Swiss Arabian is the pioneer of Arabian perfumes that spans over 40 years. Over the years, the Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group has grown from strength to strength. Today, it stands tall as the first perfume manufacturer in the UAE. They operate five modern manufacturing facilities spread across an area of 165,000sq.ft., producing more than 35 million perfumes annually and export the same to over 80 countries. Challenges Swiss Arabian has a prominent presence across several cities in the UAE. Considering this, centralized data management of the employee attendance details, from all the units was critical. Besides, overtime calculation and managing rollover shifts were tedious tasks as well. Furthermore, verifying the attendance data with detailed reports, bifurcated by locations was a part of their key requirements. Solution Matrix addressed these challenges by proposing a door controller at each location, connected via a centralized platform, COSEC CENTRA, to manage all the data from one place. This time-attendance solution assists them in procuring accurate attendance details of an employee in no time! Through the web-based employee portal, the solution offers efficient leave and shift management. Furthermore, it helped the HR team to generate customized reports in the most efficient manner.  Results Centralized and effortless attendance management of multiple locations. Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group Opts Matrix Solutions for Centralized Attendance Management Streamlined shift allocation and automated shift correction. Customized attendance policy formation. Real-time alert on attendance event. Auto-scheduled reporting. Efficient employee database management. Improved productivity.

Industry-leading fire protection solutions from global fire systems manufacturer, Advanced have been chosen to protect the prestigious waterfront mall, hotel and serviced apartments development in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A network of 19 UL-864-approved Axis AX fire panels from Advanced has been installed at the 178,000m2 Marassi Galleria shopping mall. A further network of 14 Axis AX fire panels were also installed at the mall’s adjoining waterfront boutique hotel and high-end serviced apartments – the Vida Hotel and Residences. A combined total of 47 panels comprising 31 4-loop Axis AX panels, two 4-loop Axis AX panels with integrated telephone and voice evacuation systems, 2 mimic panels, two repeater panels and two graphical command centres will form the core of the active fire protection for the $374m resort, once completed at the end of 2021. In total, the Axis AX panels from Advanced will be linked to almost 11,000 devices including 6,400 smoke/ heat detectors and a further 2,823 control/ monitoring modules. The graphical command centres for each network will provide user-friendly system visibility and control, with each fire system being networked with a host of third-party equipment, including lifts, escalators, air handling units, gas suppression systems, CO systems, and fan and damper solutions. Overseeing the installation, testing and commissioning of the entire fire system are Dubai-based, Cignetix Systems, who were awarded the project by the Shapoorji Pallonji Group. Being one of the construction conglomerates, Shapoorji Group ascertains that the right product goes into their projects. Having said that, their MEP Division Vice President, E.J. Joseph along with their DGM, Dileep Zalpuri opted to propose Advanced fire systems which they have utilized in their multiple projects to execute this prestigious project. With many technical meetings and discussions, Harish Sharma, the Projects Director of Shapoorji Group who is handling the project has proposed Advanced Fire Systems to the client M/s DIYAR- Eagle Hills. The Client representative who is in charge of the Project, Dr. Mohammed Al Abed – Director has accepted the product after review by PACE consultant engineer, Guru Murthy. Sunil Gopalkrishnan, Managing Director at Cignetix, said, “Once complete, Marassi Al Bahrain Mall, Hotel and Residences will be home to tens of thousands of occupants enjoying all the development has to offer on the southern island shores of Diyar Al Muharraq. For this reason, it was crucial that the fire protection chosen should be capable of delivering the highest levels of performance, quality and ease of use. Alpha Fire, Bahrain has offered their local support in the project execution and civil defence approval process. “Having installed Advanced solutions in a wide variety of sites, Cignetix was confident that their reliability, networking and false alarm management and reduction capabilities, combined with intuitive operation, would make them the ideal solution for a development of this scale.” In developing the mall, hotel and residential apartments’ false alarm management and reduction strategy, a two-stage positive alarm sequence has been programmed and integrated with third-party life safety interfaces, enabling the immediate activation of these systems without delay in fire situations. Advanced’s Axis AX system delivers power and performance in a user-friendly format with a vast range of configuration, control and interface options as well as simple set-up and operation. The Axis AX system includes easily networked panels, audio panels and command centres, redundant controllers and a huge range of peripherals, devices and interfaces that make it ideal for almost any installation. Gary Craig, Sales and Marketing Director at Advanced, said, “As one of the largest development projects in Bahrain, we’re thrilled to be supporting Cignetix with the equipment required to ensure the safety of thousands of employees, residents and tourists who will live, work, rest and play at the Marassi Al Bahrain Mall, Hotel and Residences. “The false alarm management capabilities of our products are particularly helpful on this mixed use site. They allow you to refine and configure protection very specifically according to the requirements of separate areas within a building – helping to keep unwanted alarms to a minimum and reducing disruption and risk to staff, guests and residents.” Advanced’s fire telephone solution is ideal for high and low-rise apartment buildings, hotels, universities, government and military sites where local fire departments and emergency personnel need access to fire/ emergency communications. Designed for clear, easy-to-use control, the conventional system benefits from LED status indications showing its operational state – whether the system has a call-in, is connected or is in fault condition. The fire telephone system can be configured as either a standalone, independent system or completely integrated into the Axis AX fire system.  

Motorola Solutions recently launched its complete CommandCentral suite. This release is public safety’s first ever cloud-native, end-to-end command center software suite that unifies the flow of data as an incident unfolds to provide greater clarity for mission-critical response and decision making. CommandCentral was developed following years of customer-based research and introduces a novel user experience that completely transforms the way public safety personnel collect, access and view information. The suite is built on a unified data platform that collects all agency data across 911 call handling, dispatch, video analytics, field reports, records, evidence and community engagement, and makes the data instantly actionable through assisted intelligence and a comprehensive 360-degree view of the incident. There are a series of necessary steps within the public safety workflow. These include routing calls; dispatching police, fire or emergency medical services; in taking data; and managing post-incident documentation, investigations, analysis and prosecution. Traditionally, each part of the workflow operated within its own disparate application, resulting in information silos that created barriers to information sharing and delayed case closure. CommandCentral eliminates these silos by integrating applications through a unified data platform so that as information is collected, it is immediately available across all applications, saving time and eliminating the risk of human error. By automatically collecting and correlating the influx of incident data from every source, including citizen multimedia, body-worn camera footage, fixed video, 911 information and radio logs, public safety can improve shared situational awareness, enhance collaboration between teams and easily build a complete case file. To support this cross-team, integrated experience, a 360° view of the incident is generated with an assigned case number the moment an incident starts and updates continuously as it unfolds. Users across the workflow can securely view and add relevant information to the virtual, centralized incident in real-time, from any location and with any form of data. Information is accessible and easily shared up and downstream, giving agencies greater confidence in the completeness and integrity of the record at any moment in time. “A public safety incident is highly fluid, and harnessing the variety, velocity and volume of data quickly and efficiently can make all the difference in a life-threatening situation,” said Mahesh Saptharishi, Chief Technology Officer & Senior Vice President, Software Enterprise & Mobile Video, Motorola Solutions, “CommandCentral places public safety personnel at the center, supporting the continuum of the workflow, so call takers, first responders and others involved in case resolution can easily share information, work as a team and make informed decisions, even under immense pressure.” In addition to its cloud-native CommandCentral applications, Motorola Solutions supports its extensive customer base using on-premises solutions by combining the power of their current systems with cloud-connected innovation, flexible subscription models and a clear path to cloud on a timeline determined by each agency. CommandCentral is a key component of Motorola Solutions’ mission-critical ecosystem, which also includes video security and analytics and mission-critical communications. Motorola Solutions is a global leader in mission-critical communications and analytics. Their technologies in land mobile radio mission-critical communications, video security & analytics and command center software, bolstered by managed & support services, make communities safer and help businesses stay productive and secure. At Motorola Solutions, they are ushering in a new era in public safety and security.  

A large number of different automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) applications such as parking systems and toll control, requires that the system can be adapted in a short time and at low cost. Wahtari has developed the neural camera that is based on a flexible modular principle and equipped with Allied Vision’s Alvium 1800 C cameras. The challenge Varying requirements Wahtari has developed solutions for a wide variety of tasks. Depending on the application’s scope and the requirements, end users can create a product tailored to their needs based on Wahtari’s open architecture. For use in license plate recognition, the system must meet the highest requirements in terms of precision and speed. With a large number of different applications such as parking systems and toll control, it is essential that the system can be developed in a short time and at low cost. The solution Open system architecture The neural camera nCam developed by Wahtari is based on a flexible modular principle. It consists of the basic elements of an image sensor in the form of an Alvium CSI-2 camera, a carrier board, a lens, an image processing controller, a network interface, an AI accelerator, and an x68_46 Intel processor. Up to three Intel Movidius Myriad X VPUs neural processing units are dedicated exclusively to accelerate sophisticated deep learning inferencing. With its high-performance industrial image sensors ranging from 0.5 to 20.4 megapixel resolution, Alvium cameras fit perfectly into the system’s overall concept. As an open platform, nCam is used in many areas of intelligent traffic solutions (ITS), like license plate recognition (ANPR – automatic number plate recognition). Typical ANPR applications are vehicle access control e.g., via black & white lists, automatic billing of toll and parking tickets, as well as free-flow applications in multi-level parking garages or other constellations where RFID transponders are unsuitable. The benefits Flexibility through modularity Wahtari’s modular camera design is developed exactly for versatile requirements. The large sensor selection of the Alvium series opens up a wide range of applications for the nCam. Frame rates of up to 289fps or a resolution of up to 20.2MP are possible, while LEDs with white or IR light ensure a visibility range of up to 50m even at night. Depending on the task such as license plate recognition, the system can now be tailored exactly to individual requirements. The overall system is no larger than 355.00mmx130.00mmx210.00mm. Packaged in an IP67 aluminum housing with a sophisticated passive cooling system, the camera reliably delivers results in a matter of milliseconds even under the harshest conditions (-40°C to 55°C/ -40°F to 131°F). Optionally, it can be equipped with a sunshield. The ANPR system demonstrates its particularly high efficiency gains in scenarios where a large number of unknown vehicles need to be identified quickly and without errors. The number of incorrectly recognized license plates drops to almost zero thanks to deep learning. The collected data provides an ideal basis for drawing conclusions about the utilization of road or parking spaces, analyzing drivers’ usage behavior, and defining appropriate optimization measures.  

Rekor Systems, Inc., a provider of real-time roadway, customer and public safety intelligence to enable AI-driven decisions, announced the selection of its Rekor One™ vehicle recognition system by the City of Albany, New York, in partnership with the Albany Police Department. Rekor was selected after a competitive bid process in June 2021 to help maintain the safety and security of the community and its citizens. Albany is New York’s capital city and part of the economic and cultural core of the Capital District, the third most populous metropolitan region in the state. Rekor One™ will assist Albany’s law enforcement efforts to deter criminal activities and will serve as a forensic tool to help solve crimes after they occur. Rekor’s technology met various performance requirements which support Albany’s public safety mission, including lane capture, solar power operation, easy integration with third party applications, unlimited storage, and robust vehicle identification capabilities. Rekor’s solar option allows for cameras on remote escape routes without relying on city infrastructure or existing power sources. Albany will benefit from the groundbreaking capabilities of Rekor One™ to implement multiple missions simultaneously. By providing real-time access to vehicle make, model and color, as well as license plate information, the platform will support the Albany Police Department in accelerating investigations and will also assist in rapidly locating vehicles of interest and reduce response times to AMBER and Silver alerts. Concurrently, Rekor One™ will also deliver real-time alerts that allow for efficient action and correction by the proper agency when a vehicle is traveling at a dangerous speed or in the wrong direction, or encounters an obstruction in the roadway, minimizing the risk of accident and injury. “Using Rekor One™, the City will glean new intelligence on its roadways in real time, enabling a safer community and continue to progress as a smart city,” said Robert Berman, President and CEO, Rekor, “We look forward to our partnership and the successful outcomes that they will experience.” Rekor’s partnership with Albany follows successful implementations in 24 states nationwide. Rekor has quickly documented success in accelerating investigations, increasing recovery of stolen property, reducing accident risk and enhancing community relations. The system is expected to be fully installed in the near future.  

UK CCTV manufacturing company, 360 Vision Technology, confirms that its Invictus high-performance, ultra-lowlight, HD ruggedised PTZ camera is being rolled-out across the boroughs of Bristol. Over the past 10 years, 360 Vision Technology has developed a successful partnership with Bristol City Council, with the company supplying its Predator PTZ cameras for the city’s public space CCTV, traffic and metrobus projects. Building on that legacy, Chroma Vision have been awarded a contract to upgrade Bristol city centre’s existing camera network, with 360 Vision Technology Invictus PTZ cameras. Utilising Bristol City Council’s privately owned fibre-optic cable network, to date, Chroma Vison have installed 120 Invictus cameras, with 40 more units earmarked for installation in the next phase. In total, the new contract will see 350 Invictus cameras employed on the streets of Bristol. Bridging the divide between analogue and IP systems, and coupled to attractive pricing, the Invictus PTZ camera features industry-leading low power consumption, offering system operators significant energy savings, allied to low running costs. The cameras’ low carbon footprint also helps local authorities to meet their all-important carbon footprint reduction goals. Completing the Invictus’ highly-competitive camera package and providing peace-of-mind for local authority operators, the cameras’ high-quality paint finishes are supported by 360 Vision’s UK based design and manufacturing resource, and a comprehensive 3-year warranty, or an enhanced optional 5-year full warranty on request. “As a business we have worked with 360 Vision on many projects over the years and the incredible all-round imaging performance of the 360 Vision Invictus camera, coupled to attractive pricing, made it the perfect choice for deployment in Bristol,” confirmed Rick Aisthorpe, Engineering Director at Chroma Vision, “360 Vision have also supported us during the implementation phase of this project and are always happy to assist via phone or on site.” Mark Rees, Managing Director at 360 Vision Technology commented, “We place great value on our partnerships and we are delighted to be working with Chroma Vision on this significant upgrade project that continues 360 Vision’s camera legacy in Bristol. With a host of performance and user centric operational benefits, Invictus cameras feature extensively in many local authority upgrades, as customers look at total cost of ownership and the need to ensure CCTV equipment deployed is fit for purpose.”  

Genetec Inc., a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, recently announced that Seagate Technology Holdings plc., a leading world provider in data storage and enterprise storage systems, has deployed Genetec™ Security Center to secure their global campuses and regional offices. At the heart of this large-scale global deployment is the Genetec unified security platform which includes Security Center, Genetec Omnicast™ IP video management system (VMS) to manage more than 1,150 cameras, Genetec Synergis™ IP access control system (ACS) to manage more than 22,000 card holders, Sipelia to manage communications between intercoms and security operation, and Seagate’s own high-efficiency, high-performance Exos™ X 5U84 mass capacity storage system. All sites are connected using the Genetec Security Center Federation feature to centralize monitoring, reporting, and alarm management across the entire organization. The solution enables Seagate to pull in up to 1.3 petabytes of high-definition video in a single disk enclosure from hundreds of cameras and other IoT devices without losing a single frame or data packet. “Video, especially multi-source, high-definition video, provides a stringent performance test for any storage solution,” said Ken Claffey, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Storage Systems at Seagate, “Likewise, the data availability expectation of a robust, unified security platform like Genetec™ Security Center is formidable. The sheer volume of high-definition video streams, frames and metadata coupled with increasingly long retention periods, represent one of the most challenging IT infrastructures to deploy.” This enterprise-scale deployment provides a clear blueprint for a state-of-the-art, unified, high-performance physical security environment for modern, large-scale facilities. “Enterprises with global campuses and data center environments have mission-critical requirements, and securing a growing number of assets across huge facilities, while staying ahead of emerging threats is increasingly challenging,” said Christian Morin, Vice President of Product Groups at Genetec Inc., “Through our partnership with Seagate, this enterprise-scale deployment provides a great example of how enterprises can implement a holistic approach to security, that encompasses physical and cybersecurity while ensuring compliance with fast-changing regulatory mandates.”  

At this time of year, our thoughts turn to the heartwarming idea of a long holiday break enjoying sun and sea. Though it is unlikely that we can go on a typical holiday activity that we’ve loved, hopefully a nice relaxing break is still possible. But no matter where and how we will relax this summer, before we start packing we also feel a little anxious. Not just because we wonder what we should pack, but also about things that are left behind. We want to make sure everything is safe and sound during our travels. For households and business owners, this can be about a secured backyard, locked doors and windows, closed water valves, safe gas and electricity, and many others. Hikvision’s latest Pro Series cameras can take over the security duties for you. Now Hikvision has embedded both its AcuSense AI technology and its low-light ColorVu technology. This combination creates a powerful hybrid, providing 4K ultra HD color for you to see a scene clearly, and the intelligence to be able to recognize a security breach. What’s more, all these can be accessed and viewed remotely using Hik-Connect app on your smartphone or tablet. With this triumvirate of combined technologies and abilities, you can enjoy a laid-back life.   See it clearly… We understand that you might be concerned about your pretty garden that you’ve been looking after with care, or your cat that is fed by a pet sitter during your leave. There is nothing better than a high quality, full-color real-time video which can reassure you; and that’s what the Hikvision cameras with ColorVu can provide. Hikvision ColorVu technology ensures the best possible vivid color to be reproduced in extremely dark scenarios, even on a moonless night. Cameras with ColorVu guarantee video with colorful details when they are needed. Access it easily… Next, it’s about how you see it. It is easy with the Hik-Connect app on your smartphone, which connects and communicates with all your security devices at your premises. With Hik-Connect, you have full access to real-time feeds, you can playback and receive event notifications remotely, even when you are lying on a beach. So you can easily look in on your pets or garden anytime. Understand it quickly… A carefree summertime break also means you are not disturbed as much as possible. You may have experienced annoying frequent alerts, from a traditional security system, and when you checked an event alert, you found nothing but a swaying tree in your front yard from the camera view. This type of ‘no-threat’ incident may happen from time to time, making people frustrated during a holiday. Hikvision AcuSense AI technology can help you solve this conundrum. By using AI, it enables a security camera to only trigger an alarm when a human or a vehicle pops up in the camera view, for example, if someone enters the restricted area in your warehouse. So you can focus on the real threats and act only when needed. At the end of the day, no one wants to be bothered in a relaxing environment. To take things one step further, some cameras with AcuSense AI can flash to deter the intruder away, or even allow you to give a warning through the built-in speaker. In this way, you don’t really need to worry and waste time on your holiday. A powerful combination With AcuSense and ColorVu, the latest Hikvision Pro series cameras are able to deliver much clearer, vivid color images helping you see the scene clearly. It also means that you can understand much more readily what you are looking at, with automated alerts demonstrating real security breaches, and everything can be viewed right in the palm of your hand. Let technology take away the stress, so you can chill out this holiday season!