Latin America. During the last years we have seen the great challenges that higher education centers in Latin America have had to face in technological matters, not only in the implementation of systems that guarantee due process in the institutional part, but also in security and access of administrative, teaching, student and even visitors.
Protecting the heritage and people who are on campus on a daily basis has become a priority for many universities to make significant investments in access control and surveillance systems.
Johnson Controls is constantly preparing to face the challenges that arise in a more assertive way, implementing new security technologies or modernizing existing ones, so that they are compatible with a more demanding environment. These are some of the most relevant:
More agile and secure access
"With an integrated Access Control solution, universities in Latin America will be able to minimize touchpoints without obstructing the flow of people. This is a system that includes a surveillance camera with facial recognition to verify the identity of those who have approved their access," said Luis Carlos Delcampo LATAM Product Marketing Manager – Access Control of Johnson Controls.
This solution can be especially useful in areas with a lot of human traffic, such as the main entrance of a classroom building, where surely large numbers of students must move at the same time to go to or leave a class.
By combining this system with automatic door technology, the need to manipulate any object to enter, such as a keyboard or a doorknob, to name a few, is completely eliminated.
Contactless credentials with greater control
"Another of the big changes that universities have had to implement are contactless devices, such as smart card readers. These mechanisms scan the card and send a signal to the access control system to allow or deny entry, for example, for access during weekends. It is also possible to block access if the card is no longer valid," Delcampo said.
This technology is also being implemented in sports facilities on campuses where, this solution allows to monitor who is using the gym at a certain time and can alert security personnel in case a person enters the premises alone and does not leave after a long time, which may be an indication of a medical or security problem.
Contactless intercoms
Intercom systems are helping universities to manage the flow of visits more efficiently, especially in relation to food and parcel delivery. The campus security officer can also use the video intercom system to confirm that visits respect the institution's security protocols.
These solutions are also increasingly being incorporated into residential housing to reinforce security measures.
While surveillance has been the main focus of security tasks at the university for the past few years, contactless access control solutions are becoming equally important, as administrators want to implement and adopt solutions that support a safe and healthy environment.
These changes are likely here to stay, as educational institutions typically plan ahead to ensure that the access control technologies they invest in today continue to bring value into the future.
Video surveillance to complement access control
"Each educational center in Latin America is very different in size and extension, each of them requires customization in the management of video and access systems, in order to maintain security and control according to the needs of the facilities," said Antonio Olmedo Morales LATAM Product Marketing Manager – Video of Johnson Controls.
These video surveillance systems are designed with the purpose of also detecting the loitering of people in the perimeters of educational centers, as well as recognizing faces of people who must be monitored.
Designing a video surveillance system for a campus requires special work considering that these educational campuses are centers of coexistence for students in which there could be trafficking of prohibited substances, as well as handling of weapons, which makes it necessary to adapt to this type of circumstances.
"In this sense, with body cameras or Body worn cameras, you have access to evidence of what happens in the access doors, allowing you to clearly identify if there was an abuse by the surveillance, a fault that can be attributed to the student or any other incident that must be reported," Olmedo said.
These video surveillance and access control systems are also tools that allow the educational center to evaluate the areas of greatest interest, the visit times and schedules of greater traffic, guaranteeing the security of the areas, without violating the freedom and mobility of the people present.
* For more information, visit www.americandynamics.net
