SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SAFER SPACES
Kognition AI helps protect your most important assets
Apps · Kognition Threats
Detect weapons, fire, and active threats — before the first shot is fired
Kognition Threats transforms your existing cameras into an AI-powered early warning system that detects brandished weapons, smoke, fire, and dangerous crowd behavior in real time — giving your team critical seconds to save lives.
The problem
Every second counts — but traditional security is too slow
In an active shooter event, the average incident is over in 3-5 minutes. Law enforcement response averages 7-10 minutes. The gap between when a weapon is brandished and when help arrives is where lives are lost.
Traditional security approaches — guards, panic buttons, gunshot detection — only activate after the threat has already materialized. Gunshot detection requires shots fired. Panic buttons require someone close enough to press one. Guards can only be in one place at a time.
What if your cameras could detect the weapon before the first shot?
How it works
Visual threat detection on the cameras you already have
Kognition Threats uses deep learning neural networks trained on millions of images to visually detect threats through your existing camera feeds. No special sensors. No new hardware. Just intelligence layered onto the infrastructure you already have.
Weapons detection
- Handgun detection — identify brandished handguns in real time, even partially concealed, in crowded environments, and at varying distances.
- Rifle / long gun detection — detect rifles, shotguns, and AR-style weapons the moment they’re visible on camera — critical for active shooter scenarios.
- Knife / edged weapon detection — identify knives and edged weapons being brandished aggressively.
- Visual detection = earlier warning — unlike gunshot detection that requires shots fired, visual weapons detection triggers the moment a weapon is drawn — giving precious seconds for lockdown, evacuation, and law enforcement dispatch.
Smoke & fire detection
- Early smoke detection — detect smoke before it triggers traditional fire alarms, especially valuable in large open spaces like warehouses, atriums, and parking garages where ceiling-mounted detectors may be too far away.
- Active fire detection — identify flames and fire in real time, even in outdoor environments where traditional fire detection doesn’t exist.
- Arson prevention — detect suspicious fire activity in areas like dumpsters, loading docks, and building perimeters before it spreads.
Crowd & behavioral threats
- Crowd formation alerts — detect when an unusual crowd is gathering in a specific area — an early indicator of fights, protests, or organized disturbances.
- After-hours intrusion — instantly know when someone is in your building during off-hours. No motion sensor required — the camera is the sensor.
- Aggressive behavior detection — identify running, fighting postures, and erratic movement that may indicate a threat in progress.
Automated response
- Trigger lockdowns — automatically activate door locks, access control lockdowns, and PA announcements the moment a weapon is detected.
- Dispatch alerts — send real-time alerts to security teams, law enforcement, and emergency contacts with threat type, location, and live camera feed.
- Activate alarms & lighting — trigger strobes, alarms, and emergency lighting to warn occupants and deter the threat.
- Automated 911 integration — connect to emergency dispatch systems to accelerate law enforcement response with verified visual threat data.
Compliance
Compliance & regulatory alignment
Proactive, documented threat detection helps your organization meet its safety obligations — and prove it.
- Alyssa’s Law compliance — multiple states now mandate silent panic alarm systems in schools; Kognition Threats exceeds these requirements by detecting the threat before anyone presses a button
- OSHA workplace violence prevention — demonstrate proactive threat mitigation measures to meet workplace safety obligations
- Insurance & liability reduction — documented AI-powered threat detection can reduce liability exposure and may lower insurance premiums
- Audit trail — every detection event is logged with timestamp, camera location, threat type, confidence score, and response actions taken
Use cases
Who uses Kognition Threats?
K-12 schools & universities
Detect weapons on campus before shots are fired. Automatically trigger lockdown protocols. Alert school resource officers, administrators, and law enforcement simultaneously. Pairs with our weapons detection system and partners like ZeroEyes for the most comprehensive school safety solution available.
Healthcare
Hospitals face some of the highest rates of workplace violence in any industry. Detect weapons and aggressive behavior in emergency departments, waiting areas, and parking structures. Protect staff and patients.
Commercial buildings
Protect lobbies, parking garages, and common areas. Detect threats before they reach occupied floors. Automatically lock elevators and secure access points.
Government & courts
Add AI-powered weapons detection as a layer beyond metal detectors and screening checkpoints. Detect threats in areas beyond the security checkpoint — parking lots, exterior entrances, and public spaces.
Houses of worship
Churches, synagogues, and mosques are increasingly targeted. Kognition Threats provides always-on weapons and threat detection without visible security measures that change the character of worship spaces.
Every demanding industry
See how Kognition Threats protects your environment.
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The difference
Visual detection vs. gunshot detection
| Capability | Gunshot detection | Kognition Threats |
|---|---|---|
| When it activates | After shots fired | When weapon is drawn |
| Detection types | Gunshots only | Guns, knives, fire, crowds |
| Visual evidence | Audio only | Live camera feed + snapshots |
| Location precision | Approximate area | Exact camera + position |
| Hardware required | Dedicated acoustic sensors | Your existing cameras |
| False alarms | Slamming doors, fireworks | Visual verification reduces false alarms |
Don’t wait for the first shot
See how Kognition Threats detects weapons and dangerous behavior in real time through your existing cameras. Schedule a live demo today.
Kognition Threats is part of our complete AI security camera software platform. Combine with Kognition Watchlist, Kognition People, and Kognition Vehicles for unified smart building security.