The use of IP audio to enhance new and existing security systems is an addition that can provide real value to an organisation’s network. Here, we explore a few of the projects Axis Communications has recently worked on to develop bespoke audio security solutions for its customers.
When Autoneum added a new 325,000-square-foot factory to its operations in Aikens, South Carolina, it was highlighted that worker safety was critical. To achieve that goal, the auto parts manufacturer wanted to install a mix of network cameras to provide clear oversight of the factory floor as well as administrative offices, break rooms, loading docks and parking lot. The system needed to be highly secure with remote access for credentialed employees’ to provide faster incident responses and quicker resolutions to problems.
Eli Controls, a security systems integrator and Axis partner, was hired to create a site plan that would layout the optimum locations for cameras throughout the plant. Eli Controls then installed more than 50 Axis network cameras, each chosen to maximize visibility into a specific location.
Alongside the cameras, which are managed through AXIS Camera Station video management software, Eli Controls installed Axis network horn speakers at emergency exit doors to further enhance security. The speakers emit a tone when anyone opens the door and triggers an associated Axis camera to send a visual alert to the plant manager to verify who it is. These audio devices can also be used as a paging system in case of emergency weather alerts, such as a tornado.
Despite an extensive $5 million renovation, the two-story Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum building lacked a public address system or other means of making announcements throughout the museum, such as alerting visitors of closing time or emergency situations. As a result, staff would sometimes need to go around the museum to ensure guests knew it was time to leave, and parents often found themselves dealing with unhappy children who wanted to stay longer.
After researching potential solutions and talking with local Axis partner The Kern Group, Peoria PlayHouse selected IP speakers from Axis. The Park District IT staff had experience with the brand and considered the feature-to-price ratio attractive. The Kern Group provided an AXIS C1004-E Network Cabinet Speaker to try out on site. In addition to providing a way to communicate throughout the building, the speakers were said to be easy to install, whilst the Audio Player software made setting up and managing the system quicker than anticipated.
Since installing the speakers in strategic locations throughout the building, the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum has been able to improve closing time notifications, make emergency announcements and even set up custom playlists to play music for events, including a fundraiser, which has saved on the cost of hiring musicians.
Since facing an intense earthquake and subsequent tsunami, Concón, a city on the coast of Chile has begun using cameras integrated with Axis network speakers for emergency announcements. As part of its focus on citizen security, as well as that of visiting tourists, the city placed a public request for proposals to install a camera and speaker system that would become part of the solution to the community’s problems (such as public offences) – in addition to providing assistance in emergencies.
The solution consisted of an initial installation of 6 AXIS P5635-E Network Cameras and 11 AXIS C3003-E Network Speakers. This was followed in a second stage by the addition of 17 AXIS Q6000-E Network Cameras, coupled with vandal-resistant AXIS Q6055-E PTZ cameras featuring Zipstream image compression technology. Along with the new cameras, 17 Axis network speakers were added, increasing the level of communication between public authorities and residents.
Audio security systems can play a vital role in the event of a natural catastrophe, as well as helping in the prevention of crime to alert individuals they are being watched and monitored. The city now benefits from a greater level of public security for citizens and tourists alike, transforming itself into a model for the entire coast of Chile with this forward-thinking initiative.
Download this report, produced in conjunction with Texecom, to discover how increasing processing power, accelerating broadband speeds, cloud-managed solutions and the internet of things and transforming the intruder alarm market, and whether firms are adopting these innovative new technologies.
