Exclusive interview with IDIS Middle East and Africa

ISJ Editor, James Thorpe, caught up with Dennis Choi, General Manager, IDIS Middle East and Africa at Intersec 2024 to uncover the company’s vision and plans across the region.

What solutions did IDIS Middle East and Africa launch at Intersec 2024?

We are seeing more businesses and government entities in the region keen to harness the power of AI video, which is why we’re highlighting solutions developed and trained with our IDIS Deep Learning Engine: Edge-AI cameras, plug-in AI boxes and advanced IDIS Deep Learning Analytics delivered via the enterprise-class IDIS Solution Suite VMS for larger applications.

We’ve recently unveiled an extended range of edge AI cameras, with nine new models including 2MP domes and bullets and 5MP turrets.

The cameras feature the latest Lightmaster NIR technology, giving superior night-time vision and true WDR, with weatherproofing against the region’s most challenging conditions.

This extended lineup lets a range of users target the power IDIS Deep Learning Analytics to exactly where they are needed, for faster and more accurate detection of objects, intrusion events, line cross and loitering.

With IDIS Deep Learning Engine processing at the edge, they reduce the false alarms associated with conventional analytics.

Targeted applications include risk points such as parking lots, perimeters, entrances and exits and internal spaces where staff use classified information, server rooms and high value goods storage.

A big draw for visitors is our new edge AI 4MP PTZ that features 36x zoom, automated or manual AI tracking and night vision up to 400 metres.

Uniquely, the camera offers operators two options for automatically tracking suspicious individuals or objects: Automatic target selection using IDIS Deep Learning Analytics or manual target selection, using free client software, with a simple mouse click.

This makes it perfect for large space surveillance, perimeter protection and more.

Over the last year, we’ve seen major retailers take advantage of IDIS retail devices, such as our plug-in AI Box for Retail integrated with ERP software.

Our solutions for retail now encompass PTZs with built in PoE extenders, edge AI bullets, domes and turrets and a range of Lite Series cameras along with an eight channel encoder that supports third party cameras.

For brick and mortar retail, existing HD analogue, SD analogue and HD-TVI cameras can be simply integrated into a DirectIP network solution, allowing phased upgrades with less waste.

We’re also demonstrating simple and affordable point-of-sale (POS) integration, with our HDMI/VGA video encoder time synched with cameras.

The result is a powerful solution for tackling shrinkage. And with the free IDIS Cloud Manager, teams and managers can add and configure devices remotely.

We’ve also launched new parking guidance cameras.

They feature three 5MP lenses, a 360-degree omnidirectional 12MP lens and a built-in LED indicator, which means the cameras can simultaneously detect up to eight parking bays along with traffic corridors.

Intersec is also the first global showcase for our push to talk over cellular (POC) solutions from our sister company, IDIS Powertel, South Korea’s leading radio communications brand.

Now integrated with ISS VMS, the latest LTE radios feature functions including instant group calling, messaging, GPS location tracking and emergency notifications.

Why is Intersec such an important event for IDIS?

This year, we have seen customers from every corner of the globe attending Intersec to see our next-generation technology, displayed on our stand as an IDIS end to end solution journey with hands-on demos.

The success of Intersec is demonstrated by our 25% CAGR since our first appearance in 2014. Since then, we’ve been steadily building our network of integration partners and customers.

Our Middle East and Africa operation has expanded its sales and tech support to encompass Türkiye over the last three years and that’s helped us win significant new projects.

Across the region, we have continued to build on our track record of delivering large scale end to end surveillance and AI projects in core vertical markets including banking, logistics and warehousing, retail, education, hospitality and critical infrastructure.

Cloud and AI are dominating market conversations. What’s IDIS’ offering in these areas?

Our customers can choose the best of both worlds when it comes to cloud; some use virtualised servers, while others are recording on the edge, to local NVRs and to private and co-located cloud.

Our IDIS Cloud Manager application also lets customers manage all their sites in the cloud, with remote management of individual facilities and branches and remote setup of recorders and cameras.

It provides flexible live monitoring on the move using a divided layout of up to 64 channels.

Users can search up to 64-channels simultaneously via time lapse, event, text-in or simple time movement.

They can quickly back-up or clip videos using the IDIS Player to save .avi files or screen print images.

IDIS Cloud Manager gives the ability to drag and drop, with smooth PTZ controls.

It supports push notification from all registered devices to IDIS Mobile Client, with rapid system access via a simple touch on the push message.

When it comes to AI, we are seeing more rapid adoption of deep learning-based video analytics across many sectors. AI solutions are being used to automate video surveillance processes and enhance situational awareness.

The technology can now help detect and track suspicious activities, identify objects or individuals of interest, and provide real-time alerts.

Deep learning algorithms can also be used to extract valuable insights and patterns; it is providing actionable intelligence in the retail and hospitality sectors, through people counting, heat mapping, queue management and occupancy monitoring.

What are your growth plans and focuses in the Middle East? 

Users in the Middle East are among the most ambitious globally when it comes to taking advantage of new video tech capabilities.

We continue to see rapid modernisation and we are focusing on sectors where IDIS solutions are ideally placed.

Continued investment in countries like the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia is resulting in yet more infrastructure projects, including the construction of airports, ports, roads and buildings.

The result is not just large scale security projects but also smaller opportunities in retail, schools, hotels and logistics hubs.

In critical infrastructure, we see potential for our solutions including our extended parking guidance and explosion-proof camera range and Costar multi-imager cameras.

Tourism and business travel is again booming across much of the region, while the UAE continues to reap the rewards of inward investment from Dubai Expo 2020.

The launch of megaprojects in the UAE are also presenting new opportunities for security systems providers.

Over several years, IDIS has had success in the casino sector, winning large projects with international operators including Merit Casinos and BC Industries.

Last year, the UAE introduced a new regulatory body to oversee commercial gaming, which could see some of the country’s leading hotels adopting casinos as part of their already upscale guest entertainment offerings.

IDIS is well positioned to capitalise not only from its success in surveillance, but IDIS’s sister company Kortek, which has a large international market share of gaming displays and touch screens.

In turn, most casino operators are already familiar with IDIS’s performance, quality and reliability.

We are confident of growth within the GCC nations as well as across Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Türkiye.