In the world of cybersecurity, ethical hacking proactively identifies security vulnerabilities before malicious actors (i.e., unethical hackers) can exploit them. By simulating real-world attacks, organisations can strengthen defences, protect sensitive data, and maintain public trust. In the physical security world, ethical hacking can transform cybersecurity of security systems from a reactive struggle into a strategic safeguard. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the role of ethical hacking as it relates to physical security?

Next-generation (Next-Gen) technologies are products, services, or infrastructures that represent a significant leap forward rather than a small, incremental update. In the physical security industry, NextGen products are those that enable disruptive change, breakthrough performance, and a fundamental change that renders previous products obsolete. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the next generation of physical security solutions, and how will they change the industry?

Emphasising proactive rather than reactive security shifts the focus from dealing with crises and damage control to prevention. Advantages of a proactive approach include cost efficiency, better business continuity, and fewer crises that draw attention away from strategic improvements. Staying ahead of threats is a core mission of the security department, and technology has evolved to enable security professionals to deliver on that mission better than ever. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: How are security systems transitioning from reactive to proactive, and what is the benefit?

Multiple technology trends are transforming the physical access control market. There is a fundamental shift away from physical cards and keys toward digital identities — mobile credentials, digital wallets, biometrics, and cloud-native access platforms. These next generation access solutions are radically reshaping how buildings operate, protect staff, and perform functionally. At the same time, AI and analytics solutions are being layered onto these physical access control systems to support predictive threat detection and behavioural insights. Access data itself is becoming an asset for sustainability, space optimisation, and smart building initiatives. Risk, impact operations and experience The annual HID Global Security and Identity Trends Report highlights these and other issues The annual HID Global Security and Identity Trends Report highlights these and other issues. The survey cites improving user convenience as a priority for nearly half of organisations, while 41% are focused on simplifying administration, and 28% struggle with system integration. These are not theoretical challenges, they are day‑to‑day friction points that add cost, increase risk, impact operations and experience, and, of course, must be addressed. HID Global’s commercial focus HID Global’s commercial focus is to help organisations digitise their access control — with mobile identities, biometrics, and cloud platforms — and then to use the data to deliver more value. “We are turning access control from an operational cost into a software-driven asset that improves efficiency, supports Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals and even creates new revenue opportunities,” says Steven Commander, HID Global’s Head of Consultant Relations. The impact of digital transformation Digital transformation is the method of moving access control from hardware and physical credentials Digital transformation is in the process of moving access control from hardware and physical credentials to a software-driven, integrated experience. The transformation strengthens security while also improving user convenience — transforming the “pavement to the desk” journey. HID enables this shift through mobile credentials, biometrics, cloud-native platforms, and solutions that allow third-party applications to run on door hardware. “This helps customers turn access data into operational and commercial outcomes, while also improving the overall user experience,” says Commander.  Digital transformation in access control is not focused on chasing the latest trends. Rather, transformation is about turning software, data and integration into outcomes that matter to customers, says HID. “Security becomes stronger and more adaptive,” says Commander. “Operations become simpler and more cost‑effective. Experiences become seamless and consistent. Sustainability moves from ambition to action. And the financial case becomes clearer as efficiencies are banked and new value streams emerge.” The challenge of futureproofing with long lifecycles Given that physical security technologies will be in place for 15 to 20 years, it is important to plan for how systems can evolve over time. Considering how rapidly security threats, compliance standards, and user expectations change, 15 to 20 years is a long time. The decisions made at the beginning of a system’s lifecycle can either limit flexibility later (which will be costly) or enable long-term adaptability. Support for open standards such as Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is therefore important Choosing products and platforms that are open, interoperable, and designed for updates can enable future-proof projects. Support for open standards such as Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is therefore important.  In addition, systems built on open controller platforms — such as Mercury — enable organisations to switch software providers or expand functionality without replacing core door hardware. Architectural openness is key to system lifecycles and maximising the return on investment (ROI) from a chosen solution. Digital credentials and mobile access Flexibility and upgradeability should also be top of mind when it comes to endpoints like access control readers. While RFID cards are still commonplace, there is a clear trend toward digital credentials and mobile access. Readers that support both allow organisations to transition at their own pace, without committing to a full system overhaul. A long system lifecycle does not mean technology should remain static. Security, particularly cybersecurity, demands more frequent updates. Technologies that support firmware upgrades in the field extend the value of a deployment while helping organisations keep pace with emerging threats. In that sense, lifecycle thinking is not just about longevity — it’s about maintaining resilience and readiness over time. Applying biometrics and mobile identities Biometrics is becoming mainstream as a credential alternative, strengthening security without adding friction Biometrics is becoming mainstream as a credential alternative, strengthening security without adding friction. Many organisations are now deploying biometrics to support fast, seamless access journeys, with adoption already around 39% in access control according to HID’s recent research.  In addition, 80% of organisations surveyed expect to deploy mobile identities within the next five years. Full technology integration enables tap‑to‑access without opening an app; the user journey becomes faster, safer, and more convenient. “It is where the industry is headed and we are at the vanguard of this,” says Commander.    Ongoing challenge of cybersecurity At HID Global, cybersecurity is embedded into everything, from corporate processes and development practices to the solutions they bring to market. “Our approach ensures that customers can strengthen their overall security posture, not only by deploying secure products but by benefitting from HID’s commitment to the highest industry standards,” says Commander. HID holds multiple globally recognised certifications, including ISO 27001, ISO 14298, SOC Type 2 and CSA STAR, which demonstrate their robust information security and cloud security practices. In addition, HID’s SEOS® secure chipset is independently SEAL-certified, providing one of the most advanced levels of protection available on the market today. “Ultimately, this means organisations are not just purchasing isolated secure products; they are implementing solutions developed and delivered within a comprehensive, cybersecure framework,” says Commander. “When deployed according to best practices, HID solutions enable customers to achieve the highest levels of resilience against evolving physical and cyber threats.” Developing green and sustainable solutions A huge amount of waste is generated from the manufacture of plastic RFID access cards Digital credentials align with the sustainable solutions that everyone wants. A huge amount of waste is generated from the manufacture of plastic RFID access cards. Over 550 million access cards are sold annually. This creates 2,700 tons of plastic waste and 11,400 tons of carbon, based on a PVC card weighing 5 grams.  Therefore, digital credentials self-evidently reduce the reliance on plastic cards (helping reduce carbon emissions by up to 75% according to HID’s research), while leveraging access control system data supports energy optimisation by shutting down or reducing systems in unused spaces. Energy use and CO₂ emissions can be cut dramatically, showing how access systems can contribute to sustainability goals and green building certification. What is the latest in smart buildings? Smart buildings increasingly rely on mobile access control as the backbone for digital services. Real-time access data enables new services such as automated room bookings, HVAC control, lift/elevator calling, e-bike hiring, and so on. Smart buildings increasingly rely on mobile access control as the backbone for digital services The financial upside is clear; smart, digitally transformed buildings can deliver around 8% higher yields per square foot versus traditional office space. Operational savings accrue from reduced administration, the removal of card production and shipping, and lighter IT support. This creates a value cycle — better experiences drive adoption, adoption fuels monetisation, and monetisation funds further improvements. Achieving technology impact in the real world One standout project is One Bangkok – a $3.9 billion mixed used development in Thailand – which demonstrates the scale of what can be achieved when access control data is used for optimisation, particularly when it comes to monitoring facilities usage and occupier behaviours. By switching lights off or lowering the temperature in unused rooms, for example, the One Bangkok building demonstrates this potential with a 22% reduction in energy consumption, saving 17,000 MWh and 9,000 tons of CO₂ annually.  Sustainability is a key factor in contributing to how properties are valued. And sustainability extends far beyond digital credentials having a lower environmental impact than plastic cards.  Buildings with recognised sustainability certifications often command rental premiums of around 6%, and three‑quarters of security decision‑makers now consider environmental impact in their procurement assessments.

Commvault, a pioneer in unified resilience at enterprise scale, today announced Commvault Active Directory Pre Recover. This new solution, which utilises existing Commvault technologies – including Commvault Cleanroom and Threat Scan – to reduce the time it takes to cleanly recover Active Directory (“AD”) from hours to minutes. About Active Directory Pre Recover Active Directory Pre Recover creates a clean, standby copy of AD in an isolated, air-gapped Cleanroom environment. When disaster or disruption strikes, rather than waiting for a full forest recovery, or relying on complicated identity synchronisation, organisations can fail over in minutes to this clean copy and keep the business running. Commvault also utilises Threat Scan to continuously scan AD backups so the standby copy is free of malicious content. This innovation comes as identity systems have become a primary target for attackers and organisations are facing increased pressure to restore rapidly and without risk of re-infection. Cyber recovery “Identity is foundational to every enterprise application, user, and business process,” said Rajiv Kottomtharayil, Chief Products Officer, Commvault. “Commvault has already made significant progress reducing identity recovery times from weeks to hours, and now we are extending that progress toward near-real-time availability. The result is faster access to critical business systems and greater confidence during cyber recovery.” Additional benefits of Commvault Active Directory Pre Recover Keep critical operations running during a cyber incident: With the AD standby copy stored in Cleanroom, organisations can have peace of mind that, in the event production identity services are unavailable, trusted access to critical systems can continue. Minimise application and infrastructure disruption: Applications can continue authenticating against trusted identity services without requiring complicated replication of accounts in alternate Identity and Access Management Systems or waiting for a full forest restore to complete. Availability Commvault Active Directory Pre Recover will be available for early access in the coming months, delivered as part of Commvault's Identity Resilience portfolio. All enterprise AD customers will receive Active Directory Pre Recover as part of their existing license, including a lite version of Cleanroom. This offering will be available globally through Commvault's partner ecosystem.

Wipro Limited, a pioneer AI-powered technology services and consulting company, announces the launch of its Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Command Center, in collaboration with CrowdStrike. The Command Center rewires enterprise security for frontier AI-accelerated risks to create proactive, risk-informed cyber resilience aligned to business priorities. The CISO Command Center reinforces Wipro’s consulting-led cybersecurity strategy by enabling enterprises to move from tool-driven operations to an enterprise-wide, risk-led operating model. The Center will be operationalized through Wipro Intelligence™ solutions – CyberTransformSM and CyberShieldSM – and supported by the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform. It will deliver integrated protection across endpoint security, cloud security, exposure management, and AI security, while unifying detection and response through a modern Security Operations Center (SOC). Remediating frontier AI risk “Cyber risk is intensifying pressure on boardroom decision-making. Threats that once remained dormant for months can now materialize within hours, driven by external triggers and AI-enabled exploitation,” said Amar Bysani, Global Practice Head – Cybersecurity and Risk Services, Wipro Limited. “The Command Center will work with enterprises to turn security signals into business risk intelligence, enabling them to sense, prioritize, and respond at machine speed.” Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike, said “AI is fundamentally changing both the threat landscape and how enterprises run defense programs. Together, CrowdStrike and Wipro are giving CISOs the AI-native security, intelligence, and services they need to turn risk into action at machine speed and transform security into a business advantage.” The offering is further strengthened by Wipro's membership in CrowdStrike's Project QuiltWorks, a global coalition focused on identifying, prioritising, and remediating frontier AI risk.

As cloud and managed service providers race to deliver backup-as-a-service (BaaS) at scale, a critical operational challenge has emerged: managing tens to hundreds of individual object storage deployments spread across customer sites, each requiring monitoring, maintenance, and billing reconciliation. Scality, a pioneer in data infrastructure software for AI-era storage at scale, today announced general availability of Scality Maestro, a fleet management platform purpose-built for service providers operating large numbers of Scality ARTESCA object storage deployments on behalf of their customers. Managing single deployment Managing distributed object storage infrastructure at scale is fundamentally different from managing a single deployment. Service providers need a single pane of glass to monitor health, push firmware and software updates, track capacity utilisation across all customer sites, and do so without requiring VPN tunnels into every customer environment. As BaaS offerings grow from dozens to hundreds of sites, this operational gap becomes a hard constraint on scalability. Co-developed with cloud and service provider partners (SCSP), Scality Maestro is now in production use across customer deployments and provides service providers with: Centralised health monitoring and alerting across the entire Scality ARTESCA fleet End-to-end management down to the hardware layer, including ARTESCA software upgrades and server firmware updates Aggregated capacity utilisation data across all customer deployments, enabling automated pay-as-you-go billing Out-of-band connectivity architecture that eliminates VPN requirements, as all traffic flows from ARTESCA to Maestro, never the reverse Support for enterprises managing ARTESCA across branch offices or distributed edge locations Data protection architecture "We manage multiple Scality ARTESCA deployments across our key customer sites in the UK and Ireland as part of our backup-as-a-service offering, and until Maestro, every one of them was independently managed - separate logins, VPN tunnels, manual update cycles, and monthly capacity reports assembled by hand. Instead, Maestro gives us a single view of the entire fleet. Software updates that consume hours of staff time can now be monitored centrally, and we can grow the fleet without adding operational headcount. We can already foresee a significant difference in running our service," said Dominic McLouglin, CEO Autodata. While Maestro was designed primarily for the SCSP and MSP market, the platform is equally well suited to enterprise organisations running ARTESCA across multiple locations, whether at the edge, in branch offices, or as part of a distributed data protection architecture. Operational inflection point Once deployments expand beyond a handful of sites, organisations reach an operational inflection point: tools that work well for a single site cannot efficiently manage tens or hundreds. Maestro provides the centralised management needed to operate at that scale. “Service providers building BaaS businesses on Scality ARTESCA are managing infrastructure at a scale that demands enterprise-grade operational tooling. Maestro was built with our SCSP partners to solve the real operational problems they face every day with centralised visibility, automated management, and the billing infrastructure to run a sustainable managed service. The fact that it requires no VPN and no network reconfiguration on the customer side was a hard requirement from day one,” said Thomas Danan, Sr. Product Director, Scality. Scality Maestro 1.1 is generally available and supports all Scality ARTESCA deployments running version 4.0.3 or later. It is currently available as an on-premises deployment, with a SaaS delivery model planned for future release. For Scality service providers, full documentation is available at documentation.scality.com.

Genetec Inc., the global pioneer in enterprise physical security software, releases guidance to help physical security leaders assess how technology providers design, maintain, and support connected products as the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) raises cybersecurity expectations across the product lifecycle. The CRA establishes cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements sold in the European Union. It places greater emphasis on secure product development, vulnerability management, cybersecurity transparency, and ongoing product support throughout the product lifecycle. While the legislation primarily applies to manufacturers, the regulation will also affect the organisations that distribute, install, procure, and operate connected devices. Evaluating technology providers "The Cyber Resilience Act reinforces many of the secure-by-design and lifecycle management principles that Genetec has been advocating for years," said Mathieu Chevalier, Principal Security Architect at Genetec Inc. "By raising expectations for product security and transparency, the CRA regulations give buyers a clear basis for evaluating technology providers and the long-term cyber resilience of their products." With the CRA's vulnerability-reporting obligations coming into force on 11 September, organisations will increasingly rely on technology providers to meet new cybersecurity and vulnerability-handling requirements. To help evaluate vendor readiness, Genetec encourages organisations to ask prospective technology providers five key questions: Vulnerability-handling requirements How long will the product receive security updates and support? - The CRA reinforces the importance of maintaining product security throughout its lifecycle. Security leaders should understand how long the provider will deliver updates, how it will address vulnerabilities, and what support it will offer when products reach end-of-life. The CRA regulations require manufacturers to provide security updates and vulnerability handling for at least five years, making long-term support an important consideration when evaluating products. Was cybersecurity built into the product from the beginning? - The principles of Secured by Design and Secure by Default are central to the CRA. Ask the provider to explain how it incorporates cybersecurity into product design, development, testing, and the product’s ongoing lifecycle. Vulnerability management program How does the provider identify, disclose, and address vulnerabilities? – No software is immune to vulnerabilities. How a provider responds is a strong indicator of its commitment to cybersecurity. Look for an established vulnerability management program that includes regular security testing, a coordinated vulnerability disclosure policy, risk-based remediation without undue delay, secure delivery of security updates, and clear advisories about fixed vulnerabilities. Is the provider transparent about its own cybersecurity practices? - Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Responsible providers explain how they develop, test, and maintain their products and give customers and integrators clear guidance for secure deployment. Ask how the provider regularly tests and reviews product security, communicates vulnerabilities and security updates, and provides system-hardening guidance. Providing system-hardening guidance How will the provider support your long-term cyber resilience? - Product cybersecurity does not end at installation. Working with trusted technology partners is critical. Organisations should evaluate how the provider determines and communicates the product’s support period, handles vulnerabilities, delivers security updates, supports secure operation, and manages the product’s end of life. They should also ask what evidence the provider can supply to demonstrate that the product meets applicable cybersecurity requirements throughout its lifecycle. Connected physical security systems "Organisations best positioned to manage future cyber threats treat cybersecurity as an ongoing partnership, not a one-time procurement decision," concluded Chevalier. "The CRA helps reinforce that approach by setting common expectations for transparency, disciplined vulnerability management, and long-term product support, benefiting manufacturers, integrators and the organisations that depend on connected physical security systems." For more than 25 years, Genetec has applied cyber secure development practices to its physical security technology. It builds solutions based on open architecture and designs them with cybersecurity at the core, incorporating encryption, identity and access management, continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, and guidance that helps customers maintain resilient systems over time.

In a sector where budgets are always a focus of attention, delivering concrete returns to every investment is crucial. By digitalising access, healthcare premises – whether large hospitals or small clinics – can benefit from day one. They can improve staff and patient safety; quickly implement more efficient, time-saving workflows; and painlessly meet compliance demands. Healthcare sites always present complex access challenges. They must be welcoming, accessible public spaces. They often occupy large, sprawling areas; unfamiliar faces and first-time visitors are around every single day. At the same time, these premises inevitably have valuable and/or sensitive assets, including confidential data and medicines, which must be secured. Patients, doctors, nurses and support staff must feel safe. In labs and treatment suites, restricted materials and valuable equipment need both security and a compliant system for logging every access event. This has always been healthcare’s ‘business-as-usual’: it is a complex environment for any security manager. Meeting compliance demands Modern hospitals and clinics, however, now face an extra level of challenges – and opportunities. Their access system may benefit from integration with fire detection, CCTV and other building solutions, for example. With so many temporary and contract workers employed on-site, access is in constant motion. It needs to be tailored to specific and very different needs and, equally, revoked when any time-limited tasks are complete. In case of a security breach, rapid investigation is essential. Tracing and logging access to specific areas may also be a legal requirement, especially with new NIS2 regulations introduced for critical infrastructure, which demand proactive “hybrid” cyber/physical security frameworks for many healthcare premises. Relying on manual or siloed systems to complete these tasks could eat up hours or even days for security and even medical staff. Happily, there is a better way to work. Digital access devices The solution is access digitalisation. Digital access devices and credentials help to keep every hospital user safe. Unauthorised access is minimised because unapproved key copies rarely circulate and lost credentials are cancelled with a click. Employees and equipment are safer because more access points may be digitally secured. Issuing contractors and temporary staff with digital or even mobile credentials can further simplify the granting, amending and revoking of site access. Security teams waste less time handing out and collecting keys. Intelligent, intuitive software helps facilities managers stay in control even while they are off-site. Logging access to specific assets or areas becomes quick and simple: a few clicks rather than the laborious process of keeping manual logs up to date. “Access is such an important part of any holistic approach to safety,” says David Moser, SVP and Head of Digital Access Solutions at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA. “Digitalising access immediately puts powerful tools in the hands of hospital management, delivering tangible daily benefits to meet security challenges head-on, improving efficiency and regulatory compliance at the same time.” Implementing digital access “There’s now a device to extend existing systems with digital control at almost any access point, whatever building solution is in place. Alternatively, we can equip customers with whole solutions to implement digital access from scratch, without invasive installation. So many efficiency and security benefits are within reach.” Below are three of many real-life examples which illustrate the ways healthcare premises have benefited from digital access beyond the most obvious security and safety aspects. By choosing ASSA ABLOY’s Aperio® wireless locks, integrated natively with an ARD access management solution, Centre Hospitalier Métropole Savoie (CHMS) could issue access rights tailored to individual staff and contractors and implement real-time control, helping to boost site safety. Because Aperio locks are wireless, the hospital introduced more layers of security without incurring excessive installation or operating costs, including for sensitive offices and drug stores. Access point functionality at CHMS now includes real-time management logs and remote door opening. Real-time management logs For convenience, staff now carry one credential programmed with their individual tailored permissions. “Having just a single badge, and not having to carry around heavy keys, has been a major advantage for us,” explains Béatrice Dequidt, Health Executive at CHMS. “We have implemented internal HR management procedures, creating badges that are automatically integrated into ARD's operating software,” adds Alain Gestin, CHMS’s IT Systems Architect. Aperio and ARD maintain compatibility of credentials with the French government’s electronic Health Professional Card (CPS), for added staff and management convenience. Personalised access permissions Hospital MAZ, in Zaragoza, also implemented a new ASSA ABLOY digital solution, SMARTair®, with real-time access functionality. Their online wireless access management system saves security managers’ time because they can implement all changes via the central system in real time, without needing to waste time walking through the hospital. Staff convenience is further enhanced: they now carry a smartcard programmed with their personalised access permissions. Custom-made cards double as employee IDs, so 625 staff and approximately 100 contractors only need to carry one. Their ASSA ABLOY system is also mobile access ready, making it easy for the hospital to issue and manage mobile keys in the future without hardware changes. “Digitalisation presents opportunities for healthcare organisations of every size and type to improve security while they also reduce costs ‘hidden’ in daily workflows,” explains David Moser. Convenient secure access Managing physical keys can impact nursing care, as pharmacy managers at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham discovered. An older, mechanical system made it difficult for them to keep track of who held the right key. Searching for that person wasted time. They identified a better solution for convenient secure access to controlled medicines: programmable keys. With their CLIQ programmable key access solution, power to digital and electromechanical locks is supplied by a standard battery inside every key, so no wires are required – making it an ideal retrofit solution for hospital doors, cabinets and mobile drug trolleys. Audit trails for locks and padlocks are available on demand: nurse managers can quickly see who has accessed cabinets or drug trolleys. Key access solution “The message from all nursing staff is that patients are getting medicines much easier and in a more timely fashion,” says Inderjit Singh, Chief Pharmacist at QE Birmingham. “For us, the key return on investment is the quality of service we’re providing.” “Our expertise in access, established over decades, enables us to work with customers to get their access ready for what’s ahead,” adds David Moser. “With ASSA ABLOY, they digitalise with confidence.”

Metallic, highly reflective surfaces are among the most challenging objects to inspect in machine vision applications. Reflections obscure details, defects often only become apparent from certain angles, and the quality of manual visual inspections varies throughout the working day. The Austrian company Danube Dynamics, in collaboration with EVVA, a manufacturer of mechatronic access solutions, demonstrates how these challenges can be managed with an AI-supported testing system. The system captures components placed in an orderly manner in a box in one step, automatically assesses surface defects, and integrates quality control reproducibly into the production process. Strict quality specifications Background: Challenging surfaces, high requirements - At EVVA, metallic components undergo several process steps and must meet strict quality specifications. These include, among others, locking cylinders, cylinder cores, and other finely machined or galvanised precision parts from access technology. Mechanical defects such as scratches under 0.1 mm and galvanisation errors must be detected – deficiencies that are often hardly visible to the naked eye. The central difficulty: Highly reflective surfaces reflect light and may conceal relevant features. For a reliable assessment, multiple viewpoints are often necessary. In practice, this complicates maintaining a consistently high quality of manual inspections. A solution was sought that reliably detects defects, supports employees, and integrates stably into the production process. Mechanical locking cylinder with a high-precision metal surface – test object of the AI inspection. Solution: Closed test box, coordinated lighting, AI To reliably solve these challenging inspection tasks, an AI-powered inspection system was developed in collaboration with Danube Dynamics. AI-powered inspection system The system captures components arranged in a 400 × 300 mm Eurobox in one step, automatically assesses surface defects, and integrates quality control reproducibly into the production process. Up to 126 components are arranged in the box and are tested in one pass. To 1/4 create constant conditions despite reflections, a closed test box with customised lighting is employed. Four individually controllable RGBW bars allow for different colours and lighting angles to make various defect patterns visible. The coordinated interplay of lighting, image quality, and AI evaluation was crucial. AI-based Inspection System: Arranged components in the Eurobox during optical inspection. The image capture is performed by a monochrome industrial camera of the type IDS uEye U3-36P0XCP-M GL Rev. 1.2. It is based on the 19.80 MP sensor AR2020 from onsemi, delivers 5K UHD resolution with 5136 × 3856 pixels, and is suitable for inspecting the finest surface details. High-contrast representation The 1/1.8-inch rolling shutter sensor in a 4:3 aspect ratio supports detailed imaging of even the smallest defects. The system is complemented by an IDS lens with a focal length of 8.5 mm (Type 20M11-C08528). “For us, it was crucial that we could capture many arranged components on a large testing area in one step while still reliably detecting the smallest surface defects. Only the interplay of lighting, high-resolution image capture, and AI evaluation makes this quality control robustly manageable,” underlines Edwin Schweiger, Co-Founder and COO at Danube Dymamics. The camera captures the entire Eurobox in high resolution. The image data obtained in this manner enables the detection of the smallest defects in each individual component using AI subsequently. What is crucial is not only the pixel count but also the repeat accuracy under defined lighting conditions. The monochrome version additionally supports a high-contrast representation of relevant surface features. AI detected deviations “Especially with highly reflective surfaces, it is essential to depict fine differences stably and in detail,” emphasises Jürgen Hejna, Product Owner 2D Cameras at IDS. “The camera's high sensor resolution and easy integration provide a solid foundation for industrial applications.” Ease of integration was also a decisive factor for Danube Dynamics. The camera can be integrated into the overall system via a standard interface. This reduces the development effort and ensures stable testing results during ongoing operations. Measurable benefit - The potential of the solution became evident during the first live deployment: The AI detected deviations that even experienced professionals hardly noticed. Above all, the significantly reduced testing time made the benefit immediately measurable. The previously manual visual inspection of more than 30 seconds per Eurobox has been reduced to under five seconds. The basis for this consists of four defined lighting scenarios, from which four images per component are generated. Subsequent AI inference The subsequent AI inference occurs with a runtime of approximately 10 milliseconds per cylinder. At the same time, the testing process has been fully digitised. Testing results are now systematically documented and statistically evaluated. Scrap and deviations that were previously not recorded are now transparently traceable. Manual quality control is therefore not replaced but specifically supported. Employees are relieved, testing processes are reproducible, and quality is measurably integrated into the production process. Another milestone is the ability to retrain the AI independently. EVVA can integrate new product variants and error patterns into the system by itself. This enhances the future viability of the solution and allows for adjustments to growing requirements without altering the fundamental system structure. AI-based evaluation The demands for automated quality control are increasing. At the same time, awareness is growing regarding what is possible with coordinated image capture and AI-based evaluation. While standard applications are relatively simple to implement today, this project demonstrates the potential in the inspection of demanding surfaces. It illustrates how even optically challenging, safety-relevant components can be reliably inspected using lighting, high-resolution camera technology, and AI. Customer - Danube Dynamics Embedded Solutions GmbH is a technology company based in Linz, Austria, which has specialised in intelligent embedded system solutions for industry since 2020. The company develops tailor made solutions at the interface of software, AI and electronics with the aim of driving automation and digitalisation forward in an efficient, secure and future-oriented manner through "AI at the Edge". Mechatronic access solutions Today, Danube Dynamics has over 30 customers across Europe and employs a team of more than 15 highly qualified developers and engineers. For over 100 years, EVVA has been synonymous with mechanical and electronic access systems at the highest technical level. What began in 1919 with the founding of the ‘Invention-Testing-Utilisation-Institution’ (EVVA) is now a central part of the company philosophy: EVVA conducts its own research, develops and produces independently, and realises innovative mechatronic access solutions. As a family-owned business, EVVA is among the most successful companies in the industry internationally: Over 300 patents have been registered; subsidiaries in ten European markets and worldwide distributors ensure international presence.

After a major refurbishment, Benghazi Children's Hospital in Libya is preparing to deliver a safer, more connected, and more efficient healthcare experience. By adopting Hikvision's AIoT (AI-powered Internet of Things) technologies, the hospital is enhancing patient care, strengthening communication, supporting medical education, and improving operational efficiency throughout the facility. For more than four decades, Benghazi Children's Hospital has served local communities and families. Covering approximately 11,300 m², the hospital supports a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services. Its recent refurbishment—the first in over 40 years—was more than a maintenance project. The hospital set ambitious goals to modernise the environment, aiming for an 80% improvement in patient satisfaction, response times, and interdepartmental communication. Smart healthcare solution To support these objectives, the hospital has been working with the national distributor Al Motaheda to deploy an integrated Hikvision smart healthcare solution spanning patient communication, medical education, and fire protection. When a patient needs help, every second matters. To help caregivers respond quickly and efficiently, Benghazi Children's Hospital has deployed Hikvision's Nurse Call System across its two inpatient departments: the Observation Department and the Gastroenteritis Department. At 11 ward entrances, Doorway Terminals and LED indicators have been installed. Now, when a patient calls, room number and bed information will immediately appear in the corridor, helping nursing staff identify where assistance is needed. Delivering routine announcements A Nurse Station has been located between the two departments. From a single point, staff will be able to receive, prioritise, and respond to requests from all 11 wards, helping improve efficiency while ensuring patients receive timely attention. Beyond the nurse call system, the hospital also wants to strengthen communication between departments. 40 SIP Phones have been installed across examination rooms, operating rooms, labs, and offices, to keep every department connected for day-to-day coordination. 37 Ceiling Speakers will deliver routine announcements, visitor guidance, and emergency notifications. 26 Ceiling Access Points will provide hospital-wide wireless connectivity, supporting staff communications, connected devices, and future digital healthcare applications. Improving patient satisfaction Together, these systems have are creating a more connected healthcare environment where information reaches the right people at the right time. Hospital management expects the solution to play a key role in improving patient satisfaction while significantly reducing response times once the facility becomes fully operational. As a teaching hospital, Benghazi Children's Hospital also places strong emphasis on clinical education. However, limited space inside operating rooms can make it difficult for large groups of students to observe procedures firsthand. To address this challenge, the hospital has deployed a Live Surgery Broadcasting System built around the Hikvision Video Cart. Dedicated training hall This is a mobile unit that can be moved between all four operating rooms as needed. With appropriate patient consent and in accordance with hospital policies, it captures high-quality video and audio that can be transmitted live to a dedicated training hall. This will allow more medical students to observe operations without disrupting clinical activities or overcrowding operating rooms. In addition to live viewing, surgical procedures can – again, with consent – be recorded and stored for future training purposes. This will enable educators to build a growing library of teaching materials while giving more students access to practical clinical learning experiences. Centralised emergency management Fire safety has also been addressed by installing a comprehensive Hikvision fire protection solution. The system enables early fire detection, rapid alert distribution, and centralised emergency management. 203 Smoke Detectors cover every area of the building, from operating rooms to waiting areas to staff rooms. 24 Audible and Visual Alarms, and Manual Call Points have been placed at the ends of corridors and near all exits, where people moving toward evacuation routes will find them. A Fire Alarm Control Panel at the main reception provides centralised monitoring and control. A microphone at the same location will allow staff to broadcast live evacuation instructions to the entire hospital should it be needed. Effective medical education Together, these capabilities help ensure faster response during emergencies while supporting a safer environment for patients, visitors, and staff. Although the hospital has not yet officially opened following its refurbishment, feedback from hospital management and medical staff has been highly positive. As Taha Grgom, Project Manager at the Hospital put it: "The nurse call system will help us respond to patients more quickly, while the live surgery broadcasting system will open new possibilities for medical education. Together, these technologies are helping us build a more connected and efficient hospital." As Benghazi Children's Hospital prepares to welcome its first patients, it stands as a powerful example of how AIoT technologies can support better care, stronger collaboration, safer operations, and more effective medical education. More importantly, it shows what Tech for Good can mean in practice—using technology to make a meaningful difference where it matters most and help every child receive the care they deserve.

Bournemouth and Poole College, the largest provider of further education and apprenticeships in the Dorset area, has installed Hochiki's ESP addressable fire detection range across its four-storey site, protecting a diverse mix of teaching environments including IT suites, kitchens, workshops and engineering bays. The installation was specified and delivered by SFA Fire and Security, working closely with the college to design a system capable of handling the varied fire risks found across further education provision. Subjects such as catering, automotive maintenance, construction and engineering carry a higher risk of nuisance alarms from dust and fumes, while IT and digital media spaces rely heavily on electrical equipment. A tailored approach was needed to protect the site without interrupting learning. Protecting valuable teaching time ESP's common mounting base allowed SFA's installers to work through the site using a single standard base across most devices, reducing the range of parts held on site and helping installation stay on schedule despite the complexity of the building. In kitchens and workshops, LPCB and VdS approved heat sensors were used to distinguish genuine fire risk from cooking activity and dust, reducing false alarms and protecting valuable teaching time. ESP's textual identifier gives staff the exact location of an activated device, supporting fast and accurate evacuation decisions in a large site with high footfall. Wall-mounted VADs, certified to EN 54-23, added audio and visual alerts throughout the college, ensuring alarms reach staff and students regardless of location or impairment. Where cabling access was limited by drop beams, wireless technology was integrated onto the ESP loop, avoiding extensive drilling and preserving the building's original structure. Successful projects together Naomi Fell, Projects Director at SFA Fire and Security, said: "This project presented numerous challenges due to the complexity of each room and storey within the college. Our extensive experience with Hochiki's products, combined with the consistently positive feedback from our end-users, made Hochiki the clear choice for this project. We met the college's stringent deadlines with minimal disruption to teaching and learning." Ryan Baulcomb, Regional Sales Manager at Hochiki, added: "Hochiki and SFA have a strong, long-term partnership, built on years of successful projects together. This installation shows what that partnership can deliver on a genuinely complex site. We're proud that our products continue to give installers and end-users the reliability and support they expect." Bournemouth and Poole College now benefit from a fire detection system tailored to the specific demands of each corridor, room and storey across the site, with the flexibility to adapt as the college continues to grow.