Elevated awareness of risk is driving a search for physical security solutions that can keep facilities and assets more secure. Physical security trends, such as the six listed below, reflect the focus in every industry to use technology to provide smarter, more effective ways to keep property secure and to monitor and control access.
1. Video Surveillance as a Service
More businesses are migrating video surveillance systems to the cloud and taking advantage of Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) solutions. With VSaaS, the business doesn’t have to maintain video surveillance hardware on-site to manage and analyze data from cameras and sensors. The applications you develop for VSaaS providers can automate and manage equipment monitoring and responses to security breaches. In addition, VSaaS solutions have value beyond security applications, for example, as part of intelligent people counting solutions for retail or patient monitoring solutions for healthcare.
2. Internet of Things
Physical security systems can leverage Internet of Things (IoT) technology to connect cameras, sensors, mobile devices, and people, to create intelligent systems that can not only detect a breach in security, but instantly send alerts or secure an area. Artificial intelligence (AI) enable systems to learn behavior during normal operations and respond when unusual behavior occurs. Physical security trends include computing at the edge, which helps balance the flow of data and minimize the bandwidth required by reducing the amount of data that has to be transmitted to the cloud.
A word of caution: When you choose IoT hardware for your solution, make sure it’s hardened with built-in security. IoT devices can be a security vulnerability that hackers can exploit.
3. Security Robots and Drones
If surveillance is necessary in areas that are dangerous for humans to patrol, security robots, whether unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — aka drones — are potential solutions. Both physical security trends are common in law enforcement and emergency response teams to provide visibility or perform hazardous tasks. In addition, drones, in particular, can provide outdoor surveillance, deter crime, and even follow a suspicious person fleeing a facility. AI can provide UGVs and drones with autonomous navigation, the ability to avoid obstacles, and recognition of threatening behavior.
4. Facial recognition
There are a variety of applications that could benefit from adding facial recognition to a surveillance solution. In addition to confirming the identity of an authorized employee entering a facility, facial recognition can be used to make comparisons to an image database to identify people considered threats in facilities such as casinos, airports, or stadiums. Ultra-high definition cameras (UHD) that provide 4K images and night vision can provide clear images in challenging environments.
5. Blockchain
Businesses in most industries are exploring the potential blockchain technology has to address pain points in a number of applications, including physical security. For example, blockchain, which validates a user’s identity, has the potential to verify video content from sources like mobile phones or law enforcement body-worn cameras, as well as the authenticity of devices connected to the network. Blockchain solutions, which are distributed across multiple nodes rather than a single server, can also ensure data stored in the cloud won’t be lost or tampered with. It may also be the key to keeping smart cities secure, limiting access to devices that control traffic lights or utilities.
6. Social Media Integration
Businesses and organizations are increasingly using social media as a communication tool in emergency situations. Intelligent physical security solutions that integrate with social media management tools will be in demand. Monitoring social media, along with other sources of information, can also be a tool in identifying security risks and threats.
It’s Time for An Upgrade
With criminals and bad actors constantly finding new ways past legacy physical security solutions, your clients are evaluating these physical security trends for their ability to help them stay a step ahead. Incorporating these new technologies into your solutions — or creating new, innovative ways to keep facilities secure — will help meet this demand. 
