Security company’s sensors count people, detect hidden guns
As the world comes to grips with managing the new environment, Westlake-area business Athena Security is trying to help customers meet safety needs with sensors to count the number of people in a building and to detect concealed guns.
Athena’s co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Chris Ciabarra said that as more contagious mutations of the coronavirus have been discovered, maintaining occupancy limits is even more important to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“Using humans to scan can be costly and inefficient,” he said. “Our non-identifiable radar technology counts the number of people entering a building or who exceed a room capacity. When this happens, alerts are sent to reduce the occupancy.”
The cost is $200 per month per sensor and billed annually.
The company also announced a concealed gun detection platform using thermal cameras that visually alert within seven seconds by text or through existing security systems. When weapons are detected and the visual images are sent, customers, security or law enforcement can see what’s going on at the scene, speak to those there and get help quicker. Company officials say the system accurately detects concealed weapons 99% of the time.
Seeing carnage from mass shootings in Las Vegas and at schools inspired Athena’s first product, a gun/weapon detection platform. The founders said they wanted to prevent such tragedies by proactively alerting potential victims and authorities. In many cases, bad actors carried their weapons in full sight before using them.
When COVID came along, they realized their gun detection technology could also be used to detect another threat — elevated temperatures. Company officials say their temperature detection system can scan over 2,000 people per hour as they walk past the thermal imaging system.
Athena says customers benefit from reduced risk and manpower costs because they don’t have to pay people to administer the scans with the system that uses iPad technology for its computer and visual camera.
Company officials say tests have shown Athena’s temperature detection system is accurate to within .2 degrees Celsius.
“Athena is the only company in the market to provide a dual gun and temperature detection system,” Ciabarra said.
A temperature detection system is $19,000. In subsequent years, it is $200 per month for licensing and service.
Given that the world is looking for more ways to minimize physical contact, Athena also created a voice-activated health screening app to accompany its temperature-detection platform. An entrant downloads the app or speaks to an iPad screen at the door and answers CDC-inspired health questions about symptoms before walking into a building or through temperature checks. If they fail the symptom or temperature scan, an alert is sent.
Mask Detection is a free add-on with elevated temperature detection systems and alerts when someone walks in without one.
“Especially after the birth of my second child, the drive to make the world a safer place was an unavoidable motivation for me,” said CEO and co-founder Lisa Falzone. “This pandemic made us realize how flexible and useful our A.I. thermal camera platform is. We are committed to using our technology ethically, and for social good, and to never collect personal information. Thankfully, our technology’s usefulness is proving far greater than we initially hoped for.”
Some of its customers include law enforcement offices, hospitals, schools, prisons, manufacturers, government buildings, convention centers, places of worship, banks, courthouses and Fortune 500 companies.
Texas customers include the Bexar County 911 Center, Memorial Hermann Hospitals, Dallas County, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, Montgomery County and the city of Schertz.
“After seeing Athena Security’s temperature check system running at the Texas Division of Emergency Management, it was clear that it would make a great addition to the holistic approach we have instituted … to keep our public safe in these difficult times,” said Schertz Fire Chief Kade Long. “It’s a really great system. Someone walks in and just goes about their business, and if they have an elevated temperature, there’s an audible alarm that goes off and we ask that person to have a secondary screening.”
