Pick of the crop!

This year the 29 shortlisted contenders are battling it out for the top honours in five categories covering the whole of the security product sector. Following the judging session these finalists are lining up to take the honours at the awards, in association with the British Security Industry Association.

Five winners from this shortlist - one of them being the overall "Best of the Best" - will be announced at the Awards Dinner on the first night of IFSEC 2006 on May 8.

The event, at the The Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel at the NEC, will also include presentations to the winners in categories covering Best Security Project or Installation, the Security Industry Personality of the Year and the Security Industry Leadership Award.

ACCESS CONTROL

A4 Vision: Vision Access 3D Face Reader

Said to be a breakthrough in biometrics, this product is based on the fast capture and extraction of unique 3D images of a face and is used for automated recognition in access control, identity management or law enforcement. Unlike 2D systems, it is not sensitive to facial changes (glasses, beard etc), can work at extreme angles and even in darkness in 'real world' environments such as metro systems.

Reader Service No 102

Access Management Systems: Smarti Facial Biometric Controller

This is like having a 'virtual' receptionist available at all times, says the company. The unit uses touchscreen technology, voice and facial biometrics to control and record keyless door entry to visitors. Access rights of employees can be managed by dates, days and specific time slots and receptionists can grant access remotely after a video dialogue via their PC.

Reader Service No 103

Honeywell Systems Group: WIN-PAK Pro Central Station

This software offers new market opportunities for installers, allowing them to generate recurring revenue by providing full remotely managed access control. Operators can manage security systems at multiple locations from one user interface. No software needs to be installed at the remote end user sites, meaning faster, lower cost installation and no on-site training.

Reader Service No 104

IDCS: S3000 IP-Integrated Access Control

A fully IP-based integrated security system where all components (prox readers, door controllers, I/O interfaces and local processing units) directly connect to the IP network, this covers access control, intruder detection and digital video. It also handles visitor, elevator, car park and presence control. It is said to be an alternative to "vulnerable Wiegand Signals that can easily be hacked".

Reader Service No 105

Sign Assured: SignHere

Handwritten signatures are used to grant access to secure areas with this rugged unit that can be used in areas previously unsuitable for biometric technology. To enroll, users sign five times and an onboard template is generated from the sound at the tip of the signing implement which compares to subsequent signings. It adapts to signature changes over time, altering the template accordingly.

Reader Service No 106

Unilink Software: Nforce/Visits

Developed for prisons and detention centres, this software tracks all visitor movements using biometric fingerprint technology and digital photographs displayed at each checkpoint. It is said to radically improve the process of visiting and prevents: banned visitors; bogus identity visitors; identity swapping with prisoners; gang member contact and ex prisoners returning as contractors.

Reader Service No 107

CCTV

Bosch: Dibos 8

The product combines DVR and NVR functions in an easy use, modular, expandable, networkable unit. It allows customers to record, control and remotely monitor their current analogue cameras and also integrate current 'state of the art' - and future - IP cameras and devices. The DVR caters for up to 30 analogue cameras encoded to MPEG 4 streams and the NVR allows up to 32 IP cameras to be added.

Reader Service No 108

Cieffe SRL: Nettuno Senses

This "revolutionary" plug-in device is said to transform a common analogue camera, not only into an IP camera capable of high quality MPEG4 images but also a device "functioning like a human brain" and offering advanced motion detection, people or object counting, vehicle speed detection and speed alarms, crowd behaviour analysis, still object recognition, object tracking, no-go area alarms and wrong way alarms.

Reader Service No 109

Dallmeier: DDF3000IPV-DN

Dallmeier says its its new day/night IP colour fixed dome camera combines "several world premieres for dome cameras" in a single product including Pixim Digital Pixel System sensor technology (3rd generation). It has ultra high dynamic range, high resolution sensor technology, day/night function even in darkness and WIS chip technology to convert picture signals into all leading compression formats.

Reader Service No 110

Dedicated Micros: Digital Sprite 2

The new DS2 with DVD allows dynamic switching from MPEG4 low resolution continuous background grade recording to high res evidential JPEG images on alarm while still streaming in either format from the same camera over the network for remote monitoring purposes. This ability to record at the resolution, quality, compression type and frame rate demanded by the event is achieved by the use of its MultiMode recording capability.

Reader Service No 111

Siemens Building Technologies: Sistore CDX EDS

Developed to address concerns about the reliability of outdoor motion detection systems and the costs of high false alarm rates, this intelligent embedded codec performs streaming and recording with object tracking. A combination of trip wires, the setting of target object direction, speed and size with tracking and perspective compensation ensure false alarms do not occur.

Reader Service No 112

Videotec: Ulisse

This product is designed for external (IP66) environments and offers the advanced features of a speed dome coupled with the benefits of traditional pan and tilt heads.

The high performance P&T head is integrated with a camera housing and telemetry receiver, reducing the need for several harnesses. With high horizontal and vertical static and dynamic torque, it offers fast and easy on-site replacement.

Reader Service No 113

INTRUDER ALARMS

Bosch Security Systems: PS Pager

Designed for lone workers as well as high risk environments, this easy-read pager instantly alerts colleagues and informs them about the alarm location. It also has a wide range of everyday uses, for instance, providing a secure instant messaging capability for individuals and large groups. It offers emergency and assisted alarm, adjustable for loud or silent alerting of the emergency team.

Reader Service No 114

GE Industrial Security:Video IQ Lite

Video technology can be embedded into any GE Security alarm system with the Video IQ Lite. It provides 'on premises' video alarm verification using an integrated PIR/camera and GE's Video IQ technology which together verify human presence. This intelligent video motion detection draws coloured boxes around objects, distinguishing between moving humans and moving objects.

Reader Service No 115

GJD Manufacturing:D-TECT 2 & 3

Designed to minimise false alarms, these external movement detectors combine a dual infra red scanner module with a range-adjustable microwave sensor. Integral masking curtains and an adjustable pan and tilt electronics module allows the field of view of the sensor and the camera to be matched. GJD says other unique features are: variable range covering between 8 and 30m and optional remote handheld IR programmer.

Reader Service No 116

MasterGuardian: MasterGuardian Security System

Fingerprint recognition is brought into the home security sphere with this product, making the memorising of codes not neccessary. User friendly, it also allows the remote on/off switching of heating, telephone, air conditioning, lights, irrigation etc. The telephone dialler for eight different numbers enables voice and and data connections for calling 24 hour service centres.

Reader Service No 117

Siemens Building Technologies: Eyetec IRO840T

Eyetec is a 15m motion detector featuring a "unique" combination of optical and passive infrared technologies. Its new antiblocking capabilities detects masking attempts in a wide area of the room. This enables it to meet the stringent requirements of EN50131-Grade 4. The communication tool allows event-related image evaluation, selection of surveillance areas and determination of motion directions.

Reader Service No 118

Symmetry 3 Ltd C.A.T.S.eye

The small unit (59 x 39mm) is designed primarily as a post-theft device to track and recover small yet valuable assets ranging from laptop to desktop computers to power tools and bicycles. It incorporates GPS, GSM and RF which means it can even locate assets which have been hidden inside buildings or containers. It can also be used as a low cost fleet tracking device or even to track vulnerable individuals.

Reader Service No 119

IP SECURITY/COMMUNICATION

Bosch Security Systems VIPX 1600

This high performance modular multi-channel CCTV video encoder can contain up to four hot-swappable video modules, each with four analogue video inputs, providing up to 16 camera inputs in 1 HU. Being modular, expanding the system is simple and low cost. Additional video or audio-video modules can be plugged in at any time without interrupting the operation of existing channels.

Reader Service No 120

Connexion2: Identicom

Looking like a normal ID holder, this product is equipped with a tri band GSM module which allows a lone worker to discreetly raise an alarm if threatened and also allows a third party to listen to what is happening and record evidence at whatever the distance. Using location technology, it can also identify where a worker is.

Reader Service No 121

Dedicated Micros:TransVu Media

Based on the TransVu mobile CCTV recording system, this dual purpose solution not only delivers customer/vehicle security but, for the first time, opens up the potential for transport operators to tap into additional sources of revenue such as advertising. Display advertising messages can be displayed on a spot monitor on a bus. Messages pertinent to the location are triggered by the GPS co-ordinates of the vehicle.

Reader Service No 122

Fluidmesh Networks Inc: 2200 series

This is an "intelligent" wireless transmission system which optimises the transmission path for video streaming and video surveillance. It can create a CCTV system in any areas hard to wire, such as metropolitan areas, airports, seaports and large industrial areas. It also fits the needs for mobile, temporary or nomadic surveillance. A new unit can be easily added to the network with no need to reconfigure the settings of the rest of the system.

Reader Service No 123

MAXxess Systems: EndPoint

EndPoint's graphical display allows operators to search and manage information from an unlimited number of sources, and have total command and control of equipment and human resources all on one screen. A global view shows security status of all locations in all regions while a regional view shows status by facility and a site view allows control of individual systems.

Reader Service No 124

Video Domain: Offsite Visual Storage (OVS)

Using this technology, video clips of events are automatically transmitted to a storage server in the secure, tamper proof environment of the service provider and can be reviewed whenever convenient 24/7 from anywhere in the world over a standard internet browser.It informs the customer by email, with attached video clip, whenever there is an event and is said to be a solution for managing business or home security efficiently without high cost.

Reader Service No 125

PHYSICAL SECURITY

AMS Australia Pty: MSB62-30 Microswitch Box

This integrates access management in a single unit hardware device. Diverse applications include manhole covers for roads, telecommunication and major utilities. Water resistant, it can be used internally, externally and in extreme conditions. The design concept is based on microswitch boxes for door access and have been tested by the Australian Defence Department for top security applications.

Reader Service No 126

Frontier Pitts: Terra Gate

Developed to meet high security requirements, this is the only gate in the world to be crash tested in both the fully closed and half opened positions without the need for repair. Withstanding impact of a 75000kg test vehicle at 80km/h, it did not need to be fully closed to stop the vehicle. It has shallow foundation requirements of only 280mm allowing installation even on sites where underground services exist.

Reader Service No 127

Martin Security Smoke IPS4 X-stream

A development of Smokecloak, X-stream was designed to combat violent daytime robberies by producing an extremely large quantity of smoke in a very short time. Suitable for protecting banks, building societies, shops and petrol stations, the burst of smoke is deployed by staff from the counter area to drive the disorientated robbers to the door and has already been proven to work at trial sites.

Reader Service No 128

Mul-T-Lock (UK) Chubb Cylinder Mortice Lock Cases

These high security cylinder mortice lock cases combine high endurance and physical security with ease of fit and accessibility. The first to combine BS3621:2004 (security) and BS8300:2002 (access) compliance, customers get an insurance approved solution by incorporating a hardened steel deadlocking hook bolt operated by a cylinder positioned above the lever handle.

Reader Service No 129

Turnstar Systems: Tribune

This "ultra secure" single reader biometric turnstile is said to be radically different. An external button enables walk in and the turnstile locks the user inside. A biometric reader mounted inside the locked turnstile then becomes active. An authorised reading allows the turnstile to rotate forwards allowing access but an unauthorised reading unlocks the turnstile in the opposite direction and enables the user to turn-back only.

Reader Service No 130