Axcess' wireless sensor and alert system enables wireless sensing

-- Control Engineering, 8/15/2002

Dallas, TX - Axcess Inc. unveiled Aug. 13 a wallet-sized device, selling for less than $20, that can turn standard alarms, biosensors and chemical sensors into wireless sentries, capable of sending alerts over landline or wireless systems. The company says its device will enable rapid, economical deployment of pervasive sensor networks, which was a key need highlighted in a recent National Research Council Report on Counter-Terrorism.

'We've broken the cost barriers that stood in the way of broader deployment of wireless technology, and opened a new era for sensor-based security systems,' says Allan Griebenow, Axcess' ceo. 'Once you do away with wiring, you can install a lot quicker, and design systems with sensors in places that were previously cost prohibitive."

The new device, Universal Sensing Appliance (USA), attaches to any sensor with an electronic interface. It interprets the sensor's data, and wirelessly transmits to network servers. The event is recorded; a response is generated; and alerts are broadcast immediately. The USA wireless unit can also enhance the utility of sensors and systems that monitor occupational safety and manufacturing processes.

Axcess adds that USA is part of an overall system that brings together all of its technologies, including active, battery-powered radio frequency identification (RFID), networked digital video and integrated browser-based software. It can accommodate many commercial and industrial sensors, and immediately identify, transmit, record, alert and notify users about safety violations, security breaches and potential terrorist threats.

'The complete end-to-end solution includes gathering and interpreting sensor data; transmitting it using wireless technology; and then networking the information over the LAN or Internet to wherever it's needed. This information can be presented in any fashion desired by the end-user, including custom-based alarm criteria that triggers instantaneous alert messages over the network,' says Wayne Steeves, Axcess' RFID Engineering vp.

Sensors now available include a motion sensor for unauthorized movement of assets; a shock sensor to detect malicious activity; a tamper sensor to identify attempted theft; a contact sensor to determine intrusion; a temperature sensor to detect machinery and computer asset condition; personnel tracking tags linked to safety zone sensors; and intelligent video detection algorithms. Sensor data is transmitted to palm-sized network-based receivers that can deliver sensor information locally or over the Internet.

The entire system owes its flexibility to Onlinesupervisor browser-based software. Users can customize the dashboard display to show data in which they're particularly interested. Raw transaction data is available, along with user-defined alerts, and these can be investigated in greater detail. For alerts with video surveillance, both recorded video events and live video of the area are directly linked for immediate review. The user can also define the list of recipients for e-mail or pager alerts.

'Our commitment has been to address the challenges of 21st Century physical security using automation-oriented technologies to improve productivity and extend the reach of the security network. We first implemented sensors in our data center security application. By having the complete solution, from interpreting the sensor data to immediate alerting, we are unique in meeting the challenge, and we feel this platform will give us sales leverage in the homeland defense, industrial safety, and manufacturing markets,' says Mr. Griebenow.

Control Engineering Daily News Desk
Jim Montague, news editor
jmontague@reedbusiness.com