Security Trends: What’s on the Horizon for 2021?

The coming of a new year often marks the dawn of new trends, and this is certainly the case as we head into 2021. Unsurprisingly, many of the trends we’re seeing on the horizon as 2020 fades in the rear view mirror are directly related to the changes brought about by the global pandemic, and the way it has challenged society to think differently.

The role of security has evolved very quickly over this past year, expanding from protecting assets to promoting healthier and safer environments. Digitalisation has been a major trend in general throughout the pandemic, helping businesses and consumers alike to navigate their way through all the lockdowns and restrictions, and this is no different in the world of security, where touchless and super-integrated technologies are coming to the fore.

Let’s take a look at what 2021 has in store, as the security landscape continues to transform in response to some of the most far-reaching changes of our lifetime.

CCTV to reach a whole new level

CCTV has long been championed as one of the most versatile methods of protecting premises, and the people within it. This year has seen CCTV cameras combined with detection technology to aid COVID-secure measures, such as the management of social distancing measures and the monitoring of facial covering compliance. But this is just scratching the surface of what is possible when CCTV is partnered with other sophisticated technologies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the evolution of security as we move into 2021. AI has the ability to empower CCTV to learn from situations where suspicious activity has been identified manually. Automated decisions can then be made that trigger actions, such as sending notifications to security teams or monitoring centres, sounding alarms or blocking access to certain individuals.

Such systems will use facial recognition to spot individuals who have previously been identified as dubious, triggering access control to prevent them entering the premises. The same technology is able to verify the identity of anyone entering a building, or a protected area within a building, cross-checking facial features with the information held on a key card. All of this takes away the need for painstaking human-based monitoring, making everything so much more streamlined and accurate.

However it’s used, CCTV is set to rationalise the decision making process, significantly improving efficiency and enhancing workplace safety in ways we may never have imagined just a few years ago.

IoT-powered virtual receptionists

Flexible working has to be one of the most common by-products of the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand for flexible and co-working spaces is set to grow considerably over the next few years. And with flexible working comes a need for flexible security.

The days of receptionists keeping an eye out for anyone they don’t recognise and using familiarity to control access are on the wane, as the workplace becomes more transient. This naturally paves the way for Alexa style virtual receptionists, making use of the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect door locks, CCTV cameras and access control, as well as heating and lighting controls, meeting room management, switchboards and more. What we have here are the beginnings of a fully integrated, virtually controlled workplace, with security solutions featuring right at the heart of it.

Touchless technology

With security solutions increasingly being adopted to aid the fight against the spread of infection, it is only natural that a transition to touchless security will follow.

A surge in demand for touchless and mobile-controlled solutions is set to shape the security market in 2021. Whilst working from home became the norm in 2020, there is a marked enthusiasm to get back into the workplace for all the support and motivation it brings. But of course, this means there will be a need for solutions that prevent the spread of germs.

Touchless entry, using Bluetooth or NFC-powered technology, will see a rise in popularity as society becomes increasingly contact-free. However, such technologies only prove the presence of a smartphone or tag; they don’t necessarily verify that the person being granted entry actually has that right.

Iris recognition is safer, and more accurate too, so this is likely to become one of the more widely adopted solutions for touchless access control as we move into 2021. Such technology can also be combined with thermal imaging cameras, which can override access in the event of detecting a high temperature, a potential symptom of COVID-19.

It is clear therefore to see that the future lies with sophisticated, integrated and connected technologies, all of them geared towards protecting people and valuables, and now of course, health too.

75 Years of Security Expertise

At Barry Bros Security, we may have been around for 75 years, but we never stop looking to the future. If there is an emerging trend in the field of security, our experts will be on top of it, using their knowledge to identify potential improvements for our valued customers.

For all the latest security solutions for your home or business, you are welcome to get in touch for tailored advice, or pay a visit to our London showroom to browse our extensive product range.