From fragmented alarm systems to intelligent decision support: how AI-powered alarm assessment and standardised interface architectures are redefining work in control centres

The demands placed on emergency and service control centres (ESCCs) are constantly increasing: escalating threat levels, a growing number of heterogeneous security systems, high false alarm rates, and mounting pressure on staff and costs present operators with structural challenges. Against this backdrop, artec technologies AG and VOMATEC Innovations GmbH are launching the joint research project CAVISIKI – with the aim of developing a new generation of intelligent control centre platforms.

The project is being funded as part of the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM) by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action with a non-repayable grant in the six-figure euro range.

AI-supported alarm assessment: from response to prioritisation

At the heart of the project is the development of a multi-tenant platform that brings together various security systems – from video surveillance and intrusion detection systems to access control – within a unified user interface.

The decisive innovation, however, lies in the AI-supported real-time assessment of alarms: incoming events are automatically analysed, contextualised and prioritised. This fundamentally shifts the role of the control centre – away from mere alarm processing towards a data-driven decision-making body.

The aim is to significantly reduce false alarms, shorten response times and, at the same time, noticeably reduce the workload on staff. This results in a considerable gain in efficiency, particularly in high-traffic control centre environments.

New integration logic: moving away from siloed solutions

In addition to alarm evaluation, CAVISIKI addresses another structural problem: the previously highly trade-specific integration of security systems.

The project therefore adopts an approach in which existing, often proprietary interfaces are replaced by a generic, technology-independent architecture. Uniform protocols and standardised command structures are intended to enable significantly more flexible system integration in future.

For operators, this means one thing above all: greater independence in the selection and further development of their security infrastructure. At the same time, the foundation is laid for a system landscape that is scalable and interoperable in the long term.

Platform strategy: Flexible between cloud, hybrid and on-premise

The solution developed as part of CAVISIKI is designed from the outset to support different operating models. In addition to traditional on-premise installations, cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models and hybrid architectures are also planned.

This flexibility is particularly relevant for KRITIS operators, public authorities and industrial users who require different operating models depending on the regulatory environment and security requirements.

Strategic positioning: Evolution of existing PSIM systems

For the project partners, CAVISIKI is more than just a technological advancement of existing systems. Rather, it represents a targeted evolution of traditional control centre and PSIM solutions.

Dr Stephan Heuer, Managing Director of VOMATEC Innovations GmbH, describes the vision as the next stage of development for modern control centres: the platform is intended to enhance existing systems through the targeted use of AI whilst simultaneously reducing complexity behind the scenes.

From artec’s perspective, too, the focus is on increasing efficiency. Board member Thomas Hoffmann emphasises that the use of modern technologies can significantly improve the quality of alarm assessment – whilst simultaneously reducing the workload on operational control centre processes.

Target markets: critical infrastructure, public authorities and industrial security architectures

The new platform is aimed in particular at operators of emergency and service control centres, public authorities and companies with critical infrastructure.

The initial focus is on German-speaking countries, though international expansion is planned for the future. CAVISIKI is thus positioning itself as a potential building block for a new generation of integrated security platforms.

Conclusion: Control centres in transition to a data-driven platform

With CAVISIKI, artec and VOMATEC are responding to a key development in the security industry: the transformation from fragmented individual systems to integrated, AI-supported platform architectures.

The combination of intelligent alarm evaluation and standardised system integration addresses several of the most pressing challenges facing modern control centres.

Should the aim of achieving interoperability and scalability be realised, CAVISIKI could not only boost the efficiency of operational processes but also set new standards for the architecture of future control centres – initially in the DACH region and, in the long term, beyond.