IN THE BOARDROOM™ with...

Mr. Robert Gailing
OEM Business Development Manager
Panasonic System Solutions Company
www.panasonic.com

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us today, Robert. Please give us an overview of your background and your role at Panasonic Security Systems (“PSS”). Are there any new strategic directions you’ll be pursuing with OEM's?

Robert Gailing: As a world leader in the video surveillance space, Panasonic wants to capitalize on the strength of our brand as well as our manufacturing strengths and capabilities.

Prior to joining Panasonic, my career in the security market spanned ten years in sales and marketing, including positions with HID, Bioscrypt and Cogent. With Panasonic, my primary focus is the development of new markets and opportunities for our surveillance cameras and iris biometric products and technologies.

An important element of these opportunities will be to develop initiatives towards opening new doors with OEM partners, both for cameras and for iris biometric technology, as one of our main goals is a more widespread adoption of iris recognition technology. Another path we will continue to pursue will be the development of strategic partnerships with best-of-breed organizations to complement our product offerings and capabilities. There is a definite industry shift towards offering more fully integrated solutions, and we have the market presence and industry experience to take a leadership position in this area.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Please tell us about Panasonic’s video surveillance product line. What are your target markets and are there one or two success stories you’d like to mention?

Robert Gailing: With a wide range of video surveillance offerings for both analog and network, Panasonic is considered to be a leader in providing the best image and overall product quality coupled with the a high level of product satisfaction in the industry.

We offer solutions for small businesses to enterprise-level. There are a number of vertical market areas where we focus particular efforts because our solutions fit well with their applications. We call them “Power Zones”, and they include Education, Facilities, Healthcare, Government and Transportation. All these vertical markets are addressed on our website at www.panasonic.com/security.

Several examples of successful application stories include the Cleveland Browns Stadium, Waterside Mall in Virginia, Indiana State Museum and many more. These stories are available to read on our website at www.panasonic.com/security (select the application stories icon).

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: One can read on www.panasonic.com/security that, “Panasonic Biometrics relies on the complex and intricate patterns in the iris of the eye, which are unique to each individual. With a specialized Panasonic video camera, a detailed close-up of the iris of each authorized person is captured into the system. The Biometric software then makes a template or 'map' of each person's iris pattern, and stores it in the system.” Please tell us about Panasonics’ biometrics solutions. What are the target markets for this technology and is there a “win” or two in this space you’d like to talk about?

Robert Gailing: Iris recognition technology provides the highest level of accuracy of any security solution. The pattern of the iris does not change with aging after approximately the first year after birth, so iris images taken at any point in a person's life after the age of one will remain accurate sources of data through adulthood. This is a unique characteristic of iris recognition.

It is a common misconception, which we are working to correct, that iris recognition is the same technology as a retina scan. In fact, the iris recognition used by Panasonic does not contact or interact with the eye in any way. Rather, a picture is taken of the user's iris and stored as a numerical template, which is compared with input data whenever a user seeks to gain access. Our newest generation iris reader, the BM-ET200, will soon be available also with an integrated smart card reader/writer which enables template storage on the card. This gives users the most flexibility and privacy because templates are not stored in a central database.

While all access control applications are potential target markets for iris recognition technology, Panasonic has focused particularly on the most sensitive environments such as the Registered Traveler Program in airports, as well as the Nanofabrication Facility at the University of California Santa Barbara, and the national CHILD project to assist in locating missing children.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: We understand that Panasonic has a number of strategic partners in the security space for access control and card technology. Care to give us an overview of some of these relationships?

Robert Gailing: We have a long list of strategic partners with whom we are working to develop innovative and integrated solutions. These partners, including IDenticard, HID, Lenel and many others, are industry leaders in the fields of access control, card technology, software and other solutions. The full list is available at www.panasonic.com/biometrics.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What resources such as case studies and product demos are available for end-users on www.panasonic.com/security?

Robert Gailing: Panasonic's website offers a wide range of resources such as application stories and live product demos for many of our security offerings. There are also software downloads, information and support for dealers, vertical market information, product training, and so much more. One of our top objectives is to offer as much directly available information as possible to our customers and channel partners via the internet, so it’s possible to access anywhere, anytime, to facilitate their research and the selection and specification of products and solutions.