Today we are excited to bring you the first in a series of episodes focused on specific innovative and evolving security and safety technology solutions that are solving problems and reducing risk. As we begin this series it should be noted that the Institute and hosts of this podcast are not endorsing these technologies or the companies who have created them. Rather we see this is an opportunity to explore technology solutions that can have significant impact on ongoing security and safety challenges.

It is a widely accepted fact, and a topic of a previous episode, that gun violence in the US continues to be a tragic epidemic. Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the U.S. killing more than 38,000 people and causing nearly 85,000 injuries each year. Police and security professionals and community leaders have long searched for ways to prevent, mitigate and reduce these crimes. The technology we are highlighting today aims to do that through identifying weapons before they can be used.

Today we are happy to be joined by Mike Ellenbogen – the founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Evolv Technologies. Started in August, 2013, Evolv is a growth stage company focused on protecting people from gun and bomb violence by fusing innovative new sensors and advanced AI.

Evolv’s stated mission is to “return confidence and peace of mind to people visiting public spaces”. Evolv has created a touchless screening system to identify weapons and health related threats. Through a combination of technologies that include advanced sensors, machine learning, cloud analytics and centralized data storage; the Evolv platform identifies guns, knives and explosives without disrupting people movement and flow.

Unlike traditional metal detectors, x-rays and manual bag checks Evolv’s process allows individuals to walk freely through their portals without stopping. The technology allows for the screening of 4000 people an hour in a single lane.