Powered By Apollo 500 and Best Practices
Meet the Apollo 500 – an Al-driven concealed weapon detection system designed for busy entrances where safety, speed, and reliability matter most. Engineered to detect dangerous threat items with consistency while maintaining high throughput and minimal false alarms, Apollo 500 supports secure, welcoming environments.
The Apollo 500 is an active-wave metal detector that uses multiple frequencies, optical sensors, 3 cameras and on-device processing to make a decision. One side in the panel are transmitting coils that send an electromagnetic field from a set of coils as the “active” source and the other panel is the antennae receiver. The system is measuring how that field changes when metal objects move through the plane of detection. The transmitted field induces tiny circulating currents, eddy currents in conductive metals; those currents create their own secondary magnetic field that slightly opposes and distorts the original field, changing the amplitude and phase of the signal received by sensing coils. Ferromagnetic materials, like many iron alloys and steel types, also alter the field through increased magnetic permeability, producing a different distortion signature than non-ferrous metals, like aluminum or copper. The detector’s electronics continuously compare the received signal to a calibrated baseline, apply filtering to reject environmental noise and drift, and use thresholding and pattern features in multi-frequency to decide when the disturbance matches “Threat Target,” triggering an alarm while reducing “false positives” from harmless items. The size, mass, shape, and characteristics of the metal type drive the Alert.
Our customers love how it finds so many more knives, shanks, and work blades than others on the market! It can run inside, or outside, plug it in or on battery pack.
IP Rated, this machine tolerates the abuse of spilled beverages, weather, and normal vibrations generated by the steady flow of people. Durable construction to allow for repeated take-down and setup, the machine is stable weighing in at 120 – 160 pounds, depending on which base and ramp are needed. Each base has an embedded wheel kit, with the inside wheels being standard, and the outside wheels as optional to make it highly portable.
Easily add the Athena Platform designed specifically around Department of Homeland Security best practices for security screening. The system digitizes and helps enforce guidelines including documentation requirements, testing protocols, and secondary screening procedures. When investigation or auditors arrive, you have complete documentation.
Athena pioneered and patented technology that detects visitors attempting to bypass screening entirely. Traditional metal detectors only monitor the portal itself. Apple Computer Vision with our patented algorithms monitor the entire screening area continuously. When individuals attempt to evade detection, security staff receive instant notifications. This proactive threat detection catches attempts other gun detection systems miss completely.
While competitors offer point solutions, Athena integrates concealed weapons detection with our own product suite that currently includes visitor management, AI X-ray screening, telepresence security, and augmented reality alert glasses. When the Weapons Detection System detects a threat, it automatically alerts AR glasses and triggers personalized hologram instructions. That integration creates layered security measures catching threats you may have missed. The platform also connects to many other systems like Video Management, other Vendor and Visitor Management Systems, Access Control, and more.
Security leaders at Duke Health, Memorial Hermann, and Lamar Consolidated ISD trust Athena to protect their people. See why hospitals, schools, and government buildings choose our platform. Book a 30-minute demo and we’ll show you exactly what our concealed weapons detection system can do for your facility.
Athena digitizes Department of Homeland Security patron screening guidelines. Our platform transforms federal best practices into automated features. Here’s how we address each requirement.
Customizable logging captures item descriptions, locations, timestamps, images, and video evidence. Officers log prohibited items from field tablets. Centralized storage enables instant retrieval for auditing.
Automated equipment verification confirms proper system function. Test results log automatically with location, date, time, and pass/fail status. Management dashboards provide oversight of testing schedules.
Real-time alerts notify supervisory personnel instantly when illegal items are discovered. Flexible delivery via security operations centers, mobile apps, video management systems, and access control platforms.
AI monitors officers during secondary screenings to ensure protocol adherence. Immediate alerts when personnel deviate from standard rescanning procedures. Data collection identifies training gaps.
Platform supports U-shaped screening layout for increased visibility and streamlined visitor flow. Design reduces bottlenecks in high traffic areas while improving communication among security teams.
Smart access control keeps doors secured until timers expire or authorized officers grant access. Watchlist scanning identifies restricted individuals as they pass through screening.
“Our patients absolutely feel safer coming in when they see that system in place.”
— Brian Douglas
Unity Health, Security Lead
The Apollo 500 system is designed to be safe for individuals with pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Its electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are kept below the limits set by the ISO 14117:2019 standard, which is specifically designed to prevent interference with these devices.
Athena protects facilities across the United States. Our AI-powered gun detection system helps security teams at leading organizations create safer environments.
Duke Health deployed our weapons detection platform across 21 screening locations. Memorial Hermann relies on our technology at facilities across Houston. Lamar Consolidated ISD installed 24 systems throughout their school district. Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Indiana Regional Medical Center, and Parkwest Casino chose Athena for integrated entryway security.
Manager of Security, JRMC
The platform combines hardware-proven detection capabilities with AI-powered oversight for enhanced accuracy. While no system guarantees 100% effectiveness, our artificial intelligence catches bypass attempts and ensures security personnel follow proper procedures. This layered approach helps detect threats traditional metal detectors miss entirely. The technology identifies both ferrous and non-ferrous weapons including firearms, knives, and other prohibited items. Machine learning algorithms continuously improve detection accuracy by analyzing patterns across thousands of screenings. The system focuses on reducing false alarms while maintaining high sensitivity to genuine threats.
Our security platform integrates with Apollo Weapons Detection 500 and 650, CEIA Opengate, Garrett, and Metrasens Ultra systems. This hardware-agnostic approach gives you flexibility to choose equipment that fits your facility’s throughput requirements, budget constraints, and physical layout needs. The AI layer adds consistent intelligence regardless of which underlying detection system you select. You avoid vendor lock-in while gaining advanced capabilities traditional metal detectors cannot provide. This flexibility also allows you to upgrade or change hardware over time without replacing your entire security infrastructure.
Athena maintains high throughput screening by scanning individuals at average walking speed. The artificial intelligence focuses security staff attention only when detecting firearms or other prohibited items. This approach reduces secondary screening delays caused by false positives. In high traffic areas with large crowds, the system processes people efficiently without creating bottlenecks. Organizations report improved visitor experience compared to traditional metal detectors that require frequent stops for alarm resolution.
Patented computer vision technology monitors the entire screening area continuously, not just the detection portal itself. When someone walks around the system, or attempts to bypass screening procedures, the AI instantly alerts security personnel. This proactive threat detection catches attempts that traditional gun detection systems miss completely because they only monitor the portal. The technology uses multiple cameras and sensors to create comprehensive coverage. Security teams receive immediate alerts with visual evidence of evasion attempts. This capability addresses one of the biggest vulnerabilities in conventional screening operations.
The platform digitizes Department of Homeland Security best practices including DHS 14.2.2 for prohibited items logging, DHS 8.2 for testing and documentation, DHS 14.2.1 for illegal items notification, DHS 8.5 for secondary screening procedures, DHS 9.2.6 for U-shaped screening configurations, and DHS 15.4.5 for implementing credentialing. Automated compliance tools reduce manual documentation burdens while ensuring your operations meet federal standards. When auditors arrive, you have complete records of every screening, equipment test, and security incident. The system helps organizations maintain compliance without dedicating excessive staff time to paperwork and record keeping.
Yes. Athena integrates with video management systems, access control platforms, security operations centers, and third-party business software through pre-built APIs. Real time alerts reach your existing tools without requiring separate monitoring stations or duplicate systems. The platform can trigger automated responses in connected security systems when threats are detected. This unified approach creates more effective security measures than isolated point solutions. Integration capabilities include major VMS platforms, enterprise access control systems, and custom business applications. Our team works with your IT staff to ensure smooth integration with minimal disruption to operations.
Installation timelines vary based on facility size, number of screening locations, and hardware selection. Most single-location deployments complete within several days. Multi-site rollouts follow phased implementation schedules coordinated with your operations team. Athena provides on-site support for a minimum of two days post-installation to ensure proper configuration and security staff training. This hands-on approach helps your team become proficient quickly. We configure the system to match your specific screening procedures and integrate with existing security platforms. Training covers daily operations, alert response, compliance documentation, and troubleshooting procedures.
