PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
May 17, 2002

  

  

Return to News Releases Page

HONEYWELL AND NEWTON SECURITY TO LINK ENTERPRISE BUILDINGS INTEGRATOR AND NEW T-DAR® SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF UNAUTHORIZED 'PIGGYBACKING,' 'TAILGATING'

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., and SEATTLE, Wash., May 17, 2002 — The Automation and Control Solutions segmen of Honeywell (NYSE:HON) and Newton Security Inc., a privately owned manufacturer of high-technology products for the security industry, today announced an agreement to market a new system that detects unauthorized "tailgating" and "piggybacking" events during entry to buildings and other secured areas.

The agreement allows Honeywell to deliver Newton Security Inc.'s new patent-pending T-DAR™ (Tailgate Detection, Alarm and Recording) system with its industry-leading Enterprise Buildings Integrator EBI) building automation solution in North America. The T-DAR system went on the market in February, targeting commercial and government customers such as airports seeking to improve security around critical doors and passageways. It is the latest addition to Honeywell's EBI suite of applications for access control, integrated digital closed-circuit television (CCTV), intruder detection, fire alarm, asset monitoring and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) total facility management software suite.

"We're pleased to market a product that takes a giant step toward filling one of the biggest gaps in automated security access -- the 'tailgater' or 'piggybacker' who slips behind an authorized card holder while a door is open or past a portal monitoring device in the flash of an eye when they're not being watched by a guard or security camera," said Mark Cherry, EBI global product development manager at Honeywell. "It's also a seamless addition to our EBI applications that support Honeywell's building security and energy control solutions in government buildings, universities and schools, airports and healthcare facilities."

"Most access control systems around secure doors are only effective as long as no one holds the door open," said Newton Security President and Chief Executive Officer John W. Bramblet. "T-DAR takes this problem out of the equation. It detects, announces and records unauthorized entries in real time, enabling a customer's security force to respond in a timely manner."

"Piggybacking" is a security breach that occurs when an authorized person allows co-workers or colleagues to pass through a secure door, negating the purpose of an access control system such as keypad, pass card or biometric identification scanner.

Less common but still frequent is the practice of "tailgating," when an unauthorized person slips behind an authorized person unknowingly, entering into a secured area such as a baggage handling or other airside operations in an airport.

T-DAR uses Newton's sophisticated three-dimensional optical tracking system to monitor people passing through secure portals. The company's proprietary machine-vision technology then identifies and "tags" each human within the view of an overhead-tracking camera. The tag remains on each person as long as he or she remains in the view of the camera.

The T-DAR blends with other proprietary sensors to provide a more accurate and secure barrier than systems that are based on simple break beams and/or microwave sensors, according to Honeywell's Cherry. Besides portals, T-DAR models are available to protect elevators, escalators and vehicular portals.

"Honeywell's selection of T-DAR as a technology to be used with its industry-standard EBI platform is a breakthrough for us," said Newton's Bramblet. "It shows leading customers such as the government, commercial building owners, industrial sites and airports that we have produced a reliable product that's scalable. It is also easy to install and requires no disruptive construction."

Honeywell's EBI is a technology platform that integrates core-building systems and subsystems including intruder detection, digital video, access control, life safety and HVAC into a complete facility management solution.

The T-DAR platform by Newton Security Inc. is designed to shore up the security lapses caused by the inability of most current secure portal electronic access systems to prevent more than one legal entry per authorized passage.

Additional information on Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator, Honeywell Digital Video Manager, or the deployment of Newton Labs' T-DAR system as part of a Honeywell solution, may be obtained by contacting Greg Taylor at 416-502-5396.

Honeywell is a US$25-billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; power generation systems; specialty chemicals; fibers; plastics; and electronic and advanced materials. The company employs approximately 120,000 people in 95 countries and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HON, as well as on the London, Chicago and Pacific stock exchanges. It is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Additional information on the company is available on the Internet at: http://www.honeywell.com

Seattle-based Newton Security Inc. is a privately held provider of high technology solutions to address today's security needs. The company develops and markets high-performance computer driven answers to difficult security problems. Newton Security's products are designed to allow the quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness of computer technology to replace the human element in security applications where the tedious nature of the job, and the high cost of personnel, makes it difficult to maintain the necessary effectiveness of today's security requirements. Newton Security is the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of 3- Dimensional Machine Vision single person detection systems and its T-DAR system has been granted US Patent Number 7,382,895. Additional information may be found at http://www.newtonsecurityinc.com.

Return to News Releases Page