ICx Technology acquires video company PureTech

ICx Technologies, known for its security products used in homeland security and commercial security applications, announced this morning that it has acquired PureTech Systems. The Phoenix-based firm PureTech Systems has delivered automated surveillance and video analytics (a.k.a., intelligent video) solutions; it will now be known as ICx Vision Systems and will be operated as a division within ICx Technologies.

PureTech's strong-suit was video analytics tied to a wide area surveillance solution for a domain awareness offering. The PureActiv wide-area surveillance system links camera controls and positioning with alarm/sensor management and video analytics into a command and control system that can operate using facility/campus maps. The PureActiv solution featured a rules engine, such that policies and procedures could be determined based upon response from different sensors and cameras. The company also offers the Scene Analyzer, a system that uses video cameras as perimeter security sensors. Parent company ICx is known for chemical and biological threat detection sensors.

According to Doug Knight, ICx's senior vice president, the acquisition means they can integrate the PureActiv GIS video/sensor management solution with ICx threat detection sensors or with sensors from other firms. The chief benefit that ICx seems to be acquiring is PureTech's development of security-focused geographical information systems, which can provide value to end-users in terms of jointly managing video surveillance, alarm and sensor arrays.

"ICx Vision Systems specializes in advanced video analytics technology and command and control features that use technologies based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS)," said Knight in announcing the acquisition. "By integrating PureActiv with the ICx Cameleon VMS and Starwatch ACS/IDS systems, all developed using a .NET architecture, ICx has a state-of-the-art SMS and C2 platform that creates interoperability with ICx- and third-party sensors for CBRE and wide area surveillance."