Startup Syght Proposes A New Weapons Detection Architecture
While three fundamental approaches for detecting weapons exist (physical screening, video-based, and audio-based), a US-based startup, Syght, is now proposing an alternative fourth architecture for concealed weapon detection without requiring a chokepoint.
In this report, we profile Syght based on our interview with the CEO Kevin Magenis, CTO Charles Partee, and VP of Business Development Atikem Hailemariam, including:
- Background
- Product
- Technology
- No Chokepoints Needed
- Not A Standalone Security Technology, A Supplement
- Multiple Devices Per Location
- Much Less Expensive Than Available Alternatives
- How They Plan To Produce Low-Cost Devices
- How They Plan To Make It Camera-Like
- Combining Syght Perimeter And Video-Based Gun Detection Analytics
- Technology Limitations
- Still In Development, Commercialization Planned
- Outlook
Executive *******
***** ***** ** ****** ******* ******-***** systems ******* ** ********* *** ********* weapons ** * *****'* **** ****** much ***** **** ***** *******. ********* Syght's ******* ********** **** *****-***** *** detection **** *** ** ********* ** Syght's ****** *** ****** * **** complete ******** **** ********** ******** ********* or *****-***** *** *********.
*******, *** *******'* ******* ********** *** significant *********** (******* ***** ********** **** risks ************ *********, ********** ** *** temperature ********** ******* * ****** *** a ****, ***.). ************, *** ******* is **** **** *** **** **** from ***** **************, ** ***** ** some *********** ***** **** *** ******* will ** ******** *** **** ** will **** **** ** **** ****.
**********
***** ** * ********-***** ******* **** was ******* ** **** ***** ***** ************* ******* ******. *** ******* **** **** **** they *** ***-******* *** ***-*******, *******, they **** ******* "**** *********" *** invested *** *** ******* *** ******* to ***** *** ******* ** *** market.
************, ***** ******** ******** ************ ****** totaling ~$* *******, ********* *** ***** from *** *** *** ***** **** DOD, ********* *** ** ********** ********.
**** *** ******, *** ******* ** targeting * ****** ** ************, ** it ******** ** *** *******, ********* "transportation", "******** & ******", ***., ** the ******* **** *** ******* *****:
Product
***** ** ********** *** ***** *********, a ******* ********** **** ******* ****** capable ** ********* "********* ******** *** nonmetallic ******* ******* ********** ********* *******, clothing, ********, ***, **** *** ****", as ********** ****** ** *** *******.
***** ********* *** * ***** ******* output **** (*** ********** **** *******) and ** ******* ** ********* ******** anywhere **** **** ** ***** ********* on *** **** ** *** *******, as *** *******'* *** **** ****:
At ** ****** [~*****] ** ***** *** * ******* or a rocket launcher and at ** ****** [~****] ** ** **** ** **** *** ********, and somewhere ** *******, ** ** **** ** **** ** *** ****** ******. We can see plastic explosives, ceramic knives... [emphasis added]
** ** ********* **** ****, *** company ******** ** ***** ********* ** "our ******" ** "***** ******", *** while ***** *** ************ ** **** aspects (**** *******, *****'* ****** ** equipped **** * ****** ******, **** can ** ********* ** * ******, etc.), ***** *** *********** ************* ***********, as ***** ********* ** ***** ** a ***-******* **** ** *** *************** spectrum.
Technology
***** ********* ** ** ******* ****** that **** ******* ********** **** *********, naturally ******* ** ******* ** ***** absolute **** ************, *** **** ******** in ******** ****** *** ***** *********** algorithms ** ****** *******.
******* ********** **** ******* ** **** similar ** ******* ********* ******* **** by************* ***********/*********** (**** ********* **** ******* ***** *****), **** *** ********** ***** ** the **** *********** - ********** **** ~250GHz *********, *** ***** **** *****. Both ***** ** *** *** ******** are ********* ******* ** ******* ** above ******** **** ************. *******, *** Syght, ** *** *** * ****** atmospheric ****** **** *** ***, ***** means **** ***** ** **** *********** by *** **********.
*** ******** ** ********* ******, ***** is ********* ** ****** *********,** **** ***** **** *********** ** brightness ***********, * ******* ********* ** *** object's ***********, ********** ********, ** *********, surface *********, ***. ** ***** *****, a ***** *******/******* *********/******* ***** **** have ******** ** *** ******** ***** because **** **** ** ** * different *********** **** * ***** **** because ** *** ********** ******* ***** electromagnetic ********** ******** ** * ***** body, ***.
*** **** ********** ** ********* *******, the ******* ******* ******* ** **** **** ****** ********* ********** *************** ******** ***** / "******" ********* ********.
No *********** ******
*** *******'* ******-***** ******** ***** **** it **** *** ******* ******** ********* chokepoints *** ******* *********, ****** ************ physical ********* *********. **** ** ** advantage ** **** ********** ** ** creates ******* ******** *** *** ******* while ***** ********* **** ***** ** security.
Not * ********** ******** **********, * **********
***** ********* ** *** ***** ** be * ********** ******** ********** ** the ******* ** ******* ** "****** perimeter ******** ****** **** *** ********** for ******* ****** *********".
******, **** *** ******* *** ******* government *******, **** **** ******* ** have * ****** **** *** ******* 0% ********* **** ** ******* ****** they ** ******* **********-**** **** ********, as *** *** ******* **** ****:
We're *** ***** ** ***** ***** ******. We're not going to be the 100% screening that somebody like Leidos [millimeter-wave body scanner at US airports] does. And so the TSA, when they gave us our SBIR phase II [government funding program], was ********** ** ***** **** *% ******* ** ***** ******* ******* *** ********** ******* ** ********* ******. [emphasis added]
Multiple ******* *** ********
***** ** ******* ** **** ******** Syght ********* ***** *** ******** ** increase *** *********** ** ********* ******* prior ** ******** *********. *** *******, the ******* ***** ********* *****'* ******** with **** ******* ********* ** *** exterior ** * *****:
"10-20x *******" **** ********* ************
** ***** ********* ** ******* ******** devices, ***** ** ******* ** ****** less *** *** ***** **** ********* alternatives, ** *** *******'* *** ****** his ***********:
** *** ******* ** ***** ** be ********* *******10x ** *** ******* **** ****'* ********* ** *** ****** *****
***we *** ****** ** **** *** ****** **** **** **********. So that it can be more widely deployed than current sensors. [emphasis added]
*******, ***** *** * ****** ** significantly ********* ****** ** *** ****** right *** (***** *** *** $***,*** price, ****** - $*,***-$**,***, **** - $7,000-$20,000, ***.), *** *** ******* *** not **** ** ******* ***** ***** but ********* **** *** ****** ***** of ***** ** "**** ** ****, than *****".
*** *******, **********, *** ******* ********* passive ********* *******, ****** *** ******* at $***,***+.
*** ***** ***** ** *****'* ****** will ** ******* ** *** ******** rate. ** ** ***** ******* ******* dollars, **** ********* *** ******** ********** multiple ******* *** ******** *** ********* the ******* *********** ** *** **********. However, ** ***** ********* ***** **** than $**,*** *** ******, ** ***** be **** *** *** ******* ** justify ***-***** ******** ******** ******** ** dollars ** * ****** **** *** or *** *** ****** *******.
***** **** **** **** "*** *** most ****", **** **** ** **** its ****** ** * ***-**** ******** and ******* *** *******.
Disk ***** ******** ********** ** **** ******* ***** **** *******
*****'* *** **** **** **** *** company's ********** **** **** *** **** drive ********, * ****** ***** ****-**** devices **** ** ** ************ ** high ****** *** *** ****, *** applying **** ********** ** ***** **** help **** ******* *** **** ** small-cost *******:
** **** **** *** **** ***** industry ***** ***'** *** ****, **** high ****, * *** ** ********* technologies ********** **** * ******* ****you *** ** *********** ** **** ****** ** **** *** ****. And we're applying our architecture and design to that philosophy. These [***** *********] **** ** ** *********** ** **** **** *** ** *** **********. They need to work for five years, and they need to work in all sorts of conditions. And ****'* *** ********. [emphasis added]
***** *** *******'* ******** ********** *** help **** ******** ************* *****, ** remains ** ** **** *** **** the ********** **** ******** ** ******* screening ******* *** **** ****** *** vastly ********* ********. ** ******* ** be **** ** *** ******* ******** its **** ** ***** ******.
Has * ****** ***** **,
***** ********* ** ******** **** * "high ********** ******". *** ******* ** going ** *** *** ****** ** superimpose ********* ********** **** ******* ***** images *** ****** *** *** *********. Moreover, *** ******* ** ******* ** integrate *** ******* **** "******-******* *** providers" (**** *** *** ********* ** specific *********).
Designed ** **** **** * ******, *** ****** ************
So **'** ******** ** ** **** ** *** **** ** ******** - **** *** ******-***** - and we have Power over Ethernet, we can plug in [anywhere], we got Bluetooth, we've got 5G, Wi-Fi capability so you can have it integrate into those into that systems.
**'**been ******* ** **** ** **** **** * ****** to them [integrators] [emphasis added]
***** ***** **** ***** ******* **** existing ******** ********* *******, ***** **** big **** ****** **** ************ ************ for *****-****** ************.
*** ******* ********** **** ********* ***** install ***** ***** "******** *** ********* want ****", *** *** ********* **********, Syght ******** **** ** "**** *****" installed "**** *****" (*.*., ** ****** height ** *******).
Combining ***** ********* *** *****-***** *** ********* *********
**** ***** ***** ******** **** * camera *** ********* ******* ** * camera, ** ***** ***** ** ******* the *******'* ******** **** * ************ video-based ***** *** ********* ********. ***** told **** **** **** *** *** such ******** ** ***** "******":
**can *** */* that will identify concealed *** ***-********* *******.
** ******* **** *** ***** ***** gun ********* */* *** ** ***** to ******* *** ***** *********** ** provide ********** *** *********** ** *********** the ******.We *** *** **** */* ** *** ****** ** **** *** *** **** ** ******* ********** ****** ** ********’* ******. [emphasis added]
********* ********* ************ *** *** ********* is ********* **** **** ***** ** Summer **** ******** ***** - **************** / *********** ******** ********** ******* Detection ******* ********,***** **** ******** ****** *** ********* Analyzed.
Technology ***********
***** ******* ********** **** ******* **** not ******* *********** *** *** ***** advantages, ** *** * ****** ** fundamental *********** **** *** ***** *** adoption, *** *******, **** ***** **********, dependence ** *********** *********** ******* *** object ** ******** *** *** **** temperature, ***.
**** ** ***** **** ** ********* in ******* ****** *****.
Limited ***** **********
*******, *** ********** ** ********* ****** is ***** *******, ***** *** ********** affect *** *********** ** ***** ********* algorithms, ***** ** *** ******** ** Syght's ******. *** *******, *** *** graphic ***** ******* *** ******* ******** by ***** *********:
Need * ************** ***** *** * ********* *********
*** ***** ********* ** **** * confident *****, *** ****** ***** ** have * ************** ***** (*** *******, a ***), ** *** ** *** poor **********, ********* ******* *** **** similar ****** ** *** ******* ********** wave *******. *** *******, ** ******* from ***** ********** ***** * ******* ********** **** image ** ***** * **** ****** and * ***** **** ******* ******:
Dependence ** *** *********** **********
********, *** ********** ** *** *********** difference ******* ** ****** *** *** body ***** * ******* ********** - if ** ****** *** *** **** have ************* *** **** ***********, **** the ********* ******* **** **** **** contrast (***** ** ****** *** ****** detection). **** ********* ** *********, ** a ****** *** ***** * ****** on ***** **** *** ** ********* period ** ****.
**** *** *** **** ** **** examples ** ******** ******** *** *** 94GHz ***** (*** ********* ***** **** by *****), *** *** ******* **** a**** ********** ***** ******* ********* *** ******:
** **** **** ******* ** ********** the ********* ********** ** *****'* ******, as ** ******* **** **** ********* ranges *** *********** ** **** **********.
***** ******** ** ******* ** *** temperature *********** ******* ** ****** *** a ******'* **** ****** *** *********** of ***** ******.
Cannot *** ******* * ***** ****
******* ********** **** ******* ** ******* in *** ********* ************, ** ***** radiation ****** ** ******* * ***** body - **** ***** **** *** a ****** ** ** ******** ** Syght (** *** ***** ******* *********/********** imaging *******), ** *** ** ** in *** ***** ** **** (*** not ********** ** ******).
**** *********** ******* ********** ** *** providers ** ********* ***** ** ******* imaging ***** ******** ***** ******* ** one-at-time *******. *******, ***** ** ******* their ******* ** ******* (*.*., ******** passive ******* **** ******* *** ***** of ****), ** **** ********** *** be *********** (** ***** ** **** extent) ** ****** ******** ******* **** different ******* ******. *******, ** *****'* CTO ****, ** ***** ** * high ************* ** ******, ***** ********** is **** *********:
Well, **'* ********* ***** *** **** **** ** ***'* *** ******* ****** ******* ** [********* *********] **** *****'* ** *******.
** ***'** ******* *** ** * car, *** *** ******* *****, *** you're ******* *** ********, *** **** is **** **'** ***** ** **** to ****** * ******.But ** *****'* * ***** ** ****** ******* ** ***** ** *** ****, **'** ***** ** **** *********. So, just like all those companies, you know, we need to think about how to best do the largest amount of any given person. [emphasis added]
Picture *********** **** *******
*** **** ********** ******** **** * moving ******* *** ******** *** **** weapons ********* **** ****** ** *** picture *********** **** (*.*., *** ******* time **** *** ****** ***** ** run *** ***** *********** *********) ** more **** *-* *******. **** ***** still ** ***********, *** ******* ******** to ******* ** ***** *****.
*** *******, *** ******* ***** ***** a ********** ******* ********* ******* ****** being **** ** * ****-******* *********** to ********** *** ********* ********** ** the ****:
Still ** ***********, ***************** ** *** *** ** ****
***** **** **** **** *** ******* expects ** ** ** ***** ****** in "***-****", *** ***** ********** ** "the *** ** ****". ** ******* to ** **** ** *** *******'* approach ******* *** **** *** ******* is ***** ** **** **** ** that ****.
*******
**** *** ***** ***** **** *** away **** *** **********, ** ** hard ** ******** *** ***** ** adoption **** ** **** ****. *******, the *******'* ******** ******** ** ******* detection *** ********* ************ **** *****-***** overt *** ********* *** ** ***** pursuing ** *** ******* ***'* ** expensive (*** **** **** $**,*** *** device), ** *** ******* ** ******** to **.