How intelligent acoustic monitoring saves lives at Prague Airport
In crisis situations, seconds often mean the difference between life and death. This is precisely where an innovative security system comes into play, which was recently tested under realistic conditions at Václav Havel Airport in Prague: the Sound Event Detector (SED) from the Czech company JALUD Embedded s.r.o.. An extensive exercise involving the police, security experts and scientists demonstrated how acoustic event detection combined with artificial intelligence can radically reduce existing response times – and thus usher in a paradigm shift in the security architecture of public spaces.
Various hazard scenarios were played out as part of the ‘STČ-14/IZS AMOK’ emergency training exercise: verbal aggression, unauthorised intrusion and an active threat scenario involving the use of firearms. In all cases, the SED was used, a system that is specially trained to identify relevant acoustic signals such as screams, gunshots or breaking glass within seconds – and automatically forward a message to the central security control centre.
The results are impressive. While in a simulated firearm incident without SED, it took an average of 6 minutes and 50 seconds for the first response, the system with automatic detection was able to reduce the response time to just 5 seconds – a time saving of over 97%. The response time was also reduced to a minimum in other scenarios: in the event of verbal escalation, for example, the alarm time fell from 30 to 5 seconds. No false alarms were triggered during the entire test – a crucial quality feature in real-time monitoring, where any unnecessary escalation can lead to resource commitment or panic.
Technically, the system is based on a network of acoustic sensors linked to cameras from Axis Communications and coordinated via a central control unit. The sensors are mounted on mobile tripods and fully integrated into the existing airport infrastructure. Using advanced machine learning algorithms, including neural networks, the SED analyses incoming signals in real time and classifies them with over 95% accuracy. It reliably distinguishes between harmless ambient noise and actual threats.
Although the SED performed excellently in all test scenarios, there are clear limitations: in silent or noiseless incidents – such as concealed theft or inconspicuous attacks – purely acoustic detection reaches its natural limits. The study authors therefore recommend the combined use of audio, video and motion sensors to create a comprehensive security network. In addition, further development of the algorithms is necessary, especially in very noisy environments where background noise could potentially lead to misinterpretations.
Nevertheless, the conclusion is clear: JALUD’s Sound Event Detector has proven itself in practice as a powerful and reliable addition to existing security systems. The immediate benefits – for example, in airport environments, railway stations, shopping centres or educational institutions – are obvious: automatic response within seconds without human delay. This not only reduces the time it takes for security forces to intervene, but also the likelihood of an incident escalating.
In a world where security increasingly depends on speed, this example impressively demonstrates how modern technology and intelligent systems can make a concrete contribution to increasing public safety. Those who think preventively today will act faster tomorrow – and save lives.
