Knightscope has announced that it is adding real-time, automated gunshot detection to its portfolio of autonomous security products and services.
Gunshot detection systems can reduce police and security response times and help quickly resolve such threats to public safety.
Knightscope’s decision to offer a solution is in direct response to requests from schools, corporations, airports, hotels and municipalities considering purchasing gunshot detection systems as part of their active threat and emergency response plans.
Industry recognized reasons for integrating gunshot detection include:
- mitigating active-shooter events to help save lives;
- reducing false alarms that could lead to threat fatigue, causing those affected to respond inappropriately in times of true danger; and
- complementing other security solutions to better protect the places people live, work, study and visit.
According to a report from the Smart Policing Initiative, a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Justice Assistance and 40 local police agencies, these systems may be used to facilitate the immediate response and investigation of gunfire as well as potentially identifying high-risk locations to receive targeted preventative interventions to improve public safety more proactively.
Knightscope’s automated gunshot detection system will be integrated onto new K1 Blue Light Towers or as an upgrade to the over 7,000 devices already deployed across the country.
Gunshot detection can be used as a stand-alone device or in concert with its K5 Outdoor and K3 Indoor Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs).
It can also operate using optional solar power or light pole kits to make installation of the system even more flexible and user friendly.
The system is completely automated with precision localization that operates indoors and outdoors and is capable of locating shots in both the horizontal and vertical planes (location and elevation).
Notifications are delivered in less than 2 seconds (assuming sufficient cellular service) using a multi-sensor system that is more reliable and minimizes false alarms.
Knightscope believes that an on-site, hyper-focused, real-time system is significantly more effective than attempting a city-wide approach over vast areas. Sales are targeted to begin during Q4 2023.
Increased attention on gunshot-related crimes, especially on school grounds, has prompted changes in security measures, which is expected to fuel demand for gunshot detection systems.
Smart Cities projects have also integrated gunshot detection into future planning assumptions to increase safety. Analysts predict market value to reach $646 million by 2031, registering a CAGR of 9.1% from 2022 to 2031 in North America.
“We are excited to begin the upgrade of our Nation’s public safety infrastructure by deploying technology that can give law enforcement officers and security professionals new capabilities with ‘eyes, ears, and voice’ on the ground driven by artificial intelligence 24/7/365,” said William Santana Li, chairman and chief executive officer, Knightscope, Inc. “This is just the beginning of our long-term march to deploy over 1 million machines-in-network having the capabilities to see, feel, hear, smell and speak,” continued Li.
