NTT Ltd. in Belgium, a global technology services company, announced the arrival of two new technological solutions in its catalog, specifically developed to facilitate a smooth return to the office. Now that the most restrictive containment measures are behind us, companies are trying to ensure that their office spaces are sufficiently adapted to the new, secure, collaborative context.

Who says intelligent surveillance cameras immediately think of facial recognition. However, according to NTT, its anonymous variant, face detection, is an excellent alternative solution to generate social distancing in an automated manner, after the employees’ necessary consent. The system detects a face in its field of vision but does not associate any identity with it. Smart cameras, fully integrated into a single Cisco Meraki ecosystem of network devices and systems, do this job. The cameras are equipped with V-app software from the Italian company Bizmate.

“Combining innovative hardware and software makes it possible to measure the distance separating people” says Pierre Dumont, country managing director for NTT Ltd. Belgium. “It is more about awareness than punishment: the camera reveals the places and the frequency with which colleagues find themselves too close to each other every day. There is, therefore, no need to carry out active monitoring, although this is obviously possible. It is also possible to associate a distance violation with an alert and send notifications by email, SMS or via a screen.”

This kind of smart camera can be used for many other things. In addition to detecting faces, the camera can also identify masks, for example, or the movements and direction of humans. The camera can also signal a person who is not wearing a mask or moving against the current with respect to the intended direction of traffic. The people counting function of the cameras can also be useful: We can thus know the number of people in a building at any time. Finally, the cameras can also be used as surveillance cameras after the offices are closed.

NTT Ltd. is also launching a new platform to reserve office space. It becomes possible to book a place from your home, enough to be sure to have your own space on the following day(s). The system, coupled with the badge, knows whether or not you are present and can therefore free the space again to benefit another person. This also allows the cleaning team to be informed daily about the places to be disinfected.