SECURITY SOLUTIONS TODAY26 Jan 2023
Johnson Controls Collaborates with Alcatraz AI for Intelligent Frictionless Access Control Solution

Johnson Controls announced today a new offering in enterprise-grade frictionless access control with the integration of the Software House C•CURE 9000 security and event management system with the Rock from Alcatraz AI, a powerful edge device leveraging 3D facial authentication technology to protect businesses, people and assets, prevent security breaches, and mitigate risk.

The Rock / C•CURE 9000 solution harnesses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics, using a face as the credential, for an easy to use, touchless and hygienic access control experience for building occupants.

“Enterprise organizations are increasingly being tasked with providing secure and healthy environments within buildings for their staff and visitors, but in a manner that also benefits the user experience,” said Rick Focke, director of Product Management, Enterprise Access Control, Security Products, Johnson Controls. “The C•CURE 9000 and Alcatraz AI Rock integration offers the convenience of frictionless access with the assurance of AI-enabled, facial authentication-based access control within a facility, while also respecting the privacy of the individual user.”

The Alcatraz AI Rock enrollment features ensure employees/users opt-in to the system, and once the individual biometric credentials are authenticated, the Rock does not store personally identifiable information. This autonomous enrollment process streamlines enrollment, offering managed enrollment, self-enrollment, or auto enrollment after a number of device interactions, saving time for administrators and users. The Rock’s advanced tailgate detection and alerting features help address tailgating in real time and provide actionable data to help enforce the human behavioral changes needed to prevent tailgating incidents.

Johnson Controls has successfully deployed the Rock for multiple use cases such as student recreation centers and athletic facilities; corporate lobbies and executive suites; hospitals where they protect critical infrastructure and data, as well as adding an extra layer of protection and authentication in labor and delivery wards and in the pharmacy; critical infrastructure environments such as energy production; pharmaceutical labs and manufacturing facilities; financial institutions; law firms; data centers; airports; and highly sensitive governmental facilities.

In addition to authentication capabilities, the Rock provides an all-in-one solution for video forensics at access points. Using ONVIF Profiles S and T, the video stream from the Rock’s 2MP camera can be added into an organization’s video management system to provide operators door-level visibility at the point of access.

The newest updates to the Alcatraz Rock platform V2 include enabling integration of third-party access control system software, providing advanced features, ensuring increased cyber-security, lowering minimum system requirements, and enhancing troubleshooting tools of the Rock.

“Facial authentication is a much-needed element in access control for buildings because it’s more secure and accurate than many other authentication options, more convenient for end-users, and more efficient for businesses,” said Tina D’Agostin, CEO of Alcatraz AI. “Collaborating with Johnson Controls allows us to provide our autonomous access control solution to enterprises globally and unlock the full potential of biometric technology for physical access.”

The Software House C•CURE 9000 security and event management system has been built in accordance with the globally accepted principles of Privacy by Design in collaboration with the Johnson Controls’ Global Privacy Office. The Global Privacy Office is involved throughout the development of Johnson Controls’ processes, activities, products, services and solutions.

In addition, Alcatraz AI offers best-practice guides and checklists to assist customers in the implementation of processes and policies to protect individual privacy when using the system.