This article appears in the CES Show Report in the February 2022 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
Last year at CES, Israeli company Essence expanded beyond its health monitoring roots to unveil a 5G-compatible combination PIR/intrusion detection response system called MyShield.
The company has taken its embrace of 5G even further at CES 2022, while also expanding its security presence further by introducing an enterprise commercial system.
5G Paves the Way
The expansion into enterprise security is anchored in the company’s products that leverage a 5G-ready cellular infrastructure. I caught up with Essence Marketing Director Rafi Zauer, who explains that the “5G” for these IoT devices, is powered by LTE Cat M infrastructure, which is truly a forerunner to 5G – a low-power wide area network designed specifically for IoT devices.
“These are the first devices, but our ultimate goal is to provide a suite of devices all connected directly to the Cat M network,” Zauer says. “When you are talking about devices in and out of the home, it is not difficult to see the value of a security system that will not need to rely on local infrastructure or connectivity to the local router – which of course gives you a lot of flexibility and also makes them more reliable and secure.”
This lack of need for a network connection is the primary 5G value proposition for integrators, Zauer adds.
“When you are talking about smaller devices like door and window sensors and PIR, it is not practical that every single one of them will have a cellular chip on it,” he explains. “We are creating with those devices is a small cellular bridge that connects all these small devices to the to the IoT network and to the cloud. For the integrator, there’s no need for a panel, local connectivity or local wi-fi provisioning – they just put everything on this on this network, and configure it on a smartphone.”
The value proposition for Essence is a future-proofed product line that can be easily expanded into verticals beyond homes, care facilities and small businesses, which is exactly what the company is aiming for with its newest CES unveiling.
mPERS with a 5G Backbone
Last year’s MyShield intrusion detection and response product gave Essence its first foray into the commercial intrusion detection space. This’ year’s new product introduction, Umbrella, leverages the company’s longtime strength in the Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) market with an aim to further expand into the enterprise space.
Umbrella is mobile mPERS that can be worn as a pendant or buckled onto a belt. It includes built-in fall detection, real-time activity monitoring and two-way voice capabilities, to serve the traditional healthcare/senior monitoring market, but Zauer says the 5G infrastructure also makes it well-suited for a range of personal security functions, such as lone worker and panic button scenarios.
“It was originally developed within the senior care category, but it is also built for lone workers, students and teachers, and we are heavily marketing it for the enterprise sector – campuses, technicians in telecom and other industries with dangerous areas – we can always know where they are and also give them a way to connect in the event of a dangerous situation.”
Zauer says that Essence is aiming to combine the 5G MyShield with the 5G Umbrella as well as high-definition network video solutions to create a total enterprise security product.
According to a press release, “the AI-based network, and 5G-enabled solutions comprise video monitoring and edge analytics for premises; personal safety and protection for remote workers and students; and intruder deterrence and prevention. Video technologies deployed will be NDAA compliant to allow the cloud-based systems to be deployed in sensitive scenarios. The Essence Solution can be used in greenfield applications or integrated into existing security and first response monitoring centers.”
While Essence is not new to the North American market when it comes to PERS, Zauer says they are actively looking for security integrator partners in the region to deploy and manage these enterprise systems. Learn more at www.essence-grp.com.
Paul Rothman is Editor-in-Chief of Security Business magazine. Access SecurityInfoWatch.com’s vast CES 2022 coverage at www.securityinfowatch.com/ces.
