STEARNS COUNTY, Minn. — Bring Me the News reports that Minnesota’s Attorney General, Keith Ellison, says he’s gotten consumers in Stearns County out of home security contracts after they were misled by a door-to-door salesman. According to the report, Ellison’s office announced that home security companies Skyline Security Management and Safe Home Security have agreed to their cancel contracts with customers in and around Stearns County who purchased their systems from door-to-door salesman Gary Harvey. “Door-to-door salesmen and their employers are in the business of trust-building,” Ellison said in a statement. “They know they need to have your trust to sell you their products, particularly expensive products like security systems that are supposed to keep your home safe. When that trust is betrayed, it’s emotionally and financially painful. I appreciate Skyline and Safe Home taking the right step in canceling these contracts while my office does what we can under the law to hold Mr. Harvey accountable and make things right for consumers.” The report continues: Harvey first worked for Safe Home before he was terminated and began working for Skyline. He would then revisit his former customers and attempt to get them to buy a new system and sign a new contract, Ellison alleges. Ellison currently has a pending enforcement action against Harvey for misrepresenting facts about the systems to customers, including that they could cancel at any time. In reality, the contracts customers signed locked them into a multi-year agreement that obligated them to pay thousands of dollars, according to the action. The report concludes: Many of the customers Harvey targeted were elderly or otherwise vulnerable, according to Ellison. Harvey was previously convicted of fraud in Nevada in connection with sales to elderly people. The post Minnesota AG Calls for Cancellation of Home Security Contracts for Alleged Fraud appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/business/minn-contract-fraud/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/minnesota-ag-calls-for-cancellation-of.html
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In a move designed to amplify its ability to serve international markets, Alarm.com (Nasdaq: ALRM) has acquired EBS, a Poland-based specialist in the design and manufacturing of smart communicators that are widely deployed in international markets. EBS technology complements Alarm.com’s software solutions. Integrating with EBS smart communicators will expand Alarm.com’s support for legacy security control panels that are widely deployed in international markets, providing its service providers with a cost-effective solution for efficiently deploying Alarm.com’s advanced connected property solutions. “By leveraging the strengths of both EBS and Alarm.com, we are confident in our ability to deliver superior security solutions, support our service providers, and build on our competitive edge in the global market, all while collaborating with the experienced and knowledgeable teams at EBS,” said Aydin Bolkar, Vice President of International Operations at Alarm.com. EBS was founded over 30 years ago and has built a reputation for its high-quality manufacturing of smart communicators, according to a press release. As part of the Alarm.com family, EBS will gain access to a global network, research, and a portfolio of smart home and business security solutions. EBS’ solutions cater to a diverse range of clients, from households and small businesses to world-renowned security agencies and government institutions, according to the company. “This merger promises numerous benefits and we are confident that it will substantially enhance our capacity to serve our customers even better,” said Krzysztof Stalewski, CEO at EBS. EBS will continue to operate independently and the current management team at EBS will lead the business from its headquarters in Warsaw, Poland, and maintain a manufacturing facility in Elk, Poland. Alarm.com’s platform is used by millions of consumers and businesses and deployed via a network of thousands of integrators. The platform integrates with a growing variety of Internet of Things (IoT) devices through apps and interfaces, controlling security, video, access control, intelligent automation, energy management, and wellness solutions. The post Alarm.com Acquires Smart Communicator Maker EBS appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/business/mergers/alarm-com-acquires-smart-communicator-maker-ebs/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/alarmcom-acquires-smart-communicator.html WALTHAM, Mass.—Evolv Technology has announced its partnership with Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates, adding to the growing list of Pittsburgh, Pa. venues that have teamed up with Evolv to help keep people safe, including the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. When the Pirates opened the gates at PNC Park for the 2023 MLB season in early April, all attending fans passed through Evolv’s state-of-the-art Evolv Express screening solution, which uses sensor technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to provide safer, more accurate threat detection at unprecedented volume and speed, the company states. Fans can now walk through without always having to stop or open bags, reducing long lines and allowing guests to make their way directly into the ballpark. “What continues to make PNC Park so special, aside from the physical design, is the total fan experience. That begins from the moment they walk up to our gates,” said Travis Williams, Pirates president. “The new Evolv system is a massive improvement over the former metal detector systems. In testing last year, the system is a game-changer for entry experience. Gone are the days of our fans lining up to wait to be screened, solving what has been a point of complaint in the past when talking with our fans.” Pirates fans will now experience a seamless entry as they pass through Evolv’s systems, which allow security personnel to differentiate between threats and the everyday objects people carry in their pockets and bags such as cell phone or keys. “From its old-time ballpark feel to the amazing sightlines it offers as a backdrop, PNC Park is one of the most beautiful places to watch a game in all of sports,” says John Baier, Evolv’s vice president of sports. “We’re proud to be a part of the amazing experience at PNC Park, helping to keep fans safer without sacrificing one bit of what makes going to a Pirates game so enjoyable.” The Pirates are part of a growing roster of sports teams and facilities partnering with Evolv to provide a safer fan experience.
The post Evolv Technology, Pittsburgh Pirates Team Up for Fan-Friendly Ballpark Security appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/access/entry-exit/evolv-technology-pittsburgh-pirates-team-up-for-fan-friendly-ballpark-security/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/evolv-technology-pittsburgh-pirates.html FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Total Tech Summit announces that applications are now being accepted to attend this year’s event. Comprised of the SSI Summit, CE Pro Summit and Commercial Integrator Summit, this year’s event will take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Nov. 13-15. At this all-expense-paid, exclusive event, VIP guests will have the chance to sit in on industry-defining sessions, key boardroom presentations, and be able to meet one-on-one with potential vendors. Total Tech Summit brings together the best in class to share ideas, learn from others, and most importantly, accelerating the next stage of their businesses. It is the only event of its kind that bridges channels and connections by bringing together professional security, commercial AV and residential AV integrators. Another perk of the Total Tech Summit is the VIP Peer-to-Peer groups. These group conversations take place throughout the months leading up to the event and are guided by the editors of the respective publications. Networking is a key component of Total Tech Summit and always cited as attendees’ favorite aspect of the event. You can meet other integration industry leaders as well as connect with key manufacturers and distributors at events like:
For more information about the Total Tech Summit or to apply to attend one of the individual events, visit totaltechsummit.com. Check out the video below for a quick overview of the tremendous value and excitement the Total Tech Summit and SSI Summit has in store for integrator attendees. The post Total Tech Summit Puts Call Out for Top Integrators to Apply Now appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/business/apply-ssi-summit-total-tech-2023/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/total-tech-summit-puts-call-out-for-top.html AUSTIN, Texas, BETHESDA, Md. — Cloud video surveillance provider Eagle Eye Networks and Cloud-based access control technology firm Brivo have announced one of the largest investments to date in Cloud physical security. SECOM Co. Ltd., one of the largest security integration companies in the world (Forbes Global 2000), has made a primary equity investment of $192 million in the two companies, $100M in Eagle Eye and $92M in Brivo. Eagle Eye Networks and Brivo are independent companies majority owned by Dean Drako, who founded Eagle Eye in 2012 and serves as CEO. He acquired a majority stake in Brivo in 2015 and is chairman. “The SECOM investment underscores that Cloud and AI are the future of physical security,” says Drako. “Both Eagle Eye and Brivo will use a significant portion of the investment to further develop AI that dramatically improves the security of enterprises and businesses globally. The Eagle Eye and Brivo open platforms provide customers with choice, efficiencies, and innovation, all of which this investment will accelerate.” As independent, open platform companies, Eagle Eye Networks and Brivo integrate with many third-party technology providers, including the leading property management and Proptech platforms. In addition, Eagle Eye and Brivo provide a fully integrated solution that global businesses use to manage risk, identify threats, and respond. The companies’ joint capabilities deliver real-time AI-enabled video and access control events analysis, optimizing safety and security. Eagle Eye Networks will use the investment for continued development of its AI-based analytics capabilities such as Eagle Eye Smart Video Search, Smart Alarms, and Vehicle Intelligence, and to expand its worldwide operations. Brivo will use the investment to grow sales and marketing, accelerate product development and scale support and operational functions, and evaluate strategic acquisitions. Brivo will also use the additional investment to continue expanding in Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, and enhance the smart spaces and AI functionality in the Brivo Access Platform for its enterprise, multifamily, and commercial real estate customers. “SECOM has a proud history of innovation going back to Japan’s first online security system for commercial use in 1966,” says Sadahiro Sato, SECOM managing executive officer. “We’re committed to delivering services and systems that deliver safety, peace of mind and business efficiency. Our investment in Eagle Eye Networks and Brivo, the market leaders in cloud physical security, is an investment in the mission our three companies share: to provide the best technology possible to keep businesses and communities safe.” The post SECOM Invests $192M Into Cloud Security Leaders Eagle Eye Networks and Brivo appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/access/secom-invests-192m-into-cloud-security-leaders-eagle-eye-networks-and-brivo/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/secom-invests-192m-into-cloud-security.html Latch, Inc. (NASDAQ: LTCH), maker of LatchOS, the full-building enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) access control platform, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Honest Day’s Work (HDW), Ring founder Jamie Siminoff’s latest company dedicated to enabling residential service providers, such as housekeepers, dog walkers, and drivers, to operate more efficiently, profitably, and independently through technology. The acquisition will integrate the two companies’ teams, resources, and know-how. Jamie Siminoff is expected to take over as Latch’s CEO later this year, and the combined company plans to remain focused in the near term on optimizing efficiency and ensuring continued excellence for customers, according to a press release. In the deal, Latch will acquire 100% of the capital stock of Honest Day’s Work in exchange for approximately 29 million shares of Latch’s common stock, subject to certain time-based and stock performance-based transfer restrictions, and $22 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured promissory notes. Thirty Honest Day’s Work team members are expected to join Latch post-transaction. The transaction is expected to close at the beginning of the third quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions. Jason Keyes, Latch Interim CEO, says, “We are pleased to join forces with Jamie and his team as we continue on our current path of driving operational performance and sustainable growth. I am confident Jamie’s passion for leading mission-driven technology companies, his operational expertise, and his track record for creating industry-dominating products will be invaluable as Latch enters its next phase. I am excited about the opportunity to further improve our customer experience via the integration of HDW services into LatchOS.” A lifelong inventor and entrepreneur, Jamie Siminoff created Ring, a whole-home security company that was acquired by Amazon in 2018. Since then, Siminoff has been investing in residential, multi-family real estate, and, more recently, started building Honest Day’s Work, his new endeavor that enables service providers to be more profitable and deliver the best service to their customers. Siminoff says, “I’m excited to join the Latch team, which has built an incredible offering that users across the country enjoy and benefit from every day. Smart, secure access control is not only fundamental to real estate operators like myself, but also to residents and service providers. I look forward to combining Honest Day’s Work with Latch to build a residential ecosystem that empowers building owners, operators, service providers, and residents alike.” “We are excited to welcome Jamie and the HDW team,” says Andrew Sugrue of the Latch board of directors. “Latch has gone through many changes over the last year, and we are pleased to have Jamie joining us to guide the company to long-term success and growth. We believe that Jamie’s experience leading successful ventures and his strong leadership will be of huge value as we embark on this next step in Latch’s evolution.” The post Latch Acquires HDW; Jamie Siminoff to Become CEO appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/news/latch-acquires-hdw-jamie-siminoff-to-become-ceo/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/latch-acquires-hdw-jamie-siminoff-to.html ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Residential and commercial security, fire and medical monitoring systems provider Doyle Security Systems has announced the acquisition of AMS Security Plus, a privately held company based in Albany, N.Y. All of AMS’ accounts will now be monitored by Doyle Security’s onsite, award-winning emergency response center. AMS Security CEO Don Simpson will continue to work with the Doyle team and AMS customers for at least one year. The Doyle Albany branch is one of nine total branches which include locations in Buffalo, Olean, Syracuse, Watertown, Fishkill and Catskill, N.Y., Erie, Pa., and the corporate headquarters in Rochester, N.Y. Speaking in reference to the merger, Doyle Security President and CEO John G. Doyle Jr., say, “We are very excited to add the AMS Security Plus customers to our Albany family and we are excited to continue our growth throughout western and upstate New York with this merger.” In 2021, Doyle Security acquired STAT Communications in Watertown, N.Y. In 2020, Doyle acquired Austin Security in Olean, N.Y., and Hart Alarm in Albany. Doyle Security Systems ranks among the largest security companies in the United States. Family owned and operated since 1919, the company services more than 40,000 residential and commercial customers across New York and Pennsylvania. Doyle The post Doyle Security Acquires AMS Security Plus to Grow Upstate N.Y. Presence appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/business/mergers/doyle-security-acquires-ams-security-plus-to-grow-upstate-n-y-presence/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/doyle-security-acquires-ams-security.html For the second time in four years, the parent company of Brink’s Home Security has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Monitronics International, Inc. has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with both the lenders that hold approximately 78% of the company’s outstanding funded debt, and with the holders of a majority of the company’s equity. The goal is to have an expedited restructuring that would reduce Monitronics’ debt by approximately $500 million and provide increased financial flexibility to the company. Back in 2019, when Monitronics was owned by Ascent Capital, the company filed for bankruptcy protection to refinance $985 million in debt. Back in 2018, Monitronics made a licensing agreement with Brink’s to use the Brink’s Home Security name. The current lenders are ones that took a stake in the company back in 2019 as part of its takeback term loan facility, including funds managed by Monarch Alternative Capital LP and Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. as the largest lenders. Under this new proposed bankruptcy plan, both Monarch and Invesco will become the new principal equity owners of Monitronics, providing the company with additional support to execute on its business plan. The restructuring will take place in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas to be commenced on or around May 15, 2023. The plan is to emerge from Chapter 11 within 46 days of filing. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with our lenders and shareholders to create a capital structure that is right-sized for our business model. Our new balance sheet will provide sufficient liquidity to grow our subscriber base at attractive returns and generate levered free cash flow,” said Monitronics Chief Executive Officer William Niles. “The strength of the underlying Monitronics business model positions us for success in a growing market. In 2022, we created 131,000 new subscribers at a 26x creation multiple while concurrently generating 55% EBITDA margins. Our Q1 2023 performance exceeded expectations and we are continuing to see tailwinds in our go to market channels.”
Monitronics, which monitors more than 800,000 alarm accounts, has received commitments for approximately $387 million in new money financing during the Chapter 11 cases from existing lenders, including $90 million in new money to fund the Chapter 11 process and provide cash to the balance sheet as well as $297 million to refinance the company’s existing Superpriority Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan. The financing will fund Monitronics’ operations during the Chapter 11 proceedings, including the payment of employee wages and benefits, suppliers, partners, and vendors in the ordinary course of business. The company will emerge with approximately $600 million in exit financing. Niles continues, “Given the level of support we have for this transaction we expect absolutely no impact on our ability to continue serving our customers, partners, and employees. I want to thank our dedicated employees for their hard work and commitment and our valued dealer partners, who are integral to our ongoing success. We also appreciate the support of the Company’s lenders, including the new principal equity investors, Monarch and Invesco. We are genuinely excited about the future.” Monarch Alternative Capital LP Chief Executive Officer Michael Weinstock adds, “We are excited to continue our partnership with Monitronics to support the next stage of its growth trajectory by providing capital, operating expertise, and board leadership. We have strong confidence in the Company and believe Monitronics will emerge an even more dynamic business, well positioned to deliver great value and long-term growth for all its stakeholders.” To ensure its ability to continue operating in the ordinary course during the Chapter 11 cases, Monitronics intends to file customary “first day” motions with the Court seeking a variety of relief, including authority to maintain operations in accordance with pre-petition practices and to pay pre-petition claims in the ordinary course of business. A copy of the RSA and related cleansing materials can be found on the company’s secure investor portal for current investors who have registered and filed in the company’s Chapter 11 cases. PJT Partners LP, Alvarez & Marsal and Latham & Watkins LLP are acting as lead advisors to the Company. Evercore Group, L.L.C. and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP are acting as lead advisors for the ad hoc group of lenders. The post Brinks Home Security Parent Files for Bankruptcy… Again appeared first on Security Sales & Integration. from News Archives - Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/business/industry/brinks-home-security-parent-monitronics-files-for-bankruptcy-again/ via IFTTT Via https://westoninspace.blogspot.com/2023/05/brinks-home-security-parent-files-for.html Where it comes to championing and deploying new technologies and services into the electronic security industry, it’s been well evidenced in recent years that ADT is at the leading edge. As the commanding market share leader (reportedly one-fifth of nationwide recurring revenues), the company’s offerings and operations enormously impact the direction and disposition of the entire professional installation and monitoring business. This includes the competitive landscape, investment climate, and public perception of what currently constitutes security and related services. Thus, when ADT Commercial announced the launch of its EvoGuard intelligent autonomous guarding solutions earlier this year, it likely signified the dawn of a new era of capabilities, possibilities, and opportunities for everyone engaged in the missions of security and safety. The firm has spent the past several years building toward this tipping point moment, acquiring and partnering with leaders in robotics and artificial intelligence. Just a couple months after unveiling its humanoid robot, ADT announced the initial sale of its Tando indoor drones. “This is exciting stuff,” says Ed Bacco, former head of global corporate and physical security for Amazon and now vice president of emerging technologies for ADT Commercial. “I got to hand it to Dan Bresingham, our executive vice president for commercial who’s making significant investments here. We believe the only way to really drive the industry forward is to lead it. The creation of the EvoGuard is really what we’re focused on with a lot more to come.” Robotics for the security industry today remains a nascent segment in need of clarity around critical aspects like standards and applications, costs, and technical constraints like range of motion and battery life. But most forward-thinking security practitioners agree AI is the future, and combining its power with machines that can act upon that intelligence, keep people out of harm’s way, and eliminate repetitive, mundane tasks is hard to argue against. Big picture, according to Statista, 2023 U.S. robotics revenue is projected at $7.26 billion with the latest market segment being service robotics. As further proof that it is “all in,” in late 2022, ADT Commercial appointed its first director of artificial intelligence, Phillippe Sawaya, co-founder of an acquired AI technology startup (Percepta Labs). Today, he is leading ADT’s artificial intelligence team to mobilize purposeful innovation by building the tools to automate and streamline customers’ security programs to encourage adoption of future technologies. SSI spoke with Sawaya and Bacco about the company’s vision for robotics and AI, and what it means for everyone. Earlier this year, ADT Commercial announced EvoGuard intelligent autonomous guarding solutions. What are the drivers and how did the initiative develop? Ed Bacco: When I was with Amazon, I spent tens of millions of dollars a year in purchasing guard services. It’s a frustrating business because, while there’s a lot of good people in it, there is a high turnover rate that means you’re always retraining, always starting from bottom. It was unpredictable. We’re looking for a predictable and repeatable process. From a robotics point of view, it was ripe for automation because of the nature of the work, which is mundane. We looked at how we could use technology to change the industry. We started off by looking at what ADT was selling then, and from my end-user point of view the technology addressed events that had already happened. We had the issue with the guards and then we had this technology that wasn’t helpful telling me about events that were about to happen or might happen in the future. If a burglar alarm system goes off, it means we’re already broken into. If a camera has recorded an event, that event is already gone. It’s in the past. At ADT Commercial, we knew we needed to help end users make sense of what is currently happening because we’re in this sensor-driven world now, with all this automation. Then, when we get good at that, we can get into predictive analytics about what is going to happen. We started down that path with AI companies like Percepta and Halodi Robotics. We also have a relationship with Indoor Robotics, a drone company. We are putting these pieces together to start making sense not only about what is happening and helping the end user understand that, but also autonomously gathering intelligence to act upon that data. Philippe Sawaya: The accelerated pace of these developments in AI and robotics enabled ADT to make this innovative step toward autonomous guarding. When I go to ISC or GSX, I’m astonished by how commonplace a lot of the AI technologies are. Years ago, the state-of-the-art, latest and greatest AI was detecting people and video. Now pretty much every vendor’s camera works as an edge device in the Cloud doing object detection. It’s exciting to see the next generation of solutions with behavioral analytics becoming common. For ADT, having this confluence of mature technologies at our disposal, these robots, these AI capabilities, has enabled us to push this unified solution forward. Outside of guarding, in what other ways is ADT actively engaging in robotics or drones or counter drones? What’s the roadmap? Bacco: We have robotics in the field today. We have the Apollo platform working in a pilot stage. We also have Indoor Robotics with a fully autonomous indoor drone sold and deployed. Among users of our indoor drone is the Movado watch company, which is looking to replace after-hours guards in its facility. The challenge with drones has always been to fly them outdoors, they require FAA certification. That means certified pilots and certified safety observed, so it’s a very cost-prohibitive model. We’re still a generation away from the point where these technologies can talk to each other, but that’s what’s really needed. We don’t want to just add a bunch of new sensors that then make the job of the end user even more complicated. Our goal is to simplify that, which is why we’re using the AI approach to start interconnecting these systems, so they’re acting in concert with one another. In the future, that’s where we’re headed. ![]() The Tando autonomous indoor drone is part of ADT Commercial’s new EvoGuard brand. Sawaya: Yes, just adding sensors can overwhelm and increase expense to new systems and hardware. It’s quite interesting that ADT’s position as an integrator means that for most of our customers, we’ve installed not only cameras but burg, access control, building management, temperature controls, all sorts of sensors. There’s an incredible amount of data beyond just the video that is a very hot topic right now. In the future, we may not want to add sensors but rather leverage existing sensors to pull more actionable data from them via machine learning and AI. It’s really fascinating what you can do when you match up intelligence from a video stream with intelligence from these myriad sensors in a store, and then have the capability to automatically action the results and complete the value chain. So as of now, drones and robotic guards are not communicating with each other? That’s a couple of years away? Bacco: Right, they’re not communicating on their own autonomously. That is a couple of years away. We’re approaching all that in a very thoughtful way, being mindful about AI from an ethical standpoint. We’re very aware in today’s environment with all the media around ChatGPT and open AI, which are fantastic tools. ADT positions itself as leading with privacy and ethics in mind in how we design with AI. We take pride in that because you can take a piece of AI and introduce your own biases from life to it. We spend a great deal of time making sure we’re training all this AI on very diverse datasets. Technically, we could probably connect them all today, but the question is how do we make sure we’re respecting privacy and human dignity in the process? You mentioned one example, but what are a few other security robotics use cases that are doable right now? What would be some applications? Bacco: Just like any AI, our humanoid robot out there today, Apollo, will continue to evolve. With any AI, after you roll it out, it has to continue to learn. It’s a toddler today. We will continue to learn and that’s the advantage of this. Back to the high turnover rate of guards, they spend nine to 12 months learning their job, learning their building, and then they leave. That cycle then starts over with a new person. With the robots, that never happens. They continue to learn their environment. The mechanics might break down, but we’ll just move the memory into a new bot and never lose that. Then, over the next year or two, these bots get smarter and smarter. The bots today are operating autonomously in our building in Dallas. They are patrolling on their own. They are not yet opening doors by themselves autonomously. That will come in the next few months. ![]() One of the objectives of EvoGuard by ADT Commercial is efficiently automating routine tasks, including 24/7 patrols with constant alertness. That’s the big difference in using a humanoid robot versus a stationary. If you’re going to replace or augment guards, they have to be built and designed to work in the environments that you and I work in, that is in the physical. They have to be able to open doors. They have to be able to present security badges and ride elevators. That is all on the roadmap for the future. That will come very quickly. The use cases in the future on our roadmap are moving toward a bipedal version that can navigate stairs. Then environmentally they’ll be protected so they can be outside and do the work of almost anything a human guard could do. Remember that most of the guards’ main job is observe and report. The Apollo platform today is always aware of its environment, always sensing it, so the ideal application for these bots is observing and reporting. Tell me more about ADT’s business model around robotics? Bacco: In general, our customers don’t want to own a robot. The business model will be robotics as a service because most of the companies already outsource guards because they don’t want to have those guards working for them. That’s not the business they’re in. The model is going to be as a service, either drones as a service, robotics as a service, even be AI as a service because everything’s going to change so quickly. It’s going to constantly change. What the customer cares about is the output. They don’t care about the input. Sawaya: The model of pricing these things at a pre-analytic basis, similar to the longstanding per-camera approach, makes less and less sense. We’re delivering a service that, under the hood, comprises many different pieces of technology playing together. You can’t sell robotics for guarding without running a bunch of analytics, both on the robot and off of it, without ingesting a lot of other data from other sensors. It’s really a package deal that all coalesces into this single service that’s delivering value, which is what the customer wants. ![]() Among primary features of the Tando autonomous drone is an always-on video feed providing 360˚ surveillance — whether in flight or monitoring from a docking station. Bacco: That’s the basis of our EvoGuard concept. It’s all of that brought together under one service brand. We want to make it simple for our customers because what they want is to have a guarding service. They want to protect their assets. Most of them have the same challenges we all do right now. COVID really pushed this forward very quickly because there weren’t people at work. It was a challenge and then inflation on top of that. These factors are playing into it. As mentioned, customers just want the output. They don’t need to see how the sausages are made they just want it to work. I imagine there’ll be menu options for certain functionality or paying at different tiers or something like that? Bacco: Absolutely, there’d be more and more feature sets, particularly driven by the customers. One of the advantages, why nobody on my team is from the industry, is we’re from the end-user side. We’ve experienced firsthand the pains of the industry and what we needed. We’re solving problems that are close to home for us. We’re also wide awake, aware of the fact that as we put this technology out in the field, customers are going to say, “Hey, what about this and this and this?” That’s the feedback we want to get from them and be able to offer that back. That’s why having platforms that we don’t need to physically train or change the hardware – which has been the model over and over again in this industry – isn’t OK where if you want something new, rip and replace what you’re doing. We’re trying to build very adaptable pieces of hardware, work with partners to do that, and so the AI, the intelligence behind it, can really change without having to change the hardware. From the software side of it, what are some practical AI use cases presently and around the corner? Sawaya: There’s a ton of opportunity in the monitoring world for companies like ADT to make services more efficient. There’s a lot of vendors doing this today at a basic level, for example verifying alarms based on video information. Are there people, or is it just a balloon swinging in the wind that triggered a motion camera? Basic analytics like that are getting more commonplace. There’s a lot of interesting ways to take it a step further that, as an industry, it’s not quite there. ![]() ADT Commercial has been showing off robotics by 1X and delighting attendees at industry trade shows such as GSX, ISC West and CES. For instance, clueing in on nonvideo information, looking at the natural frequency of when burglar alarms go off and trying to see if there is always an anomaly at 2 a.m. because that’s when the store gets their overnight delivery. It’s incorporating that other genre of information as well as more sophisticated visual analytics to gain an intense behavioral analysis. Loitering isn’t always a problem, but what if we can determine that someone is both loitering and brandished a weapon a minute ago? Or what if we can detect more sophisticated events like glass-breaks and move to just using video as intrusion sensors? There are a lot of interesting possibilities. It’ll be driven in the next year or two with advances in moving from a fixed point in time to what’s happening in this current viewpoint, what are the objects there, all the way toward looking at broader context across a temporal span of video. What is this person doing now? What did they do before? How can we ascertain what they’re probably likely to do in the future? Bacco: The false alarm rate for the industry is above 90%. It’s very frustrating and very costly to clear those alarms. For responders, the solution is to either go to every one of those, which is expensive, or start ignoring them, which is also very common. We’re trying to help the monitoring, so the systems would autonomously do that. They’re not doing it today. That is on our roadmap. Once we start integrating it into the various systems, you could see in the future an alarm coming in through an access control system getting routed directly, without a human involvement, to the closest bot to go validate it using AI to say there is or is not something happening. Maybe it’s that balloon that just went by. The advantage of using the humanoid robot is if the AI hasn’t learned yet what it’s looking at, it’s trained to call home. The humanoid robot can be operated today as an avatar. If you’re at ADT’s facility in Dallas today, you’d see it being operated autonomously. Then you’d see a human operator taking it over with a set of hand controllers and VR goggles to operate that unit as an avatar of themselves. That means you don’t have to have guards present and clearing alarms to go out to those points. And they can do that remotely from anywhere in the world. How long will it take for people to become comfortable with robots or widespread deployment of drones to monitor and patrol areas? What of backlash supplanting jobs previously done by humans? Sawaya: I believe pretty quickly. It’s funny because we all suspect everyone’s scared of the Terminator, everyone’s scared of AI taking over the world or robots and drones going haywire. Every time there’s a big development in robotics, people remark on how fast things are progressing and express fear for the future. But then I think ChatGPT, for example, is a fantastic case study for when these tools and technologies that are so new emerge, and when everyone gets the value that they’re delivering. ChatGPT overnight took over the world. When everyone gets that these systems are meant for their good, for the public good, especially in our world when it is for their safety and security, once it’s real and tangible acceptance comes pretty quickly. Bacco: In my career, I predate cellphones and computers. Everybody said nobody’s going to buy cellphones because my first one had something the size of a car battery attached to it. Of course, now we see young children with cellphones because people saw the value and convenience in them. Once that happens with this technology, the same will be true. It’ll be very quickly that they adapt. ![]() Marking the initial EvoGuard brand pilot sale, ADT Commercial recently sold Tando indoor drones to luxury Swiss watchmaker Movado to continue field testing the solution in its distribution center. As for displacing a workforce, we hear that a lot. But the guarding industry is a good example where it’s very hard to fill those positions. There are more than two million guard jobs in North America. They have tens of thousands of openings. We’re not going to displace those guards, we’re going to fill a void. With most of the humanoid robot applications, we look for ones where the work is mundane, repetitive and hard to fill. We don’t want to replace all the guards because we need humans to be involved. The type of person who’s going to operate autonomous robotics is still going to be a guard, but they’re going to be a highly trained individual who can operate these systems remotely. That means they’re probably going to be paid higher than a typical guard. So many security products today tout incorporating AI. As a professional integrator or security dealer, is there any way to tell if they’re just using it as a buzz term or if it’s legitimate AI? Sawaya: That’s top of mind for us as well because a lot of what we do is testing all those AI solutions. Oftentimes, there’s not much AI going on behind the scenes. It’s a big challenge for everyone to sift through what’s truly using AI and adding value and what’s just capitalizing on the trends. When we go to these conferences and every single vendor claims to have AI. That’s a problem for all of us and something that hopefully as an industry we can iron out.
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MELVILLE, N.Y.—Resideo recently celebrated the grand reopening of its offices in Louisville, Ken., following 12 months of renovation to modernize the site. The updated facility, located at 2700 Blankenbaker Parkway, Louisville, Ken., was designed to foster innovation and deliver a collaborative work environment for employees. The shared site is home to more than 180 team members across Resideo‘s ADI Global Distribution and Products & Solutions (P&S) businesses that span various departments including sales, marketing, customer service, sales support, and human resources, among others. “For more than 20 years, our Louisville, Ken., office has served as a key site for the company as it provides many sales and support functions to our customers across both ADI and P&S,” says Rob Aarnes, president of ADI Global Distribution, who kicked off the grand opening events. “Modernizing this site represents our commitment to investing in our businesses and the community, and the importance of caring for our team members so they can deliver the best possible service to our customers.” Occupying multiple floors of the building, the updated 54,000-square foot space features floor-to-ceiling windows and houses a variety of spaces including individual workstations, open collaboration areas, meeting rooms, huddle spaces, wellness rooms, large training room, kitchen areas, and an outdoor dining space. The grand opening event was kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony, and attendees had an opportunity to participate in facility tours, a site Q&A session, and enjoy food and refreshments throughout the day. “We recognize the hard work that it took to make this modernized office become a reality, and we’re extremely excited and proud to open the doors at the facility and encourage our team members to embrace the collaborative spirit the office provides,” comments Aarnes. In addition to the updated Louisville site, the company opened a new combined site in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in 2022. ADI also recently opened a new headquarters location in Melville, N.Y. along with updated sites in Paris, France, Dallas, Texas, Oldham, U.K., and Breda, Netherlands. More news from Resideo: Resideo Announces New Video Solutions at ISC West
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