Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) has joined the global open standards organisation ONVIF, integrating its automated gunshot detection sensors into a framework designed for interoperability across physical security platforms.

Founded in 2008 by Axis Communications, Bosch Security Systems, and Sony, ONVIF is an industry forum that develops open standards for IP-based physical security products. The organisation, which now comprises more than 500 member companies, uses a system of specific “Profiles”—such as Profile S for video streaming or Profile M for analytics metadata—to ensure hardware and software from competing manufacturers can communicate seamlessly without proprietary integration.

The integration reflects a growing trend in smart city and IoT deployments, where operators are increasingly mandating open architectures. By adopting open standards and common protocols, municipalities and enterprises can connect disparate hardware, such as environmental sensors, surveillance cameras, and access controls, without relying on proprietary software stacks or facing vendor lock-in.

SDS, a subsidiary of Alarm.com, manufactures indoor and outdoor sensors that combine acoustic and infrared detection to identify gunfire. The company’s membership in ONVIF will allow its threat data to flow directly into existing security networks, triggering automated responses across hardware from multiple manufacturers.

“When seconds matter, the technology protecting people should work seamlessly within the environment it’s deployed in, and ONVIF is how we get there,” said James Reno, Vice President of Commercial Sales at SDS.

In complex urban and enterprise IoT environments, standardising data transmission is critical for emergency response. The open architecture approach ensures that gunshot alerts, which the company states are generated in under one second indoors, can immediately cue third-party systems to lock doors or direct cameras to the incident location without requiring custom integration work.