Israel startup Gabriel develops gunshot detection software to augment crisis management solution
The ‘world’s smartest panic button’ will be introduced ahead of the busy Jewish holiday season
Crisis management solution company Gabriel announced on Tuesday the rollout of its next-generation security system capable of recognizing gunshots and terror threats. Using a ‘network effect,’ it can instantly notify multiple locations in the event of an incident at schools, offices, or houses of worship.
Gabriel’s solution can detect the difference between gunshots or explosions and more conventional noises, such as doors slamming or popped balloons. Once the system identifies a danger, the sensors can highlight safe spaces, notify areas that need to be locked down, and show escape routes.
Co-founders Yoni Sherizen Asaf Adler GABRIEL. Photo: GABRIEL The technology was manufactured by Israeli experts from the security and technology sectors, including from the Mossad spy service and Shin Bet internal security agency. It can be used as a standalone item or can be integrated with existing security systems and includes live video, two-way communication, real-time notifications, and an integrated mobile phone application. Its dashboard allows security teams, community management, or first responders to take control before events escalate into potentially deadly situations. The system is expected to produce fewer false alarms due to mistakes in identifying the source of noises.
“This is another important step towards reducing the time it takes to respond to emergency situations, alert authorities of danger, and provide vital life-saving tools to react faster and smarter; putting help in reach of every hand,” said Yoni Sherizen the CEO at Gabriel.
The announcement comes ahead of two major Jewish festivals, Rosh Hashanah (Jewish new year), and Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in terror attacks on houses of worship. In 2019, there were three major attacks on synagogues in the United States, the most in a single year since 2002.
2019 also saw a total of 417 mass shootings take place in the U.S. averaging 1.19 per day. Many of them took place in schools and universities. According to Bloomberg, the town of Ramapo, NY, has 90,000 Jewish residents and was in talks to install Gabrial’s panic button at over 200 locations including synagogues, schools, and banquet halls.
