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Access Control

Among access control companies, Argu is the layer that makes badge readers and turnstiles you already own enforce policy, not just open a door.

The differentiator is agentic validation, not simple presence detection. Presence at a turnstile is not compliance with the rule. An agent can check for a visible badge, count how many people pass on a single scan, and raise an alert only when the rule is broken, not on every open door. Controlled entrances at government and critical sites fall under homeland security surveillance.

Key facts:

Tailgating detection runs against the same badge scan record produced by Wiegand 26-bit or OSDP v2 readers already installed at the door.
Facial matching for identity confirmation, where enabled, reads standard 1080p–4K camera feeds at 15–30 fps, the same range used at every other Argu-monitored entrance.
Badge credentials can run on ISO/IEC 14443 or 15693 protocols at 13.56 MHz, or on older 125 kHz proximity cards; the monitoring layer works with whichever the site already has.
On-premise deployment is available for sites that cannot send badge or facial data to an outside cloud environment, relevant at FIPS 201/PIV-configured federal sites.
An alert names the specific entry point and timestamp, tied to the original badge-scan record from the access control panel.
The monitoring layer adds a validation step on top of the existing door access control system, without replacing the panel, reader, or turnstile hardware.

Controlled entrances at commercial venues fall under the same commercial-venue coverage that includes crowd and floor monitoring, and government and critical sites layer this into the wider homeland security surveillance posture referenced above. Teams comparing options against other access control companies can also review Argu's notes on building access control and key card entry systems.

Axis	Badge reader alone	Argu monitoring layer
What raises the alert	Any badge presented at the reader	A second person passing through the same opening without a visible badge tied to that scan
What a human must watch	Raw access logs reviewed after the fact	A routed, real-time tailgating alert naming the entry point and time
Integration path	Replacing the reader or turnstile hardware	The camera already covering the door, layered on top of the Wiegand 26-bit or OSDP v2 reader already installed
Applicable standards context	Credential read against ISO/IEC 14443/15693 or a 125 kHz/13.56 MHz card, with no signal about how many people passed	Consistent with the intent of NFPA 101 egress and occupancy control, by confirming one credential corresponds to one person through the opening
Camera / feed required	None beyond the reader itself	The existing 1080p–4K, 15–30 fps feed already covering the entrance
What gets retained	A badge-scan timestamp in the access panel log	That same scan log plus a timestamped tailgating-event record for the opening

What is Access Control

Most access control companies sell a badge reader or a turnstile and stop at the door: once it opens, enforcement ends. This platform watches what happens after the badge scans. If a second person follows through the same opening without presenting a badge, an agent flags the tailgater in real time, using the cameras already mounted at the entrance rather than new access control hardware.

Key Takeaways

These are the core principles that define how Argu approaches every deployment. Our solutions are built to work on your existing infrastructure, require no engineering overhead, and deliver measurable results from day one. Every feature is designed with one goal: giving your team the intelligence to act faster, with more confidence, and without adding complexity.

See it in Action

First person: badge scans, agent clears them

Second person: no badge visible on their belt

Agent flags a tailgating event in real time

How It Works

Badge scans at the door

A person presents a badge at the reader or turnstile as they normally would, and the access event is logged the way it always has been. That scan can come from a Wiegand 26-bit, OSDP v2, or ISO/IEC 14443/15693 reader; the logged event is what the tailgating check references.

The agent watches the opening

A camera already mounted at the entrance tracks how many people move through that opening in the seconds after the badge scan. Camera feeds run at standard 1080p-4K resolution and 15-30 fps, the same range used across every other Argu-monitored entrance.

Compliance is checked, not just presence

The agent checks for a visible badge on each person passing through, rather than assuming one scan means one authorized person. That check applies across credential formats, from legacy 125 kHz proximity cards to modern 13.56 MHz smart cards.

A tailgating alert fires in real time

If a second person passes without a visible badge, the agent raises an alert naming the entry point and the time, so security can respond while the person is still on site. The alert is logged against the entry point's own badge-scan record, giving security a matched pair of events rather than two separate logs to reconcile.

Product Advantages

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from other access control companies?

Most access control companies sell the badge reader or turnstile itself. This system layers onto the cameras already covering the entrance, checking whether the rule tied to each badge scan was followed as written, not only whether a credential was scanned. Badge credentials themselves can run on ISO/IEC 14443/15693 at 13.56 MHz, on older 125 kHz proximity formats, or on Wiegand 26-bit and OSDP v2 wiring; the monitoring layer works with whichever protocol the door already uses.

What counts as a tailgating detection event?

A tailgating event is a second person passing through a monitored entry point within the same access window as an authorized badge scan, without presenting their own badge. The system distinguishes this from two authorized people entering separately with visible badges.

Do we need to replace our badge readers or turnstiles?

No. The monitoring layer connects to the cameras already covering the entrance and works alongside the door access control system already installed. The badge readers and turnstiles stay exactly as they are. That includes readers running Wiegand 26-bit, OSDP v2, or smart-card formats such as MIFARE DESFire EV3.

Does this include face recognition access control?

Yes. 1:1 and 1:many facial matching can confirm that the person at the door matches the badge presented, adding an identity check on top of presence detection.

Who builds this platform?

Argu was founded in 2024 and has raised a two million dollar pre-seed round led by Speedrun, the early stage fund from Andreessen Horowitz. Its technology is already deployed with governments and critical infrastructure operators across four continents.

What camera feed does tailgating detection need?

It works with standard 1080p-4K feeds at 15-30 fps from the camera already covering the entrance, the same range used across Argu's other capabilities, so no dedicated tailgating sensor is required.

Can this run on premise for sites that can't send badge data to the cloud?

Yes. On-premise deployment keeps badge and facial data on infrastructure the customer controls, relevant at FIPS 201/PIV-configured federal and government sites.