Evolv marketing pieces say that “Evolv Express is the world’s first and only touchless security screening solution that meets all of the post-pandemic security requirements.” We aren’t exactly sure what they are including, but we have started our own comparison and would like to hear feedback, as we are a touchless automated entryway security system which installs in less than 5 mins so your guests or employees can walk through the metal detector with ease. Our system takes only 1 sec compared to older technologies which take up to 15 secs as shown in this video below.
See video
How Does It Work?
The Athena Entryway Security Solution is a new walk-through metal detector that detects both magnetic ferrous metals as well as non-magnetic non-ferrous metals like aluminum. To our knowledge, the Evolv Express only uses magnetic detection. The Athena walk-through metal detector uses an active and passive field technology developed in Italy and used all over the world in airports, hospitals, and sports complexes.
What can you find? How Accurate Is Your Weapon Detection? How reliable are the results?
The Athena Entryway Security solution for weapon detection uses settings that are based on standards set by the US Federal Government. The default setting is NIJ: NILECJ_STD_0601.00 which represents a handgun, and the standard also defines the testing methodology. The Athena Entryway Security System passes this test 100% of the time. The Evolv Express does not have a corresponding setting and uses an A, B, C, etc method to select which do not necessarily correspond to any Federal or any Government standard and sounds elementary. Evolv has not published any metrics on accuracy? And they just leave each end-user to test each machine themselves to understand what the setting can detect or not.
Which system is faster?
The Athena walk-through metal detector solution is faster than the Evolv Express System at setting up, we also think we are faster at detection but we will let you decide that. The Athena Weapons Detection Solution can sound the alarm or blink the Fail light in LESS than 1 second, in all tested circumstances. The Evolv system can have significant delays in the alarm signaling, which requires a security resource to continuously monitor a display and react quickly in order to stop the correct person. The Athena platform can distribute the alarm as fast as the customer’s network will allow and as fast as they can walk through the system one by one. Athena does not require a resource at all entryways if you have access control setup as Athena can lock your doors thus not requiring a resource 24/7.
In terms of transit flow rate, both systems allow for the free flow of traffic, which is about 3,600 people per hour, with the nuisance alarm as the limiting factor. If the Athena System is more accurate, we would expect that our flow rate is higher but again we will let you decide.
What Are The Hardware and Deployment Differences?
The Athena Entryway Security System is easily Transportable, portable, and can be totally wireless. The poles are less than 35lbs and the camera/iPad less than 5 lbs and can be carried by an adult who can lift 35 lbs. Setup is less than 5 minutes. A small footprint of 4’ x 6’ can be used. The Evolv Express System is big and bulky and meant for fixed installation only. The Evolv System also has a ground plate that must be traversed and can be a trip hazard for people who don’t pick up their feet. Also, because of the alarm delays on the Evolv Express, there needs to be a larger footprint of 12 feet minimum after the transit, in order to still catch the person who sets off the alarm. Special equipment is required to move it. The minimum footprint needed for the Evolv system is 12’ wide by 24’ long. Athena's entryway system is set up or taken down in less than 5 mins which truly makes it superior to Evolv express.
The Athena system is available for covert use without any auditory alarm, most of the pillars can be cloaked, and a long lens can be used for a camera. It would be very difficult to use the big bulky Evolv Express in covert situations.
Athena's Entryway Security System Is Capable of Thermal Scanning For Elevated Temperatures
The Athena Elevator Body Temperature Scanning System defined enterprise-level thermal scanning for accuracy and speed. The Athena system uses a sensor with 110,000 pixels of +- 0.2 C accuracy. The person can KEEP walking through the Athena system without stopping, whereas with Evolv, the person has to come to a FULL STOP for 2-3 Seconds! Evolv has a Thermal Imaging package that takes 2-3 SECONDS per person, and the company still markets that it’s fast and frictionless?
Please let us know what you think by leaving us a comment on this blog post.