Security was once half mechanical, half human resources. Then came CCTV systems; and from thereon, security borrowed a page from the consumer electronics book and started to grow to a point where it could establish itself as a new segment.

A new breed of image sensors along with powerful video compression algorithms joined hands with A/V chips to create efficient, novel surveillance solutions.

The next big thing was the emergence of biometrics that transformed access control applications. It opened doors to all sorts of possibilities from RFID tags to face recognition, and took security products to the high-tech realm.

In fact, in the early going, security products already seemed to be advancing the CE agenda given their heavy reliance on A/V devices for the surveillance services. But then the RF magic meshed into both surveillance and access control domains, creating a fresh genre of applications and a whole new level of design sophistication.

The marriage of wireless and A/V devices is changing the form of surveillance and remote monitoring. Carmakers are already on the forefront with the realizations of products such as rear-view systems with LCD screens and car-parking cameras.

The twilight zone of radio and semiconductors was no less evident at the recent China Sourcing Fair in Hong Kong, where Security Products pavilion stole much of the limelight.

'Your security is our business' was one of the slogans welcoming visitors, along with a plethora of security products, ranging from wireless 2.0 USB cameras to wireless camera kits.

Security products are writing a success story for the much talked-about convergence as silicon building blocks in the form of SoCs, cheaper memory devices and software algorithms like H.264 and MPEG-4. Other key trends evident at the Security Products pavilion were form-factor appeal and the sleek use of displays.

But if there is one thing that towered over the rest, that is connectivity, enabled by the Internet protocol (IP)-based networks in some cases and by RF-based wireless in others.

The scenes of convergence at the Security Products pavilion also spark hope that Asian makers could acquire a far more vital role in this emerging segment.

The increasing design sophistication and the confidence that these makers from Hong Kong, mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan carried point to something more than manufacturing and cost advantages. These makers seem to have immersed themselves into this new industry and the flow that is driving it. And they seem to understand that what they need to build on top of their manufacturing strength is greater design know-how. Given the fact that the majority of the security product manufacturers deal with not only finished products but also subsystems like video capture cards, a certain level of design know-how is imperative anyway.

Not to say that this drive for new-age security riches will be without any hitches. Like any other new and growing industry, products are mostly based on proprietary systems. Perhaps, makers in Asia may want to take a more proactive role in the shaping of future standards for security products.

This will not only produce a greater confidence that will improve the Asian design learning curve, but will make these manufacturers more comfortable on issues related to intellectual property.

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