Category: Case Study

HID Global has recently delivered a redesigned ePassport booklet and document issuance software to Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board (PPA). The European country, known worldwide as a pioneer of electronic identity and services, recently issued the new passport booklet, making it possible for citizens renewing their travel documents to receive the new ePassport. “HID is proud to meet the rigorous quality and technical ePassport specifications required by the government of Estonia, which is widely renowned for providing high-caliber electronic identity documents and services to its citizens,” said Craig Sandness, Senior Vice President and Head of Secure Issuance and Citizen ID Solutions, “The new booklets and supporting software solution simultaneously enhance the country’s ePassport document with industry-leading security features, while capturing the essence of Estonia’s national identity.” Document holders benefit from various forward-looking features included in Estonia’s unique and improved ePassport. The document’s polycarbonate datapage incorporates optically variable inks, two laser images and a window in the shape of Estonia for strong protection against fraud. Additional visual components that reflect the country’s identity include visa pages that showcase six native animals found in Estonia’s natural habitats and UV and embossed features that depict the local climate. “Estonia took a significant step forward with the new passport project, introducing the identity document which binds the history, present and future of Estonia as a cohesive design and tells the story of Estonia in the world,” said Eliisa Sau, Chief Expert of the PPA Identity and Status Bureau, “With the project not only was the design changed, but the first ever polycarbonate datapage was introduced together with new technology and semi-automated personalisation process.” HID’s personalization and quality assurance software modules seamlessly integrate into Estonia’s existing issuance system and enable polycarbonate datapage personalization, secure chip encoding, encryption, and help ensure the condition of the ePassports. For additional security, the PPA is able to track each booklet from the manufacturing facility to the conclusion of the personalization process with HID’s inventory software module. The Estonian government issues seven types of travel documents to citizens that are valid for up to 10 years.  

In today’s crowded cities, effective traffic management is critical for reducing congestion and preventing accidents. With the Hikvision Traffic Visualization Dashboard, traffic managers can view historical and real-time traffic information, helping them make the best decisions and improve outcomes for road users and residents. The growing traffic management challenge Cities around the world are experiencing major traffic management challenges related to congestion, air pollution, slow journey times, and increased road accidents. With 68% of people expected to live in cities by 2050 (compared to 55% today), and therefore there are tough demands for sustainability and lower emissions, the challenges are set to increase exponentially. In an attempt to keep traffic flowing and to maximize road safety, many cities are investing in roadside infrastructure to monitor traffic conditions – including cameras and sensors at key junctions. However, with no way to convert vast quantities of traffic data into actionable insights, this kind of infrastructure can rarely support effective strategic and real-time traffic responses. Converting traffic data into actionable insights To help authorities overcome their immediate and longer-term traffic management challenges, Hikvision has created the Traffic Visualization Dashboard. This integrates data from roadside cameras and sensors, and displays it to traffic management teams via an immersive, map-based interface. With options to overlay historical and real-time traffic data on either a 2D or 3D map, it gives traffic managers fast, easy access to the information they need. The dashboard can also be customized quickly and easily, allowing teams to focus on the traffic information that is most important to them – from vehicle counting and congestion information, to traffic incidents and violations – such as drivers who break the speed limit, drive without their seat belts fastened, or run red lights. Key benefits of the traffic visualization dashboard Optimized traffic management decisions The Hikvision solution combines historical and real-time traffic data to help managers understand key traffic trends, helping them to make better planning decisions. In particular, the Traffic Visualization Dashboard can support in making better decisions in terms of traffic management policies and solutions to implement – from signal optimization to access management solutions and congestion charging schemes. By helping traffic managers to make better longterm planning decisions, the Traffic Visualization Dashboard can help tackle traffic issues such as traffic congestion and other negative impacts of excessive traffic.   Key features of the Hikvision traffic visualization dashboard Immersive 2D or 3D map-based interface for traffic insights ‘at a glance.’ Simple configuration for specific use cases – including congestion management and traffic violation management. Real-time incident responses and improved traffic violation management As well as helping to inform long-term traffic planning, the solution helps teams identify and respond to traffic incidents and violations in nearreal-time. This helps keep key corridors on the road network as clear as possible, helping to speed up journey times for road users. Actionable traffic insights ‘at a glance’ The solution provides 2D and 3D map options that model junctions and traffic corridors accurately, and to the scale. The map-based interface provides a fully immersive experience that allows traffic and incident managers to quickly spot congestion and to detect traffic incidents and violations in different areas of the city – all in a matter of seconds. With no need to generate reports to understand real-time traffic conditions and ongoing traffic trends, managers can also make faster, better informed decisions – helping to optimize traffic flow and public safety.  

The Wisenet XNP-6040H PTZ camera, manufactured by Hanwha Techwin, is being used by media company MBL, to stream live video to the world of the eruption and despite the exposed conditions, it is proving to be more than up to the job by continuously capturing 2-megapxiel colour images of the volcanic activity. The camera was installed in February 2021 following on from the start of strong seismic activity within the Reykjanes Peninsula. This included several 5+ magnitude earthquakes and thousands of smaller ones, with an eruption occurring on 19 March 2021. The last eruption was approximately 800 years ago. The XNP-6040H, which was supplied to MBL by Hafnesehf, Hanwha Techwin Europe’s authorised distributor in Iceland, was installed within a weather-proof housing and is powered by solar panels. “We are delighted to have had the opportunity to provide MBL with a robust and reliable camera to help them share images of these dramatic event which we understand has attracted viewers from around the world,” said Hafnesehf’s Manager, Hafliði Jónsson, “The intention is for the camera to remain in place long term so that in addition to entertaining the general public, it can also be a valuable resource for geology students and volcanologists”.  

An intelligent network of 20 Axis EN fire panels from fire and life safety systems manufacturer, Advanced, has been installed at HaDo Centrosa Garden in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. HaDo Centrosa Garden is a 70,000m2 development of eight 30-storey luxury residential towers and 115 town houses located in the heart of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. The upscale condominium complex’s facilities will include a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, fitness centre, rooftop gardens, a park, school, library and commercial centre. A key requirement for this large-scale complex was a system with high-speed networking capabilities to enable instantaneous sharing of communications between panels. To meet this need, fire protection companies Vietsafe and KP Technology chose 20 Advanced Axis EN fire alarm control panels, alongside 3,000 addressable devices, for installation in the eight residential towers. With many successful installations of Advanced products undertaken by both companies, Vietsafe and KP Technology were confident in Axis EN’s ability to deliver the seamless networking needed, while its ease of installation, testing, commissioning and operation would ensure minimal issues once the panels were on site. Le Manh Dung, Director of Vietsafe, said, “An Axis EN fire system was the clear choice for a project of this nature. Advanced is well respected in the fire industry, and its solutions are straightforward in terms of installation and operation thanks to features such as built-in isolators for sequence addressing which considerably reduces installation time.” Axis EN is EN54 parts 2, 4 and 13 approved and its panels can be used in single-loop, single-panel format or easily configured into high-speed, multi-loop networks of up to 200 nodes covering huge areas. Advanced’s reputation for ease of installation and configuration as well as its wide peripheral range make its products customisable to almost any application. Pham Thanh Phong, Director of KP Technology, said, “As a key partner to KP Technology, Advanced is a fire system supplier we can trust to deliver high-performing, high-quality solutions that are easy to install and to use. “Features such as Axis EN’s false alarm management and reduction capabilities are extremely useful in highrise residential sites, such as HaDo Centrosa Garden. Repeated false alarms are not only intrusive, they can also lead to complacency and delayed reactions to real fire alarms. Having the ability to refine and configure protection so specifically, and according to the requirements of specific areas within a building, helps to keep unwanted alarms to a minimum and reduces disruption and risk for residents.” AlarmCalm software comes as standard with any Axis EN and MxPro 5 fire system, taking advantage of Advanced’s high-speed robust panels and networks to offer a best-in-class solution for managing verification and investigation delays to outputs. It allows the false alarm management strategy for a site to be refined precisely and to take account of occupants’ needs and area usage. It also includes the optional AlarmCalm button – a loop device that allows residents or trained staff to indicate whether they believe a signal in their area is due to a false alarm. Tin Le Than, Advanced’s sales and business development manager for South East Asia, said, “As a modern, vibrant complex for thousands of people living and working in the centre of Ho Chi Minh, the fire protection for the HaDo Centrosa Garden development is a key priority. As an industry-leading solution, our Axis EN fire system will deliver complete peace of mind to the building owners and residents of the complex. I am pleased to have been able to support our fantastic partners at Vietsafe and KP Technology with the equipment needed to fulfil their requirements.”  

Smiths Detection, a leading threat detection and security screening technology company, has recently been selected by Hellenic Police to supply two HCVMe High-Energy Mobile X-ray systems for the screening of cargo. Helping to uncover illegal immigrants, threats, contraband and fraud, these two systems will help to secure the EU’s Southern Border. One additional HCVMe system for other security purposes has been contracted by the Hellenic Police, for delivery later this year. The HCVM e35 is a powerful, ultra-compact and fully integrated light mobile platform ideal for inspecting whole trucks, containers and vehicles for threats such as explosives, narcotics, contraband, as well as manifest verification; reducing the need for manual inspection. The HCVM e35 is the smallest mobile screening system available, able to penetrate up to 200mm of steel, while enabling a high throughput of up to 80 trucks per hour. “The HCVMe is a versatile system that allows for quick screening of cargo and trucks to uncover threats and contraband,” said Jasper van Gend, Head of Market, Europe North & East, “We’re delighted to continue supporting Hellenic Police security goals, and to help protect the EU’s Southern borders.” Contract award, delivery, training and commissioning of equipment was completed by Smiths Detection Greek partner, Proton S.A.  

NEC Corporation recently announced the provision of an electronic customs procedure system utilizing face recognition at the customs inspection areas of Naha Airport, the busiest airport in Okinawa, Japan. This electronic customs procedure system has also been provided to six other major airports in Japan – New Chitose Airport, Narita International Airport, Haneda Airport, Japan’s busiest, Chubu International Airport, Kansai International Airport and Fukuoka Airport, based on an order from Japan Customs, under the Ministry of Finance. This system is designed to accelerate the customs procedures at leading airports, where NEC’s face recognition technology can confirm travelers’ identities when using the system’s electronic declaration terminal and passing through its exit gates. Moreover, NEC aims to further accelerate customs procedures by enabling baggage to be reported electronically through the use of smartphone applications. NEC’s face recognition technology is the core technology of its biometric identification portfolio ‘Bio-IDiom’ and boasts the world’s No.1 recognition accuracy. About the Electronic Customs Procedure System The electronic customs procedure system consists of customs declaration apps, which simplify customs and declaration procedures for baggage, an electronic declaration terminal, and an exit gate that enables passengers to pass through using face recognition. Exit gate equipped with the world’s No.1 face recognition technology The exit gate is equipped with NEC’s AI engine ‘NeoFace,’ which is the core technology of its biometric identification portfolio ‘Bio-IDiom,’ and has won the world’s No.1 recognition accuracy. The system operates by taking a facial image at an electronic declaration terminal installed at the customs inspection area, this image is then matched with a facial image that is taken by a face recognition camera at an exit gate. Since the face of a person approaching an exit gate is continuously photographed, walk-through authentication is possible, without requiring travelers to stop. Smooth identification contributes to reducing the congestion of customs inspection areas and shortening travelers’ waiting times. Customs declaration apps and an electronic declaration terminal Customs declaration apps and an electronic declaration terminal enable efficient and easy electronic declaration for customs inspections. Travelers enter the contents of their portable goods with customs declaration apps, obtain a QR code, and then read their passport and the QR code with an electronic declaration terminal installed in the customs inspection area. This is considered more simple and easy when compared to preparing conventional forms for the ‘Declaration of Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles.’ In addition, during operation of the electronic declaration terminal, a traveler is photographed with a built-in camera and checked against their facial image embedded in the IC chip of their passport. The facial image taken at the terminal is only used for identification processes and is deleted in an appropriate manner after use. NEC has already provided biometric identification systems, including face recognition, to approximately 50 airports around the world. NEC will continue to strengthen its efforts to develop solutions and services in support of the ‘NEC Safer Cities’ business domain and contributing to the realization of safe, secure, and prosperous communities.  

HID Global, a worldwide player in trusted identity solutions, recently announced that qiiosk Ltd. uses its HID NFC Tags to meet skyrocketing demand from restaurants and diners for its product Menu Tile, to give a completely contact-free dining experience. With HID NFC Tags, qiiosk was able to respond quickly to the demand for solutions capable of addressing the ‘new normal’ of contactless dining, takeout, and delivery. The company’s enhanced solutions enable restaurant goers to securely access current menus, place orders, and submit payment simply by scanning a QR code or tapping an embedded NFC tag with an NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet. High-quality HID NFC Tags facilitate end-user interactions with qiiosk’s products, providing restaurants and other hospitality venues with robust hardware and best-in-class software for touchfree ordering and payment. “HID NFC Tags now solidly underpin our Menu Tile product and others in development,” said Justin Clark, Director at qiiosk, “We chose the solution due to our experience and confidence in the tags after significant and fierce field trials. We are confident in HID products and use them not only within our organization, but also in organizations we support.” Of particular importance to the Menu Tile product was the adhesive quality, read rate and ruggedness of HID NFC Tags, which allowed the company to equip its customers with a ‘fire-and-forget’ solution to address rapidly evolving regulations in the hospitality sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased attention on food allergen issues. With HID NFC Tags, qiiosk was able to quickly upgrade their physical product and produce enough tiles to supply customers. This positioned the company to maintain their high growth by delivering a high-quality product capable of enduring the harsh conditions of bars and restaurants – leading to cost savings and reliability. “We are pleased that qiiosk has leveraged the power of HID NFC Tags to deliver an improved product that provides exceptional results during a time of high demand and great uncertainty,” said Jean Miguel Robadey, Vice President of Industrial Smart Components, Identification Technologies with HID Global, “By integrating HID NFC Tags into its solutions, qiiosk was able to deliver to its customers more touch-free opportunities and the ability to immediately communicate menu changes and even possible COVID-19 exposures to protect their staff and diners.”  

Mission With a mission to recognize faces of the people entering/ exiting premise of the Government Institution at Indonesia, and analyse their attributes in real-time, the authority needed an extremely robust and ‘highly secured’ facial recognition system. Due to heavy footfall at the premise, it was difficult for staff to manually record information of visiting people and verify their identity on daily basis. Sometimes, they faced challenge in verifying them due to changes in appearance or features. The solution Videonetics MeraFace™ – facial recognition software was selected after a thorough technical evaluation by the partner as well as government decision makers, Videonetics MeraFace™ was selected for its highest accuracy in recognizing and detecting faces, in varied lighting condition, providing additional attributes of gender, age and emotions and comprehensive statistical reporting. Operating 24x7x365 on one of the busiest premises having footfall of VIPs, citizens, media, and government officials, Videonetics MeraFace™ was deployed at strategic locations with high human traffic flows including entry and exit and lift lobby area, of the institution. Video streams from IP cameras are processed at MeraFace™ to detect faces in real-time and operators find probable match with the registered faces. In case, any face which is not registered but has been captured and stored in the system, can also be found anytime. Operators have been keeping records of registered faces and attributes of the person’s face for future search and investigation. Powered by AI & deep learning framework, MeraFace™ analyses and delivers more information such as gender, age, emotion – eventually helpful for officials to make accurate visitors’ analysis. Now, operators can identify and classify VIP, suspected, blacklisted people in real-time with easy clicks and send the instant notification to the staff, for any swift action. At the time of any suspicious activity, operators can quickly investigate person’s face in the given videos or collection of face images. Moreover, this feature has been phenomenally successful as an investigation tool, for conducting post incident analysis. The impact Videonetics MeraFace™ has been proven to be a reliable and scalable system for the government authority by delivering fast and highly accurate results. Today, the security staff can recognize and detect faces in real-time. Furthermore, MeraFace™ has helped in appointing a smaller number of security guards around the entrance or exit of the premise, thanks to automated facial recognition system of identifying and validating information. Risk of human errors in face matching has also been eliminated. “Videonetics has not only delivered a perfect facial recognition solution, but also delivered on its reputation of providing outstanding training and support to us and customer. Our customer has invested in the future-proof technology that has the ability to grow with their needs,” expressed Alfred Bisuk, Technical Manager, Lamjaya Inovasi Komputindo.  

360 Vision Technology, the UK manufacturer of rugged PTZ and thermal imaging cameras, has promoted the application and deployment of radar and thermal imaging at Security Summit 2021, one of the largest virtual security industry events in Europe. Scheduled for 11.30-12.00 (GMT), Wednesday May 5th, the free-to-attend live virtual keynote presentation was given by 360 Vision’s technology expert, Tony Holloway, on the subject of ‘The application of radar and thermal surveillance technologies for large area security detection.’ In his keynote speech, Tony discussed the technology, performance differences and considerations for the deployment of radar and thermal detection cameras suitable for large area surveillance applications. Underpinned by the science behind the solutions, Tony explored the features and limits, to enable attendees to clearly identify applications for successful deployment. “Following the recent success of our technology learning webinars, we are delighted to have been offered the opportunity to deliver a technology keynote speech at the Security Summit Virtual Event,” said Sara Fisher, Sales Director at 360 Vision Technology, “In Tony’s presentation, he’ll be looking at how radar and thermal imaging can be successfully specified for use in a variety of large area applications. The presentation will be highly beneficial for anyone interested in deploying a surveillance capability that offers immediate and reliable detection, with simultaneous alert and visual verification.”  

Since e-commerce has steadily been on the rise globally in recent years, many people prefer not to visit physical stores as usual, leading to a major boom in online shopping and home parcel delivery. This means there are unprecedented opportunities for e-commerce and logistics companies to expand their businesses and grow their revenues. However, success depends on increasing performance and throughput, while also tracking and securing thousands of parcels a day as they head towards end-customers’ addresses. Why manual processes make parcel tracking harder For many logistics companies, the sheer volume of goods passing through distribution and fulfillment centers creates major challenges for tracking and securing parcels effectively. This is especially the case during manual steps in the parcel delivery process such as opening boxes to conduct quality control checks, and packing parcels for delivery to customers’ addresses. This is because manual processes inevitably introduce an element of risk into the parcel delivery process. Errors can occur, for example, leading to lost or mis-directed parcels. Additionally, manual interventions in the supply chain may increase the risk of lost inventory, especially where effective monitoring systems and processes are absent. The question for logistics providers processing thousands – or even tens of thousands – of parcels a day, is how to minimize the risk of errors and loss of goods across the entire, end-to-end delivery process. Track each and every one of the parcels with digital technology Using a combination of digital technologies, it’s now possible to monitor goods as they flow through the facility in real time. In particular, smart video cameras can be connected to barcode scanners, allowing users to understand exactly where goods and parcels are located, and how they are moving through their facility. By cross referencing data from cameras and scanners, one can quickly access footage of incidents such as goods that are dropped or damaged. In the same way, he can identify goods that were damaged before they reached him, proving that his teams were not responsible for breakages. The value of an end-to-end audit trail By creating an end-to-end audit trail for every parcel, this kind of solution allows the user to monitor his performance on an ongoing basis, and to make operational improvements that increase his productivity and throughput. Equally importantly, he can also find out exactly what happened to goods that are lost or stolen from the supply chain and take immediate action if required. If goods are lost, for example, he can quickly cross reference time and date information from barcode scanners with video footage recorded by security cameras. He can then see exactly what happened, giving him clear evidence for later use. Many times, of course, mistakes and issues are innocent such as parcels stuck in joins between conveyer belts. However, with digital, end-to-end parcel tracking, these kinds of events are also fast and easy to spot, ensuring that one can meet your delivery SLAs.