Advanced AI-based computer vision company Kogniz has announced its ready-to-deploy gun detection module as part of the latest version of its technology, which predicts, detects, and resolves safety and operational problems. The company also announced a $10 million investment led by Ulu Ventures, with participation by superset Venture Studio and its CEO and Co-founder Tom Chavez, K20 Fund, The Indy Fund, H. Barton Asset Management, among others.
The new investment will help expand the company’s technology for gun detection, safety, and anomaly detection to commercial, industrial, school, and governmental organizations.
Gun Detection Platform
Active shootings are one of the most severe crises the United States faces, creating a wide range of complex challenges for safety and security. The FBI has indicated that there has been a 33% increase in active shooting incidents between 2019-2020, and a 52% increase between 2020 and 2021. Just this year, there have been at least four mass shootings every week.
This new environment has forced organizations to look for new ways to solve such problems, and it’s impacting every industry, including retail, education, industrial, religious, medical, governmental, and more. Organizations within these industries can look toward AI-based solutions to help prevent mass shootings and minimize damage.
The company’s Kogniz Gun Detection tool helps organizations prepare for, proactively detect, and respond to active shooter events. It was designed for quick deployment and is flexible enough to adapt to each organization.
The tool relies on computer vision and AI to identify firearms in real time using existing camera infrastructure.
Here are some of the main features of Kogniz Gun Detection:
- No false alarms: Multi-pass AI and team of trained human verifiers
- Real-time alerts: phone, SMS, Slack, and email
- Dynamic reports: easily access real-time, critical data
- Emergency response plans: document and prepare for actions during emergency response
- Visual simulations: simulate and prepare for active shooter scenarios
Daniel Putterman is CEO of Kogniz.
“Kogniz Gun Detection uses client’s own cameras already onsite to detect and immediately respond in the horrible event of an active shooter or mass shooting situation,” says Putterman. “By enabling a ready-to-deploy gun detection solution, we’re making it dramatically easier for companies, governmental agencies, schools, and hospitals to prepare for and then help reduce the harm done by an active shooter event.”
Integrating With Existing Video Camera Infrastructure
The tool integrates with the Kogniz platform to address various safety and security solutions. Its pre-built detectors include detecting unusual behaviors like people running in halls, entering through exits, jumping fences, and other early indicators of incidents.
Kogniz uses clients’ existing video camera infrastructure to accurately detect the unusual activity and to predict potential loss and equipment failure 24/7. All of these measures reduce the risk of accidents, save time, and improve productivity.
Clint Korver is co-founder and managing director of Ulu Ventures.
“Kogniz is tackling significant, long-standing gaps in safety, security, and operations and is truly helping organizations to better prepare before incidents happen,” said Korver. “We’re thrilled to help the company bring innovative products using its next-level computer vision technology to clients looking to solve safety challenges in ways not previously possible.”