Utah Considering Hidden Security Measures for Sundance Film Festival

Utah Considering Hidden Security Measures for Sundance Film Festival

A new technology that can covertly detect weapons is being considered by Utah officials to secure large events and public spaces.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • May 24, 2019

A Utah official has partnered with a security company known for making a covert weapons detection system and is hoping to partner with schools, stadiums and churches to install the product for a layered security approach that is less invasive.

Utah Attourney General Sean Reyes and Georgia-based Liberty Defense Solutions are working together to test and promote the HEXWAVE product, which uses 3D imaging and artificial intelligence to detect concealed weapons on people in public spaces.

HEXWAVE scans for objects like guns, knives and explosives obscured by clothing or bags. The product can hidden in walls or other commonplace structures so that passersby can walk past without realizing they are being scanned.

The technology appears to "strike a balance between privacy interests on one side and security and safety," according to Reyes. 

The agreement between Reyes and Liberty Defense allows for introductions to be made between the company and prospective clients as well as advising interested parties of the potential uses for the solution. Police in Pro City, Utah have spoken with Liberty Defense about the potential uses of HEXWAVE to help secure the Sundance Film Festival because the imaging technology identifies objects rather than the people carrying them, according to an article by The Salt Lake Tribune. 

"If you can imagine an open place like Park City during Sundance to be able to have a little more of an awareness of what — and not who and what their identity is and where they live and what their driver's license is — but what they might have on them and where it is, to make sure everybody is as safe as possible," Reyes said.

The technology could also be used as a way to identify threats in other settings such as sporting and concert arenas, school campuses, churches, government buildings and amusement parks. 

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities