Leica Geosystems Named Best New Product in SIA NPS

The BLK247 from Leica Geosystems was named Best New Product in the annual Security Industry Association (SIA) New Product Showcase, which was held digitally in July due to the cancellation of ISC West.

Submitted in the "Emerging Technologies" category, the 3D surveillance device is “a first-of-its-kind reality capture sensor for building security and operations,” the company described it its entry. “It is the latest product in the company’s BLK product line, a collection of reality capture, scanning and photogrammetry hardware and software. The BLK247 offers continuous, 24/7 LiDAR-based 3D monitoring and change detection within spaces. It does this using LiDAR, 3D digital fencing and continuous scanning to monitor buildings and spaces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

The product builds 3D digital fences to protect valuable objects and creates digital barriers for spaces. Designed with situational awareness in mind, the camera is capable of differentiating between still and moving objects, and is ideal for locations that must be continuously monitored and protected. "An unattended bag at a busy airport can be quickly identified and security staff alerted, both visually and audibly, of its presence and location," a press release on the product says. "The BLK247 can help reduce a security team’s reliance on staffed video surveillance and the requirement of reviewing clips after an incident has occurred," it adds.

“We understand that security professionals are often pushed to the limit in terms of situational awareness, and that it can be difficult to catch everything that may go wrong in a busy or sensitive environment,” Carl-Thomas Schneider, VP of Business Development for Hexagon’s Geosystems division, said in the release. “The BLK247 is designed specifically to help security and surveillance teams by providing a level of situational awareness that cannot be achieved through human eyes and ears alone. It will help create safer and more secure spaces worldwide, providing peace of mind for security professionals and the public alike.”

SIA's Judges’ Choice Award was presented to Suprema Inc. for its Airfob Patch access control product. “Airfob Patch is the world’s first mobile-to-RF-card signal translator, enabling mobile phones to communicate with the existing RF card readers,” the company describes.said Suprema Inc. “Wire, batteries nor construction is required for installation. Airfob Patch charges itself by using the existing RF field signals transmitted from the RF reader. It transforms the RF fields into its own power source.”

Beyond the two featured awards, here is the full list of products that were individual category winners from the SIA New Product Showcase: