Integrator: BCM Controls Corporation
Using iRa C3 to Monitor Convention Facilities and Traffic Patterns

Mission

Safety is a number one priority for the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA), with one caveat – safety measures must enhance the visitor experience, not detract from it.

“Too often the burdens of additional security features in other venues are passed on to visitors by creating longer lines or less freedom,” said MCCA’s Public Safety Manager for Technology, Rob Noonan. “Our goal is always to support a positive visitor experience because that is what brings people back to us.”

The four facilities that make up the MCCA include the Boston Commons Garage, MassMutual Center, John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center, and Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Each facility is equipped with state of the art network cameras that provide a wide variety of flexibility for the MCCA Public Safety personnel in response to security and public safety issues. There are plans to further increase network camera coverage at each facility in the future due to the initial implementation’s rapid success. Public Safety personnel were using Windows Mobile PDAs to access video remotely, but the video quality, usability, and customization options limited the capacity in which they could be used to view events in realtime

The MCCA team needed an easy-to-use platform that allowed them to see and control high quality, realtime video to manage their staff and facilities during events, and traffic flow in their parking facilities before and after events. The solution also needed to be quick to set up, easy to maintain, and to fit in with their long term technology goals.

Solution

The MCCA purchased licenses of iRa C3 video surveillance software to access and control 200+ cameras across the four facilities using their iPhones, iPod touches and web browsers. It is being used to manage events, the physical facilities, and even staff.

Video is now delivered in realtime and the implementation on the iPhone provides a very natural and easy user experience. Users are taking advantage of iRa C3 customization features, allowing video to be delivered to the right person at the right time. Video from multiple servers in different locations can be presented on screen at the same time. Video can even be shared with local law enforcement if the need arises. Lextech Labs has enabled MCCA to maximize its video infrastructure by expanding the use of cameras beyond historical recording to also leveraging cameras for real-time events. Additionally, MCCA staff are now more productive because they make decisions with more complete, actionable video information.

BCM Controls contacted Lextech Labs to implement iRa C3 for the MCCA. BCM Controls is a leading provider of building automation,security systems, and energy services for commercial, institutional and industrial clientele. Their focus is to provide business solutions addressing workplace comfort, security, and energy services.

“The implementation of iRa C3 was accomplished by having MCCA IT Personnel, BCM Controls Corporation, and Lextech Labs working together to configure the network gateways,” said Steve Feinberg of BCM Controls Corporation. “From there, BCM configured all cameras and access to cameras via the iRa C3 easy to use setup menus.”

“Lextech Labs and BCM Controls were both phenomenal in their understanding of our needs, and iRa C3 is a great resource” said Noonan.

Result

The overall cost for iRa C3 was less than 2% of MCCA’s overall security infrastructure budget, and the value it has provided to date is “almost incalculable” according to MCCA staff. The use of mobile video surveillance saves time on investigations, lets management dispatch and respond to incidents with appropriate resources, and even reduces the amount of management staff required on site.

“Safety has increased, traffic flow is better – a lot of things our attendees would be unaware of that are really helping them. One of the true benefits of iRa C3 isn’t just knowing what is going on, but having the first hand knowledge so we can call in the right resources to resolve an issue,” said Noonan.

iRa C3 proved its value during a recent emergency event at an MCCA facility. The emergency occurred off hours, and the management staff needed to describe the scene and answer questions for higher level executives. While Public Safety management was en-route to the emergency they were able to use iRa C3 and communicate what they saw effectively to the executives responsible for making the critical decisions and resolving the issue.

Earlier this year, a VIP was speaking at a convention when someone left a silver container in one of the drop-off lanes of the convention center. It looked like an unattended brief case and was called into the Public Safety Department
as a suspicious package. Management was able to see the video on iRa C3 and make a judgment call to determine it was not a threat. The ability to make this decision prevented a potential evacuation of the 25,000 visitors, which can be a serious hazard. The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is New England’s largest convention venue.

“It is a huge safety risk to evacuate a building especially unnecessarily. It pushes people out on the roadways, causes people to leave in a direction in which they didn’t enter the facility and can be very confusing, “ said Noonan. “iRa
C3 let us focus our attention to the potential threat in real time and make an informed decision. That is extremely important for us.”

iRa C3 Fits into Future Tech Plans

The MCCA is migrating all of their cameras from analog to IP, a process that is a little over half way complete and expected to be finished in the next year or so.

iRa C3 was developed to IP standards to make integration with each new camera as simple and fast as possible.

Beyond Security

Recent investments in mobility made iRa C3 for the iPhone an easy choice. The MCCA already has 2 iPhone applications released, myBCEC and myHynes. These apps tell users where to eat or stay around the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center and how to get transportation.

“One of the first reasons we were attracted to iRa C3 was the potential it had to be used outside of the security department,” said Noonan.

Cameras have been recently installed on the roof of one facility to monitor a heat trace. Engineering and maintenance staff will soon be able to watch cameras via iRa C3 to make sure the HVAC and the heat trace is working properly. Event
planners have requested cameras and access to iRa C3 to manage ballroom set up remotely. The MCCA is also exploring the possibility of offering access to for exhibitors as a way to enhance security surveillance around specific booths.

“There is really no limit to how many uses we can find for iRa C3,” said Noonan. “We are able to manage the building as a whole instead of just one location at a time.”

The right candidate will have 3-10 years of marketing experience, preferably a mix of B2B and B2C. A strong interest in technology and the ability to translate technical jargon to business value is a must. This role is both marketing content producer and manager.

Role Responsibilities

• Identify, develop, implement, and evaluate the success of short term tactical marketing plans
• Identify and evaluate potential markets for products and services
• Support business development with sales presentations & materials
• Measure the effectiveness of marketing activities and adjust future plans accordingly
• Create and maintain compelling content for marketing website and partner portal website
• Maintain social media accounts
• Manage media correspondence
• Provide weekly marketing activity status reports to executive team
• Trade show planning, promotional material creation and vendor management

Desired Background

• Social media savvy
• Experience working with a limited marketing budget
• The achievement of frequent, timely and positive media coverage for a product or service
• Success in leveraging corporate social media accounts to drive product sales
• Experience marketing SaaS and software products
• Experience marketing to first responders, law enforcement, federal agencies and enterprises is a plus
• Basic html knowledge

Company Description

Lextech Labs LLC connects people to video in real time to provide actionable intelligence. We deliver these solutions to groups that need mission critical delivery of video — law enforcement, government agencies, educational systems and private sector companies.

If you’d like to be a part of our team and are based in the Chicago, Illinois area (no telecommuting please), send your resume and samples of your work tocareers@lextechlabs.com.

“C3 is the world-class solution for law enforcement agencies and government agencies of all kinds. C3 is playing a critical role in the day to day activities of first responders. It is imperative users are kept out of harms way and C3 is the solution that is making this possible while still keeping eyes on target,” states Jeff Gibson, President of Lextech Labs. “DISI is delivering a complete solution that is providing the law enforcement professionals with actionable intelligence enabling them to make better and safer decisions. The combination of robotic technology and C3 is saving lives.”

Lextech Labs is very proud of our Channel Partner family. Many of our partners are doing extraordinary work in helping their customers achieve great success. We have decided to recognize, on a monthly-basis, Channel Partners that demonstrate the following attributes:

Solid understanding of C3 and its value to their customers

Actively promoting Lextech Labs and C3 to their customer and prospect base

Actively growing, managing and communicating C3 pipeline with Lextech Labs

Demonstrated ability to sell C3

Commitment to excellence in service delivery

Promote increased awareness in the real-time video surveillance/mobility marketplace

“We have seen a massive surge of security awareness in the educational institution market place. Independent Locksmiths has developed a program to capitalize on these opportunities,” explains Jeff Gibson, President of Lextech Labs. “By focusing their efforts on a solution that can be easily reproduced and implemented in similar educational facilities, they have created an excellent growth opportunity for themselves and C3.”

Lextech Labs is very proud of our Channel Partner family. Many of our partners are doing extraordinary work in helping their customers achieve great success. We have decided to recognize, on a monthly-basis, Channel Partners that demonstrate the following attributes:

• Solid understanding of C3 and its value to their customers
• Actively promoting Lextech Labs and C3 to their customer and prospect base
• Actively growing, managing and communicating C3 pipeline with Lextech Labs
• Demonstrated ability to sell C3
• Commitment to excellence in service delivery
• Promote increased awareness in the real-time video surveillance/mobility marketplace

You can also check out a video highlight on WICD ABC News Channel 15′s Top Stories clip of how University Police are using iRa C

Other winners in the Technology category include: 3M Mobile Projection Technology, from 3M, OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown Technology, from OnStar, and Livescribe Pulse Smartpen, from LiveScribe Inc.

Lextech Labs Founder, Alex Bratton, accepting the award from Debbie Adler Myers, General Manager of Discovery’s Science Channel.

About the Edison Awards (from Edison Award Press Release)
The Edison Best New Product Awards, presented last night by Discovery Channel, honored a wide range of new products and product innovations at an awards gala held at The Capitale in lower Manhattan.  New and innovative products in eleven categories, from high-tech gizmos including a mini-car and a high performance electric motorcycle to consumer packaged goods such as the world’s first mass market gluten-free mixes, were recognized for innovation and invention in the spirit of Thomas Alva Edison, America’s greatest inventor and innovator.

Edison Best New Product Awards are given annually.  The Award was founded 23 years ago by the American Marketing Association.

The Edison Awards, a peer-review honor similar to the Oscars (one newspaper called them the “Oscars of Innovation”) is voted on by roughly 2,000 members of the not-for-profit Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), an association of America’s top executives and academics.  The awards symbolize the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Alva Edison, America’s premier inventor, inspiring America’s drive to remain in the forefront of innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy.

More information can be found at www.edisonawards.com.

• Solid understanding of C3 and its value to their customers
• Actively promoting Lextech Labs and C3 to their customer and prospect base
• Actively growing, managing and communicating C3 pipeline with Lextech Labs
• Demonstrated ability to sell C3
• Commitment to excellence in service delivery
• Promote increased awareness in the real-time video surveillance/mobility marketplace

We are pleased to announce that Sentient 7 (S7) is the Partner of the Month for April 2010. They are currently involved in numerous exciting projects including real-time video surveillance security for metropolitan transit systems and for educational institutions.

“S7 has done an excellent job of incorporating the C3 product into their solution offerings,” explains Jeff Gibson, President of Lextech Labs. “They recognize the true value of our solution and the many applications for its use. S7 has already successfully implemented C3 in the Beverly Hills California Police Department. We are confident they will continue to be one of our most valued partners.”

We are excited to announce that Apple has recognized iRa C3 Command Center for the iPad by featuring the new app in the “New and Noteworthy” section on the front page of the iTunes App Store!

See the screenshot above or check it out for yourself by visiting the App Store and clicking the iPad tab in the New and Noteworthy section.