TECHNOLOGY
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INTEGRATION & NETWORK SOLUTIONS
A3 Communications Helps Medical Products Firm Ramp Up for COVID-19 Production
Puritan Medical Products, based in Guilford, Maine, was a small manufacturer of lab-grade testing swabs before the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020. With the explosion of the virus, the U.S. government contracted with Puritan to ramp up production, requiring the company to quickly convert two abandoned mills in Maine and one in Orlinda, Tenn., into high-speed manufacturing facilities.
IMAGE COURTESY OF A3 COMMUNICATIONS
Integrator and value-added reseller A3 Communications, based in Irmo, S.C., and its sister company, Cumberland, Maine-based Exactitude (both part of The Cook & Boardman Group), collaborated to complete the two new Maine facilities and do a retrofit for Puritan Medical’s flagship and finished goods storage facility. They provided both D8 and D28 products including doors, frames, door hardware, video surveillance, cloud-based access control and professional services and installation.
In 2021, Puritan again contracted the team to provide the same services, along with structured cabling and interactive A/V, for its 420,000-square-foot Tennessee facility, completing the $2.5 million project in June 2022. In total, A3 retrofitted five facilities.
One of the biggest challenges was not only the fast turnover required for the retrofitting, but the need to meet strict government deadlines and milestones, while quickly converting the facilities to be production-ready, said Marissa Myhill Eason, senior marketing specialist at A3.
“We are most proud of having the opportunity to be involved in a project that had the potential to save lives during a challenging time,” she added. “It was extremely gratifying for those involved.”
The project was one of two runners-up for this year's SDM Project of the Year Award.
Founded in 1990 by F. Joseph Thomas after Hurricane Hugo, A3 was an early adopter of IP-based technology. Now led by President Brian Thomas, A3 has 12 locations across the country and is a founding member of The Cook & Boardman Group’s systems integration (SI) division.
Puritan has had a relationship with Exactitude branch in Maine and was connected to A3 through internal cross-serve initiatives. A3 and Puritan have had an ongoing relationship since 2017.
Going forward, the project includes recurring monthly revenue (RMR) for access control and video surveillance totaling more than $4,000 annually. While there are no service contracts currently in place, there is potential for them in the future. And with five locations currently in operation, expansion and security upgrades are a possibility. — By Laura Mazzuca Toops, SDM Content Editor //
Erickson Senior Living, which houses more than 28,000 residents in 21 communities across the U.S., has modernized and standardized its physical security systems across 16 of its communities with Genetec Security Center. The new platform enables the company to better protect residents, visitors and communities, and deliver a modern, streamlined residential experience, as threats and technologies evolve.
Established in 1983, Erickson Senior Living over the years had deployed a mix of video surveillance and access control systems from different providers, making it difficult for corporate teams to get a global view of operations and security, and hard for them to maintain. Also, as these proprietary, isolated systems aged, they were unable to support newer technologies that enhanced safety and simplified processes for residents.
IMAGE COURTESY OF GENETEC
Dayton Children’s Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, has deployed a new gunshot-detection platform by EAGL Technology as part of the hospital’s overall safety strategy.
One of only 31 independent freestanding children’s hospitals in the country, Dayton Children’s is the Dayton region’s only medical facility dedicated to children. Magnet-designated and recognized as a top hospital by U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals in orthopedics, the hospital has more than 390,000 patient visits each year. Dayton Children’s is home to the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and together with the United States Air Force, shares the nation’s only civilian-military integrated pediatric training program.
IMAGE COURTESY OF EAGL TECHNOLOGY INC.
The concept of a “magical family getaway” has become a reality at The Wizards World of Champions Gate, an eight-bedroom, wizard-themed vacation rental home in Orlando, Fla., that features ornate rooms and automated technology surprises that give guests a truly magical experience. According to Lance Faber, owner of custom integration firm Cyberhomes Systems, the custom-built vacation rental leverages the power of the Control4 system and the latest home technologies to create uniquely exciting experiences for guests of all ages.
The timed motion sensors placed throughout the fully interactive house keep the experience fun and surprising for visitors. For example, when entering the movie theater, a projector automatically starts rolling on the screen and when walking past a storefront animations appear on the wall. However, these events are set on a timer and therefore aren’t always triggered by motion, both preserving the technology and keeping the experience whimsical for guests.
IMAGE COURTESY OF CONTROL4
Teledyne FLIR recently partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in central Montana at the Fort Belknap Reservation to track black-footed ferrets, one of North America’s most endangered mammals.
The goal was to test infrared camera solutions, both as a fixed-mount camera and as a drone payload, to determine if the technology could provide a faster, more accurate method of spotting the elusive ferrets. Ultimately, WWF aims to not only support the repopulation of this endangered species, but to also support the A'aninin and Nakoda tribes living on the reservation in returning the animal to its native home.
IMAGE COURTESY OF TELEDYNE FLIR
Being able to access important video footage from anywhere anytime, day or night, had become a necessity for the Washing Well Laundromat in Jefferson, Iowa. The owners, Tech Zone, wanted to check on their location remotely to help them determine if the laundromat needed any attention such as cleaning, snow removal or general maintenance, while also providing security for both the owners’ and customers’ property.
Tech Zone chose VIVOTEK and a total of five of its indoor and outdoor security solutions for a comprehensive end-to-end AI surveillance solution that integrates deep-learning-based network cameras with cloud video management software (VMS) to solve the Washing Well’s security surveillance solution issues.
IMAGE COURTESY OF VIVOTEK
New Mexico’s Clovis Municipal Schools (CMS) has selected ZeroEyes, creators of an AI-based gun detection-enabled video analytics platform to protect students and faculty against gun-related threats. ZeroEyes’ AI technology is being layered on top of the schools’ existing security cameras, where it will identify brandished guns and dispatch alerts to safety personnel and local law enforcement as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from the moment of detection.
Former U.S. military and law enforcement specialists verify every detection around the clock from the in-house ZeroEyes Operations Center to deliver accurate and actionable intelligence on gun-related incidents, including the gunman's appearance, clothing, weapon and real-time location. They can also de-escalate police response by informing law enforcement if the weapon detected is an AirSoft, BB or other type of non-lethal gun.
IMAGE COURTESY OF ZERO EYES
Brivo, a provider of cloud-based access control and smart building technologies, has partnered with Sanico USA, a facilities management services company, to deliver advanced access control services to locations across the country, including construction sites.
The partnership with Brivo will allow Sanico USA to provide facilities with the most comprehensive security solution on the market resulting in safer job sites. Brivo and Sanico USA will offer improved access control, including biometrics, advanced analytics, AI and remote management.
