Machine Learning to Improve Access Control: Part 2

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The “Covid Factor”
 
Covid-19 has changed the way both people and organization view nearly every aspect of interaction almost overnight. From opening the door and interacting with access control measures to rethinking how much of business even needs to be conducted on-site, this re-imagining has actually come at an opportune time relative to recent advancements in access control. Contactless systems are the preferred method for ingress and egress, and this has already been a trend in the industry for some time.

Whether it be an office, hospital, university campus or industrial plant, compliance requires either eliminating manual door activation, for example a hand pressing a switch or using a handle to open a door, and replacing with an automated “no-touch” solution or, when that isn’t desired or possible, enabling the manual door activation to be done with another part of the body (i.e., arm, elbow, hip, knee or foot), which is referred to as a manual ‘low-touch’ solution.
The use of touchless switches (also referred to as “no-touch” or “hands-free” switches) to activate automatic door operators or de-energize locking devices is increasing at an unprecedented rate. It’s very likely that touchless switches could become more common than push plate switches in the not too distant future.

How AI Will Power The Change
 
The addition of cameras to high risk portals has been an early example of this integration trend, enabling managers to be able to tie what took place at an entrance to a corresponding alarm condition such as a forced or jammed (propped) entrance/ exit. This capability can be further enhanced by analytics – for example, facial recognition could be used to determine which individuals might have set off the alarm condition. Analytics and other sensors could count the number of people that move through a portal during rush periods in “open” mode and also determine that a crowd has gathered and more doors/portals need to be opened to address the burst in demand for ingress or egress.
“From a design perspective there is an increasing demand, due to COVID-19, for touchless access. In this case, the integration of technologies and the use of machine learning can be leveraged to provide efficient, safe and secure access. Machine learning and AI are well adapted to leveraging data sets and, over time, gaining an understanding of conditions and matching them to access control and individual requirements,” said Salvatore D’Agostino, the CEO of IDmachines.

D’Agostino sees the convergence of AI into security spaces, not known for their reliance on analytic data, reshaping the landscape. AI can be used as a proactive step against intrusion at a security entrance like a swing door or turnstile and integrated into the access control and video security systems to provide rich analytics and situational awareness.

Emphasizing “What is Going to Happen”

 

“It has long been known that there are often patterns to humans, and to the same extent, enterprise behavior. Access control, surveillance, and intrusion detection systems collect large amounts of data that is often stored and then deleted without much analysis.
Enterprises are now more attuned to the ability to leverage this ‘big’ data. These are evolving now to common data formats, real-time analytics and predictive tools. There seems like there would be a similar evolution in the capabilities of physical security systems where it is not so much what is happening at a turnstile, swing door or entryway, but what is going to happen,” D’Agostino said. “This would leverage the existing systems, sensors and data collection capabilities and use big data, and analytics to drive management and monitoring. The more that physical security systems adopt standard data types, sets and structures (using syslog for logging is a simple example) and the more intelligent these systems become, the more intelligence can be put into predictive analytics.”
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Machine Learning to Improve Access Control: Part 1

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With the evolving dynamics of cloud storage and the ability to harness and proactively employ an ever-increasing pool of big data, AI in the form of machine learning and deep learning has become a disruptive technological force in the physical security industry. Advanced AI and low-cost network resources have significantly impacted video surveillance, which has been among the biggest beneficiaries of faster processing and impactful analytics. Building automation, fire systems, intrusion detection, and physical and network access control are all starting to incorporate AI functionality.

AI is increasingly taking a role in making exterior and interior entrances more secure.This technology is moving towards improving system functionalities, including: distinguishing people from objects at a facility perimeter and interior entrances; deterring piggybacking; identifying and analyzing potentially lethal objects and dangerous people; and helping to define secure areas in and around buildings creating a more defensive risk posture for a location.

Convergence

As technology continues to converge and the edges of different traditionally separate technologies start to merge, we face the challenge of how AI may practically support entry solutions such as security revolving doors, turnstiles, and swing doors. A disconnect between the objectives of the building owner and building code regulations can further complicate the security blueprint. But with 5G communications on the horizon, at least for those in major metro areas, multiple systems will be able to communicate seamlessly and instantly. With billions of connected IP devices generating data, Machine Learning systems will have an enormous amount of data to run through algorithms and improve performance in the budding field of intelligent access control.

Because legacy security entrances do not have AI built into their technology, integrating intelligence into secured entrances requires a collaborative effort with a third party solutions provider. Video analytics are increasingly deployed to address use cases such as people detection, piggybacking, dangerous object detection and facial recognition among other issues relevant to secured entrances. The increased integration of AI providers with traditional security entrance partners has resulted in improvements, such as price, speed, ease of use and usability. It also includes the use of machine learning to improve algorithms over traditional modeling and correlation approaches, and integration with other systems and sensors.

The Plan Moving Forward
Security entrances and mantrap portals often combine a number of systems, sensors and requirements. Portals by their nature are an integrated solution combining access control, video surveillance, mechanical hardware, sensors and design. These systems are a micro-scale example of what we can expect to see rolling out in the next decade. As devices move to wireless and 5G increases the throughput and number of IP devices, trillions of data points will be created for algorithms to process.

The limiting factor at that point will be only processing power and the limitations of human ingenuity in programming. Nonetheless, the access control, video surveillance, alarm, and community management/smart home technologies will begin to bleed into one-another and be able to intelligently share relevant information to improve performance, all with almost zero latency. The implications, should this play out ideally, include hybrid systems capable of operating nearly without human intervention, a reduction in the need for monitoring center services, and better response and accuracy for access control and security systems alike.

The Future of Thermographic Cameras

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As government and business leaders start to talk about “returning to normal,” and looking to thermal cameras to help, questions remain about how and whether the latest technology can help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Across industries, everyone is looking for the right tools to help detect, slow and eventually stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. By now we’ve all come to recognize that resuming operations in any way will require demonstrating measures to protect the health and wellbeing of people in a variety of situations, including travel and work.

One proposed solution is thermal scanners. Unlike most medical imaging approaches, infrared (IR) thermography doesn’t require irradiation or expensive equipment, and presents no health hazard. Infrared radiation emitted from our skin can be detected and used along with information about the ambient environment to estimate core body temperature — which may indicate someone is running a fever, a common early symptom of COVID-19.  While thermal cameras can’t detect a virus or a specific infection, they can help by quickly narrowing down a large pool of possibly infected individuals. And today, this represents the only viable non-contact mass screening approach for fever. The accuracy of the infrared system can, however, be affected by human, environmental and equipment variables. Understanding this multitude of variables — including the ways in which the science, technology and applications themselves interact — will help both users and system makers deliver the best results.

 

Consideration #1: Think about the method

Teledyne Thermometer-1

Thermal detection has been used for fever detection for 20 years now. While older thermometers and thermal cameras, including the type used to detect a different coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), had their weaknesses,  newer generations deliver significant performance improvements. More intelligent systems now offer features such as real-time calibration to ambient temperature with sub-degree °C accuracy, providing more accurate readings far more quickly than older generations.

Newer camera systems are also more user-friendly and more reliable, featuring automated target recognition, improved resolution, pairing with a visible-light camera, automated alarms for febrile cases, and clearer outlining of hot spots. This higher degree of granularity improves insight, allowing for a more efficient and faster screening process, and provides on-site health professionals with necessary information to take additional steps when required.

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Advanced image processing features in new radiometric thermal cameras.

 

Consideration #2: Know your baselines

Because the environment can influence temperature measurements, some system makers have devised different ways to establish functional baselines. An early approach, recording a population baseline at each site on each day, proved too time- and resource-intensive. A newer approach, using a reference temperature source, or black body, offers evolutionary improvement. Designed to maintain itself at a specific temperature, the black body device allows the thermal camera system to automatically calibrate. Even better is a radiometric camera, which can interpret the intensity of an infrared signal reaching the camera. This requires more rigorous design and testing by the manufacturer, but it delivers much more precise measurements.

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Diagram of a fever detection system with black body emitter

 

Consideration #3: Looking in the right place

While thermal cameras can only detect surface temperatures, different parts of the human body more closely correlate with body temperature. Based on recent scientific research, the most reliable spot in the human face is the canthus, the small corners over the tear duct of your eye where the upper and lower eyelids meet. This kind of precise targeting requires accurate pixel calibration capabilities.

 

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The best surface target for estimating core body temperature: the canthus at the inner eye

 

Consideration #4: Checking your performance         

Operating an IR fever screening system in the lab is one thing, but out in the field, the situation becomes more complex. Users need a camera system that is reliable and stable when it comes to critical performance factors like resolution, sensitivity and frame rate. Understanding the performance considerations when imaging a subject at a distance, for example, and realizing the minimum number of pixels required to get an accurate measurement are both essential in staging a fully optimal fever-detection platform.

 

Consideration #5: Finding your way in the “wild west” of thermal imaging in early 2020

People from the many industries that have been devastated by this pandemic – including travel, sports, manufacturing, food and hospitality, and entertainment — are looking for ways to reopen businesses safely while reducing the probability of a second wave of COVID-19. Deploying technology such as IR fever screening systems as part of a range of preventative measures will hopefully support that effort.

As is the case with any promising emergent technology, there is a fair degree of chaos around the nuanced considerations of system design and performance. What standards apply to IR fever-screening devices? Which are being enforced? Who makes them? Will they work? These questions will only be answered with time, and in the meanwhile your best bet is to go with a company that has the experience and expertise to properly implement these solutions for you.

Security Technology of South Texas has been a leading Systems Integrator in the greater South Texas area for over 7 years. To get your location assessed and a custom solution designed for thermographic cameras contact us 24/7.

 

Call us 24/7 at 210-446-4863

The Future of Epidemiologically Driven Access Control Post-COVID 

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Business and organizations across the world are dealing with the dire economic and personal impacts of COVID-19. Confidence is now a major issue in helping people return to work and restart their normal activities, whether that’s sending children back to school or visiting shops.

Organizations looking to safeguard against COVID-19 can now bring back the confidence by choosing from newly developed solution ecosystems designed to create safe and healthy environments.

Access control measures designed to target those who are symptomatic are just one piece, and technologies to measure and enforce social distancing and mask compliance are also available. 

Following are some solutions to a multifaceted COVID response.

  • Machine Learning Kiosks are the right choice for venues wanting to ensure social distancing in their building and the use of face masks at all times.

  • Temperature Screening: Perfect for organizations looking for the ability to scan a person’s temperature and create standard procedures to help operators consistently manage results.

  • Control Center Temperature Screening: Ideal for organizations with video management software and that need to implement an integrated thermal screening solution.

  • Thermal Camera Temperature Screening: Designed for organizations looking to add a standalone temperature screening thermal camera to their existing network.

 

 

Ensure social distancing 
 

Following government guidelines and maintaining appropriate social distancing is essential in combating COVID-19. Kiosk AI helps you create healthy environments for visitors by using people counting technology, combined with artificial intelligence, to track entrances and exits from your establishment to ensure you are always at optimum levels for social distancing.

As this solution is an automated system you won’t need to scale up your overheads during these challenging times. At the entrance to your business a screen will display the number of people in your venue, plus maximum capacity, and inform visitors if they are free to enter.

 Ensure the use of face masks to create safe environments 

Encouraging people to restart their regular activities is all about giving them the confidence in their surroundings and the proper use of face masks has been proven as an effective method for limiting infection rates. AI Kiosks deliver this valuable layer of protection by monitoring people entering your venue and detecting the ones not wearing a face mask. Visitors not wearing a mask are automatically advised to wear one before proceeding, with alarms enabling you to respond immediately to non-compliance.

Procedures for high temperature screenings 
 

Temperature screening begins by delivering a safe and contactless screening of a person’s temperature using a thermal camera and a heat emitter device, known as a Blackbody, that is used by the camera as a reference point.

If the person is below the defined level, for example 35°C, then no action is required and the person can pass swiftly into the building. However, if the threshold temperature is exceeded then an on-screen alert appears and the high temperature procedures are activated. These will guide the operator in delivering the correct response to the results and ensure a consistent approach that helps avoid human error.

Create custom procedures for different categories of people 
 

Temperature screening measures provide a tailored and adaptable solution for helping organizations manage temperature screening results. Custom operating procedures can be created to guide operators in how they deal with different categories of people, whether they are employees, visitors, customers or contractors. Procedures can also be instantly changed to keep pace with changing requirements.

By implementing these custom procedures organizations can provide:

  • Peace of mind for employees and visitors beyond checkpoints

  • A duty of care by alerting and helping employees and visitors manage screening results

  • The processes to manage the threat of COVID-19 within their workplace

Security Technology of South Texas offers a full suite of access control measures to fight against the spectre of COVID. Whether you need to implement just thermal cameras or a complex integration of multiple solutions, we can set your business up to be safe and compliant.
Call us 24/7 at 210-446-4863