Domestic Drones?

Surveillance Drones. Type that into Google search and your results will yield some heated and controversial subjects such as “Domestic Drones” and “Are they spying on us?” Enhanced video surveillance from above is not a new subject. In fact the use of unmanned aerial vehicles as a surveillance, reconnaissance tool or warfare was by the Austrians in 1849 via hot air balloon to drop bombs. Today’s drones however yield much more calculated missions with specific results in mind and this is most likely why, with  the level of sophistication involved, has brought some people to revisit their Orwellian 1984 fears. Let’s be honest here. Most people have control issues and the fear of having your every move being watched overhead is disheartening indeed. Like it or not, many local police forces are incorporating video surveillance tools of the future to protect the population. The grey area behind the line of thinking “the people need protecting” is that people inherently would rather be left to their own devices. I can hardly blame anyone who doesn't want their every move watched like a…hawk. So where should we stand on this issue? Is there a best practices use for unmanned aerial video surveillance at home? Your local neighborhood probably already employs video surveillance on light poles to catch thieves and vandals. It’s very likely that your closest city has installed red light cameras to catch road violations. Critical infrastructure protection is in place via remote video surveillance to keep your local power grid from attacks. It’s not that far fetched to think that video surveillance drones will fly our skies here at home under the guise of making sure you are safe. But is that ok? You’ve had your own reality show for more than a decade already. Smile for the camera!

Upgrading Your Surveillance Cameras Shouldn't Mean Cutting Back on Your Staff

In such a critical capture environment as security, the search for innovation must be constant. These words are spoken and written about daily by security surveillance professionals. We’ve even spoken about this in the past that critical infrastructure locations and NOC managers need to stay on top of industry trends. Camera Surveillance systems are integrating with IT to combine into smarter platforms that capture intruders in real time allowing NOC managers to sound the alarm quicker and more efficiently. But what does this mean for staffing at automated network operations centers? We think it means that human capitol at critical infrastructure locations can be more efficiently used to monitor and respond. Adding intelligent video analytics to the protection force and upgrading surveillance cameras doesn’t mean cutting back on staff. It should mean the adverse by allowing response times and coverage to expand, making the perimeter more un-penetratable. Having rapid response times to alarms can help critical infrastructure locations thwart unwanted attacks and put real feet on the ground instantly and to the exact locations in need. In today’s world, the terror strike on materials that cannot be compromised will remain a real threat. A threat that requires keeping up with the “Joneses”, and keeps workers on the job. 

Camera surveillance technology is constantly improving

Camera surveillance technology is constantly improving. Watch a crime scene investigation show or even a police drama from the 90’s and you might find yourself snickering at the grainy and obsolete footage that the director uses to identify a suspect. Jump forward only 10 more years in our movie and entertainment culture and think to yourself “How far away is Minority Report from becoming a reality anyway?" One might find through a bit of Google searching that camera technology of the modern age or 2000’s is already obsolete. Police are using video surveillance almost anywhere. And those traffic cameras you see on the light-pole? They can identify you AND given the right conditions…your cars VIN number. 

Camera technologies are merging all the time to include facial recognition with long distance recognition software. There are so many different subsets of camera technology software out in the industry right now that one wonders who might figure out how to put is ALL together. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the camera surveillance industry with it’s strong growth and multiple niches. Marketers are ready to jump on-board the facial recognition wave. Customers and consumers are afraid of it and we’re ready to embrace it’s powerful qualities to assist law enforcement and citizen protection. Here’s only a handful of articles on this very subject. 

http://www2.tbo.com/news/republican-national-convention/2012/apr/17/memeto1-details-of-security-gear-buys-kept-secret-ar-393215/

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120418/APC0902/204180680/Police-capitalize-video-security-set-ups

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/171892/face-time-on-hold.html

Doug Patterson, Marketing Director Axial Technologies

The enemy is updating their tactics ALL the time so why aren’t all NOC managers?

The enemy is updating their tactics ALL the time so why aren’t all NOC managers?
A typical network operations manager probably thinks of, and handles 10 million requests a day, chases false alarms and somehow manages to keep it all together…or out. Today’s perimeter requirements continuously strain even the best of hardworking and intelligent managers. New technologies are continuously being developed to ease the burden of network security and perimeter security functions. Budgets that are managed with an iron fist can deter any request for the next and greatest perimeter surveillance toy.

In 2011 alone the video surveillance industry is said to have grown by 200%! That would imply that there is a wealth of new technologies and tools available now or that will be available soon. The question that burns the brightest is “what technology is the right one for us, RIGHT NOW?” I can’t stress enough the importance of updating technology where and when it makes sense. Holding the position of a NOC manager is one of utmost importance in today’s dangerous world of hackers, terrorists, and technology savvy thieves. Today might be a good time to rethink our weaknesses and stress the advantages of upgrading surveillance capabilities. No one ever knows when the next perimeter breach will happen. The best will know how to stop it.  - Lisa Gruspier, CEO Axial Technologies

Axial Technologies Supports US Army ‘Net-Zero’ Energy Usage

Power consumption:  The 800lb gorilla in the barracks. Last year, the Army set the goal of ‘net-zero’ energy consumption by 2030.  We began to wonder at Axial Technologies if we might be able to do something to assist in decreasing the power load on our products and …the short answer is yes. Axial Technologies is responding by re-engineering our approach to outdoor perimeter surveillance and protection. 

To meet the power needs of the military, Axial Technologies plans to design and manufacture an intelligent video encoder that will be agnostic to camera for outdoor perimeter protection. The latest advances in processing technologies will allow us to push detection capabilities to the edge of video sensor networks.  This new hardware is optimized for video processing and decreases the power footprint required per video channel.  Furthermore, as video processing capabilities move closer to the sensor, the amount of data that must be transmitted across the network decreases. By using industrial grade silicon, fans and heaters are no longer required to manage system temperature, further reducing points of failure and power consumption.

In 2010, we introduced the Reconisense Trailer product line which provides mobile video security with remote monitoring for FOBs and critical assets on the move.  By leveraging the intelligent encoder, we could potentially decrease the trailer’s power footprint by over 40%.  It is Axial Technologies view that as lower power sensors, lighting, and communication equipment hit the market, the trailers will eventually reach ‘net-zero’ energy consumption. There is of course no specific delivery date as of yet while we further develop and test this solution. However, the objective in solving this problem for our fighters in the field is what drives our company to succeed. We would like to offer this new version of our rapidly deployable perimeter surveillance device as soon as possible. - Steve Joralemon CTO, Axial Technologies

Not only is copper theft illegal and on the rise, it’s also downright dangerous!

Not only is copper theft illegal and on the rise, it’s also downright dangerous. 

So many articles and stories have been written this year alone about individuals breaching the perimeter of electrical substations and making off with hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars worth of copper wire. As the value of copper has risen from around $2 in 2009 to just over $4 in 2011, the ever increasing trend of illegal theft continues. Along telephone poles or right of ways some of this infrastructure isn’t protected at all.  However, it’s the copper that IS protected (poorly) that remains the most dangerous to the perpetrator. An easily passable perimeter fence is the only defense some critical infrastructure locations utilize in preventing theft or in these cases, death. As criminals are becoming more intelligent, daring and creative in their methods so should a power companies outdoor perimeter surveillance techniques. 

An untrained and uninformed criminal isn’t thinking about what he can’t touch when entering an electric substation. It’s this miscalculation that can transfer 250,000 volts into his/her body. Having a useful tool like the EVENT GUARD TRL  added to ones perimeter could help to provide real time event driven surveillance and prevention of such acts. While I’m not trumpeting the EVENT GUARD TRL as a life saving device I am saying however, that it’s a side thought when considering the importance of fully protecting important assets that are surrounded by dangerous conditions. Check out Axial Technologies entire product line to see what works for you.