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An unfortunate reality of the times we live in is the fact that any large gathering of people is potentially at risk from those with ill intentions. Efforts to secure airports through technology are well-known, and now one of the most advanced physical security systems ever invented, the Qylur Qylatron Entry Experience Solution, is being used at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
Lisa Dolev, CEO of Qylur Intelligent Systems, explained that her company’s technologies fit into the industrial Internet of things (IIoT) space, with machines that are able to learn from each other and evolve in their decision-making capabilities to help stay ahead of threats.
“For the Qylatron Entry Experience Solution, what we’re doing is combining the aspects of greeting a person based on the entry ticket and doing security scanning,” Dolev told eWEEK.
The Qylatron is a self-service machine comprising multiple pods that can be used for screening bags and other items (pictured). It has a number of different sensors that use machine learning to come to automated decisions, according to Dolev. The automated decisions are intended to stop things defined by the system’s administrators as being dangerous or even just items that are prohibited by the venue.
The Qylatron was previously deployed at the FIFA 2014 World Cup, and Dolev said for that event, venues restricted ticket holders from bringing flags into the stadium. She emphasized that the entry decision on potentially prohibited items isn’t just made by the machine; there is also a human element that is involved.
“We do believe in the philosophy of a complementary mode of working, where we ensure that the human and the machine are both watching over entrants and making decisions,” Dolev said.
The Road to Levi’s Stadium
In 2013, Qylur first started field trials of its system and decided on a market strategy of going across leaders in different industry verticals, according to Dolev. Among the first commercial deployments was the FIFA 2014 World Cup.
Levi’s Stadium was a logical choice to be the first U.S. stadium to use the Qylatron, since it’s located in Silicon Valley and is widely considered to be one of the most high-tech stadiums, she said.
Plus, “Levi’s Stadium hosts far more than just NFL football games,” Dolev said.
When NFL games are not being played at Levi’s Stadium, it hosts a vast array of entertainment and business events. For the Qylatron deployed, Dolev added the agreement with the stadium is a true partnership to determine the best and optimal usage of the technology for the venue.
At this point, given that the system is still new, Dolev said there are only a limited number of Qylatron Entry Experience Solutions. As such, there is testing that needs to be done to determine at which stadium gate the system should be placed. Since the Qylatron can enhance the overall entry experience to the stadium, it would make sense to put at the VIP gate, she said.
“Or maybe you’d want to put the Qylatron where your biggest security concern is,” Dolev said. “Obviously, the objective is to move the system to additional gates over time.”
There are a number of differences between the Levi’s Stadium deployment and the FIFA 2014 World Cup, Dolev pointed out. The World Cup was all about soccer, whereas at Levi’s Stadium, there are football games, concerts and tours, expanding the diversity of the events held at the venue.
Technology
While Dolev declined to provide granular details on the specific technology components included in the Qylatron, she did say the system is a combination of proprietary as well as open-source technologies.
Big data also plays a large role in the Qylatron system.
Qylur System Uses Big Data to Improve Levi’s Stadium Security
“We do have an enormous amount of data,” Dolev said. “Data is generated about what people bring into a venue, and we use that data and from other system locations to enhance the learning and then make all the systems smarter.”
From an analytics perspective, information is provided on many levels, including system performance and trends, according to Dolev.
Qylur is also working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve security as part of the Transportation Security Lab. As it turns out, it is Qylur’s efforts in the private sector that is helping to inform its efforts with the government.
“We developed an approach for the private sector that has a high priority for the way it treats guests and customers, including privacy,” Dolev said. “We’re bringing a bit of Silicon Valley high technology into the realm of testing and airport security.”
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.