AI 'scanner' helps detect knives, guns, explosives... in crowds

Scanary, a Tel Aviv-based startup, has just announced a large-scale security control system using artificial intelligence (AI). The system is led by Dr. Gideon Levita, a former chief radar engineer at Rafael Defense Group and developer of the Iron Dome and Trophy defense systems.

Scanary's initial concept came from the urgent need to prevent terrorist attacks in open spaces and crowded transport hubs, which were popular attack targets in Israel in the 1990s.

Patented radar-based screening technology detects threats at airports, shopping malls and stadiums without requiring people to remove their shoes, belts or phones or keys from their pockets, as is common today.

Scanary's AI system is designed to detect hidden weapons and non-metallic dangerous objects in crowds, with the ability to screen up to 25,000 people per hour while they are on the move, according to Ronen Yashvitz, CEO and co-founder of Scanary.

Combining AI, advanced imaging technology, augmented reality and computer vision enables remote threat detection without disrupting human flow and ensuring privacy.

Founded in 2024, Scanary uses a spatially distributed radar sensor system that creates dozens of high-resolution 3D scans of each person from multiple angles. The AI ​​platform is trained to recognize object shapes and identify materials: metal, plastic, or liquid, and can be integrated into existing security infrastructure such as CCTV systems.

Every time a person enters the scanning area, the radar activates and records 10 images per second. The scanning process is completed in less than 2 seconds.

The AI ​​system is trained to distinguish between common personal items like phones or keys, and dangerous objects like guns, knives or explosives, to reduce false alarms.

When a dangerous object is detected, the system will immediately send a warning to security personnel, along with a video clip marking the exact location on the subject's body and the type of weapon, such as a gun in a pocket, a knife in a shoe...

Unlike traditional facial recognition technology or body scanners, Scanary's system does not collect visual images, does not reveal body shape, and does not use biometric data to comply with privacy regulations.

The system promises to shorten waiting times and reduce inconvenience for people moving through checkpoints such as airports, train stations or stadiums.