Two companies have joined forces to create the world's first instantaneous gunshot detection and facial recognition system, according to an article from Security CCTV News.

Under the integrated system, when a gunshot is detected, Safety Dynamics, Inc.'s ballistic acoustic sensors immediately pinpoint the source and direct a high-resolution camera to zoom in to the location. The shooter's face is captured on screen, and FaceFirst's biometrics processor compares the shooter's face against existing databases to determine their identity, or, if the shooter does not have a record in the system, the processor creates one, according to the article.

This new system aims to give law enforcement agencies an extra edge in their investigations, as well as providing the companies with the edge in the fierce competition for homeland security contracts, the article says.