Following the announcement of SECOM’s $192 investment in Eagle Eye Networks and Brivo, IFSEC Insider spoke with the company’s UK MD, Satoru Awano, about the aims of the investment and the company’s wider plans and developments.
SECOM UK MD, Satoru Awano
Satoru Awano (SA): We are committed to providing services and systems that deliver safety, peace of mind and business efficiency. Our investment in Eagle Eye Networks and Brivo – the market leaders in video and access control cloud physical security – is an investment in the mission our three companies share, which is to provide the best technology possible to keep businesses and communities safe.
SA: In the UK, we have previously worked with Eagle Eye Networks and used their solution to successfully deliver what we believe to be their largest UK cloud installation for a major infrastructure customer – which involved over 1,500 cameras and 27 locations.
We have seen the popularity of video in the cloud increase, particularly as network/internet speeds and reliability increases. There is a compelling return on investment case for cloud now, in comparison to hardware lifecycle replacement, and we expect more customers to follow this route.
We have recently worked with Brivo in the UK on a number of bids, and had evaluated the system prior to recommending the solution. We found that Brivo ticked all of the boxes that we required for an enterprise access management and smart spaces solution.
It supports a complete product ecosystem across SaaS, mobile and connected devices. Machine learning within the platform reduces the workload for customers, by fusing video and access data for visual context around key events.
SA: SECOM was established in 1962 as Japan’s first security company, and it quickly expanded due to the nation’s high-speed economic growth. Initially, the company provided labour intensive services such as guarding and patrolling, but these became unsustainable due to rising labour costs. To address this issue, the company’s founder proposed automating functions such as sensing, monitoring and communication.
An electric device manufacturer in Tokyo was enlisted to develop Japan’s first remote monitoring system, which was introduced to the market in 1966. Soon after that, a major bank became a customer – which helped establish the company’s credibility and reputation – leading to significant growth in the years that followed.
SA: In the UK, we have seen a swing towards connected devices and intelligent smart space solutions. These provide a wealth of management information to support customers in ensuring a smooth transition back to the workplace after the pandemic, or as part of an agreed hybrid working routine.
Analytics and AI-led solutions have advanced significantly, which enables automated alerts of unusual events. We’ve seen a reduction on the reliance of a permanent guarding presence, as more companies invest in new video technology and smart alerts. We have developed a number of unique solutions to allow businesses to alert our command and control centre of suspicious and unwanted activity. Our trained operators – along with our Intelligence and Investigations team – can then support customers by remotely managing the situation.
On the residential side, we have seen a shift toward multi-layered security platforms that integrate with customer lifestyles. SECOM Smart Security was launched to meet this demand and offers intrusion detection systems, safety sensors, CCTV solutions, inactivity sensing (for elderly care purposes) and smart devices – all on one app. To further complement this solution and meet anticipated future demand, we will be supplementing this with future releases, including home temperature control, home automation and remote water valves (to detect leaks).
SA: We have internal and external virtual guard solutions, which utilise a mix of conventional detection and advanced video analytics.
The external virtual guard system detects unwanted trespass and automatically issues an on-site voice challenge, while the event is assessed by our trained operators.
Internal virtual guard also utilises dedicated custom-made apps, which allows the customer to silently request assistance, while also bookmarking the system CCTV as an event. Depending on the level of service, this may involve our intelligence and investigation team retrospectively building repeat offender profiles and submitting evidence packs on behalf of our customers.
Our REACT cloud management system also allows us to seamlessly deliver evidence to customer and police forces alike.
SA: We found that many customers suffer an incident at a particular location and react by placing a guard presence on site. This arrangement can often become permanent, without any further regular risk checks being undertaken. This often means that the guard becomes a permanent cost, irrespective of whether the resource is actually needed.
Our Virtual Guard provides constant customer reassurance at a fraction of the cost. It is available to the customer 24/7, and never sleeps or takes time off work!
SA: The “social system industry” is a vision created by our founder. Its aim is to provide society with services and systems that enable everyone to live safely, securely, comfortably, and conveniently – whenever and wherever they need it.
The business is required to be in line with this philosophy, and our aim for mutual sustainable growth for corporations and society reflects our commitment to creating value beyond profits. Through our focus on the social system industry, we aim to develop innovative security solutions and services that address societal challenges and contribute to the wellbeing of communities.
SA: We have developed “Cocobo”, a security robot which autonomously travels on a set patrol route avoiding pedestrians and obstacles. Currently in use at New Tokyo International Airport (Narita), it analyses images captured by the on-board camera in real time with AI, automatically detects abandoned objects en-route, and reports them to the monitoring centre. An arm can be attached when conducting inspection work, such as inspecting trash cans and checking whether doors are locked (under development).
We have also developed the world’s first security system in which a virtual security guard, equipped with AI, provides security services for access control. It is displayed as a 3D model on a display-integrated mirror that blends into the surrounding environment, providing security surveillance and reception work. Tasks such as emergency response are provided by skilled human security guards. This system can strengthen security, while reducing costs by effectively utilising human resources.
SA: SECOM’s philosophy of caring for society and creating a safer world is embodied by the synergistic collaboration among its divisions. By integrating disaster prevention, ICT, medical expertise and security services, we provide a comprehensive approach that addresses various facets of safety and security.
This holistic strategy reinforces our commitment to protecting communities, embracing technological advancements, and fostering well-being at all levels of society. Outside of Japan, divisions other than security have not been actively developed – as yet.
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