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High-tech robot guards take part in security exercise at Ang Mo Kio MRT station
SINGAPORE, 10 December 2019 – Commuters at the Ang Mo Kio MRT station were greeted on Monday (Dec 9) morning by the sight of Singapore’s latest security officers on wheels: two high-tech robot guards.
The robots – the OB1FORC3 and the K3NOBI models, developed by local security company Oneberry Technologies – are equipped with intelligent surveillance cameras, sensors and video analytics capabilities, were part of Exercise Station Guard.
Exercise Station Guard is an emergency preparedness exercise carried out by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the SMRT to ensure operational readiness and strengthen security in public places.
The robots moved around the premises of the Ang Mo Kio station looking out for suspicious people and unattended items, observed by Senior Minister of State for Transport Janil Puthucheary.
As part of the exercise, commuters also participated in security screenings, which involved walking through a metal detector and having their belongings scanned by X-ray machines.
This is not the first time such robots have been out and about, as 10 K3NOBI security robots were used in July for surveillance and concierge duty for the Interpol World conference at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands.
To update the security measures, contingency plans and operational readiness at public transport nodes in Singapore, similar exercises using robot guards have been conducted since February last year.
The robots are equipped with intelligent surveillance cameras, sensors and video analytics capabilities.
Similar robot guards have been trialled previously at Hougang MRT station.
The LTA also deployed a 1.6m-tall ST Engineering robot that was equipped with seven cameras during a trial at Hougang MRT in December last year.
This robot also had an in-built global positioning system (GPS) as well as sensors which bounced lasers off objects, allowing it to patrol designated areas.
The robots trialled on Monday, however, used intelligent cameras and video analytics to allow security officers to patrol the building remotely.
The use of these “virtual” guard systems also reduces reliance on manpower, allowing security personnel to monitor areas remotely, through the robots’ “eyes”.
As of July this year, Oneberry Technologies had more than over 1,500 virtual guards in Singapore.
This number is set to grow, as the firm raised $30 million in funding in September that would allow it to expand its range of high-tech security and surveillance products, and to grow its presence in the region.
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Oneberry Technologies: Taking security automation to the next level
SINGAPORE, 27 February 2019 – Oneberry Technologies is making moves within the security industry — one robot at a time.
You could say Mr Ken Pereira is a visionary.
His career in the security industry began when he joined a traditional security firm in 2003. He quickly realised there were numerous industry challenges to face head-on.
He explains: “The role of a security officer is to observe, record and report on activity over 12-hour shifts and six-day work weeks. It is no surprise that the security officers were tired from the long working hours.
“Their manual duties included logging observations, incident reporting, and recording visitor information into notebooks. They were also expected to perform physical patrols or be stationed at static posts, sometimes in remote areas with no facilities.
Such inefficiencies also led to miscommunication between the officers, security agencies who hired them, and the security buyers.”
For a better overview of the industry and its challenges, Mr Pereira worked as a security officer to investigate the problems first-hand. His takeaway? He had to improve the way things were done.
That is how award-winning innovative security and surveillance solutions provider Oneberry Technologies was born – and as Mr Pereira explains, “berry” is the cure for the industry, with our concept of man and machine.
Oneberry Technologies’ next move – robot revolution.
Making all the right moves
To date, the 200-plus-strong company with Mr Pereira as its chief executive officer has designed several solutions for the industry.
It designed and deployed Oneberry MobiCams – a rapid mobile surveillance solution enabled with intelligent cameras and powered by fuel cell technology that could run off-grid reliably and autonomously.
During the Trump-Kim Summit last June, these were set up at various sites together with several command centres for the police to provide behind-thescenes support.
Says Mr Pereira: “While technology is pivotal, judgement and decisionmaking remain human-centric. Technology should complement the functions of man, and improve and enhance the level of security and operations. While reducing manpower costs, our solutions ensure that security is not compromised, while elevating the role of a security officer.”
To facilitate this, Oneberry has introduced the Virtual Guard System, an integrated platform of intelligent cameras with video analytics to reduce manpower reliance on physical surveillance or patrolling tasks.
It monitors premises remotely with less reliance on on-site security guards. By using analytics from intelligent cameras, sites are monitored virtually from a command centre, and security breaches trigger alerts to operators.
A patrol team is then dispatched to investigate the matter.Taking things one step further, the tandem implementation of other automated processes such as access control, incident reporting and clocking allow for significantly reduced manpower on site.
Such productivity improvements not only put Oneberry on the map as a reliable specialist technology and service provider, but enable its clients in the public, commercial and residential sectors to enjoy at least 30 per cent productivity and manpower savings.
Collaborating with valued partners
A group of trusted partners are instrumental to Oneberry’s success. These include SFC Energy, for its reliable, off-grid energy solutions that comprise innovative direct methanol fuel cell technology to provide reliable and autonomous power for long durations with no downtime – the perfect power supply for multiple applications and industrial use cases.
Oneberry also works with one of the world’s leading video camera technology manufacturers, Mobotix, to solve real-world challenges in security via its multifunctional IP video systems used in security surveillance deployments.
Meanwhile, professional engineering consultancy CKMbT International has supported Oneberry’s civil, structural, mechanical and electrical designs to the highest safety standards.
Eye on the future
With the new guidelines proposed by the Security Tripartite Cluster (STC), a rise in security costs and heightened threats, Mr Pereira foresees challenges ahead.
He shares: “All licensed security agencies are required to pay their officers according to the progressive wage model ladder. This has been a long time coming for the security workforce, but will translate to an increase in costs to security buyers.
“And from 2021, with the removal of overtime exemption, security agencies will be driven to review their operations and make more efficient use of the manpower, with an already existing shortage of manpower. These new guidelines for security agencies will push security buyers to look into wallet-friendly solutions.”
To mitigate these problems, Mr Pereira aims to continue offering productivity security solutions to help businesses reduce costs while enhancing the level of security.
This will involve constantly innovating as well as looking into launching new technology to raise industry productivity. The company is also aiming to launch its own security robots to further enhance and complement the man and machine concept. This is slated to happen at the Interpol World 2019 event to be held in Singapore this July.
The fuel cell-powered Oneberry RoboGuard is the first customisable security surveillance and inspection robot designed to support ad-hoc security, especially for events.
Says Mr Pereira: “They not only perform surveillance functions, but act as a deterrent on-site. They can also bring multi-functional value to our clients by providing concierge or marketing services. Oneberry is constantly innovating so we can remain on the
forefront of providing cutting-edge technology solutions to our clients, with the value proposition to help our clients save costs.”
The company has received interest from and is looking to venture overseas, which will help continue its journey as one of Singapore’s fastest-growing companies.
Security buyers looking to explore manpower saving technology are invited to the Oneberry Innovation Centre to experience the company’s offering first-hand.
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Four Indonesians who swam to Singapore from a boat off Tuas charged with unlawful entry
SINGAPORE, 13 October 2020 – Four Indonesian men were charged in court on Saturday (Oct 10) with illegally entering Singapore, after they jumped off a boat into the sea off Tuas and swam towards the shore.
The men, aged between 19 and 38, were first detected on Tuas reclaimed land by the Police Coast Guard’s surveillance systems on Friday at about 8.30pm, said the Singapore Police Force in a news release on Tuesday.
The four men were observed to have jumped off an unnumbered boat into the waters off Tuas reclaimed land before swimming towards the shoreline.
The four men jumped off an unnumbered boat into the waters off Tuas reclaimed land. Photo: Police Coast Guard
Coast Guard officers, together with personnel from the Jurong Police Division, Gurkha Contingent, Special Operations Command and Home Team Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Unit were deployed to intercept the men, the police said.
The men were arrested within five hours of being detected, and were handed over to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority for further investigations, the statement said.
If convicted, they could be jailed for up to six months and receive a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The Coast Guard’s Commander Cheang Keng Keong commended the officers’ “vigilance and excellent team work which resulted in the swift arrest”.
He added that the Coast Guard would “continue to take firm action against such offenders to safeguard our waters and sea borders against crime and security threats, including unauthorised entry into and departure from Singapore.”
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Think business first, digital next
How digitalising propelled Oneberry to new heights
SINGAPORE, 26 September 2021 – Growing a business is never easy, but digitalisation can give you the right boost.
Just ask Oneberry Technologies, homegrown company that have been able to leverage digital technology to not only overcome challenges, but also reinvent themselves to keep growing.
Oneberry Technologies: Changing the game in security
Oneberry Technologies founder Ken Pereira with the Oneberry MobiCAM, a rapid deployment mobile surveillance solution supported by intelligent cameras.
With its roving security robots, cutting-edge video analytics and artificial intelligence, Oneberry is today known as a security and surveillance technology solutions innovator. But it wasn’t always so.
In fact, the company originally started out in 2003 by providing security manpower services. And like others in the industry, its security officers would work long hours while juggling various duties, from physical patrols to manually recording observations and reporting incidents.
This inadvertently led to delayed communication or miscommunication with clients at times, an issue in an industry where speed and accuracy are of the essence. Meanwhile, the industry was also facing the prospect of a shrinking and ageing workforce.
Determined to resolve these challenges, Oneberry founder Ken Pereira looked towards digitalisation. The company started by digitalising manual processes to improve efficiency, and later invested in developing security software to complement the security officers’ roles.
In 2006, for instance, the firm rolled out a security management software system to monitor and track movements within a security perimeter in real-time. It meant that security guards no longer needed to record visitor details; fewer guards were also needed.
The digital solutions were welcomed by employees, but not so by clients, who were accustomed to security being performed manually. Mr Pereira was undeterred. As he put it: “They did not want to take the risk. We took the risk.”
So, Oneberry pressed on with its research and development of new solutions, and eventually convinced clients with the promise of at least 30% in manpower cost savings.
Since then, Oneberry has continued to disrupt the notion of needing boots on the ground with game-changing solutions, making the leap from traditional security firm to security and surveillance technology solutions provider.
Take Oneberry’s rapid mobile surveillance solution that’s supported by intelligent cameras with video analytics to reduce the reliance on physical surveillance. This provided the Singapore Police Force with behind-the-scenes support during the historic Trump-Kim Summit in 2018, which the police later described as its most intensive large-scale security operation.
Oneberry continues to grow, leveraging digital technology to expand its range of high-tech solutions and venture into cybersecurity, a new segment for the business.
During COVID-19, the firm also created a software that reads SafeEntry or TraceTogether passes to help clients automate access control at building entrances, keeping up its innovative streak.
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Enterprise Singapore 3rd Run of Scale-Up SG supporting business at the forefront of innovation amidst Covid-19
SINGAPORE, 16 October 2020 – There’s no such thing as the perfect time.
With our third run of Scale-up SG, we’re continuing to support businesses who are at the forefront of innovation, even amidst covid19, with our partner EY.
Keep growing with us: www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/keepgrowing
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Guest-of-Honour, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information at the launch of Oneberry Technologies
SINGAPORE, 6 May 2022 – Oneberry Technologies has been championing automation of security services since 2003.
As we continue to innovate and grow, we have relocated to a 20,000sqf space where our new Regional HQ, R&D & Innovation Lab are housed. Here at Oneberry Building, we have successfully launched our 2nd command centre powered by our patented anomaly detection AI, ARVAS and fortified with Invisiron cyber defence. As we continue our journey in providing more sustainable solutions for the industry, we were delighted to have witnessed the launch of the SFC hydrogen fuel cell in Singapore during our Open House.
We were honoured to have Senior Minister of State, Dr. Janil Puthucheary, present with us at our significant milestone event. Thank you to our valued clients and partners for your unwavering support at our first Open House and we hope that you have enjoyed our showcase of the latest innovative technologies.
We would also like to extend a big thank you to our valued partners who are journeying with us towards greater technological innovation. Our HQ Launch and Open House was a grand success, and we look forward to further partnership opportunities in our future endeavours!
To view full speech: MCI Website | Media Centre
Linkedin: Enterprise Singapore
Facebook: Dr. Janil
Oneberry Official Launch – Post Event Highlights
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Minister Chan Chun Sing Visit to Oneberry Technologies (Minster for Education, previously Minister for Trade & Industry)
SINGAPORE, 22 April 2021 – Visited Oneberry Technologies this morning. It is a leading example of a homegrown SME that has continued to adopt a transformative mindset and push new boundaries to seize growth opportunities. Over the years, Oneberry has transformed its operations by moving from providing security manpower to technology and cybersecurity solutions. This was made possible as the company had built up its capabilities through continued investments in R&D and new technology. New capabilities such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions have enabled the role of security officers to be redesigned and enhanced, providing better job opportunities for our people. The use of registered trademarks have also allowed Oneberry to differentiate their offerings from others and establish a strong market presence. I am encouraged to know that through Enterprise Singapore Scale-up SG programme, Oneberry has also taken steps to internationalise with recently appointed distribution channels overseas in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The government is committed to working closely with industry partners to support the building of a strong core of local enterprises to maintain our competitive edge, and thrive in this increasingly complex operating environment.
Linkedin: Minister Chan Chun Sing
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Home-grown Firm Raises 30m in Funding
SINGAPORE, 6 September 2019 – Home-grown security firm Oneberry Technologies has raised $30 million in Series A funding as it looks to grow its presence in the region and expand its range of high-tech solutions.
The financing round – the firm’s first – was led by Singapore-based private equity firm CMIA Capital Partners and Malaysia-based Bintang Capital Partners.
Oneberry Technologies was founded in 2003 and had been self-funded. It is based in Singapore with a presence in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
Chief executive Ken Pereira said yesterday that global demand is strong for some of its newer solutions, such as security robots, but expanding in South-east Asia made sense as the various markets’ needs are similar to those of Singapore.
“This means the Smart City solutions that we have already delivered in Singapore can be easily replicated in those markets using a plug-and-play model,” he added.
Oneberry offers a range of automated security and surveillance solutions, including robots, smart cameras and cyber security software. It has around 300 employees.
It was among a group of local security firms that supported the Singapore Police Force when United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held their historic summit here last year, deploying smart cameras at 12 different sites.
It also deployed 10 of its KenOBI security robots for surveillance and concierge duty during the Interpol World conference at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands in July.
CMIA founder and managing partner Lee Chong Min noted yesterday: “We are excited to embark on our partnership with Oneberry at such a pivotal time in the company’s growth.
“We strongly believe that… the Oneberry team has the right vision and capabilities to continue to deliver exceptional and innovative solution offerings to clients across all sectors.”
The funding will also allow the company to step up research and development efforts in emerging areas of growth like cyber security.
Mr Pereira said most cyber security solutions are deployed independently in office settings, but Oneberry’s expertise in physical security would enable it to develop solutions that can integrate smart devices with traditional offline surveillance. “These solutions would enable businesses to protect vulnerable IoT (Internet of Things) devices such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras,” he added.
Oneberry was ranked the top company in the security automation category in the Singapore’s Fastest-Growing Companies Survey 2019 organised by The Straits Times and market research portal Statista in February.
Source: The Straits Times
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Waterfront lifestyle at Keppel Bay gets 5G security boost
SINGAPORE, 25 August 2021 – Keppel Bay’s waterfront and yachting lifestyle has received a security boost with the deployment of surveillance robot and camera technology, powered by 5G mobile, telco M1 and property developer Keppel Land announced on Wednesday (Aug 25).
This and related initiatives at the Marina at Keppel Bay are among the first commercial uses of 5G here that are no longer in the testing phase and go beyond basic telecommunications, such as faster mobile Internet downloads.
Using M1’s 5G network, which is faster and has more bandwidth than 4G, a robot at the marina managed by Keppel Land will allow operations staff to monitor the lobby without having to be physically present. It can also help visitors with concierge services such as booking taxis.
Dock patrols are also planned, with a robot to be deployed for this in the first quarter of next year.
The surveillance robot is equipped with tools to help it manage incidents and, among other things, allow marina staff to communicate quickly if an incident happens.
Local security firm Oneberry Technologies, which provided the robot, said that with 5G, the machine is able to send over high-resolution videos for real-time analysis at the backend, such as for identifying security threats quickly and alerting marina staff.
But if 4G were used instead, it might not be possible to send over videos at a similarly high resolution with low latency, or little lag. So, video analysis becomes harder with 4G.
They could also be used to maintain and monitor the cleanliness of the area, and automatically collect garbage floating in the water.
M1 said this would help cut the resources needed to maintain water conditions at the marina.
A 5G surveillance camera has been installed near the docks too, and it can alert staff if unauthorised boats enter the marina. This is done using technology that can automatically analyse the vessels and recognise registered boats.
Marina staff can also perform safety checks and maintenance duties with the aid of a 5G-connected headset that has a camera. Keppel Land estimated that doing so might cut inspection times by half.
This is partly because the headset allows staff to focus on inspections without needing to take notes on paper or tablets because the voice-activated headset can record inspection findings.
It also helps eliminate human errors with manually recording the checks, which Keppel Land said is important in building trust with yacht owners.
With the 5G headsets, marina staff can also relay high-resolution videos of what they see on location in real time to colleagues, and join videoconferences to get remote help. The headgear can also analyse the footage it captures to spot and alert staff of safety issues.
5G also benefits boat owners directly. With 5G, many of them can, at the same time, do video-streaming or conferencing in their yachts parked at the marina with little lag.
Before that, when 4G was used, video jitter and lag could occur.
The 5G network used to power the data transfers of the various applications at Keppel Bay is called a 5G “standalone” network, meaning it uses dedicated 5G equipment.
It differs from the network launched last year called a 5G “non-standalone” network that relies partly on 4G gear.
The benefit of a standalone network is that it offers ultra-low latency and increased network capacity. This means that more devices can be connected to the network with little lag.
Compared with 4G, 5G promises 10 times faster mobile surfing speeds and the ability to connect many more times the number of devices.
For instance, a 3GB movie – about an hour’s duration in high definition – will take around 40 seconds to download on average over a 5G network.
The 5G marina announcement by M1 and Keppel Land, both members of the Keppel Group, is part of the telco’s roll-out of 5G enterprise offerings.
In July, M1 had announced the launch of its 5G standalone network with 50 per cent coverage across Singapore.
Earlier this month, StarHub said it was trialling its 5G standalone network for consumers. StarHub and M1 share the same 5G airwave network but each uses its own 5G infrastructure.
Singapore’s biggest telco Singtel, which runs one of the country’s two 5G networks, said in May that it had launched its 5G standalone network.
M1 said on Wednesday that it would partner businesses across various sectors, including finance, retail and manufacturing, for 5G-enabled ATMs, unmanned shopping experiences with video and data analytics capabilities, and industrial applications using Internet-connected devices.
For retail, M1 is also planning to work with retailers to create digital replicas of their shops so they can manage their outlets using 5G.
The telco will also continue to collaborate with institutes of higher learning to explore new 5G uses.
M1 chief executive Manjot Singh Mann said Wednesday’s marina launch “is a testament to our promise to deliver innovative solutions that redefine how businesses can leverage 5G to improve efficiency while meeting customers’ needs”.
“More importantly, it heralds the beginning of our journey towards more viable commercial-ready 5G solutions that will advance our digital economy,” he said.
Mr Louis Lim, Keppel Land’s chief executive, said the marina roll-out is among the property developer’s ongoing initiatives “which seek to push the envelope of digitalisation and sharpen our focus on customer centricity and engagement”.
Source: The Straits Times
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Local security tech firm Oneberry opens new HQ, eyeing regional expansion
SINGAPORE, 6 May 2022 – Homegrown security tech firm Oneberry Technologies has opened a new 20,000 sq ft regional headquarters in Sims Drive that will house its research and development lab, along with functioning as a second command centre.
The firm is also looking to fill about 30 job vacancies at the new HQ, including for technical roles such as software developers. Oneberry makes robotic “virtual guards” and uses Arvas, a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) platform, to monitor and analyse surveillance footage. It has deployed over 1,500 virtual guards in Singapore.
Speaking at the opening of the new seven-storey Oneberry building on Friday (May 6), the company’s chief executive Ken Pereira said a second command centre was necessary to ensure business continuity in the event of disruptions, for instance power outages, at the first command centre in Pemimpin Drive.
Oneberry also needed a larger space, upgraded infrastructure and more staff as it looks to expand in the region. Mr Pereira said the company current serves clients in 12 countries, including Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, and is aiming to make that 30 countries this year. Oneberry uses AI to detect anomalies in surveillance footage, thus making human monitoring of locations redundant. Examples of anomalies include people fighting, loitering or entering certain premises after hours.
Staff at the command centres are then alerted and human guards can be dispatched to the location if necessary. Using AI has been key to the firm’s expansion, Mr Pereira noted, as it would have been impossible to scale up the business using the traditional, labour-intensive, approach: having security guards monitor the footage themselves, write observation reports, and patrol the sites.
Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Janil Puthucheary, who was at the launch, said digitalisation is no longer merely good; it is necessary. “Businesses today require a certain agility. They need to be able to evolve in the face of constant disruption,” he said. “Today’s solutions may not be valid very soon.” Dr Janil cited the effects of recent geopolitical tensions, such as rising commodity prices, continued technological disruption and persistent uncertainty over the global economic recovery from Covid-19. He noted that Oneberry’s early adoption of digital technologies enabled it to seize new opportunities amid the pandemic. “I am glad to see what Oneberry has become: from a homegrown enterprise which started as a traditional security agency (it has evolved) to an innovative enterprise providing integrated security and surveillance technologies.”
Oneberry on Friday also announced the launch of a new cyber security product called Invisiron. Mr Pereira said the firm has been using the product for its own cyber defence for the last four years and is now ready to offer it to clients. Invisiron helps block attempted cyber attacks against Oneberry, of which there are over 20,000 daily, he added. It can also automatically update itself against new threats in real time, so clients without cyber security experience can use it out of the box, Mr Pereira said.
Source: The Straits Times
