Security Sales & Integration February 2022 - 48

Access
Can't Touch This
manage desk assignments, " says Stamatelos.
These solutions can provide much value to
retailers, typically including analytics, reporting
tools and alerts for when occupancy limits
are being reached. Employees or managers can
then receive those alerts on a mobile device,
email or in the security platform being utilized.
Contact Tracing
Contact tracing solutions provide the ability
to see the occupancy of a specific space and
for how long a person was in that space, so if
INTERCOMS PROVIDE
TOUCH-FREE ACCESS
CONTROL OPTIONS
▶ The global pandemic has resulted in many people reconsidering priorities
and the way we go about daily life - specifically keeping ourselves and those
around us safe. To meet demand, the security industry has developed and
implemented new technologies to help minimize the spreading of germs.
Top among these are touchless security solutions that eliminate the need
for a person to touch a surface or device in order to request or gain access
into a facility. Intercom systems have adapted to incorporate touchless elements.
When integrated with an access control solution, the intercom system
can detect motion within a preset range and send communication to a security
officer or front desk attendant. This eliminates the need for a visitor to touch a
shared keypad or communal door handle.
For both residential and commercial spaces, this offers efficiency with regards
to the rising increase in package, grocery and food deliveries, and satisfies
the desire by building managers to leverage intercoms to manage the flow
of visitors. Delivery personnel can enter more seamlessly without the need to
put anything down, or be personally assisted by a staff member or tenant.
Another emerging trend out of the pandemic is contact tracing. With many
commercial spaces adjusting back to an in-office environment, employers are
seeking an efficient way to understand who was in a given space at any time
in the event of an exposure. As a next step, notifying those individuals and
ensuring that they are properly informed is an imperative part of minimizing
the spread. This is possible through intercom security.
The benefits of intercom systems and their touchless capabilities extend to
incorporate remote applications where employees can gain access to a space
through a mobile app which can be used to track who is in a space at a given
time. In the event that someone tests positive for COVID-19, the business
could then easily notify any employees, visitors, or vendors who may have
been exposed.
While the future of the pandemic is still uncertain, and we all must continue
to pivot and adjust, it's clear that touchless intercom solutions are helping to
provide a safe and efficient transition. - Brad Kamcheff, Marketing
Manager for Aiphone.
someone was to test positive for COVID-19,
everyone that was in the vicinity could easily
be notified and take the appropriate measures.
There are different ways this can be done.
One of the more unique methods to
emerge is the use of Bluetooth Low Energy
(BLE) fobs combined with real-time location
services. Employees wear a fob that communicates
with a gateway that records a full digital
trail of an employee's whereabouts and
historical interactions.
" Wearable beacons can provide accurate reports
on the duration of employee interaction.
Instead of days to gather all the information,
contact tracing reports can be run in minutes,
so those who may have come in contact with
an infected person can be notified as soon as
possible, " explains Robinton. " Enhanced systems
can even function as reminders to remain
the CDC recommended six feet apart by sending
a visual or audible cue to the beacon. "
The New Access Control Normal
Though innovative access control solutions
have seen a swell of interest due to the pandemic,
it does not mean we should expect that
attention to subside once things get " back to
normal. " Mobile credentials, biometrics, occupancy
management - these are all things
that can make the average person's life more
convenient and safer.
" The products that have been created are
mostly not going to go away and we're going
to learn from this pandemic. Businesses are
going to learn from this pandemic. We'll have
better people management systems and processes,
better disaster preparedness. Hoteling,
work from home, cybersecurity - all of those
are going to make us more secure, " says Allen.
Robinton echoes this sentiment, saying
that although COVID has exacerbated some
already existing challenges in the access control
market and driven companies to adopt
new technologies sooner than they may have
done without the emergence of the virus,
those technologies are likely to stick around.
" Organizations want technology that that
has a life beyond COVID. They are searching
for open platforms that can be used for employee
security and safety with additional features
like duress alarms, building monitoring
features, even the ability to track equipment
health in real-time, all while building on their
initial investment, " he notes. SSI
48
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Security Sales & Integration February 2022

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