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In January, Nortek Control made headlines at CES 2021 by winning the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)’s 2021 Security and Surveillance Product of the Year Award for its 2GIG EDGE Security and Automation Panel; however, details of the product itself were veiled in secrecy, as the company awaited the product’s official March launch date.
On Tuesday, Nortek officially introduced the panel to security integrators and consumers, revealing a slim touchscreen with built-in high technology features such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and edge analytics, face recognition-based touchless disarm, and ONVIF camera compatibility.
I was able to get a first-hand look at the new panel in an exclusive briefing with the Nortek senior leadership team, which included President and CEO Chris Larocca, SVP of Global Sales and Marketing Bruce Mungiguerra, VP of Product Management Quinto Petrucci, and VP of Marketing Richard Pugnier. The product launch is the first since Nortek Control rebranded from Nortek Security and Control in late 2020.
“Rebranding the company to Nortek Control was a necessary and exciting transition as we continue to see growth and technology innovation throughout the brands we represent,” Larocca said. “The evolution of the company involves a key focus on analytics and machine learning.”
New Design Inside and Out
Compared to its predecessor, Nortek made several design improvements – including making the EDGE panel 50% thinner than the
popular 2GIG GC2e with double the screen size and a higher resolution display with vastly increased brightness.
The company also doubled the unit’s speakers and microphones to enable two-way voice communication, and they added noise and echo cancellation.
Additional features include built-in radio, wi-fi and glass-break sensor. It is built on a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor for more speed and power than its predecessors.
Facial Recognition Technology
Beyond the design improvements, the new panel also adds facial recognition disarm functionality.
Security integrators may recall that Nortek first made its foray into integrating facial recognition and home control panel technology when it introduced added facial recognition functionality to its ELAN panels for smart home control at ISC West 2019. Face recognition in the control panel’s camera personalized the user experience with a flyout menu for instant access to individual smart climate control, lighting and media settings, specially tailored for each user.
Nortek has taken this functionality several steps further with the EDGE panel, enabling users to disarm with facial recognition biometrics using edge analytics technology built into the panel. Petrucci noted at the press briefing that all biometric data is stored only on the panel – it never goes to the cloud, which ensures a homeowner’s biometric data stays secure. The product release notes that once a homeowner’s biometric data is deleted, it is deleted permanently. In the end, it is a secure way to disarm without having to remember codes.
“We know that face recognition is a convenient plus, and to ensure consumers are confident with this feature, the panel processes analytics on the edge, so sensitive biometric data is never sent over the internet,” Petrucci adds. “Anti-spoofing technology ensures only the real live person can disarm the system.”
Integration Options
Nortek developed the panel to be the center of the smart home, Larocca explained, so the company sought to make the panel
compatible with many technologies. It is compatible with the latest Z-Wave 700 series platform, which enables integration with any Z-Wave products. Less common is full compatibility with ONVIF standards to enable full integration of any compliant cameras with the system.
Both integrations enable users to seamlessly connect to cameras, doorbell cameras and directly view video in real time from up to eight different camera feeds.
Integrators can customize the panel to a homeowner’s personal needs with controls, rules, scenes, notifications and Smart Areas zone partitioning. As popularized with the GC2e, the EDGE panel also includes encrypted communications and sensors.
Larocca added during the press briefing that the GC2e will not be going away; instead, the new EDGE panel will usher in a “good-better-best” type of product model for consumers to have more choices from their integrators.
Product introduction and training for dealers on the new panel has already begun and is available at www.2gigedge.com.
Paul Rothman is Editor-in-Chief of Security Business magazine. Access the current issue, full archives and subscribe at www.securitybusinessmag.com.
Learn more about this product and request more info at www.SecurityInfoWatch.com/21215620
