For Immediate Release
- Coralville, Iowa
- April 28, 2026
IntelliSee, the AI-powered risk detection platform that turns existing security cameras into proactive safety tools, today announced that its visual smoke and fire detection capability has entered open beta and is now generally available to all IntelliSee customers at no additional cost. The capability identifies smoke and visible flame on standard security cameras and sends alerts within seconds — closing a critical gap in environments where ceiling-mounted ionization and photoelectric sensors fall short.
Traditional fire detection systems rely on smoke or heat reaching a ceiling sensor — a process that can take several minutes in high-bay warehouses, atriums, manufacturing floors, parking structures, and other environments where smoke stratifies before it ever reaches the ceiling. NFPA reporting consistently identifies delayed detection as one of the largest contributors to property loss and life safety risk in commercial structure fires. IntelliSee's visual approach watches the camera feed itself, identifying smoke and flame the moment they become visible — not minutes later when the plume finally reaches a ceiling-mounted sensor.
"Fire is one of the few threats where every second between ignition and detection translates directly into property damage, business interruption, and risk to life," said Scott Keplinger, CEO of IntelliSee. "Our customers were already running cameras in the spaces where conventional smoke detection struggles most — warehouses, manufacturing facilities, hospitality kitchens, parking structures, and outdoor perimeters. Adding visual smoke and fire detection to those existing cameras costs them nothing extra and gives them a layer of intelligence the legacy fire system cannot provide."
Why Visual Smoke and Fire Detection Matters
Conventional fire detection has well-documented gaps:
- High-ceiling stratification. In facilities with ceilings over 30 feet, smoke can cool and layer in mid-air before reaching ceiling sensors — sometimes adding minutes to detection time.
- Outdoor and perimeter coverage. Loading docks, exterior storage yards, and dumpster areas are typically outside any fire system's coverage envelope. A visible flame in those zones often goes unreported until someone happens to see it.
- Air movement and HVAC interference. In environments with strong airflow — data centers, manufacturing bays, large retail — smoke disperses and dilutes before reaching detectors.
- False alarm fatigue. Dust, steam, and aerosols routinely trip ionization detectors. Visual confirmation gives security teams a way to verify the alert before dispatching emergency response.
Visual smoke and fire detection complements existing fire alarm infrastructure rather than replacing it. The cameras are already installed. The platform simply watches what they see and identifies the visual signature of smoke and flame the moment it appears.
How the Beta Works
The capability is live across the IntelliSee platform for all current customers as of this announcement. There is no separate enrollment, no additional licensing, and no hardware change. Smoke and fire detection runs alongside IntelliSee's existing detection library — weapon detection, fall detection, loitering, cell phone detection, perimeter control, and others — on the same camera infrastructure.
"Beta status reflects how we ship," said Lucas Kuhlmann, CTO of IntelliSee. "We push new detection types into general availability the moment they're ready to run reliably on real-world camera feeds, then keep refining performance against the broader deployment base. Visual smoke and fire is at that stage now. We expect detection accuracy and false-positive performance to keep improving over the coming months as the model sees more environments."
Customers monitoring high-bay warehouses, manufacturing floors, parking structures, hospitality back-of-house, healthcare loading docks, energy infrastructure, and outdoor perimeters are likely to see immediate value. The platform sends alerts to designated security and facilities personnel through the IntelliSee dashboard, mobile interface, and integrated mass notification systems.
Key Benefits
- Earlier visual detection than ceiling-mounted ionization or photoelectric sensors in high-bay or air-movement environments.
- Outdoor and perimeter coverage that conventional fire systems do not address.
- Visual confirmation of fire-system alerts to reduce false dispatches and verify before escalation.
- Zero hardware change — runs on the cameras already installed.
- No additional cost to existing IntelliSee customers; included in the standard subscription.
- Privacy-preserving architecture — detection runs on-premises with no facial recognition, biometric data, or video storage required.
About IntelliSee
IntelliSee is an award-winning AI-powered risk detection platform that transforms organizations' existing security cameras into proactive tools for safety and prevention. The platform holds full DHS SAFETY Act QATT designation for its firearm detection analytics and is recognized by NSCA, InfoComm, and Security Today. IntelliSee delivers real-time detection of risks ranging from slip-and-fall hazards to active shooter threats — protecting lives, reputations, and resources without requiring costly infrastructure upgrades.
For more information, please fill out the contact form on our contact page, or reach out to your designated IntelliSee representative.
Get a smoke and fire detection demoSee How IntelliSee Watches Your Existing Cameras for Smoke and Fire
Visual smoke and fire detection runs on the cameras you already have — no replacement, no additional sensors, no extra cost. Request a consultation and see a live demonstration of your facility's detection coverage.