ISC West

Nanodems, a pioneering provider of Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) software, proudly presented its latest innovations at the ISC West 2025, drawing strong interest from security professionals, integrators, and enterprise customers. At this year’s event, Nanodems showcased two game-changing features of its critical event management platform: AI-Powered Health Check and security-focused digital twins, both designed to revolutionise the way organisations monitor and manage complex security environments. IT and security teams Health Check offers real-time insights into the operational status of all connected security devices Health Check offers real-time insights into the operational status of all connected security devices, including cameras, DVRs, access control units, and sensors. The intuitive dashboard provides instant visibility into device performance, offline status, and fault history, allowing IT and security teams to proactively resolve issues before they escalate. The newly introduced security-focused digital twin feature is a tool powered by 3D maps within the NDIS platform, offering users a completely visualised way to monitor their environments. Operators can navigate through floors, zoom into specific zones, and instantly view device statuses or trigger events. This spatial awareness enhances response times and supports faster decision-making during critical incidents. Integrated physical security management “Visitors were especially impressed with how easily they could identify issues with thousands of devices using our Health Check module, and how naturally they could navigate complex infrastructure with our 3D interface,” said Asli Citak, Marketing Manager at Nanodems. “These features align with our mission to make PSIM not just powerful, but also user-friendly and highly visual.” Nanodems continues to set the standard in integrated physical security management, enabling organisations in critical infrastructure, banking, transportation, and public safety to centralise operations, reduce complexity, and increase situational awareness.

The Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA) hosted a well-attended cocktail reception and live demonstration during ISC West 2025 to unveil its latest advancement: the PKOC 3.0 specification, an exciting solution for secure, open credentialing in physical access control systems. Jason Ouellette, Chairman of the PSIA and Corporate VP of Innovation and Technical Partnerships at ELATEC, led the presentation. He shared an overview of PKOC’s progress, key developments in the 3.0 release, and demonstrated a range of interoperable devices—including readers, cards, and mobile applications, built on the freely available, non-proprietary PKOC specification. Broad industry collaboration This year’s demonstration highlighted broad industry collaboration, with support and technologies provided by PSIA member companies including: ELATEC, EMSI, INID Readers USA, Johnson Controls, Kastle Systems, Last Lock, rf IDEAS, Sentry Enterprises, Taglio, and Universal Smart Card.  There is a growing list of manufacturers actively supporting the PKOC specification, but these 10 companies showcased products at the event, highlighting its interoperability and real-world applications. Deloitte’s own proof-of-concept The project features PKOC certificates working seamlessly across readers, physical cards, and mobile devices At the reception, Jeff Longo, Director of Software Development at Kastle Systems, announced that the company will officially make the PKOC card its standard card offering—further solidifying its commitment to open, secure, and interoperable access control solutions. Keith Kelly, Chief Security Officer at Deloitte Canada, shared insights from Deloitte’s own proof-of-concept implementation of PKOC at its Toronto office. The project features PKOC credentials functioning seamlessly across readers, physical cards, and mobile devices. Kelly emphasised that PKOC represents “a new generation of access control,” aligned with Deloitte’s priorities around open, flexible, and secure credentialing. Simplicity, security, and scalability David Bunzel, Executive Director of the PSIA, noted, “PKOC is widely recognised as one of the most exciting solutions for secure credentials. Because it is based on an open specification, it is cost-effective—but just as important, it is secure and highly flexible.” Unlike many legacy credential technologies, PKOC is completely open source, with no fees, royalties, or membership requirements. Its simplicity, security, and scalability are fuelling growing interest across integrators, manufacturers, and enterprise users.

VIVOTEK (3454-TW), the pioneering security solution provider, celebrates its 25th anniversary by reaffirming its commitment to pioneering AI and cloud-based technologies. At ISC West—the largest international security technology expo in the western United States—VIVOTEK introduced the latest innovations in its cloud-based VORTEX platform and premiered a commemorative video marking 25 years of global impact. Smarter security with AI-powered search One of the key highlights at ISC West was the unveiling of AI-Hub, the newest addition to VORTEX One of the key highlights at ISC West was the unveiling of AI-Hub, the newest addition to VORTEX. This centralised platform integrates a suite of AI functions—Deep Search, Event Insight, Re-Search, and Case Vault—into a seamless user interface. Designed to simplify operations and improve response time, the AI-Hub enables users to swiftly identify incidents, track individuals or vehicles, and generate comprehensive event reports. VIVOTEK at user-centric AI innovation At the core of AI-Hub lies its Search by Text function, powered by a cutting-edge Vision-Language Model (VLM). This technology enables users to conduct video searches using natural, everyday language, eliminating the need for complex filtering or manual review.  By linking video content with descriptive text input, VIVOTEK has created a more intuitive, accessible way to interact with surveillance data. The feature captured strong interest from both attendees and media during the expo, positioning VIVOTEK at the forefront of user-centric AI innovation. 25 years of innovation: From lab to global impact VIVOTEK premiered a point-of-view video titled, Journey Through the Lens To mark its 25th anniversary, VIVOTEK premiered a point-of-view video titled, Journey Through the Lens, which traces the company’s evolution from a small research team at National Taiwan University to a globally recognised brand in IP surveillance. The film revisits pivotal moments in VIVOTEK’s history, including its instrumental role in the dramatic 2010 Chilean mine rescue, where its technology helped locate and rescue 33 trapped miners. VIVOTEK reaffirms its mission The video also highlights the brand’s ongoing pursuit of innovation through AI and cloud technologies.  Looking toward the next 25 years, VIVOTEK reaffirms its mission: to work hand-in-hand with global partners and employees to create a smarter, safer, and more connected world.

Hailo, the pioneering provider of edge AI processors, will demonstrate smart security cameras empowered by its vision processing units (VPUs) as well as video management systems empowered by its AI accelerators at ISC West 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada at booth #31065 of the Venetian Expo. At the heart of Hailo’s showcase is its full suite of AI processors, including the Hailo-15 vision processors, which integrate seamlessly into pioneering security cameras to deliver superior image quality and real-time analytics. Generative AI applications Its powerful AI capabilities enhance image quality while also efficiently handling multiple complex classic and generative AI applications at full scale. Alongside them, the Hailo-8 and Hailo-10 AI accelerators, selected by the world’s top security brands, power video management systems and other next-generation applications that require high-performance AI at the edge. What’s possible in AI for security Hailo will also demonstrate some of the industry’s most advanced models running entirely on camera Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in AI for security, Hailo will also demonstrate some of the industry’s most advanced models running entirely on camera, at low power and independent of cloud connectivity.  Demonstrations include zero-shot classification for real-time image search and query, and Vision-Language Models (VLMs) for automatic video captioning. Visitors will be able to experience edge-deployed chatbots powered by LLMs such as DeepSeek-R1 operating offline and locally on-device, ensuring privacy and security without compromising on AI capabilities. Advanced video analytics “As AI continues to revolutionise security and surveillance, Hailo is at the forefront, delivering the most widely deployed edge AI processors to a vast community of thousands of developers,” said Orr Danon, CEO of Hailo. “By removing compute limitations, we are enabling smart cameras to feature both best-in-class image quality and advanced video analytics, making security systems more intelligent, efficient, and responsive than ever before.”  Hailo’s leadership in edge AI Hailo’s leadership in edge AI is further reinforced by the cutting-edge solutions showcased in cooperation Hailo’s leadership in edge AI is further reinforced by the cutting-edge solutions showcased in cooperation with its partners at the booth.  Demonstrations include a Digital Watchdog VMS integration, real-time facial anonymisation by AlgoFace, AI-powered crowd and drive-through monitoring for retail applications by AT&T and Capgemini, live video stream analysis using semantic segmentation on a Dell 3200 gateway, and a Deep Perception analytics solution running on an HP Engage Flex Mini G2 connected to a Milestone VMS, among others. Hailo’s processors unmatched AI performance Hailo’s processors deliver unmatched AI performance in terms of both power-efficiency and cost-efficiency, making it the go-to choice for security solutions providers, ranging from low-power smart cameras to large-scale video management systems. With hundreds of customers and tens of thousands of developers driving innovation on its platform, Hailo continues to set the standard as the #1 edge AI processor provider, powering the future of AI-driven security. To experience the next generation of edge AI in action, and for more information, visit the website and stop by Booth #31065 at ISC West 2025 between April 2 and April 4, 2025.

ISC West 2025, organised by RX and in collaboration with the Security Industry Association, concluded at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas last week. The nation’s pioneering comprehensive and converged security event attracted nearly 29,000 industry professionals and left a lasting impression on the global security community. Over five action-packed days, ISC West welcomed more than 19,000 attendees and featured 750 exhibiting brands. ISC West innovations and ideas “ISC West truly showcased the power of innovation, connection, and collaboration within the security industry,” said ISC Event Vice President Mary Beth Shaughnessy. “From the groundbreaking technologies on display to the meaningful discussions in our education sessions and keynotes, this year’s event underscored the remarkable progress we’re achieving together as an industry. We are incredibly proud of the innovations and ideas shared here and look forward to building on this momentum for future ISC events.” ISC West trends and challenges ISC West broke new ground with its robust and grew SIA Education@ISC program, which opened one day ISC West broke new ground with its robust and expanded SIA Education@ISC program, which opened one day earlier to give attendees even more opportunities to connect and learn. With the largest slate of sessions to date, the program featured packed rooms and sparked lively discussions led by industry experts. The sessions addressed emerging trends and challenges, offering attendees valuable knowledge to apply within their organisations. SIA Education at ISC West conference program “ISC West 2025 was a tremendous success. I heard very positive feedback from our members and have seen a lot of excitement about this show this year,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “The SIA Education at ISC West conference program had record-breaking attendance and featured a robust array of insightful, engaging content from our speakers and instructors. SIA saw fantastic turnout at its events and offerings during the show, and attendees benefitted from the top-quality expertise shared by our speakers, at events ranging from lively tech debates to in-depth conversations on critical infrastructure and the return on security investment." "We were also thrilled to see great presence and enthusiasm at the show from the security practitioner community. SIA is proud to be the premier sponsor of ISC West each year and looks forward to offering even more at the show in 2026.” ISC West Keynote Series Microsoft’s education lead, Kate Maxwell, closed with an inspiring session on authenticity The ISC West Keynote Series brought powerful insights to the Main Stage, starting with Rachel Wilson, director of cybersecurity at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, who explored the shifting cyber threat landscape. Day 2 featured Will Bernhjelm, vice president of security for Mall of America, giving a behind-the-scenes look at protecting a major retail hub. Microsoft’s worldwide education lead, Kate Maxwell, closed with an inspiring session on authenticity. The Main Stage transformed into a place of celebration on Wednesday evening, where attendees and exhibitors enjoyed a performance by Gin Blossoms at the ISC West Concert. SIA New Products and Solutions Awards Another standout moment was the prestigious SIA New Products and Solutions Awards. This distinguished program highlighted the latest security advancements. Another standout moment was the prestigious SIA New Products and Solutions Awards Vaidio’s Vaidio 9.0 AI Vision Platform earned the Best New Product Award, while Robotic Assistance Devices received the Judges’ Choice Award for SARA – AI Security Agent for Autonomous Threat Detection and Response. Each innovation reflected the industry’s commitment to staying ahead of evolving threats and delivering smarter, more efficient solutions. Experts from the cyber and physical security sectors With an expanded focus on cybersecurity and enhanced educational opportunities, ISC West 2025 introduced a new RSA @ISC: IT for Security Professionals track, in partnership with RSA, alongside its core education tracks. Among the many insightful sessions was “Two Worlds Colliding: How to Prevent Cyber-Physical Attacks,” held at The Bridge. This thought-provoking panel brought together experts from the cyber and physical security sectors to examine the power of collaboration in countering modern threats. Following the discussion, attendees had the opportunity to meet Deb Radcliff, cybercrime journalist and author, and receive signed copies of her thrilling novel, “Breaking Backbones: Information Is Power.” Later this year, ISC East 2025, the pioneering security event in the Northeast, will be held Nov. 18-20 at the Javits Centre in New York City.

ADI | Snap One is demonstrating its expansive portfolio at ISC West 2025 from April 2 – 4, at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. In Booth #12043, visitors can explore an assortment of technologies and solutions across multiple product categories, including security, video surveillance, automation, power, networking, remote management, data communications, fire and life safety, smart living, and more.  ADI | Snap One exhibits at ISC West 2025 “As a combined business, we're focused on expanding our portfolio, enhancing our distribution capabilities, and accelerating our product innovation to ensure we meet the diverse needs of our customers,” said Marco Cardazzi, Senior Vice President (SVP), & Chief Marketing Officer, ADI Global Distribution. He adds, “At ISC West, we're excited to showcase our broad selection of products, including both our top-tier distributed brands and our own exclusive brands. This combination allows us to offer a comprehensive range of solutions, giving customers a variety of options that empower them to succeed.” ADI | Snap One’s 2025 product roadmap Attendees can get a first-hand look at ADI | Snap One’s 2025 product roadmap Attendees can get a first-hand look at ADI | Snap One’s 2025 product roadmap that includes a host of new innovations tailored to the evolving needs of security and integration professionals. Some of the technologies on display include: Control4 X4 ADI | Snap One is showcasing a significant milestone in customised control and automation – Control4 X4. This next generation of the Control4 experience for users will offer a refined interface that is designed to deliver enhanced personalisation of security and automation settings, richer engagement, and intuitive navigation, benefiting both end-users and integrators alike. Control4 X4 delivers a way to manage a smart home ecosystem with a streamlined Home Screen, curated and customisable Routines, and Widgets for quick access to key functions — whether across the entire home or in a single room. OvrC Pro Attendees can explore how the integration of the OvrC Pro remote monitoring platform with Control4 CORE and CA Controllers enhances system visibility and management within a complete Control4 ecosystem. This includes Luma X20 Series surveillance cameras, WattBox 820 Series power distribution units, and Access Networks Wi-Fi components — all of which feature native OvrC integration for seamless remote monitoring and control. Luma Surveillance ADI | Snap One evolves its Luma camera line to meet the growing security needs As surveillance technology continues to advance, ADI | Snap One evolves its Luma camera line to meet the growing security needs of both residential and commercial environments. The recent introduction of the new line of Luma 4K Hybrid cameras and the X20 Fisheye Camera delivers enhanced performance with versatile designs. The Hybrid 4K camera features Active Deterrence, which utilises built-in LED lights, a microphone, and a speaker to enhance security. These added security measures are powered by the camera’s advanced AI technology, allowing it to distinguish between people and vehicles and capture crucial, defining details like vehicle colour, and more. Araknis and Access Networks with OvrC Integration ADI | Snap One will showcase how the successful integration of OvrC remote monitoring with advanced Wi-Fi networking solutions from Araknis and Access Networks enhances efficiency for systems integrators while delivering a superior connectivity experience for customers. With OvrC, integrators can remotely configure, monitor, and manage home and business networks via the cloud, streamlining deployment and ongoing support. Outdoor Audio Surroundscape series is designed to deliver greater durability, scalability, and simpler installation Building on the legacy of Episode’s landscape speaker offering, Surroundscape series is designed to deliver greater durability, scalability, and simpler installation for outdoor environments. Episode Radiance, which combines audio and lighting on a single wire to create beautiful ambience for outdoor projects, will be on display, as well as Episode Extreme, a weatherproof indoor and outdoor speaker designed to withstand the toughest conditions. Mission 500 Security 5K/2K Run Additional distributed product brands on display in the booth will include Resideo, Honeywell Fire, Napco, Axis Communications, Pelco, HID, Yale, ProdataKey, eero, and more. In addition to activities on the show floor, ADI | Snap One is participating in the Mission 500 Security 5K/2K Run on Thursday April 3, helping to raise funds for children in need across the country.

The security industry is going increasingly digital these days, with more small- and medium-sized businesses joining their global brethren by moving their data to the cloud, leveraging the benefits of artificial intelligence, and embracing more open solutions. Innovation is expected to continue at a rapid pace, thanks in part to the residual effects of the pandemic which has driven changes that might have otherwise taken five years or a decade or more to get into customers’ hands on a global scale. Let’s take a look at the trends that will dominate ISC West 2023. Improved analytics Analytics is about expedience, and in the surveillance world, it makes it possible to identify and search for the “who did it?” clip you need. For analytics, along with the cloud, it comes back to the core themes of being able to do more with technology Analytics also provides more actionable intelligence than a simple surveillance camera may provide, from identifying high-traffic areas during select times of the day and alerting staff to pay greater attention to these areas, to business intelligence that can enable a company to staff a store with more employees. For analytics, along with the cloud, it comes back to the core themes of being able to do more with technology and relying less on humans. Leveraging the cloud The cloud story is very related: it provides the ability to perform video-related tasks from anywhere on any device. In addition, the cloud makes it easier to share videos with other stakeholders and collaborate on investigations. By storing video on the cloud, end users reduce their total cost of ownership because they no longer have to invest in onsite storage solutions, while gaining greater storage capabilities and thereby future-proofing their solutions. Deployment patterns Because the cloud requires a less total cost of ownership and can be intuitive, it is driving interest in solutions Another interesting trend that we’ll be hearing more about this year is the overall deployment patterns of video surveillance systems. This is part of the cloud trend, but the broader trend is the amount of effort it takes to deploy, monitor and maintain the video surveillance system. Because the cloud requires less total cost of ownership and cloud access can be intuitive, it is driving interest for solutions that can be hosted in the cloud. Interoperability vs. proprietary Related to the debate of open vs. closed solutions is how much the surveillance market prefers a turnkey solution compared to a more custom best-of-breed and tailored solution. Smaller and mid-market companies will be more interested in the turnkey solutions provided by a single vendor, while enterprise-level companies traditionally gravitate toward investing in customised solutions that are more likely to address their unique security challenges. One other related trend to keep an eye on is the role of the integrator as part of the rise of cloud and Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) offerings.

At ISC West this year, emerging technologies will be on display to help organisations manage their environments, from the building itself to who’s on the premises and what’s going on at any given moment. Top of mind this year is cybersecurity, compliance and management of security assets as threats rise and governing bodies put regulations in place that businesses need to react to. The good news is that the shift in approach to holistic monitoring of cyber and physical assets can move enterprises to a place of digital transformation and proactive management rather than reactive practices based on threats and changing regulations. The show provides an opportunity for both vendors and potential customers to learn from each other about what’s out there and what’s needed in terms of future solutions as the industry evolves. Are you in cyber and physical security compliance? At this year’s show, we’ll continue to see developments focused on integration of cyber physical security that will lead to deeper understanding of the relationship between devices, device monitoring and spaces in which all devices physically reside. Digital solutions help achieve a digital transformation which stitches the data relationships together to provide better threat vector impact and overall understanding of risk. The technologies in smart buildings are subject to cyberattacks, which pose not just a threat to data and privacy but can compromise the physical space as well. Think of the locked door in a smart building that now is opened with access control via key cards or mobile devices given only to certain members of staff. These integrations increase safety and restrict access across the enterprise, but a bad actor can access and duplicate the necessary data to open the door with a copycat device while hiding the event from the surveillance system. By having a comprehensive cyber whitelist of installed devices, potential rouge devices are prevented from transmitting on the network, therefore providing an automated guard against internal and external attacks. When systems are compromised due to a hack or physical intervention, it puts what’s behind the door at risk, whether it’s money in a bank or information in a sensitive work environment, such as a laboratory. Digital solutions help achieve a digital transformation which stitches the data relationships together It’s increasingly important to highlight the relationship between cyber and physical security. A great illustration of this is the digital twin. A digital twin is a replica of a physical space that uses both informational and operational technology to give real-time information about what’s going on in a space.  These can include things like floor plans for the building as well as real-time sensor data from the building management system, HVAC systems, lighting, fire, security, and more. By getting a complete picture of the physical and digital assets of an organisation, it becomes possible to monitor all systems from one central location to see how they’re working together and act on the insights they provide. So, in the example of a breach from before, it’s possible to flag that hack, isolate its exact location and devices involved, and resolve it quickly while maintaining preservation of evidence. Compliance: how to get there safely, efficiently and effectively As these threats evolve, governing bodies are taking action to ensure that data is protected to minimise these kinds of threats and ensure that organisations feel confident in the security of their data. Norms and compliance measures are emerging quickly, such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which began to be enforced in March 2018, and the California Cybersecurity Law, which went into effect in the US just this past January. The regulations of what can be done with data mean that companies need to react or face penalties such as fines, which can be as high as 4% of worldwide annual revenue of the previous year. These are also fluid and can change rapidly, meaning flexibility is important in compliance solutions. However, this presents an opportunity for companies to invest in innovation to ensure they’re prepared for those changes and to protect the safety of not just employees, customers and target markets, but of the larger organisation. Getting to a place of compliance can seem costly and time consuming at the beginning Getting to a place of compliance can seem costly and time consuming at the beginning, especially for larger organisations. They may have thousands of security assets (cameras and sensors, for example) and might not even be fully aware of what they have, where they are, and whether those assets are functional, never mind compliant with data protection legislation. The right solution takes all the steps to becoming safe and compliant into account, beginning with inventory and mapping of all assets to get a complete picture of where things stand and where changes need to be made. One large financial institution, upon embarking on this journey, identified an additional 10% of assets that they didn’t know they had, and additional ones that were nonfunctioning and needed to be repaired or replaced for compliance and safety. Monitoring: centralised and remote for rapid response Once assets and data are centralised and a complete inventory is taken, it’s much easier to effectively monitor the complete enterprise. At this year’s show, smart technologies will be on display that reduce cybersecurity risks and monitor assets for compliance. If something changes, that can be flagged, and appropriate parties can be quickly notified to act and neutralise security threats or avoid the expensive penalties that come with noncompliance. Since all these components are centralised in one location, it becomes possible to monitor much more effectively and fix issues remotely in minutes rather than scheduling a trip to a location that may not happen for days or even weeks. A security camera for a large chain enterprise such as a retail store or bank in a small-town location deserves service just as quickly as one in a major city, since the threat that each non-functional device poses is the same to who and what it is there to protect. Keeping it up: a proactive approach to service and maintenance One of the ways that emerging technologies can be a game changer is when it comes to the cost and approach One of the ways that emerging technologies can be a game changer is when it comes to the cost and approach to systems maintenance and operation. In addition to performance and compliance, other types of data, such as historical events, can also be monitored centrally. This gives context to security events and can move organisations from a reactive to a proactive approach to their security as well as operations. If small problems are identified and resolved before they become larger problems, it means that security events can be mitigated more quickly or prevented entirely due to early intervention. On the operations side, early insights into asset performance means that fewer resources are expended on noncompliance fees and large-scale, emergency repairs. These resources can take the form of money, but also of time spent by employees and enforcement agencies to ensure continued compliance. Staff can spend time engaged in active monitoring rather than generating reports, since that can now be automated. In the new decade, it’s time to use the technological resources available to better protect systems for smarter, safer and more sustainable environments. On every level, compliance is important not just for its own sake, but so are the other benefits associated with intelligent management. The show presents an educational opportunity for vendors and customers alike. Walking around the show floor and talking to everyone is a unique way to see what’s out there and evaluate what is and isn’t working for a business while getting information from all the industry experts. Even if they’re not ready for a complete overhaul, taking stock of what’s available, where things are heading and how their operations and mission can be better served by implementing one or more of the solutions showcased is more important than ever. On our end, those conversations about needs and concerns are invaluable in driving innovation.

ISC West, the world's largest security industry trade show, is just around the corner. This in-person show gathered more than 1,000 manufacturers and over 30,000 visitors from all over the world in 2019. On top of that, more than 200 brands exhibited at ISC West for the first time. This year's event promises to be just as exciting, if not more so. Let’s overview some leading security trends in video management systems development, and what's worth your time and attention at ISC West 2020. AI analytics Emerging two or three years ago, the AI-based video analytics market is experiencing a boom in growth. The prototypes and ideas displayed at ISC West 2019 could This year's event promises to be just as exciting, if not more soalready be part of a functioning system today. There's a lot of hype around this new trend. So, if you're looking for solutions for your needs, it is important to be able to tell the difference between technologies that work and marketing bluster. To do that, you have to understand what today's AI-based analytics (also often referred to as a neural network, deep learning, or machine learning) can and can't do. Let's start with what AI can't do in video surveillance. It can't analyse the sequence in which events occur or understand the 'logic' of what's happening in the scene. In other words, there's no such thing as a 'suspicious behavior detection tool'. Nevertheless, neural networks are really good at recognising and classifying objects. For instance, they can distinguish humans from vehicles, vehicles from other moving objects, and cyclists from pedestrians. Neural network trackers This technology is primarily used as a neural network tracker or object tracker that can identify and track objects of a specific type. Usually, it's applied to complex scenes with a large amount of non-relevant details where a classic tracker would drown in false alarms. The neural tracker can be used to detect people in dangerous areas at production facilities, cyclists riding on pedestrian lanes, or poachers trying to sneak into a nature preserve. Neural networks are really good at recognising and classifying objectsObject identification function can be used for other site-specific tasks, such as detecting people without a helmet or a high-visibility vest at facilities where those are required by safety regulations. It can also be used to detect fire and smoke in open spaces, or at big premises with high ceilings or active air circulation, where common fire alarm systems can't be used or may go off too late. Behaviour analytics  Behavior analytics is another field of analytics based on artificial neural networks. Even if recognising suspicious or inappropriate behavior is nearly impossible, it can detect risky situations based on human postures, such as an active shooter pose, raised arms, crouching, or man down. In addition to that, AI has been successfully used to perform facial and number plate recognition for quite some time now. Although these systems aren't new, their recognition quality improves each year. Looking for solutions? You'll definitely find some interesting and new options from developers specialising in VMS and modular AI analytics at ISC West 2020. Even if recognising suspicious or inappropriate behavior is nearly impossible, AI can detect risky situations based on human postures Smart search The ability to perform a quick, flexible search in a video archive is one of the most important features of a video surveillance system. In many ways, it's even more AI has been successfully used to perform facial and number plate recognition for quite some time nowimportant than real-time monitoring itself. Constantly keeping an eye out for what's happening onsite is the security service's job. Medium- to large-sized companies usually have that kind of department. Meanwhile, lots of small businesses and households use video footage to investigate accidents, resolve conflicts, or analyse employee's work. They generally don't need real-time monitoring, but video search is a crucial element. The most basic search tools offer an interface that enables easy access to recorded video and event-based search (from video analytics, detectors, etc.). Smart systems with forensic search features that allow the user to set criteria enhance the system's search capabilities even more. How it works  VMS analyses the video as it is recorded and saves the resulting metadata to a database. In the most basic case, the metadata contains information about motion in the scene as well as the moving object's coordinates. When searching, you can select an area of interest within the frame and take a quick look at all video segments containing motion in this area. More advanced systems save the parameters of moving objects, such as their size, color, motion speed and direction. TThe ability to perform a quick, flexible search in a video archive is one of the most important features of a video surveillance systemYou'll quickly find what you're looking for by setting more precise criteria. The first VMS with forensic search features appeared in the early 2010s. Since then, a growing number of users and VMS developers have recognised the importance of these tools. More and more manufacturers enrich their products with forensic search features, starting from basic search by motion detection. Integrating search functions with AI Recently, search technologies have gone even further by integrating search functions with AI analytics. Some systems are capable to recognise all faces and number plates captured by cameras and save them to the database. You can quickly find all videos containing an image of a person or a car just by searching a photo or a number plate across multiple camera archives at a time. One usage scenario for these systems can be seen in law enforcement deploying them to find suspects using CCTV cameras around the city. Another option for integrating smart search and AI is searching by criteria based on a neural network tracker. When you use it, you can set object's size, color, motion speed and direction in the scene, as well as object's type (such as a human or a vehicle). So, if you need to find out when a red car appeared in the surveillance area, the system will show you only red cars while ignoring other objects like people in red clothes. This technology lets you find what you're looking for even faster. If you or your clients use VMS primarily to record video, be sure to ask the manufacturers you'll talk to at the show what search capabilities they offer. More advanced systems save the parameters of moving objects, such as their size, color, motion speed and direction Hardware AI acceleration High CPU resource consumption is one of the hardest challenges that stem from implementing a neural network–based video analytics system. This significantly decreases the number of cameras that can be connected to a server that hosts AI analytics. It also makes the system much more expensive. AI technology lets you find what you're looking for even fasterThe solution is to use AI accelerators. GPUs and dedicated accelerator cards are used on servers to provide hardware acceleration for the neural networks' workload. These devices are mostly manufactured by Intel and NVIDIA. Intel also offers the OpenVINO™ toolkit, a software package for developers that helps distribute workload between CPU, GPU, and accelerators as effectively as possible using all available resources. New solutions Due to AI's growing popularity, lots of minor microchip manufacturers became interested in developing neural accelerator chips. The healthy competition will work in the market's favor, serving to stimulate tech development and cut prices. New solutions in the field were on display at ISC West 2019; they'll definitely be present at ISC West again in 2020. Developers specialising in VMS and modular AI video analytics should absolutely check these out. But users should understand that it's impossible to build a cost-effective video surveillance system with significant number (10–20 and more) of AI analytics channels without using neural accelerators. That said, various accelerator models may significantly differ in price and power consumption. So, when you talk to developers specialising in VMS and AI analytics modules, ask what accelerator makes and models they support. In conclusion Whether you're an integrator looking for interesting VMS offers for clients or an end-user searching for solutions to your own tasks, check out what AI analytics can do. This sector is developing very fast and is continuously introducing new features that may be just what you're looking for. Incorporating forensic search in recorded video footage is key to building an effective video surveillance system for users, and important to creating a unique product offering for integrators. Needless to say, you can't build a cost-effective video surveillance system without using CPU resources wisely. If a system's functionality completely aligns with what you're looking for, ask what neural accelerator hardware it supports to correctly estimate the cost of your video servers.

For all the emphasis on cloud systems and centralised servers at ISC West, a lot of innovation in security video systems is happening at the edge. New advancements inside video cameras are boosting capabilities at the edge, from advancements in processing power to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms that can now be deployed directly on the cameras or edge devices. Advancements in AI algorithms The progress of video systems becoming smarter at the edge is driven by the need for real-time insights, lower latency, bandwidth efficiency, enhanced privacy, and improved reliability.  Advancements in edge computing hardware and AI algorithms are enabling a range of intelligent video applications across various industries, including physical security. Smarter functionality at the edge is a benefit of new computer systems-on-chips (SoCs) that are driving new heights of performance for today’s cameras.  Axis Communications’ ARTPEC-9   Axis Communications’ new ARTPEC-9 SoC offers advanced video compression to reduce bandwidth Axis Communication’s new ARTPEC-9 system-on-chip (SoC) offers advanced video compression to reduce bandwidth and storage needs. With a low bitrate, the SoC helps deliver high-quality imaging with outstanding forensic detail. ARTPEC-9 also offers enhanced deep learning capabilities to allow users to leverage the latest video analytics and accelerate the implementation of AI technology. Axis maintains control over all aspects of the chip’s development to ensure high quality and cybersecurity. Among the benefits of ARTPEC-9 are better AI and deep learning, better image quality, better cybersecurity, and AV1 license-free video compression (see below). Hanwha Vision’s Wisenet 9 Hanwha Vision has launched Wisenet 9, its most advanced AI-powered System on Chip (SoC). Wisenet 9’s enhanced edge AI capabilities increase performance as the volume and complexity of security threats demand real-time, accurate analysis. By elevating edge-device performance, AI empowers systems to quickly analyse vast amounts of video data and discern crucial patterns and anomalies. A key differentiator driving Wisenet 9 is deployment of two Neural Processing Units (NPUs), which improve performance three-fold compared to Wisenet 7, the previous SoC generation. While one NPU handles image processing, the other focuses on object detection and advanced analytics. This dual NPU concept was introduced to ensure video quality and analytics have independent resources, thus preventing one function from impacting the performance of the other. The latest from Ambarella Ambarella is a supplier of edge AI systems-on-chips to multiple video camera manufacturers Off the ISC West trade show floor in a nearby meeting room, semiconductor company Ambarella demonstrated how it will continue to push the envelope of what is possible with generative AI at the edge. Ambarella is a supplier of edge AI systems-on-chips to multiple video camera manufacturers and recently achieved the milestone of 30 million cumulative units shipped. The demonstrations highlight Ambarella’s ability to enable scalable, high-performance reasoning and vision AI applications across its ultra-efficient, edge-inference CVflow 3.0 AI SoC portfolio. The company’s DeepSeek GenAI models run on three different price/performance levels of its SoC portfolio. In addition to advancements in GenAI processing at the edge, Ambarella integrates image processing, encoding and system-level functions into all its AI SoCs. New standard for video encoding: AV1 AV1 compression is a next-generation video coding technology that offers significant improvements in compression efficiency and video quality, especially at lower bitrates. Its royalty-free nature positions it as a crucial codec for the future of internet video. AV1 compression is a next-generation video coding technology. Axis Communication’s ARTPEC-9 chip now supports the AV1 video encoding standard. By embracing this standard, which is new to the physical security market although it was introduced in 2018, Axis sets the stage for AV1 compression to eventually become the industry standard, replacing H.264 and H.265. Network video transmission AV1 is an open-source, license-free coding format designed mainly for efficient network video transmission AV1 is an open-source, license-free coding format designed specifically for efficient network video transmission. It delivers high-quality video at low bitrates, reducing bandwidth consumption and storage costs. The codec was developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM), a nonprofit organisation founded in 2015 by Google, Intel, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and Mozilla (among others), to provide open-standard, next-gen video coding technology. AV1 is ideal for cloud solutions—making streaming applications more robust, scalable, and capable of delivering real-time insights. Now the ARTPEC-9 chipset brings these benefits to the surveillance industry, and AV1 is currently supported by AXIS Camera Station. Providers of major video management solutions (VMS) such as Genetec and Milestone will be adding support for AV1, with further developments already underway. More intelligence at the edge Intelligence inside video cameras comes from the processing power and algorithms that enable them to perform tasks beyond simply capturing and recording images. This "intelligence" allows cameras to analyse the video stream in real-time, identify objects, detect events, and make decisions or provide alerts based on what they "see." New and improved SoCs are driving performance improvements at the edge. The increasing power of embedded processors and advancements in AI are continuously expanding the capabilities of intelligent video cameras.

Anyone who has been in a proverbial cave for the last couple of years faced a language barrier at this year’s ISC West 2025 trade show. The industry’s latest wave of innovation has brought with it a new bounty of jargon and buzzwords, some of which I heard at ISC West for the first time. As a public service, we are happy to provide the following partial glossary to promote better understanding of the newer terms. (Some are new to the security industry but have been around in the IT world for years.) Obviously, if we can’t understand the meaning of the industry’s lexicon (and agree on the meaning of terms!), we will struggle to embrace the full benefits of the latest industry innovation. Not to mention, we will struggle to communicate. Generative AI Generative AI can identify an object in an image based on its understanding of previous objects This was perhaps the most common new(ish) term I heard bouncing around at ISC West. While the term artificial intelligence (AI) now rolls off everyone’s tongue, the generative “version” of the term is catching up. Generative AI uses what it has learned to create something new. The name comes from the core function of this type of artificial intelligence: it can generate (or create) new content. It doesn’t just copy and paste; it understands the underlying patterns and creates something original based on that understanding. In the case of video, for example, generative AI can identify an object in an image based on its understanding of previous objects it has seen. Video and security Generative AI can tell you something digitally about what is happening in an environment. There is no longer a need to write “rules;” the system can take in data, contextualise it, and understand it, even if it does not exactly match something it has seen before. In the case of video and security, generative AI offers more flexibility and better understanding. From 2014 to 2024, the emphasis was on detecting and classifying things; today AI is expanding to allow new ways to handle data, not so prescriptive and no more rules engines. Agentic AI Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can operate autonomously to achieve specific goals Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can operate autonomously to achieve specific goals, with minimal to no direct human intervention. In addition to the capabilities of generative AI, agentic AI can take action based on what it detects and understands. Use of agentic AI typically revolves around an if/then scenario. That is, if action A occurs, then the system should proceed with action B. For example, if an AI system “sees” a fire, then it will shut down that part of the building automatically without a human having to initiate the shutdown. There is a lot of discussion in the industry about the need to keep humans involved in the decision-making loop, so the use of truly autonomous systems will likely be limited in the foreseeable future. However, the ability of agentic AI to act on critical information in a timely manner, in effect to serve as an “agent” in place of a human decision-maker, will find its place in physical security as we move forward. Inference Inference is another common term related to AI. It refers to the process by which an AI model uses the knowledge it gained during its training phase to make predictions, classifications, or generate outputs on new, unseen data. The direct relationship of this term to physical security and video is obvious. In the simplest terms, an AI system is “trained” by learning patterns, relationships, and features from a large dataset. During inference, the trained model is presented with new questions (data it hasn't seen before), and it applies what it learned during training to provide answers or make decisions. Simply put, inference is what makes AI systems intelligent. Containerisation Dividing a massive security management system into several separate containers enables management of the various parts In IT, containerisation is a form of operating system-level virtualisation that allows you to package an application and all its dependencies (libraries, binaries, configuration files) into a single, portable image called a container. This container can then be run consistently across any infrastructure that supports containerisation, such as a developer's laptop, a testing environment, or a server in the cloud. In the physical security industry, you hear “containerisation” used in the context of separating out the various components of a larger system. Dividing a massive security management system into several independent containers enables the various parts to be managed, updated, and enhanced without impacting the larger whole. Genetec’s SecurityCentre cloud platform Think of it like shipping containers in the real world. Each container holds everything an application needs to run, isolated from other applications and from the underlying system. This ensures that the application will work the same way regardless of the environment it is deployed in.   “It took us five years to containerise Genetec’s SecurityCentre cloud platform, but containerisation now simplifies delivering updates to products whenever we want,” says Andrew Elvish, Genetec’s VP Marketing. Among other benefits, containerisation enables Genetec to provide more frequent updates--every 12 days. Headless appliance Headless appliance is a device that is managed and controlled remotely through a network or web interface A headless appliance is a device that is managed and controlled remotely through a network or web interface. The device is like a “body without a head” in the traditional sense of computer interaction: It performs its intended function, but without any visual output or input device for local interaction. In physical security, such devices are increasingly part of cloud-based systems in which the centralised software manages and operates all the disparate “headless” devices. A headless appliance does not have a Windows management system. “The whole thing is managed through the as-a-service cloud system,” says Elvish. With a headless device, you just plug it into the network, and it is managed by your system. You manage the Linux-based device remotely, so configuring and deploying it is easy. Democratising AI You hear the term democratising AI used by camera manufacturers who are looking to expand AI capabilities throughout their camera lines, including value-priced models. For example, even i-PRO’s value-priced cameras (U series) now have AI – fulfilling their promise to democratise AI. Another approach is to connect non-AI-equipped cameras to the network by way of an AI-equipped camera, a process known as “AI-relay.” For instance, i-PRO can incorporate non-AI cameras into a system by routing/connecting them through an X-series camera to provide AI functionality. Bosch is also embracing AI throughout its video camera line and enabling customers to choose application-specific analytics for each use case, in effect, tailoring each camera to the application, and providing AI to everyone. Context Cloud system also enables users to ask open-ended queries that involve context, in addition to detection Context refers to an AI system that can understand the “why” of a situation. For example, if someone stops in an area and triggers a video “loitering” analytic, the event might trigger an alarm involving an operator. However, if an AI system can provide “context” (e.g., he stopped to tie his shoe), then the event can be easily dismissed by the automated system without involving an operator. Bosch’s IVA-Pro Context product is a service-based model that adds context to edge detection. The cloud system also enables users to ask open-ended questions that involve context in addition to detection. For example, rather than asking "do you see a gas can?" you can ask "do you see any safety hazards in this scene?" The pre-trained model understands most common objects, and understands correlations, such as "a gas can could be a safety hazard.” A scaled-down on-premise version of the IVA Context product will be available in 2026. Bosch showed a prototype at ISC West. Most video data is never viewed by an operator. Context allows a system to look at all the video with "almost human eyes." Cameras are essentially watching themselves, and understanding why something happened and what we can do. All that previously unwatched video is now being watched by the system itself, boosted by the ability to add “context” to the system. Any meaningful information based on context can trigger a response by an operator. Data lake A data lake is a centralised repository that allows one to store vast amounts of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data in its native format. In the case of the physical security marketplace, a data lake includes data generated by systems outside the physical security infrastructure, from inventory and logistics systems, for example. A data lake is where an enterprise can accumulate all their data, from the weather to Point-of-Sale information to logistics, to whatever they can gather. Putting the data in one place (a “data lake”) enables them to mine that data and parse it in different ways using AI to provide information and insights into their business. Notably, a data lake contains all a company’s data, not just security or video data, which opens up new opportunities to leverage the value of data beyond security and safety applications. Crunching the various information in a data lake, therefore, security technology can be used to maximise business operations.

ISC West 2025 in Las Vegas showcased the latest advancements in security technology, offering security professionals a glimpse into the future of the industry. This year's expo highlighted the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and enhanced integration. The pioneering comprehensive and converged security event attracted nearly 29,000 industry professionals to the Venetian Convention Centre.  Integration into unified platforms Several companies emphasised the importance of cloud-based solutions and the integration of diverse security components into unified platforms. For example, Brivo's Security Suite provides “everything in one platform” – not just access control. Customers only pay for what they use because the system is flexible and scalable from a single door to enterprise level applications. Brivo’s suite includes video, but the system can also tie in with third-party “partners.” Genetec's Security Centre allows for more frequent updates through the cloud. Milestone is undergoing a two-year transition to bring its Xprotect system into the future by incorporating Arcules and Briefcam into a video-as-a service product. Suprema introduced BioStar X, which integrates access control and video analytics into a single platform. AI and mobile credentials  Axis Communications’ Cloud Connect product announced three new partnerships at ISC West 2025 Axis Communications’ Cloud Connect product announced three new partnerships at ISC West – Eagle Eye Networks, SecuriThings, and Wesco. They join the three partners announced during the first year of Axis Cloud Connect – Genetec, Kone (elevators) and Milestone. AI and mobile credentials were still hot topics at ISC West 2025, but the conversation has evolved beyond amazement at the technologies’ capabilities and now centres on more practical aspects. From the theoretical to the practical “AI and mobility are still the ‘flavors de jour,’ but messages are evolving to manifest AI for better outcomes,” says Heather Torrey, General Manager, Commercial Security, Americas, for Honeywell Building Automation. The company has reframed its security portfolio to be very building- and business-focused, continuing to grow and evolve after the recent acquisition of LenelS2. “From the theoretical to the practical, we want customers to be part of the conversation so we can deliver AI that is meaningful to them, focusing on what’s most important,” says Torrey. Under Honeywell’s new ownership structure, “each part of the business can be more focused on customers’ needs,” she says. Honeywell continues its journey around mobile access and credentialing and migrating to cloud solutions. Innovations in Access Control Gallagher’s new Quickswitch access control board simplifies the migration from legacy systems Access control remains a critical component of security systems, and ISC West 2025 showcased several innovations in this area. Acre is releasing “Gallery,” its version of the App Store for access control. DormaKaba is launching the Keyscan KC Series door controller with TCP/IP connectivity and enhanced features. Gallagher’s new Quickswitch access control board simplifies the migration from legacy systems. Johnson Controls highlighted its C-Cure command centre and C-Cure IQ web client, offering a unified approach to access control and video. Hardware integrations for security panels For service provider Alarm.com, hardware products prepare a path to greater customer experiences, says Abe Kinney, Alarm.com’s Director, Product Management, who oversees hardware integrations for security panels, sensors, video, etc., and drives new product development. “We are looking to bridge the physical world to digital world,” he says. “We want to bring an advantage to our dealers that they can bring to customers.” Because Alarm.com’s customers pay a monthly fee, the products must be durable and economical, says Kinney. “It should work with no need for truck rolls.” The importance of longevity and flexibility Products are evaluated based on features, price, and ease of installation Products are evaluated based on features, price, and ease of installation. In particular, longevity is important for the Alarm.com’s pro channel. There is also a growing emphasis on deterrence industrywide. Says Kinney: “We recognise that detection is part of it, but we need to prevent problems from happening in the first place. And the industry is re-evaluating.” When it comes to cloud intelligence, Eagle Eye Networks puts the emphasis on flexibility. They offer AI that can perform anywhere on the system infrastructure, on the camera, on their on-site bridge device, or in the cloud. They support their own AI and also any AI product from a third party. “We focus on what customers want from the data AI detects,” says Hans Kahler, Eagle Eye Networks’ Chief Operating Officer. Integration with other systems A timely alert from gun detection could save a life, but AI can also generate information that might be used and analysed later, such as point-of-sale information, dwell time, foot traffic, etc. “What people want is the ability to work with the data for business intelligence,” says Kahler. Integration with other systems provides new opportunities for customers: For example, a licence plate reader at a restaurant drive-thru could trigger customisation of the menu board digital signage based on the customer’s previous buying pattern. Relentless Innovation Assa Abloy handles more than 40 million SKUs for all its various brands, faked in 28 factories in the US Assa Abloy handles more than 40 million stock keeping units (SKUs) for all its various brands manufactured in 28 factories in the United States. Merely complying with regulations such as the “Buy American Act” is a monumental effort considering the massive product line, attendees heard at Assa Abloy’s Annual ISC West Breakfast focusing on compliance challenges in the security market. Meanwhile, back at the trade show booth, Assa Abloy focused on “relentless innovation” in every corner of its product line. Assa Abloy’s message: Innovation in security does not have to be about AI or automation. In fact, inventive approaches to products come in all shapes and sizes and at every level of the product portfolio, and innovation is happening faster than ever. For example, the Safebolt product from Securitech, a brand recently acquired by Assa Abloy, can quickly lock down existing doors with the press of a red button on a cylindrical or mortise lock. Temporary Systems to Secure Events Securing events is the focus of Allied Universal's Unified Command Solutions, which specialises in setting up temporary security systems for conventions, trade shows, festivals, construction sites, parades, and other events. They can add technology to situations where previously mostly security officers were used, providing safety/security and enabling more efficient event operation.  “We can put cameras anywhere, whether they need power or not, use cell service or WiFi, a localised network or the internet, or whatever,” says Andrew LaMadrid, VP, Sales for Allied Universal's Unified Command Solutions. Event operation and management IDIS came to ISC West looking to leverage new products that they did not promote in the past The focus is on easy implementation, flexibility, and fast setup and removal. “We look for a solution to solve each customer’s pain points,” says LaMadrid. They specialise in setting up and deploying surveillance cameras for safety/security and for event operation and management. Mobile surveillance is a relatively new “piece of our puzzle” when it comes to protecting high-profile events. “People are excited about what we can offer that’s new,” says LaMadrid. Unified Command Solutions has been around for about 12 years and was acquired by Allied Universal last summer. IDIS came to ISC West looking to leverage new products that they did not promote in the past, and visitors were very interested in those solutions, says Scott Switzer, IDIS CEO. “The progression of our product line has been tremendous,” he says. Last year, the IDIS booth offered only basic analytics, but this year they had 30 different advanced analytics including gun and aggression detection using the advanced solution “IDIS Vaidio AI.”  What Makes You Different? The most common question IDIS hears at their trade show booth is: “What makes you different?” The answer: They offer an end-to-end solution, including cameras; they manage, control, design from end-to-end; and there is no need for multiple integrations. The time needed to install an IDIS system is significantly less because of the simplicity. “We have customers we have supported and grown together for over 20 years,” says Switzer. The company previously deployed IDIS cameras under the Costar brand before the Korean IDIS brand was introduced into the U.S. (IDIS purchased Costar and changed the name to IDIS America.) “This has been a tremendous show for us; we are looking to build our momentum and let more people know about IDIS,” says Switzer. Managing real AI at the edge The depth of their metadata enables new applications, whether for security or business operations Based in Prague, Czech Republic, and with U.S. offices in Pennsylvania, FF Group provides licence plate recognition for harsh environments. Using Axis cameras, they offer “managed real AI at the edge,” selling through a nationwide distributed network, says Alex Osypov, CEO and Founder of FF Group. Markets include parking lots, cities/municipalities, police, government, water systems, etc. The depth of their metadata enables new applications, whether for security or business operations. They are looking to combine and correlate data including LIDAR, RADAR, etc. to exploit the advantages of “data fusion.” Osypov says: “The market is growing because we are involving other adjacent markets.” Unified platforms and advanced tools Several companies are focusing on enhancing security operations centres (SOCs) by providing unified platforms and advanced tools. Axon’s Fusus system “layers” onto existing infrastructure, tying together various sensors into a single interface for real-time monitoring and information sharing. Increasingly, enterprises have invested in a lot of technologies – ac, video, asset trackers – but none of it talks together. Fusus ties all the systems together so that operators no longer have to look at 10 different screens. Rather, there is a “single pane of glass” that shows everything and facilitates sharing of information with law enforcement.  Motorola also showcased its Security Operations Centre, which integrates hardware, software, smart sensors, communication radios, and broadband devices to streamline incident management.