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Opinion: Why Security Pros Can’t Afford to Wait on AI Weapons Detection
Physical security has always been about deterrence, not convenience. But walk through any busy mall, stadium, or transit hub today, and you’ll see what happens when the industry drags its feet: overwhelmed guards, half-functional cameras, and a public that knows the system won’t catch much more than petty theft. The pressure is obvious. Guns are showing up in places they shouldn’t, knives slip past bag checks, and security leaders are stuck explaining to boards why the “layer

Paul Epstein
Feb 51 min read


San Francisco festival deployment puts AI weapons screening claims to the test
At San Francisco’s free Stern Grove Festival, Evolv Technology’s installation of its Express scanners is being pitched as a way to speed entry without weakening screening, a summer-season trigger that matters to the people who buy and operate weapon detection systems because crowd volume, bags and picnic gear create the worst-case mix for false alerts and missed knives. Why this deployment matters now Free, open-air festivals concentrate risk: variable ingress points, patrons

Paula Vettori
Feb 53 min read


After a $2.6M follow-on, AI weapon screening faces a megavenue stress test
In a follow-on contract announced August 14, 2025, Xtract One Technologies said it will expand its SmartGateway deployment at a major international entertainment venue, putting knife-detection accuracy and crowd throughput under a microscope for security teams running high-volume ingress. The trigger matters because this isn’t a demo; it’s a live test at scale where miss risk and nuisance alerts translate directly into liability and crowd control. What the company says “Worki

Sarah o'Neill
Feb 43 min read


Schools Trial AI Weapon Detection Systems Amid Rising Safety Concerns
As incidents of violence in public and educational spaces climb, administrators are under pressure to deploy advanced technologies capable of detecting weapons before tragedy strikes. Traditional metal detectors and manual searches are proving insufficient. In response, several U.S. school districts are piloting AI-based weapon-detection systems that analyze video feeds and sensor data to identify threats—and notify authorities—within seconds. One such example is unfolding in

Paula Vettori
Jan 202 min read


Hospitals, Liability and AI: Athena Security Bets on Integrated Screening
Violence in healthcare facilities is on the rise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies hospitals as having the highest rate of workplace violence, and the American Hospital Association estimates the annual cost of related incidents exceeds $18 billion. With California now requiring hospitals to install weapons detection systems by 2027, regulatory pressure is accelerating adoption. Athena Security is positioning itself as a beneficiary of that trend. Co-founder and CTO C

Paula Vettori
Nov 4, 20252 min read


Portable Screening Gains Momentum as Fixed Checkpoints Show Their Limits
Security managers are increasingly questioning the limits of traditional fixed checkpoints. Recent incidents at schools, stadiums, and public meetings have underscored the vulnerabilities that appear during high-traffic transitions—morning arrival, dismissal, or pre-event surges—when static lanes create bottlenecks or miss risks altogether. In a written reply to Security Guys, Luca Cacioli, CEO of CEIA USA , said the demand is being driven by three forces: simplicity, mobilit

Ellie Goldman
Nov 3, 20252 min read


Minneapolis School Mass Shooting Renews Urgency for Smarter Safety Tech
The mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 27 has once again forced educators and parents to confront...

Ellie Goldman
Sep 2, 20252 min read


Airport order tied to TSA employee screening rule puts knife detection under real-world pressure
Following a multi-unit order at a U.S. international airport to meet TSA’s employee screening mandate, Liberty Defense’s HEXWAVE is...

Paul Epstein
Aug 31, 20253 min read
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