Built in 2002, Continuum in South Beach is a two-tower 38-story resort-style oceanfront condominium located on the southernmost tip of Miami Beach in South Florida. Set on twelve acres of manicured grass, with three clay tennis courts, two pools and an outdoor restaurant, property prices range from $1.5 to $35 million. The exclusive development is protected around the clock by trained personnel, using the latest video surveillance technology to ensure the security, privacy and comfort of its residents.

iDentyTech Solutions has been the security provider for Continuum since 2016. This specialist in intuitive identity management products and solutions was tasked with implementing state-of-the-art biometric access control at the 203-unit North Tower, as well as the common areas. Using the multi-spectral imaging fingerprint and facial recognition technology, iDentyTech outfitted each door on site with its own IDTWallmount.  

When iDentyTech came on board as Continuum’s security provider, outdated cameras were in use sporadically across the site, leaving several blind spots and missed areas of coverage. With iDentyTech’s knowledge and security expertise, Continuum could identify these blind spots and installed new cameras, adding over 100 cameras to the property in 2017 alone. Most recently, iDentyTech has added its facial recognition platform to Continuum, using the latest AXIS cameras as the preferred facial recognition camera brand. These new AXIS cameras enable Continuum to take advantage of iDentyTech’s powerful in-motion facial recognition software capabilities, being installed at entry points to the property, and now being offered to control elevators, allowing residents to be immediately authenticated and then taken directly to their floor — all without needing to push a single button. To date, iDentyTech has upgraded all of Continuum’s 230 internal and external surveillance cameras.

To optimize the performance of the new, all IP network surveillance camera infrastructure (including a combination of outdoor dome, wide angle, multi-directional, bullet and 4K resolution cameras), a powerful, scalable and high availability video management system (VMS) was required. Qognify, an AXIS partner with many field proven integrations and a recognized leader in the VMS market, was the obvious choice. With Ocularis offering support for more than 5,000 different devices from over 80 different hardware manufactures, it provides the scalability and futureproofing required for a site that demands the latest and very best security technology. 

“iDentyTech already had a long and trusted relationship with Qognify,” said Ross Logan, director of support and customer relations, iDentyTech. “In fact, Ocularis was the first official VMS integration with our own identity management software, IdentyManage. It was the obvious choice for the North Tower project.” 

Qognify’s Ocularis 5.4 Ultimate was specified and deployed at Continuum on South Beach’s on-site command center and currently manages 264 channels, and that number is growing. It is the perfect VMS for such an environment where the emphasis is on tactical real-time operations and live visualization. The command center is manned 24/7/365 by skilled security operators, who monitor every camera feed from three workstations, via a video wall made up of six 50-inch 4K monitors in a two by three grid. Combined with Ocularis, the IdentyTech C4I solution on site currently manages access control, video surveillance, LPR, visitor management, vehicle entry and all amenities. 

Continuum on South Beach’s surveillance system made the headlines in August 2018 for aiding the police when its cameras captured footage of a suspect connected with a killing in Alabama, who was in turn arrested. 

“The combination of Axis cameras and Ocularis truly presents the best of what is possible in high quality video surveillance, allowing us to provide the security, privacy and protection our customer expects,” Logan said. “The integrated system is also important to the comfort of residents. Cameras are trained on every access controlled door and constantly monitored, ensuring those permitted to enter and exit these areas are not impeded.

“The support we receive from Qognify is excellent. It provides us with the solid foundation we need to grow and evolve the security infrastructure at the Continuum in South Beach. The feedback from the command center team regarding their day-to-day experience of using Ocularis is excellent. It gives them a single, user-friendly interface that they can rely on for real-time surveillance monitoring, flagging, playback, instantaneous investigation and alert management.”