This article first appeared in Government Technology, Techwire’s sister publication.
Evolv, which has worked with Oakland International Airport and a transit authority in Southern California, has also started offering technology to screen people for elevated temperatures associated with COVID-19.
Evolv, a company that offers screening technology for places such as airports, schools, transit stations and concert venues, has received an investment from an arm of hardware maker Stanley Black & Decker.
Massachusetts-based Evolv uses a combination of optical sensors, magnetic fields, millimeter wave and AI algorithms to rapidly screen people — in fact, according to a press release, Evolv Express can work without requiring people to stop or take anything out of their bags. As a result, the company says, the Express can screen 3,600 people per hour, which is many times more than a standard metal detection system.
Evolv has worked with Oakland International Airport, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, schools, venues and other places that routinely host large numbers of people. According to the statement, it has screened more than 50 million people.
As COVID-19 has upended the rules for physical gatherings, the company has also begun offering virus screening via thermal imaging.
The terms of the investment from STANLEY Security, part of the Stanley Black & Decker umbrella that includes tool brands such as Craftsman and DeWalt, were not disclosed, but it gives Evolv a large corporate strategic partner.
Since Evolv already uses optical technology, it offers a facial recognition feature to help track down people after they’ve walked past one of its systems. Facial recognition is routinely criticized by civil rights advocates, and this year several large tech companies have walked back their commitments in the field.
