
With each new year, security becomes a more important issue in every facet of our lives, and that especially applies when it comes to the safety of public spaces. Can today’s architects and designers build increased safety and security right into their buildings? In other words, can we be safer by design?
The answer is a resounding yes, thanks to modern advances in digital audio for security.
The Importance of Secure Design in Buildings
There is a growing trend to make security a design “requirement” for architects, and it makes sense. When architects and designers consider not only the function and look of a building, but also the safety of future occupants and visitors, this forethought can save many potential headaches (and costs) down the road.
The key is to better integrate security solutions into the design process. Architects and designers are making constant choices on what elements to include in their buildings, and security is just one more (albeit critical) choice to make.
Fortunately, thanks to advancement in technology, the systems available today are often more powerful than those just a few years ago. Device size as well as cost have undergone substantial reductions, which means they are now more applicable and affordable than ever, in many more situations.
Digifact™ A: The Simple (and Safer) Solution to Audio Security Design
Architects and designers looking for the best (as well as the simplest) audio security solution turn to Louroe’s Digifact™ A, for a number of key reasons.
Power over the ethernet (“PoE”) Connectivity: This helps to ensure simple and quick installations, reducing the need for “mid-span” devices.
Fewer Location Restrictions = More Design Freedom. While analog microphones may have limitations on their placement location due to the need to be tied into a power source and video camera, the Digifact™ has no such requirements. This means more freedom and less restrictions for architects and can help simplify design.
The Digifact™ A system is a smart Internet Protocol microphone, and its intelligent options include built-in audio analytics (such as detection of aggression, explosions, car alarms, and breaking glass) processing. This ability to detect problems automatically helps to reduce false alarms, and can provide alarm verification, which in turn helps shorten response time by local authorities, as they prioritize verified alarms. The ultimate result: quicker resolution of any problems at the building site, which can mean a substantial reduction in potential damages.
In addition to all its other features, the Digifact™ A has the option to skip audio voice/words recording, while still detecting potential problems. This helps ensure compliance with audio recording laws, since the microphones are only listening for increases in decibel levels and specific sounds. In other words, the Digifact™ A has always-on detection, but only sometimes-on recording; the latter is optional and only used when needed.
Final Thoughts
Security is more important than ever in the work of architects and designers. Thanks to advanced audio products like Louroe Electronics’ Digifact™ A, architects can deploy simple yet extremely effective security solutions in nearly every type of building, with fewer design restrictions than traditional analog audio systems. In short, it’s now easier than ever for new buildings to enjoy the increased safety and security afforded by today’s state-of-the-art digital audio solutions.