This new weapons sensor could be the next breakthrough in security

Keeping weapons out of Las Vegas casinos is a top priority for resort operators, said Robbie Gonzalez in Wired. The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is testing a "discreet weapon-sensing device" that scans guests for guns, knives, and bombs "without forcing them to walk through metal detectors." Patscan Cognitive Microwave Radar units combine short-range radar with machine-learning algorithms to scan guests, and are small enough to hide in walls, doorways, and elevator banks.

Two antennae emit electromagnetic radiation to about 6 feet and run results against a database of "known radar signatures" of guns, knives, and pressure-cooker bombs, so casino security can "distinguish weapons from benign objects." The scanners are being tested before their planned placement throughout the hotel this year. "Most people will never realize they are there."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up