Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1327492
64 I ICT TODAY Specific AI functionality, including any software customization, is a bit challenging to quantify and cost. The NVR constantly identified individuals that were in different areas of the building and verified their permissible location. An individual with the designation of "employee" was allowed access to all areas of the facility, whereas individuals with the designation of "A" or "B" were only allowed in areas assigned to those categories. Individuals were restricted to certain areas via credential readers. However, if someone tailgated in and was observed to be in a restricted area, there would be an alert sent to the safety and security officers on site, thereby allowing them to remedy the security problem. The safety and security officers were alerted at their workstation with an alert sent to the wireless keypad that was installed on the adjacent wall of their workstation. Text and email alerts were not only sent to the safety and security officers, but also to five additional designated individuals. Although this large facility had a straightforward floor plan, implementing this type of AI strategy took quite a bit of planning, programming, and testing. This project was never meant to be a fool proof and compre- hensive AI-enabled security solution, but it did fulfill the client's goal to assist the safety and security staff in identifying potential threats and security problems for the inpatient rehabilitation facility. OTHER ICT CONSIDERATIONS FOR AI IN ESS PROJECT SUCCESS Budget Budgeting starts with an accurate scope of work at the beginning of the project. It is important to sit down with the end users to determine what ESS systems are required. As an ICT professional, suggestions based upon facility type, industry standards, and specific customer require- ments need to be brought to the table for consideration. Preliminary decisions need to be made about specific cabling mediums (e.g., Cat 6, 6A, optical fiber), hardware requirements, and acceptable manufacturers including interoperability concerns and any sole sourced items that are mandated due to project type. Specific AI functionality, including any software customization, is a bit challenging to quantify and cost. Typically, they are considered to be "soft costs" because there may be ongoing operational expenses, such as licensing, updating firmware, and extending warranties. Early in the project, it may be prudent for the ICT professional to meet with a few integrators that would be qualified to perform and customize the installation in order to determine a rough order of magnitude (ROM) because these types of costs can be substantial. Arriving at the end of the project without these costs accounted for may derail the important AI functionality and the project's objective for its security strategy. FIGURE 7: There are many considerations for AI in ESS when securing a facility.