificial intelligence to enhance cognitive performance for better visual content monitoring and inspection application. Technology System delivering augmentation use artificial intelligence technologies to complement human output. Augmented AI uses technologies such as: Machine learning: Systems learn from data to identify patterns and create a feedback loop to learn and improve. Logical reasoning: This uses logical techniques to rationalize and assist in conclusions and deductions based on available data to solve problems and make predictions. Spatial navigation: They are designed to work with temporal and spatial information. Machine vision: This enables a computer to see for automatic analysis and inspection. Pattern recognition: This is automated recognition of patterns within data by spotting regularities or irregularities. Functions Augmented Computer Vision employs five main functions: Detect: Video data is fed to the system; detection & classification is then derived from. Identify: As new data is input, the old data is analysed, and new data sets are identified. Classify: The new data set then defines results. Assess: Humans then provide feedback on the results or output, and the system is adjusted. Respond: Defined processes are used to ensure compliance and security for risk management. Augmented Computer Vision can Enhance operational decision-making. Save time by sorting through high volumes of Video data. Drive profits and reduce risks by successfully predicting patterns. Remove human error and bias in data interpretation. Allow operators to make more accurate data-driven decisions in real time. Augmented Computer Vision is meant to in crease the intelligence of both, the computer and the human user. When used properly in tandem, man and machine can be smarter together. AI and augmented data from Visual Content Monitoring can open the door for more creativity and new innovations by assisting and enhancing human capabilities. Application of Augmented Computer Vision The spectacular development of Deep Learning approaches, has revolutionized video analysis and its applications. Computer Vision techniques have moved from classic use cases (e.g., Triggering an alert if the camera image gets too dark or changes drastically) and has since moved to systems capable of identifying specific objects in an image and tracking their path. Augmented Computer vision is proving to be a game-changer, with a plethora of applications in Visual Content Monitoring and Visual Inspection Monitoring applications in virtually every industry, allowing it to leverage the power of deep learning and, as a result, provide faster, cheaper, and superior automation. Primary use case would be for Automated Visual Inspection (AVI). Areas of Requirement It is that is required in both continuous and discrete operational scenarios. In non-production contexts, a visual inspection can be used to evaluate whether the traits indicative of an ‘object or behaviour’ are present and prevent possible negative consequences, similar to how it is used in manufacturing for quality or defect evaluation. There are numerous other industries where visual inspection is used and till now is done manually as it was considered a high-risk area. How Automated Visual Inspection using Augmented Computer Vision is better than Manual Inspection Automatic image correction. Higher processing speed. Remote operations. Wider spectrum coverage. Higher accuracy. Zero fatigue. Scalable. Self-learning ability. Use past data for automated learning. Accurate model predictions. Real World Industry Applications Construction Manufacturing Warehousing & logistics. Warehousing & logistics. Healthcare Retail Food & hospitality. Smart & safe cities. Sports analysis. We will endeavour to cover each Industry application use case in details in subsequent features. Today we will focus on how VisionBot™ driven automated reporting and exceptional alerting helps construction companies become more safe, efficient and profitable. Ai Driven Automated Visual Inspection Monitoring for Construction Industry VisionBot™ is a platform that leverages the scalability and availability of cloud services to offer its Augmented Computer Vision based solutions. VisionBot™ helps businesses get the most out of their visual content, thereby deriving powerful insights and driving decision making. Designed as a cloud based Software-as-Service (SaaS) model, it lets any customer start using the system with minimal investment. VisionBot™ is offered as an on-premise service in Hybrid/ Private Cloud/ Data Centre for enterprise requirements. It is an adaptive platform and learns on its own, to deliver required outcomes depending on enterprise use cases. There are several use cases of Visual Monitoring for the Construction sector. With its wide stretch of land and real estate variety of vehicles and equipment and large number of workers and supervisors, visual monitoring of assets and human resources helps address both occupational safety and operational efficiency. Therefore construction sector has several use cases where Automated Visual Monitoring is a compelling need. Visionbot™ helps automating several functions in construction that are tedious/ dangerous for humans or erroneous under human monitoring. We use advanced AI and machine learning tools to train an algorithm to distinguish different things in an image and automatically report on anomalies. Turn images into information to provide real-time detection of events, things of importance and anomalies on the site. This information can be used to better assess productivity, security, risks and hazards. It is also a cost-efficient option where there is a need for large manpower: Workplace safety and compliance. Inventory management. Routine and special inspections. Attendance and access control. Theft protection & vandalism. EHS & EPC safety monitoring….

A delegation of Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) led by Chairman Kunwar Vikram Singh has recently met the Hon’ble Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Yogi Adityanath Ji Maharaj, at his residence in Lucknow. They discussed the matter of security training institutes in the state and explored the opportunities. The delegation briefed the Chief Minister about the activities of the Association. Mr. Yogi informed the delegation that his government is starting extension campus of Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU)  in the State. The Chief Minister said that his government is setting an extension campus of RRU for security studies especially in forensic sciences. He also assured them that more training centres for private security shall be approved soon so that training as per Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (PSARA) can be imparted to all the security guards and supervisors working in the state of UP. Kunwar Vikram Singh congratulated Mr. Yogi for bringing law & order situation in the state under complete control so that businesses can invest in the state. CAPSI members also assured the Chief Minister that soon majority of security guards will be trained as per the  BIS standards (Bureau of Indian Standards) which will further motivate investors about the security of their assets and people. Om Kumar, MLA & CAPSI State Chapter President, N P Singh Working President, Ravinder Singh, Vice President and Ashish Sisodia Convenor of Western UP Chapter of CAPSI attended the meeting along with Mahesh Sharma, Secretary general, Anil Puri,  VP, and Sudhir Bhasin VP, CAPSI. As the spokesperson of CAPSI informed, a delegation of CAPSI shall be meeting the Chief Ministers of most of the States to establish better understanding between the government and CAPSI. They also proposed to set up four Centres of Excellence (CoE) for security courses for middle level operations & management. Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) is the preeminent organization for security professionals which has emerged as an elite association. CAPSI’s governing processes are being guided by an eminent Board of Governors having former Army Generals, Veteran Police and Para-Military officers, high ranking Intelligence Professionals from Central Bureau of Investigation and premier governmental intelligence agencies and renowned Risk Managers. CAPSI is functioning as a federal body which represents the interest of entire Private Security Industry (PSI) of India. It operates through its State Chapters constituted in every State of the Republic of India. Each State Chapter is being governed by an executive council.