Technology being tested to detect and report gunshots

By Linda Rosencrance

January 14, 2003 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld - A New Orleans-based company is developing technology that it said could provide law enforcement authorities with the precise details of gunshots -- including the type of gun used, number of shots fired and the exact location from which the shots were fired.
The company, Proxity Digital Networks Inc., said in a statement today that its detection system uses a network of wireless acoustic sensors and a combination of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and patent-pending time stamp technology.
Once captured by the On Alert Gunshot Detection System (GDS), the gunshot information can be immediately transferred to dispatch offices or directly to the police via handheld devices -- allowing authorities to respond quickly to a shooting incident.
Proxity said the technology could also be used to monitor movements and sounds around railways, ports and national borders, "since every sound, including walking, movement through water or vibrations on the ground, could be programmed into the GDS detection system."
The company said it's currently conducting first-stage development and testing in Oklahoma. Second-generation prototypes are set for beta testing this quarter.
Once all field tests are concluded and a commercial production model is released, On Alert GDS will be available to federal, state and local governments. A military version is also being designed, the company said.
"It is our goal to be able to monitor any area using the On Alert GDS," said William Robinson, CEO of Proxity Digital Networks. "Unlike competitive systems that require precise locating of sensors, On Alert GDS is developing an acoustical wave technology that will allow for quick installation and a more random layout of grids and the use of the terrain to detect and transmit events.
"We anticipate cities and organizations [will] implement the system as a standby monitoring device that can be rapidly installed in a variety of locations based on circumstances and needs," Robinson said.

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