Artificial Intelligence in Access Control
How can AI improve access control?
Access control systems have been around for a decade or more. But technology and innovation have gifted us with a new set of tools for rapidly improving our safety and security response. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) works in the technology powering entryways with touch free, highly secure solutions capable of learning and evolving to continually improve security. AI systems elevate efforts to protect people and assets in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Access control post-COVID
As employers consider bringing employees back to work, controlling hospital entry points is high priority. Now that we understand the health implications of a global pandemic — and busy workplaces as potential breeding grounds for illness — healthcare facilities are giving more thought to access management and questioning how they might do better. Key questions include:
How to handle building access for maintenance and regular deliveries?
How to alter access protocols for staff, patients, and visitors?
How to update operating hours and door schedules at access points?
How to monitor access, exposure, and social distancing in public areas?
In a post-COVID world, awareness of touchpoints in healthcare facilities is heightened. Card readers, security guards, and manual sign-in sheets are no longer sufficient safety and security strategies. Fortunately, the technology to improve access control is available now.
What is AI-driven access control?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a series of computer programming algorithms for interacting with technology in human-like ways. Consider Siri, Alexa, GPS navigation devices, and the search engine you used to find this article. All these tools are AI-driven, and so are the latest innovations in access control. As Security InfoWatch reports, “AI will be able to help in many security-related tasks, such as discerning people from objects at a facility’s perimeter and interior entrances, detecting attempted piggybacking, spotting and analyzing potentially lethal objects and dangerous people, and more.”
AI algorithms have brought us biometrics, including facial recognition for touchless entry. Sophisticated analytics and machine learning allow software to actively improve access control and security response. Pattern recognition features let these tools spot people and objects that could be a problem. So far, the only thing these programs can’t do is stop the security threat. But integrating AI tools with existing video surveillance and other security systems will alert companies to security threats before they erupt. Integrated AI can solve problems, including:
Too many third-party security vendors to track.
Too many security alerts resulting in alarm fatigue.
Slow response times that put everyone at risk.
Trained personnel shortages creating holes in security strategies.
AI improves coordinated response to building access with system integration and automation of manual processes that can slow response times.
How can AI biometric access control improve hospital security?
Cloud technology enables effective use of next-generation AI tools. Real-time video surveillance and alarm/alert platforms integrate with biometric features in increasingly sophisticated AI access control tools. Integration and adoption of these tools solve the unnecessary complexity of multiple disparate security platforms. AI is the technology to tie it all together and increase functionality.
Integrated AI software uses biometric data to spot entry point tailgaters and alert security personnel. For social distancing, analytics can determine when a crowd has gathered and issue an alert. AI integration allows technology to spot the problem and issue the appropriate alerts — without waiting for a manual response.
Integrating next generation AI tools starts with TRL Systems and Alcatraz. TRL Systems designs and deploys integrated security systems in partnership with Alcatraz and their autonomous AI-driven access control platform. Contact TRL today to improve your healthcare facility’s access control.