Robotics and aerial drone startup companies were among those chosen by Verizon to participate in the company’s “Cohort 3” for the 5G First Responder Lab. The startups in the Cohort 3 group will focus on developing artificial intelligence for weapon detection, geo-intelligence, autonomous security, and smart cities solutions, powered by Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, the company said in a statement.

The startups were announced at the company’s #OCR2019 event, a three-day public safety seminar hosted by Verizon and Nokia, where technologies for public safety were showcased in live simulations for first responders and government officials. The event included a series of six realistic crisis scenarios that let industry and government stakeholders experience firsthand how advanced technologies can work under pressure in a crisis.

Variety of startups

The five companies chosen for the cohort were:

• Edgybees, which augments live video feeds captured from any camera, human input, or other data sources to provide clarity on operational environments.
• Ekin, which is developing software and hardware with AI to make modern cities safer and smarter.
• Knightscope, which develops autonomous security technologies through self-driving technology, robotics, and AI.
• Lumineye, which provides wall-penetrating radar sensing to help first responders identify people through walls.
• Zeroeyes, which develops a life-saving active shooter system that uses AI to actively monitor camera feeds to detect weapons.

“As our final cohort of the year, we’re excited to welcome Cohort 3 to the 5G First Responder Lab,” said Nick Nilan, director of public safety product development at Verizon. “The innovative technologies developed and fostered by Cohorts 1 and 2 will make an incredible difference in the market, and we can’t wait to see what Cohort 3 develops during their time in the lab.”

The company’s 5G First Responder Lab has brought together 15 companies in three separate groups (cohorts) that work at Verizon’s 5G Lab in Washington, D.C., to develop public safety solutions. Previous cohorts have focused on advanced imaging, drones, virtual reality training, and education for public safety and smart city technology. The company has also set up similar 5G labs that focus on other areas, including a robotics lab in Boston.

“We’re excited for the great things ahead with Cohort 3 and look forward to finishing the first year of this program strong,” said Nathanial Wish, co-founder & CEO, Responder Corp. “Each cohort has brought a wealth of innovation to the table, ultimately helping to create advanced solutions with potentially life-saving technologies that are built on Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband.”