Interview with Optex EMEA's Managing Director Masaya Kida

Optex systems have been successfully deployed across the EMEA region for over 40 years for a number of applications ranging from perimeter security to indoor intrusion detection and roof and asset protection.

GIT SECURITY had the opportunity to talk to Masaya Kida, Managing Director of Optex EMEA at this year’s Intersec Dubai. We discussed market trends, the challenges of outdoor intrusion detection, visual verification, and Optex‘s approach to working with partners.

GIT SECURITY: How important is the deep integration with other partners on the VMS side and with other technology partners?

Masaya Kida: At Optex our mission is to protect and help to create safety, security, and comfort in societies around the world through the use of our sensing technology. Our partners help to fulfil this mission. We have seen a strong demand from the market for solutions for critical infrastructure, transportation, utilities and energy, and we are significantly investing to develop such solutions together with our technology partners. Our sensors are at the cornerstone of the security system, they do a great job at accurately detecting intrusions, enabling a more efficient and reliable system, but in order to provide a complete solution they need to be part of a wider system, which is why all of our detectors integrate with all major VMS and PSIM systems. They need solutions to keep up their operations and we help them to stop or minimize disruption.

What are the biggest challenges when you want to protect infrastructure with outdoor security systems?

Masaya Kida: The main challenge in outdoor security systems are nuisance alarms, which is why using sensing technology is paramount to designing a robust and stable security system. Sensing technologies have been designed specifically to ‘detect intrusions’ and will perform reliably, not affected by different light conditions or weather. I think you have tested a lot of video analytics systems in your GIT System Test Video Analytics and have identified some of the most common causes of nuisance alarms for those technologies. We will take part this summer in your testing when you extend the range of tested systems beyond video analytics in GIT System Test Perimeter Protection, and test our LiDAR Redscan Pro technology. The biggest challenge that LiDAR and other sensing technologies help to achieve besides creating reliable and accurate detection, is avoiding false alarms. Especially for critical infrastructure this is crucial. Too many false alarms interrupt operations, make security teams lose confidence in the system, are time-consuming and costly. This is a real problem for operators but also for installers and system integrators because of the end-users' complaints to them.

What are your thoughts on the importance of visual verification?

Masaya Kida: It is a critical component in a security system and we can expect to see more of it in future developments by Optex. In order to meet the challenge of verifying alarms, we offer our own cloud-based monitoring software, CHeKT, a leading visual verification solution that can enhance the effectiveness of the security system by connecting outdoor and indoor sensors, Onvif-compliant cameras, and other third-party devices to provide an all-encompassing visual verification event-driven solution while minimizing false alarms. The Optex Visual Verification solution offers an elevated level of security, giving users the ability to see what is happening within their protected areas in real-time. This allows the user and the alarm receiving centre to immediately receive valuable information with which to make decisions at the most critical moment. As soon as the alarm goes off, regardless of the time of day, a user can instantly be 100 % sure of what is going on within the protection zone with optimized video directly on the visual verification app. At any time, we can tell our customer if it is a true alarm or if it is a cat or small animal or bag flying through the air, and we can prove it. Visual verification is not only great for business operations, it also helps to build the operators' trust in the systems.

Here at Intersec, you display the FlipX series of sensors for indoor residential to high-end commercial security applications. For what applications are they designed and what advantages do they offer?

Masaya Kida: We are continuing to develop our indoor sensor range as we are seeing a huge demand for this. The FlipX series is our newest generation of customized detection for indoor applications. The new FlipX PIR and dual-tech series is equipped with an innovative pyroelectric element and 180° rotatable lens, a feature unique to Optex. This characteristic allows FlipX to tailor its detection pattern to cover everything from large open indoor areas to narrow and long passageways or windows. Users have the choice of either wide or narrow detection zones by simply rotating the FlipX lens 180°. This ‘flipped’ lens has been designed with flexibility in mind and effectively gives installers ‘two sensors in one’ to satisfy multiple customer demands. It helps installers manage both their inventory and their cash flow while giving them the versatility and confidence of arriving on-site with the solution they need to match their customer’s needs. The Standard models are EN Grade 2, which come with pet immunity features to minimize false alarms and are a great choice for residential and light commercial applications, while the Advanced models are EN Grade 3 and feature IR anti-masking and advanced sensitivity settings to adhere to the customer’s specific application needs for high-value commercial and high-security sites.