How many of your entry points are truly secure right now?
For most security leaders, the honest answer is “not enough.”
Security teams are stretched thin. Budgets are shrinking. Threats are evolving faster than ever. And yet, security leaders are expected to secure more ground with fewer officers on-site. Put simply, traditional security models are no longer equipped to keep up.
That’s why a new wave of technology is closing these gaps: Holographic Telepresence. A scalable technology that brings a lifelike virtual security officer to multiple entry points without adding headcount.
And at the forefront of this shift is Athena Security, with its breakthrough platform, Athena Telepresence.
In this article, we explore how this transformative technology is helping security leaders do more with less and how Athena Telepresence is one of the most promising innovations in the space.
Why a Virtual Security Officer is the Future of Scalable Facility Security
According to Genetec’s 2025 State of Physical Security report, 72% of organizations cite ongoing hiring shortages in security positions, while only 6% believe they’ll fill those roles anytime soon.
This isn’t just a staffing issue. It’s a growing security liability.
But the good news is that holographic telepresence technology offers a powerful new way forward.
Let’s take a quick look:
Virtual Security Officer vs. Traditional Guard: Closing the Gaps with Holographic Telepresence
Traditional systems depend heavily on manual staffing and siloed responses. This approach is increasingly unsustainable as the threat landscape changes.
Telepresence security officers offer a smarter, more cost-effective alternative. Centralized control, AI-driven interactions, and seamless escalation make them a reliable solution for closing gaps in both protection and visitor experience.
Here’s how the telepresence security platform compares to traditional security models:
| Security Parameter | Traditional | Telepresence |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing Requirements | High and inflexible. One officer per location. | Low and flexible. One operator manages four locations remotely. |
| Cost Efficiency | High payroll and overhead costs. | Reduced labor costs. Scalability across multiple sites and locations. |
| Coverage & Availability | Limited to officer schedules and locations. | 24/7 presence at all key points via holographic projection. |
| Visitor Engagement | Inconsistent. Depends on staff training and availability. | Consistent, multilingual, always-available guidance. |
| Incident Response | Delayed if officers are not nearby. | Immediate video prompts + live escalation. |
| Risk to Human Officers | High in volatile or high-threat scenarios. | Low. Officers operate remotely, which reduces physical exposure. |
Whether running a single site or overseeing a chain of facilities, telepresence security technology lets your trained security officers be present virtually everywhere they’re needed. The virtual security officer is more than just a holographic projection. It’s a workforce multiplier, a real-time responder, and a visitor concierge. Yes, all in one!
This level of intelligent, scalable presence isn’t theoretical. It’s live, and it’s here!
Meet Athena Telepresence, the platform making virtual security officers a reality across industries.
What is Athena Telepresence?
Using holographic projectors at entry points, the Athena Telepresence platform bridges geographical divides and optimizes workforce deployment like never before.
The platform uses a holographic projector to display a fully interactive, lifelike virtual security officer across multiple locations. As visitors approach, built-in proximity sensors trigger a greeting or instructional video. The holographic projection or the virtual security officer guides guests through access procedures, answers questions in their preferred language, and escalates issues to a live operator when needed.
During escalations, visitors can voice-activate or tap to connect with a real human officer, no matter the time or place. This helps maintain human oversight when needed without requiring on-site staffing.
To simplify security operations and give security leaders unparalleled oversight, the system integrates with Athena Security’s X-ray machines, Weapon Detection System, and Visitor Management System. Using third-party API integrations, Athena Telepresence also integrates with existing access control systems, cameras, and personal alert safety systems.
Athena Telepresence is not just about being present. It’s about being present with intelligence, action, and authority. By deploying the platform, facilities no longer have to choose between overextending their staff or leaving entry points exposed. While closing staffing and coverage gaps, the holographic telepresence also eliminates physical risk to live officers and transforms fragmented, reactive security into a proactive, coordinated, and intelligent defense layer.
What you gain instantly:
- Full entry coverage with fewer on-site staff
- Real-time guidance without delays or confusion
- Multilingual support for diverse visitor populations
Want to see how a single virtual security officer can scale your coverage and cut costs? Book a live demo with us today!
So, what exactly gives it that edge?
Let’s break down the features that make Athena Telepresence a category-defining solution.
Why Should Security Leaders Explore Athena Telepresence to Deploy a Virtual Security Officer?
While most security tools focus on completing security checklists, Athena Telepresence solves real problems. Here’s how each feature delivers tangible value, one challenge, one solution, and one strategic advantage at a time.
Here’s a quick look at the core features driving that impact:
- Holographic Projection and Centralized Remote Staffing.
- Live and Pre-Recorded Hologram Video Customization.
- Multilingual Messaging and Real-Time Translation.
- AI-Assisted FAQ and Visitor Guidance.
- Operational Metrics and Analytics.
Each of these features directly responds to the challenges security teams face daily.
Let’s dive deeper into each capability.
Holographic Projection and Centralized Remote Staffing
The Challenge: Traditional on-site staffing is costly and limited. One full-time officer can cost over $80,000 annually, and most facilities need several per shift. Yet, physical staff can only cover one location at a time. Kiosks or robots often fail to convey authority or build trust.
The Solution: Athena Telepresence uses a hologram projector to project a life-sized, interactive officer without requiring anyone on-site. One trained professional can manage up to four locations remotely.
The Athena Advantage: Get broad coverage at a fraction of the cost. Scale operations by deploying centralized staff across multiple locations and extending talent across geographies, all without compromising performance or security responsiveness.
“It offers better response than a robot,” says Chris Ciabarra, Co-Founder and CTO of Athena Security. “Telepresence looks like a real person, while robots tend to scare kids and others. Users are amazed by the setup. It really looks like a real person.”
Live and Pre-Recorded Hologram Video Interaction with Customization
The Challenge: Security personnel can’t always be available for every interaction, and pre-scripted kiosks often fall short in adapting to real-time visitor needs. Additionally, security communication isn’t one-size-fits-all. Cultural tone, visitor expectations, and protocol language vary by facility, and off-the-shelf scripts or static visuals often fall flat.
The Solution: Athena Telepresence supports live video feeds and AI-triggered pre-recorded hologram videos. Use real people, AI avatars, or combinations of both for your use case. Customize your virtual security officer in terms of appearance, uniform, voice, language, and demeanor.
The Athena Advantage: Deliver consistent, scalable communication and brand experience with visitors through live officers or tailored content. Customize the system as your facility’s protocols evolve, with new SOPs, threat responses, and compliance changes. These updates are reflected instantly in hologram scripts, AI-triggered videos, and escalation logic without retraining, re-recording, or platform downtime.
Multilingual Messaging and Real-Time Translation
The Challenge: Facilities today are visited by diverse populations who may not speak the same language. At critical security checkpoints, such language barriers can lead to confusion, delays, and even non-compliance. Additionally, hiring multilingual staff for every post isn’t always scalable or cost-effective.
The Solution: Athena Telepresence uses auto language detection to identify a visitor’s preferred language and immediately display real-time translated subtitles. This is applicable during live interactions or playing pre-recorded videos.
The Athena Advantage: Eliminate the language barrier without hiring additional multilingual staff. Provide clear instructions, answer questions, and enhance the experience for diverse visitors.
AI-Assisted FAQ and Visitor Response
The Challenge: Security officers are often bogged down by repetitive tasks, like explaining check-in procedures or answering basic questions. While necessary for visitors, these interactions pull attention away from higher-risk scenarios and real-time threat monitoring.
The Solution: The platform includes a built-in AI assistant that autonomously manages mundane inquiries. It can provide directions, policy explanations, and answers to frequently asked questions.
The Athena Advantage: Free your live operators to focus on complex, high-priority events while AI handles everyday interactions. Security teams become more efficient, responsive, and focused while visitors get fast, accurate support.
As Chris says in his Forbes article titled Why We Need AI Now More Than Ever In Security Checkpoints, “Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a transformative solution. It enhances safety by reducing the need for physical contact and automating critical security checks.”
Operational Metrics and Analytics
The Challenge: Organizations rarely have visibility into what’s actually happening at their security checkpoints. These blind spots could limit decision-making and weaken overall security strategies.
The Solution: Athena Telepresence integrates with the Athena Security Platform, where critical metrics like presence detection, visitor flow, operator response times, and interaction frequency are captured. Data is collected passively and visualized in an intuitive dashboard.
The Athena Advantage: Make smarter, data-driven decisions and optimize staffing based on traffic patterns, improve compliance, and deliver a better visitor experience.
As evident, Athena Telepresence is far more than a futuristic interface. It’s a highly effective platform that is rooted in practicality.
But you may wonder, where does it make the biggest difference?
Let’s look at how this telepresence technology plays out on the ground.
Who Should Consider Deploying a Virtual Security Officer with Athena Telepresence and Why?
Athena Telepresence combines human-like presence, AI automation, and centralized control, making it a security solution second to none.
And how can one describe its impact in high-risk environments? Tangible, immediate, and scalable.
| Entity Type | Security Threats | Athena Telepresence Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals and Healthcare | A visitor bypasses screening at an ER entrance during peak hours. Staff remain unaware of unauthorized access to restricted areas. | A holographic telepresence security officer greets the visitor, delivers screening instructions, and escalates to a live remote operator when needed. |
| Schools and Universities | An unauthorized individual enters the campus through an unattended gate, with no live staff available to verify identity or intent. | A virtual security officer intercepts the visitor with real-time video prompts and identity verification, escalating to live staff if the situation requires intervention. |
| Airports and Transit Hubs | Confused travelers crowd near a terminal after a last-minute gate change. Tensions rise, and a verbal altercation begins, with no nearby staff to de-escalate or redirect the flow. | A telepresence security officer provides multilingual wayfinding instructions and calmly intervenes to restore order. |
| Government Buildings | A disgruntled contractor attempts to re-enter a secure floor using an expired badge. The only on-site guard is stationed at a different entrance and is unaware of the breach. | The virtual security officer recognizes failed badge entry, displays an immediate deterrent message, and notifies a remote operator to handle escalation, without risking a security personnel’s life. |
| Corporate Campuses | During off-hours, an unfamiliar visitor enters the lobby claiming to be with a late delivery. With no reception staff available, the situation is a concern for a security breach. | A telepresence security officer handles the interaction and verifies the individual’s intent for entry. |
| Retail and Commercial Spaces | A suspicious individual lingers at an unmanned mall entrance during opening hours. Without early engagement, the individual proceeds deeper into the facility unnoticed. | Proximity-based triggers activate a holographic officer to engage with the individual, communicate next steps, and escalate to live staff if needed. |
If your scenario wasn’t listed here, don’t worry! We customize Athena Telepresence to fit your unique environment. Want to see how in a 15-minute walkthrough? Book a demo here.
Reimagining Security Presence: The Power of Virtual Security Officers with Athena Telepresence
The future of workforce security isn’t just automated. It’s amplified. And Athena Telepresence is how you get there.
Creating a genuine, interactive presence that transcends geographical limitations. Save your organization significant costs. Prioritize the safety of your people. Unlock unprecedented operational efficiency, all with holographic technology and intelligent automation.
If you could multiply your security force without increasing headcount, wouldn’t you? In security, all it takes is one missed visitor to cause real damage. A quick demo could be the difference.
One missed visitor could cost more than a demo ever will.
Critical FAQs on Deploying Virtual Security Officers
Even with everything you’ve read, it’s only natural to have a few questions. This section answers the most common follow-up questions security professionals ask when evaluating Athena Telepresence. From operational limits to deployment details, we’ve got you covered.
What is Telepresence?
Telepresence is the appearance or sensation of being physically present in a location other than where you actually are. This is achieved through technologies like telerobotics or hologram video.
Athena Telepresence technology is the security-first evolution of that concept. It uses life-sized holographic projections, AI-triggered video interactions, and real-time sensor integrations to create an interactive, authoritative presence at entry points without needing anyone physically there.
What Happens If the Internet Connection Is Unstable or Lost? Does the System Failover Gracefully?
Yes. If the live video feed is disrupted due to a network issue, Athena Telepresence automatically falls back to pre-programmed options. Visitors will still receive guidance via AI-driven Q&A or sensor-triggered instructional videos. For example, if a live officer becomes unavailable, a pre-recorded message can notify visitors and continue assisting them through automated responses.
How Does Athena Telepresence Handle Emergency Scenarios Requiring Physical Intervention Without On-Site Staff?
In high-risk scenarios, Athena Telepresence can escalate to a remote operator who can intervene in real time. Additionally, clients can define emergency protocols that are triggered automatically based on the type of incident. These responses can range from displaying a deterrent message to notifying security personnel instantly. Institutions can customize these flows based on their SOPs and risk profiles. Watch below how the telepresence technology works in such scenarios.
Are There Safeguards If the Holographic Projection Is Tampered With or Blocked?
Yes. If tampering or obstruction is detected, the system logs the incident and can notify remote operators or facility security immediately for appropriate action.
How Does the System Verify Identity If a Visitor Skips or Ignores the Hologram?
The evasion detection capability identifies when someone bypasses the Telepresence checkpoint. In such cases, the system can lock down access or trigger alerts to security personnel. This ensures that every visitor follows the intended flow and is properly screened before proceeding.
What Infrastructure or Setup Is Required to Install the Athena Telepresence?
Installation is simple. You need the hologram projection unit, an iPad interface, and a stable internet connection. That’s it. There’s no need for extensive wiring or proprietary hardware, which makes deployment fast, flexible, and cost-effective.
How Does the System Perform in Loud or Chaotic Environments Where Audio Commands or Holographic Visuals Might Be Difficult to Notice?
Athena Telepresence is designed for indoor environments or sheltered setups. If the surroundings are too noisy, all the visitors have to do is walk up to the virtual security officer. The system triggers clear visual prompts and touch-based interactions even in high-traffic or chaotic environments.