WHAT I LEARNED AT ASIS (OR WHAT I RETAINED)

Oct 1, 2005 12:00 PM, LARRY ANDERSON, EDITOR

AT THE ASIS SHOW in Orlando, I was busier than an ear inspector at a Mickey Mouse convention (or add your own alternative folksy metaphor here).

There really is too much to see and do at this show — much too much, and it just keeps getting bigger (especially wider this year, although not quite as deep as before.)

The ASIS show provides for me the illusion that I am learning things, and yet at the end of the day and after visiting dozens of booths, it's more like a high-tech blur.

In the post-show lull, I have been trying to think back about what I learned at this year's ASIS show. What follows is a partial list.

• IP video is taking the world by storm, although some skeptics say there is still a capabilities gap between IP cameras and analog cameras. Even they agree it's only a matter of time.

• Video systems are now officially smarter than most people.

• Those passenger screening systems at the airport are hopelessly passé. The next generation of such equipment offers exotic and impressive capabilities, including the ability to see non-metal objects and to identify explosives residue more effectively and efficiently.

• With more devices being rack-mounted, electronics real estate is at a premium. Also, more attention needs to be paid to designing control rooms to maximize equipment performance and maintenance accessibility.

• More customers are considering non-security benefits in addition to security concerns in deciding whether to buy equipment. Better ROI is one benefit.

• A small, but troubling legislative backlash is brewing related to the use of RFID — a proposal in California would place a three-year moratorium on its use and other states are also getting into the act (more on this next month).

• Government serves as a testing ground for technology that will soon be used in the corporate sector. One executive noted that a supplier company can position itself for success in the corporate arena by pursuing opportunities (and succeeding, thus gaining credibility) in the government realm.

• There is an unusually large number of new products that are “right on the verge” of being introduced, so we can all expect a new wave of innovation around the time of the ISC-West show in 2006.

There's more, but let's save it for a future issue.

---

YOUR THOUGHTS

We are looking for reader feedback. E-mail landerson@primediabusiness.com and tell us what you think!

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

This month in Access Control

• Targeting The Customer
• Electronic Pedigrees
• One Hero Among Many
• Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• More from September's issue