Vokord Vocord

Vokord company — the Russian developer and the producer of intelligent transport systems, professional video surveillance systems and video analysts.

Products and projects of the company for June, 2019:

• The system of biometric face recognition "on the fly" with sex determination and age
• The system of security in service premises and warehouses
• Automation of functions of shipping control of goods
• Algorithms for automatic license plate recognition on routes, streets, parkings and barriers
• Video surveillance and video analytics
• Algorithms for determination of counterfeits and improvement of a digital photo and video content

History

2019: Sale of intellectual property of Huawei

On June 3, 2019 it became known of sale of intellectual property of Vokord company of the Chinese Huawei. The last also received a part of a team of the Russian developer of video surveillance systems. Read more here.

2016

The state — more than 120 people

The Russian developer and the producer of the professional video surveillance systems and telecommunication solutions intended for state customers, medium and large business.

The company is founded in 1999. As of 2016 its state makes more than 120 people. More than 80% of employees are mathematicians, developers and engineers.

Vocord conducts developments in the field of the video analysis: machine vision, face recognition, recognition of numbers of machines. With the project of the 3D system - sight and face recognition Vokord became the resident of Skolkovo Foundation.

Among customers of the Vocord systems - MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS FSB FSO"Rosatom" RAO UES, "Gazprom", MegaFon, "VimpelCom", "FGC UES", retail networks "Dixy", "Magnet" and many other government institutions, telecommunication companies, manufacturing enterprises, retail networks and banks. The Vocord systems work in tens of projects within programs "Safe city" in Russia and abroad.

Vocord - the participant of ONVIF, PSIA, AIA professional associations, the Russian biometric society.

Entry into the markets of the USA, Canada and Europe

Vocord is going to invest about $9 million in the short term in development of the business abroad, told in the company in October, 2016. In addition to India where Vocord began to work in 2014, the company tries to leave to Gulf States, Europe, the USA and Canada now.

The project on large-scale world expansion started in 2015. Explaining the reasons of an entry into the new markets of foreign countries, the CEO of Vocord Timur Vekilov noted that 17 years and it is time for company to leave "the parent house". Besides, lately the company made significant breakthrough in the field of technologies, he added. For example, transferred the solutions for Vocord FaceControl face recognition to a new, neural and network algorithm. In September, 2016 the algorithm on face recognition of Vocord won first place in the test of the University of Washington Megaface, having recognized correctly 75.1% of persons.

Abroad Vocord places emphasis on sales of solutions for face recognition

The beginning of activity in the new markets was preceded by thorough training, Timur Vekilov says. Customers needs, the legislation, models and perspectives of business in all these markets very different and significantly differ from the Russian.

India became the first market of which "took notice" and began to master Vocord. The CEO of the company told that initially Vocord expected to deliver the solutions in security segment here, but this business did not go yet. Many people live in India, they need jobs therefore some functions, for example, fixing of numbers of transport, prefer to perform almost "manually" here, but not to automate, explained TAdviser in Vocord.

Delivery of the solution for a time recording of employees based on a sensing technology of persons for one of call centers became one of the first projects in India for the company, told in Vocord. Vocord works with one partner on an exclusive basis in India.

The beginning of work in the markets of Gulf States became the next step. Here so far case did not reach real projects: as of October of Vocord studies a possibility of participation in a number of projects in the field of security of the airports and in retail and selects partner integrator. It is essential to increase investment activity in this region the company does not plan yet as this market sees rather risky so far. During 2017 the company is going to invest in this market about $0.8 - $1 million.

Until the end of 2016 Vocord is going to register the company in Canada for work in the North American market, the CEO of the company Timur Vekilov told, answering questions of TAdviser during the press conference in October. Earlier the company was registered in the Canadian business accelerator. Creation of the local legal person in certain terms – one of conditions of participation in it, was explained in the company.

In Russia solutions of Vocord are used, mainly, in the systems of fixing of violations of traffic regulations and security systems, however in the USA and Canada at the initial stage the company sees the main customers retailers. For this Vocord segment is going to create the adapted solution based on a sensing technology of persons allowing to trace the time spent of sellers for jobs: their frequent absence in working time – a problem for many retailers in the USA, is explained in Vocord. Is going to offer it on service model.

Having proved in this segment, afterwards the company is going to enter also the market of security in the USA and Canada, Timur Vekilov told TAdviser. To the foreign suppliers, especially new, in this segment in North America belong with mistrust, he noted. At the same time, there are some holes here, Vekilov in a conversation with TAdviser added.

In America some state structures occupied in the field of security autsorsit services from the civil companies, and we can offer our services to these civil companies, i.e. – through a certain layer, - the CEO of Vocord in a conversation with TAdviser noted. – If, for example, police of the state or the cities autsorsit services in video monitoring at the external supplier, then we can offer this supplier of service based on our technologies.

Opening of the company in North America will become one of steps on world expansion of Vocord. The company began mastering of the markets of foreign countries in 2015.

In parallel Vocord creates the base for business development in Europe. There began the company with Germany: here infrastructure and a good economic situation is well developed, explain in Vocord. The company is not going open the separate legal entity, unlike North America here. On the basis of infrastructure of the partner Vocord is going to provide on service model access to the technology for face recognition to customers in retail here. At the initial stage the company sees the main potential in use of this technology for marketing analytics: for example, for calculation and tracking of regular customers. In Germany it is difficult to begin with solutions for video surveillance in view of features of the local legislation in the field of personal data, etc., speak in Vocord.

In addition to Germany, in Europe in the long term also the markets of Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain are of interest to Vocord. The company estimates extension costs of geography of presence of the company in the countries of Europe at $2-2.5 million.

Vocord expects to raise a part of necessary funds for foreign development from investors. The company says that consider different options of investments – both from Russian, and from the foreign organizations. In the USA, for example, the company does not exclude sales opportunity to the investor of a share in the local company.

Vocord expects that within 3-4 years revenue from its sales abroad will exceed turnover of sales in Russia.

2015: Expansion of presence in regions of Russia

In 2015 the company more than for 30% expanded geography of presence in regions of Russia, started implementation of a number of the international projects, considerably updated functionality of key products and brought to the market a new solution for carrying out qualitative analysis and examination of a photo and video content.

In 2015 turnover of Vokord company grew more than by 20% – in comparison with a similar indicator of previous year. The share of import component parts in product cost Vokorda was reduced in a year twice (from 14% in 2014 to 7% in 2015).

Also development of production capacities of the company continued in 2015, at the same time management managed to provide closer and debugged before specific transactions integration of production with Vokord department of research and development.

The main geographical expansion was the share of complexes of intellectual control of traffic Vokord-Traffic – today they work in Kaliningrad and the Moscow region, in Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh, Veliky Novgorod, Syktyvkar, Vladikavkaz, Saransk and Omsk, in Novosibirsk, Gorno-Altaysk, Chita, Yakutsk, etc.

Its participation in a number of the international projects in Indonesia, Latin America, Europe and the Persian Gulf and also the approval of the concept providing entry of the company into the markets of the countries of Asia and the Middle East in 2016 - 2017 became a serious step in development of the company in 2015. Here, according to Vokord's specialists, technologies for security on large (in particular, sports and trade) objects will be demanded. Also promotion of specialized software products, joint with local partners, for video analytics, recognitions and examinations photo and video this in government institutions is planned. Vocord works in regions on partner model. In 2015 the company had 10 new partners in Russia and foreign countries.

In 2015 the Vokord company, at a financial support of Skolkovo Foundation, Russian venture capital company and Leader-innovatsii Ltd, participated in several large actions and exhibitions, including foreign, having submitted on them the international versions of the key products.

2014: Exit to international market

In July, 2014 Vokord, the Russian developer and the producer of professional video surveillance systems and telecommunication solutions, announced an output of the products to international market. India became the first country in which the company expects to adjust sales. For business development in the region Vokord signed the agreement on cooperation with the local company TAL Secure Systems specializing in implementation of modern IT solutions in the field of public security.

Together with TAL Secure Systems the Russian company is going to advance actively in all regions of the country the intelligent solutions in the field of ensuring public and transport security within the concept "Safe city". A control system and VOCORD Traffic traffic monitoring, the system of survey video surveillance with functions of video analytics VOCORD Tahion and an intelligent system of face recognition of VOCORD FaceControl is, first of all, about such products as.

Vocord notes that the international expansion is a part of its new strategy accepted at the beginning of this year. In the nearest future the company is going to expand geography of promotion of solutions with the Indian partner, having included in it the countries of the Middle East region and the states of the Persian Gulf. Among them: United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and others.

Estimate the competition at Vocord in the market of intellectual video surveillance in India and the countries of the Middle East region as extremely sharp

The CEO of Vocord Timur Vekilov in a conversation with TAdviser noted that until entry into the market of India in foreign market products of his company were provided in a number of the CIS countries, for example, in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Cooperation with TAL Secure Systems became its first large international project.

According to him, in 2010 Vokord held successful testing of the product VOCORD FaceControl in the subway of the city of Delhi that became an excellent backlog for further development of business communications of the company with this country.

Concerning the competition in the market of intellectual video surveillance in India and the countries of the Middle East region Vekilov notes that it is extremely intense – the market is saturated by different proposals of both the European, and Asian producers. However, according to him, due to uniqueness of products on image identification of Vocord it appeared ahead of competitors - both on saturation, and on quality of the offer.

By estimates of the company and estimates of her Indian partner, intelligent solutions of Vocord which are brought to the markets, new to it (for example, a full-function control system and monitoring of traffic of VOCORD Traffic and the system of face recognition VOCORD FaceControl) will not be met at this stage of the serious competition.

2010

The solutions VOCORD continue to be developed: the version of the geographically distributed VOCORD Tahion 2.0 system with new features and opportunities is released. Among them: support of IP cameras, support of new operating systems, journalizing of events and expanded management of access rights, support of a sound in VOCORD Avantpost and VOCORD VE16 devices, signing up of the channel in several archives, prioritization of control of rotary cameras and others. The Sigtran SCTP protocols, M3UA, MAP, SMPP begin to support the systems of audioregistration.

Vocord works on the quality standard of ISO 9001:2008 that is confirmed with the appropriate certificate.

At the MIPS-2010 exhibition of Vocord for the first time shows to public a prototype of a system of biometric identification of VOCORD FaceControl 3D. The innovative technology noncooperative 3D - recognitions of Vokord company allows to identify objects in "natural" conditions: in the absence of the structured illumination and without the need for accurate "posing" of an object in front of the camera.

The geography of the projects "Safe City" on the equipment "Vokorda" extends: Maykop, Cherkessk, Samara, Kaluga, Cherepovets, Barnaul, Mytishchi … Vocord enters international market – in the subway in Delhi in India VOCORD Tahion video surveillance system is installed.

2012

Vokord expanded support of open standards of transfer and the analysis of video data, having officially entered industry association ONVIF. Support of ONVIF will provide compatibility of video surveillance systems of VOCORD with the equipment of the famous foreign producers. Use of the international standards of ONVIF allows Vokord company to formalize such aspects of interaction of IP cameras, IP видеосерверов and management systems of video (VMS) as:

• Configuring of the network interface
• Detection of devices under the WS-Discovery protocol
• Management of profiles of operation of the camera
• Setup of line transfer of media data
• Event handling
• Control of the PTZ drive (Pan Tilt Zoom)
• Video analytics
• Protection (access control, enciphering).

In the ONVIF standard separately it should be noted support of the video analytics which is built in video cameras. Video analytics directly in the camera – one of video surveillance market trends. In this direction the cameras VOCORD NetCam4 develop. VOCORD NetCam4 is new generation of the cameras VOCORD NetCam. They are developed especially for problems of video analytics, in particular for face recognition and numbers of machines, and are used in systems VOCORD FaceControl and VOCORD Traffic.

2011: Investments of RVC

"The Russian venture capital company" invests in Vocord. The investment agreement with the venture funds financed by RVC - "S-Group of Venchurs" and "Leading innovation" is signed.

Vocord received resources for new product development, in particular, for development of the 3D systems - sight and video analytics and also for promotion of solutions of the company in regional and international markets.

In September, 2011 Vocord becomes a fund participant Skolkovo in a cluster of IT with the "Researches, Developments and Commercialization of Technologies Artificial 3D — Sight, Modelling and Object Recognition of the Real World" project.

The new VOCORD NetCam4 IP video cameras developed especially for tasks of the automatic video analysis are put in production. The cameras VOCORD NetCam4 take the unique place in the market – between traditional CCTV cameras and cameras of "machine vision". On image quality they considerably exceed traditional cameras of survey video surveillance also is much more available at the price, than cameras of "machine vision" that does them optimal for use in the systems of recognition of numbers of cars and face recognition.

Based on the solution VOCORD Tahion the smoke recognition module – VOCORD Tahion.SmokeDetector is released. The Vokord company is 12 years old. At the moment in it more than 100 specialists work.

2009

The equipment "Vokorda" continues to be implemented within the Safe City program. One of the projects, largest in Russia, in Rostov-on-Don is implemented. In the city survey video surveillance based on the solution VOCORD Tahion on 650 video cameras, the automated control of violations of traffic regulations of VOCORD Traffic on 212 bands, 3 mobile complexes of face recognition VOCORD FaceControl is implemented. On scale it is one of two really big geographically distributed projects "Safe City" in Russia.

"The safe city" Ashgabat became one more large project. There more than 30 boundaries of control of VOCORD Traffic (150 bands) and more than one hundred cameras of survey video surveillance under control of VOCORD Tahion work. Other cities where began to work with Vokord agrarian and industrial Complex of the class "Safe City": Khabarovsk, Sochi.

Research in the field of biometric technologies is continued. The company became the member of "Russian Society of Assistance to Development of Biometric Technologies, Systems and Communications" non-profit partnership which integrates the leading companies which are engaged in researches and implementation of technical solutions in the field of biometric technologies.

VOCORD IPtel product capabilities for record and listening of IP-telefonii channels are significantly expanded. The license for implementation of space activity is obtained. The Vokord company can create and make the space equipment, space materials and technologies and also to create and reconstruct space infrastructure.

Vocord technologies

• NetScale is technology of intellectual routing and scaling of video flows
• Cloud archive – high-performance "cloud" storage system and administrations of the audio/video data
• Video analytics – program analysis algorithms of the stream video image for automatic detection of characteristics of subjects to observation
• Improvement of quality of video – program and hardware methods of digital image processing
• Machine 3D - sight – reconstruction of 3D models of real objects based on their stereograms without application of the structured illumination

Affiliate program of Vocord

Основная статья: Vocord: Affiliate program

Notes