The University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Police Department has begun beta testing a weapons detection system to secure sporting events on the university's main campus.

UW-Madison was established in 1848 and is known as one of the top universities in the country. The academic and athletic success of the university attracts tens of thousands to the campus each year, with 49,886 students enrolled for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The weapons detection system, HEXWAVE from Liberty Defense, is a walkthrough screening portal that automatically detects hidden weapons and other potential threats, including both metal and non-metal items such as 3D-printed ghost guns, as well as improvised liquid, powder or plastic explosives. It uses millimeter wave, video-rate 3D imaging, and Artificial Intelligence technologies to detect potential threats, providing security operators with a real-time go/no-go decision. Guests do not need to divest cell phones, keys, wallets or jackets when passing through the system.

“We look forward to testing HEXWAVE to see how it could enhance our robust security operations, particularly for large-scale events,” said Kristen Roman, Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief of Police at UW-Madison. “As the first university to test the HEXWAVE system, we are proud to have the opportunity to experience this security technology to see how it could improve both the experience and safety at our facilities.”