As public safety concerns run high, businesses and organizations and the security professionals who protect them are leveraging advanced technologies to prevent and respond to violent incidents quickly and more effectively.
Two of these technical innovations are gunshot sound detection software and weapons detection analytics, both of which are transforming the way authorities detect, analyze, and respond to threats involving firearms. Here’s a closer look at how they work.
Gunshot Detection and Avigilon
Gunshot sound detection systems use acoustic sensors to identify and locate the sound of gunfire in real time. These systems, which can be deployed in almost any environment, rely on sophisticated algorithms to distinguish gunshots from other loud noises, such as fireworks or car backfires.
Avigilon, for example, offers gunshot detection through a combination of proprietary acoustic analytics and video surveillance integration. The acoustic signature analysis is performed by Avigilon cameras, which use on-board microphones and advanced machine learning (ML) to distinguish the unique sound of gunfire.
Acoustic gunshot detection works by analyzing specific sound patterns and characteristics to identify potential threats. A gunshot has a distinct audio profile that includes specific characteristics, such as a muzzle blast of sound created as gases exit the barrel; and a sonic boom that is produced if the bullet travels faster than the speed of sound.
When a gunshot is detected, the system instantly triggers an alert, notifying security personnel in a matter of seconds. The acoustic event is integrated with the video management system, allowing operators to immediately view the live video feed from the nearest cameras. This provides immediate visual confirmation, situational awareness, and response determination.
The acoustic analytics are performed directly on certain cameras or integrated from specialized third-party sensors. Cameras can provide directional information for the gunshot event, which is particularly useful for events occurring outside of a camera’s direct line of sight.
Weapons Detection and Volt AI
Complementing gunshot sound detection is weapons detection analytics. These systems also use ML algorithms to scan footage from security cameras in real time, flagging suspicious behavior or the visible presence of weapons. Today’s advanced systems can even detect concealed weapons using infrared imaging or millimeter wave sensors.
Volt AI’s Weapons & Violence Detection is one system that offers proactive tools to identify and prevent violent incidents as they unfold, empowering security teams with AI‑driven detection of weapons and aggressive behavior—before escalation.
Like gunshot detection, one of Volt AI’s weapons detection features is real time alerts. When a weapon is detected, system users can receive immediate notifications via SMS or email, allowing security personnel or first responders to mobilize immediately. Volt AI can also track the movement of the weapon detected across a facility, using geolocation to monitor and share incident sites instantly.
Volt AI operates via a hybrid edge‑and‑cloud computer‑vision architecture. Video feeds from existing IP or CCTV cameras are ingested continuously; lightweight detection models run onsite to monitor visible weapons, aggressive postures, or fights. These models use ML algorithms trained on large datasets of weapon images and behavioral motion patterns to minimize false positives.
Detected events are streamed (securely) to a cloud back end, where more compute‑intensive processing, verification, real‑time geolocation tracking, and incident escalation logic are conducted. Since the system is tuned to monitor behaviors and not identities, the privacy of the is preserved even while maintaining vigilant surveillance.
Gunshot sound detection and weapons analytics are powerful tools in the evolving landscape of public safety. Together, these technologies form a multi-layered defense strategy against gun violence and other crimes. When integrated with existing security infrastructure, these technologies provide businesses, organizations, and law enforcement, with the information needed to act decisively.
About Granilux Solutions
Granilux Solutions is a global security solutions integrator, providing systems design and installation, security advisory services, custom engineering and integrated product development, GX support services, and executive and estate security. Learn More »
