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.

DICE Corporation announces a new edge artificial intelligence platform that runs AI processing inside the customer's network and reports into Ceila.ai as a native component. The platform was previewed with corporate and national account clients at GSX 2026 in Atlanta this week. It is currently in trials with monitoring centres and enterprise accounts including Clear Watch, one of the industry's larger interactive virtual guarding services, with general availability planned for the first quarter of 2027. Most video monitoring deployments today rely on a round trip. The customer selects a third-party analytics provider, motion events are sent out to that provider for evaluation, and the result is forwarded into the monitoring platform. Separate vendor relationship The monitoring center becomes a destination for someone else’s decision, and the customer carries a separate vendor relationship, a separate bill, and a separate support path when something misses. DICE supports that model and will continue to, integrating whichever analytics provider a customer chooses. That already includes a wide range of edge and analytics platforms, such as OpenEye, Camect, and CloudEye. DICE remains camera-agnostic by design. The platform is built to the industry’s established protocols, including ONVIF, and where a device falls outside those standards it connects directly by RTSP, with events delivered into the center by SMTP. Rather than maintaining a fixed list of certified devices, DICE built to what the industry already runs on and kept a path open for everything else. DICE edge platform The DICE edge platform offers a second path. Processing happens on site, on DICE hardware, with results delivered directly into the same workflow that handles the alarm signal, the video, the audio, and the dispatch. There is no external analytics hop and no clip leaving the customer’s premises for evaluation elsewhere. Local processing also simplifies network configuration. Because the appliance operates inside the customer’s network and communicates outbound to DICE, cameras are reached across the LAN rather than through inbound access, which suits enterprise environments where IT policy restricts changes at the firewall. Custom detection projects The platform is built to carry the full DICE detection library on premise rather than a reduced subset. Beyond person and vehicle classification, the platform detects behaviours and interactions between objects, reads license plates, counts people and vehicle traffic, applies privacy masking to sensitive areas, processes thermal imaging, and performs safety and compliance review including personal protective equipment use and lifting technique. Detection models are developed by DICE and extended for individual customers, including custom detection projects built for Fortune 500 companies, national retailers, and municipal operations. Development has been driven by national retail chains and multi-site enterprise accounts DICE supports, where event volume and bandwidth cost make on-premise filtering essential. Over the past year DICE has seen a significant increase in monitoring centres and guarding operations migrating onto its platform, and the company has expanded its installation and onboarding capacity to meet a growing schedule of committed deployments. Co-pilot architecture Clear Watch runs its AI video detection on the DICE platform today and states publicly that it identifies more than three times the object types of any other provider. “In virtual guarding, our reputation is built on catching what matters and staying quiet about what doesn't. Three object classes never gave us the resolution to do that reliably,” said Glen Carter, President of Clear Watch. “Running DICE's full detection library on the edge means the call gets made on site, in real time — we're not dependent on a third party's turnaround to protect our clients.” Virtual guarding providers Ceila.ai extends its digital operator and co-pilot architecture to virtual guarding providers and enterprise GSOC teams. Because DICE manufactures its own PBX and softswitch, Ceila.ai evaluates live phone audio alongside live video in a single decision path, an integration DICE believes is unique in the industry. Dispatches are delivered through the DICE message broker, which is connected to more than 700 PSAPs and sends alarm dispatches directly into their CAD systems. “Everyone in this industry says they have AI. Most of them mean they have a connector to somebody who does,” said Cliff Dice, President, CEO, and Founder of DICE Corporation. “We built Ceila.ai with AI at the core of the event management platform rather than as a service we forward events to. If a customer wants to bring their own provider, we integrate it and we do that every day. But they should also be able to get it from the same company that handles their alarm, their video, their phone call, and their dispatch, with one throat to choke when something misses.” Global buildout of artificial intelligence The DICE platform runs entirely on Linux, on a runtime engine and virtualisation layer DICE developed itself, inside UL-listed hosting centers the company owns and operates. That architecture allows processing capacity to expand and contract automatically with load, which matters in an industry where event volume is uneven by hour, by season, and by incident. Development is performed by a United States based engineering team. The approach also gives DICE direct control over compute cost at a moment when the global buildout of artificial intelligence has made processing capacity significantly more expensive. In the round-trip model, a customer’s analytics cost is set by a third party and can be repriced at renewal. DICE provides the compute inside its own centres and prices it as part of the platform. GPU computing environment DICE has invested millions in the infrastructure behind the program, including its own GPU computing environment inside facilities it owns and operates, with the objective of keeping AI processing and the data governance around it under DICE’s control as the technology advances. The company has filed more than 20 patents tied to Ceila.ai, adding to a portfolio that includes patents for Video Arm/Disarm and Gatekeeper technology. DICE Corporation has been in business for 40 years and today supports approximately 3.5 million alarm subscribers and 6.5 million telecom subscribers, handling more than 10 million calls per month.

Imagine, for a moment, sitting in parents’ or grandparents' living room. There’s a coffee table, and it’s cluttered with three or four different remotes, all controlling different systems. One for the TV, one for the set-top box, one for the DVD player (remember that?), and a fourth for the audio system. Simply tuning into the evening news involved a complex process of turning on the TV with one, switching the HDMI over with another, and adjusting the sound with yet another remote. One wrong button press, one wrong remote, and suddenly a blank screen or a “no signal” message. Poor user experience This complexity and poor user experience have long been mirrored in the security industry. Over time, many video management systems (VMS) evolved to resemble those old, button-heavy remotes. Every time a client requested a new feature, a new interface was rolled out with more buttons, more screens, and more toggling. That’s not how an operator is going to get their job done quickly and efficiently. It’s time to rethink the modern VMS. No longer is this system a way of viewing footage; instead, it has become the engine behind the security function. And to use it effectively, operators need a simple and intuitive interface. Preventing situations from escalating The number of digital interfaces that operators need to manage has increased in recent years, causing cognitive load and task switching to also rise. Research shows that workers take around 23 minutes to re-focus after switching tasks or systems, losing between 20 to 40% of productivity as they reorient. Preventing operators from jumping between disconnected applications and hidden menus allows them to focus on protecting assets, preventing situations from escalating, and responding to events. The most effective VMS is a consolidated system, divided into logical blocks and tabbed navigation, so operators understand where functions are and can see footage at a glance. Supporting future growth With the front-end experience improved, focus can shift to the infrastructure and hardware behind it. It can be easy to pick a VMS based on the cost of a single-channel licence and believe that this is the most cost-effective solution. However, licenses are usually the start of your costs, with hardware, server maintenance, infrastructure, and deployment time also impacting the total cost of ownership (TCO). As AI capabilities advance, organisations need infrastructure that can scale without driving up unnecessary costs. Traditional deployments often require additional servers to provide redundancy and support future growth, meaning hardware, rack space and power are allocated long before they are needed. This can leave valuable resources sitting idle while still adding to operational costs. Maintaining system resilience Choosing a VMS with active-active failover clustering helps eliminate this inefficiency. Instead of maintaining standby servers that sit idle until a failure occurs, multiple servers actively share the workload under normal operation. If one server fails, the remaining servers automatically take over, maximising available computing resources while maintaining system resilience. For designers of enterprise-scale systems, this provides a strong foundation. A single server can support up to 256 devices, while a clustered deployment scales to 12,800 channels. Organisations managing multiple locations can also connect sites through cloud federation, enabling centralised management without adding operational complexity. Integrating legacy infrastructure Just as importantly, modernising an existing deployment does not have to mean starting from scratch. Comprehensive support for established ONVIF standards, RTSP streams and a robust open API makes it straightforward to integrate legacy infrastructure, avoiding vendor lock-in while providing a future-ready platform that can adopt new protocols as they emerge. Even the licensing model becomes more straightforward. One license equals one camera. However, when connecting IP speakers or intercoms, a single license covers up to four devices. When integrating an NVR, one license covers eight channels. This hardware optimisation combined with a flexible licensing approach ultimately delivers a significantly more cost-effective and stable deployment. Improving operator performance Often, the biggest improvements to productivity come when an individual understands how to use a system effectively. The interface, as touched on before, is a significant influence on this. Advanced video analytics and AI-powered search features play a role too. For example, if an operator needs to search for an event, such as overcrowding in a busy car park, video analytics can help them search the footage quickly. Instead of hours of manual footage scrubbing, the operator can use an event histogram (a type of graphic that shows baseline and spikes in events) to quickly identify times when an anomaly occurred. They can jump directly to those events with a single click to investigate what happened. Unique visual characteristics If an operator needs to find a specific object, such as a vehicle of interest, they can use AI-powered search to sift through footage based on unique visual characteristics. For example, the vehicle type, make, model, and colour. Not only will they see relevant footage, but they can track this vehicle across different cameras to see where it travels across the car park. Taking this a step further, some VMS platforms now support semantic search powered by generative AI. Rather than relying on predefined metadata such as clothing colour or object type, operators can use natural language to describe what they are looking for. For example, they can search for "a woman holding a phone," and the system understands the context to locate relevant footage, making it easier to find events that may have been difficult to identify using traditional attribute-based searches. Overall cybersecurity posture Physical security systems are an integral part of IT infrastructure and are subject to stringent audit requirements. The NIS2 Directive and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) leave no room for compromise. Modern-day VMS need to address these challenges at every layer of the network. Look for features such as encrypted camera communications to tamper-resistant exported clips, and intelligent session management. Audit logs will record every user action, which helps spot unusual behaviour that could signal a breach; meanwhile, automatic HTTPS negotiation and JWT-based authentication ensure the VMS meets gold-standard IT security requirements. Some VMS are deployed within hardened, closed operating environments that prevent user access to the underlying operating system. This minimises the operating system as a potential attack surface and helps strengthen the overall cybersecurity posture. Advanced analytics and AI The VMS has come a long way since its invention in the early 1940s. Taking the time to understand the options available now can ensure the security function performs optimally, safely, and cost-effectively. The best VMS can be learned quickly, with intuitive interfaces that don’t require a thick manual or days of training. They unify different security features and systems, so operators don’t waste time switching between applications. And they have a robust infrastructure that supports advanced analytics and AI.

dormakaba, ANYbotics AG (ANYbotics), and LEGIC Identsystems AG (LEGIC) have successfully tested a joint pilot at GE Vernova’s Whitegate power plant in Ireland. The partners are presenting the resulting solution at LEGIC connect26 conference in Zurich. Autonomous inspection robots can now move through access-controlled doors in industrial environments just like authorised employees. The collaboration among dormakaba, ANYbotics, and LEGIC lays the foundation for a future solution that will enable industrial customers to integrate autonomous robots into existing access-controlled environments. The pilot demonstrates how robotics, secure digital identity and access management can work together in a live industrial environment. The “ANYmal” robot from ANYbotics uses a secure digital credential to request access to controlled areas. dormakaba’s access management and door automation then apply the same access rules used for authorised personnel, allowing the robot to pass through doors without manual intervention. Potentially hazardous areas “Autonomous robots are becoming part of the workforce in industrial environments. Like people, they need reliable and secure access to the areas where they perform their tasks. Together with our partners, we are showing how access management can enable robots to move securely and autonomously through controlled environments while keeping access firmly under the operator’s control,” says Till Reuter, CEO of dormakaba. Autonomous mobile robots are increasingly being used for inspection and monitoring in industrial facilities. They can perform repetitive tasks, collect data, and identify potential problems while reducing the need for people to enter potentially hazardous areas. Access management system Access-controlled doors, however, can become a barrier for autonomous machines. The joint pilot addresses this challenge by giving the robot a secure digital identity and integrating it into existing access processes. The robot can request access electronically and the access management system determines whether the door should open based on predefined permissions. This allows operators to maintain control over who or what can access specific areas, regardless of whether the authorised user is a person or an autonomous machine. The pilot was conducted at GE Vernova’s Whitegate power plant in County Cork, Ireland, in a live operating environment. The ANYmal robot has been operating reliably for several weeks, repeatedly requesting access, passing through controlled doors, and continuing its inspection routes without manual intervention. Automated door solutions The pilot also demonstrates how the three technologies are integrated: ANYbotics provides the autonomous mobile robot and robotics platform, LEGIC provides the secure digital credential technology, and dormakaba provides the access management and automated door solutions. The partners are now working to make the solution commercially available while exploring further applications, including access to elevators, gates, and turnstiles. dormakaba, ANYbotics, and LEGIC are presenting the pilot at LEGIC connect26 in Zurich on 17 September 2026. The event brings together technology and industry experts to discuss the future of digital identity, secure access, and connected security infrastructure. Connected security infrastructure “The joint pilot illustrates how access solutions are evolving beyond traditional applications for human users. By securely authenticating and authorising autonomous machines, access management can become an important enabler for the next generation of industrial automation,” says David Fuller, Chief Innovation Officer of dormakaba. "This is about authenticating autonomous systems: issuing a trusted identity, in effect a badge for the robot. With this first-of-its-kind project, we are taking a major step into physical AI, extending LEGIC's secure access credential technologies from people and objects to machines," says Mehdi Elhaoussine, General Manager of LEGIC. Authenticating autonomous systems "Our customers do not buy robots; they buy a solution to their operational challenges: less unplanned downtime and fewer people in hazardous areas. The impact is measured in how many critical assets our robots inspect, how often, and how reliably.” “Every access-controlled door was a hard limit on that coverage. With dormakaba and LEGIC, ANYmal now carries a trusted credential managed in the plant's own access system and moves through those doors like any authorised colleague, under the same rules and the same audit trail. The pilot has proven this in live operation, and we will now make it available as an add-on across the entire ANYmal fleet," says Péter Fankhauser, Co-Founder and CEO of ANYbotics.

Godel Technologies (Godel) has announced a major strategic transformation of its business as it responds to the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence on the software engineering and technology services industry. The move represents one of the most significant changes in Godel’s history and will see the company evolve beyond the traditional software engineering services model on which it has built its business. AI-native approach Godel believes AI is fundamentally changing both how technology services are delivered and what businesses should expect from their technology partners. As a result, the company is repositioning around an AI-native approach designed to deliver greater speed, insight and measurable business outcomes for customers. The strategy will have a particular focus on the mid-market, where Godel believes AI has the potential to dramatically change the competitive landscape. Gareth Ainsworth, CEO of Godel Technologies, said; “AI isn’t simply another technology cycle. It is beginning to change the economics of our industry. For technology businesses like ours, there is a choice. We can use AI to make the traditional services model incrementally more efficient, or we can rethink what that model should look like altogether. We have chosen to rethink it. This is therefore much more than adding AI capabilities to our existing business. We are repositioning Godel around how we believe technology services will need to be delivered in an AI-native world.” Major enterprise technology programmes Godel believes the traditional relationship between the scale of a technology challenge and the people, time and cost required to solve it is beginning to break down. Historically, tackling complex technology and data problems has often required large teams, lengthy discovery programmes and significant investment. AI has the potential to radically compress that model. For Godel, this creates an opportunity to bring levels of insight, speed and capability previously associated with major enterprise technology programmes to a much broader section of the market. Ainsworth continued; “The mid-market is where this becomes particularly interesting. Many ambitious businesses face exactly the same technology and data challenges as much larger organisations, but they don’t necessarily have access to the same budgets, teams or resources. AI has the potential to change that equation. It can give these businesses access to levels of capability that historically would have required enormous investment. That is the opportunity we are building Godel around.” Traditional delivery models The new strategy also reflects Godel’s belief that the competitive advantage created by AI will not be evenly distributed. Companies able to understand, adopt and apply AI effectively will increasingly be able to move faster than larger competitors constrained by legacy technology, organisational complexity and traditional delivery models. This forms part of what Godel describes as a “fast eats slow” philosophy: the idea that the next generation of market leaders will be defined less by their size than by their ability to adapt and execute. Measurable business outcomes Godel’s approach will be built around three principles: working with businesses to adopt AI rather than imposing technology upon them; providing transparency rather than creating new technological black boxes; and focusing on measurable business outcomes rather than technology for technology’s sake. Its established engineering expertise will remain central to the business but will increasingly be applied through this new AI-native model. Ainsworth concluded: “We aren’t walking away from engineering. Quite the opposite. We are asking what world-class engineering looks like when AI becomes fundamental to how technology is understood, built and improved. We believe the answer will look very different from the traditional model.” “The businesses that recognise that early have an extraordinary opportunity. In the next technology cycle, being bigger won’t necessarily make you faster. And when technology is moving at this speed, fast eats slow.” Godel will reveal further details of its new proposition later this year.

The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn is one of the four Inns of Court and operates as an active and thriving society of lawyers, sprawling across 11 acres in central London and dating as far back as 1422. The title of “Lincoln’s Inn” refers both to the Society and the location, which houses the Society’s own facilities, numerous barristers’ chambers and several solicitors’ offices. The Inns of Court originally provided accommodation for law students who learned their craft by attending court. Different levels of security Today, the Inns exist to aid students in pursuing the legal profession and serve as landlord, custodian of historic buildings, banqueting and events venue, and tourist attraction. To fulfill these many functions, Lincoln’s Inn required security that would meet their own high standards while protecting buildings that had been in continuous operation for centuries. As the Inn not only provides services to law students, but also operates as an attraction and a hosting venue, many different levels of security need to be in place for a variety of users—full-time employees, temporary contractors, event staff, students, and others. For this reason, it was essential that Lincoln’s Inn have a comprehensive system to track and monitor their many keys for the extensive venue. Improving key control For some time, keys at Lincoln’s Inn were managed manually through an analogue system, with staff retrieving keys from an open cabinet and recording key usage with pen and paper. However, because at times manual recordkeeping can be less than diligent, this allowed for confusion as to who had what keys when, and made it possible for keys to be stashed away or used by unauthorized persons. With the variety and quantity of people moving throughout Lincoln’s Inn on any given day, a more secure solution was needed. To update and improve key control, Chief Porter Nicholas Bracey turned to the KeyWatcher Touch key control system by Morse Watchmans. Key storage and management “KeyWatcher Touch provides us with a fully secure means of key storage and management. We considered a number of products on the market and found the Morse Watchmans solution to be the most flexible and easy to use system,” said Mr. Bracey. “The high quality and ease of scalability were two of the top features we required, and the KeyWatcher Touch was a perfect fit for our key control needs.” Lincoln’s Inn installed two KeyWatcher Touch units configured for a total of 192 keys or keyrings in January 2016, and the system has been in daily use since the installation. It utilizes the Inn’s IT network and is fully integrated with the PCs in the security office and the office of the Chief Porter in order to provide maximum flexibility and ease of use. Providing maximum flexibility Tracking keys as they were removed and returned was a top concern, so the ability of the KeyWatcher to record who has removed what key and when was exceptionally important. “The keys are always secure, rather than being openly accessible to staff. There is no longer paperwork to be managed for logging, it is all taken care of with the KeyWatcher software,” continued Mr. Bracey. “Audits and reports are fast and accurate, and it has led to our staff becoming more responsible overall.” KeyWatcher Touch has provided Lincoln’s Inn with the functionality and security it requires to easily manage its 192 keys, while also providing an easily accessible audit trail. In addition, the system has proven hardy and resilient in daily use over two years. “We have had continuity with Morse Watchmans since day one,” finished Mr. Bracey. “Demonstrations of function, installation, and training were all handled almost entirely by the same representative, in addition to subsequent orders. The continuously exceptional service has ensured that we were getting exactly the product that would best serve Lincoln’s Inn and provide us with the security we need.” KeyWatcher Touch Features: Email and SMS Notifications Scheduled Reports via Email or SMS Centralised User Database Scalable, Modular Design

Genetec Inc., the global pioneer in enterprise physical security software, announces that TEPCO Power Grid has deployed Genetec™ Security Center as the foundation for a next-generation physical security platform that supports its broader digital transformation strategy and scales with its growing operational requirements. The platform will centralise management of more than 30,000 cameras and support future innovation across the TEPCO Power Grid network of 1,600 substations and service centers. TEPCO Power Grid manages and operates the transmission and distribution network that delivers electricity from power plants to homes and businesses across the Tokyo metropolitan area. The company is using advanced technologies to improve operational efficiency, strengthen disaster response, and modernise critical infrastructure. Modernising critical infrastructure As its camera network expanded over the years, TEPCO Power Grid needed a platform capable of supporting large-scale camera management, integrating with image analysis technologies, and expanding access to video across a broader range of devices. After evaluating several options, the company selected Genetec Security Center for its functionality, scalability, proven track record, and customisation capabilities through its software development kit. “The response from users has been very positive, and we're already seeing new ideas emerge for how the system can be used across the organisation. Beyond supporting our current operations, we see an opportunity to leverage accumulated video data alongside AI technologies to support future operational and technology initiatives, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Genetec,” said Tomoyuki Soma, Group Manager, System Development General Affairs Group, System Development Center, DX Promotion Department, TEPCO Power Grid. Improving operational efficiency TEPCO Power Grid selected Security Center for its scalability and open architecture. The platforms broad camera support allowed the company to bring together camera models from multiple manufacturers into a unified environment, helping preserve existing hardware investments while giving teams room to evolve. The Security Center software development kit also enables the company to customise the system and integrate additional technologies as requirements evolve. Security Center gives TEPCO Power Grid a unified view of its camera network while allowing teams across the region to support sites in their respective areas. Activities such as adding cameras and updating maps, which were previously managed centrally, can now be performed by individual workplaces, helping improve operational efficiency. Digital transformation strategy Authorised personnel can also use the Security Center web app to view video from computers and mobile devices. During an incident or emergency, managers and field teams can remotely assess the situation and coordinate their response. The platform also helps teams identify camera malfunctions across the network, making it easier to locate and address issues TEPCO’s 1,600 geographically dispersed sites. In addition to video management, the company sees potential opportunities to leverage accumulated video data and integrate emerging technologies as operational requirements evolve. The company is also evaluating additional capabilities available within the Security Center platform as part of its longer-term digital transformation strategy.

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.