Security & Safety Things becomes Azena

With a growing slate of global customer and partner collaborations and expanding geographic coverage, Azena will continue to increase the value of its platform for systems integrators and end customers.

Since its market introduction in 2018, Azena has grown to more than 120 employees spread across its headquarters in Munich, its technology Innovation Accelerator facility in Pittsburgh, and another development hub in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, all supporting the Azena open platform for smart cameras. The Azena platform is comprised of an open operating system for cameras and an Application Store with nearly 100 Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled video analytics apps. It enables smart cameras to simultaneously run multiple apps directly on the device. Integrators can flexibly add or change apps on one or multiple cameras as needed for their customers and use any of the 15 cameras from six different manufacturer partners in a variety of form factors.

“Systems integrators play a crucial role in connecting the video analytic edge devices on our platform into the larger system landscape for a truly data-driven approach to security, operational intelligence and automation,” said Hartmut Schaper, chief executive officer, Azena. “Our new identity as Azena positions us for improved name recognition and market presence as we continue to add functionality and the potential for expansion into new markets for our systems integrator partners.”

The Azena Application Store features apps that address more than 40 different use cases in at least 25 different vertical markets, ranging from traditional perimeter security, retail loss prevention and occupancy management to stadium security and even the unique needs of aquaculture. Some examples of use cases include:

One U.S. professional hockey team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, is using the Azena platform to monitor crowding at its stadium entrances, license plate recognition for more efficient stadium parking and heat mapping for improved layouts of its fan merchandise retail outlets.
An oil drilling company is deploying smart cameras running the Azena OS so operations staff can remotely monitor any pumping disruptions in the oil fields.
A chemical plant is monitoring its locations for the presence of smoke to enhance workplace safety measures.

Systems integrator Prosegur, one of the world’s largest security companies, has announced its collaboration with Azena to use analytics on the edge as part of its Security Operations Center as a service offering. By deploying more sophisticated analytics to measure activity or automatically verify alarms, incoming alarm traffic from customer sites can be prefiltered, reducing the number of alarms needing to be handled by human operators in the SOC, enabling a more appropriate response.

Integrators will find a host of other new features in the Azena platform designed to leverage device management capabilities and remote access for diagnosis and maintenance to cameras on a customer site, using Azena’s digital twin architecture. Other benefits include:  

• Ability to run all the analytics apps from the Azena Application Store on the video stream of existing IP cameras by means of a small appliance from one of the camera manufacturer partners, bringing AI to already installed video systems
• Wide range of integration options to connect VMS systems, dashboard software, access systems, other apps or other cameras to support the creation of sophisticated end-to-end solutions
• Option for integrators to build and deploy custom solutions with apps available only to them and their customers via the Azena Application Store
• Ability to securely and remotely connect to a customer camera without a VPN
• A new integration assistant that quickly builds middleware for custom integrations between Azena components and third-party software and hardware
• Opportunity to negotiate directly with app developers on bulk pricing
• Standardized terms of use that can be adopted by all applications in the Application Store