Sony and Next Level Security Systems team up on cloud-based surveillance

PHILADELPHIA - Next Level Security Systems (NLSS) announced ambitious plans and two newly minted smart phone applications at the ASIS expo, held here from Sept. 10–14.

NLSS plan to collaborate with Sony Electronics Security Systems Division on the development of a cloud-based video surveillance solution.

Combining camera technology from Sony with the newly available NLSS Cloud Services, the surveillance system will allow cameras to automatically configure over the network and connect to the cloud for additional mobility and video storage options, according to a statement from Sony.

The service, planned to be available for a monthly fee, will allow users to easily access on-camera and stored video, and will use the increased flexibility of cloud-based technology for long-term retention of data. Sony will leverage patent pending peer-to-peer technology from NLSS to provide restriction-free access to live and recorded video regardless of the amount of video viewed, clients connected or events reviewed or downloaded.

“This groundbreaking technology will allow us to steam ahead of the competition by offering cloud-based surveillance devices and services that redefine the market,” said Mark Collett, GM of Sony Security Division, in a prepared statement. Collett added that the cloud-based solution “enhances our ability to deliver a variety of security technologies to our growing customer base while providing a high-level of safety, mobility and operational efficiency.”

At ASIS NLSS also announced the release of two new mobile applications: NextMobile and NextProtect. The former transforms smart phones into live-streaming IP cameras. The latter uses GPS on a user's smart phone to turn the devices into “virtual escorts,” according to a Sept. 10 statement from NLSS. Both apps can be used with Next Level's security platform (NLSS Gateway), which combines video management, access control, intrusion, and video and audio analytics into a single platform.