It’s no secret that Acoustic Threat Detection (ATD) was born from a long history of technology innovation.
- 1995: Our gunshot detection technology, initially known as PILAR, was created for UN vehicles passing through the infamous Sniper Alley in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war. The system was composed of four microphones and had 360 degree surveillance. PILAR proved to be an asset to the UN, which led to France using it to protect its commands stationed in Bosnia during the war.
- 1999: The United States army took interest in acoustic threat detection technology. PILAR as a COTS product was chosen by the U.S. after being evaluated against global competitors. It was first deployed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
- 2006: The fourth generation of PILAR was developed for a more compact piece of equipment. Similar to ATD’s ability to track gunshots today, this enhancement included the ability to update shooter coordinates in relation to the military vehicle PILAR was attached to.
- 2013: We developed an even more compact version of PILAR that was designed to fit onto weapons. This version known as PEARL was just as successful as the technology iterations before it.
- 2015: PILAR V was developed. The algorithms behind the technology were enhanced for better recognition of firearms and the distance traveled by projectiles. Drones and helicopter arrivals could now be detected, too.
Flash forward to today, and the innovation hasn’t stopped. PILAR technology has evolved into ATD, a revolutionary security tool designed to support the fight against gun violence in civilian communities. ATD technology and our overall detection capabilities will continue to evolve over the coming months and years in our quest to create safer communities and smart cities. In the meantime, we are excited to bring acoustic threat detection from the frontlines to the community you call home.
