Gun Safety Technology system

My Gun's Been Moved

The Challenge

Gun accidents in homes with kids and teens are still far too common - and almost always preventable. One unnoticed touch can turn deadly in a heartbeat.

Most firearm owners face the same dilemma: keep your gun on the nightstand for quick access in an emergency, or lock it away in a safe. The nightstand gives you speed but no awareness. If someone picks it up, you won't know until it's too late. The safe gives you security but takes away the rapid access that matters most when every second counts. The SmartPad was built to resolve that tradeoff entirely, letting you keep your firearm within reach while receiving an instant alert the moment anyone touches it.

The Opportunity

Kayla Austin, the founder and CEO of My Gun’s Been Moved, teamed up with AJProTech with a straightforward goal: use technology to make firearm safety better and more accessible. We worked hand-in-hand: Kayla brought her clear vision for the product, and AJProTech brought engineering expertise. Together, we sharpened the idea, proved it was technically doable, and turned Kayla’s concept into a tangible product, fully equipped with all the features the device required. My Gun’s Been Moved was designed with kids’ safety as its core mission, giving families an extra layer of protection where it matters most. What started as a solid concept quickly became something real, functional, and ready for the market.

Our approach

Remember the iconic weight trap scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark? Same principle, just high-tech and with no room to cheat. Sampling at high frequency, the SmartPad takes dozens of weight readings per second, catching every shift the moment it happens. That level of real-time awareness is exactly what we set out to achieve.

To create a simple, reliable, and effective solution, we designed the system around weight as the primary signal. The device integrates precision sensors for accurate measurement, a communication module for reliable data transfer, and a mobile application that enables seamless interaction and control.

AJProTech team kicked off the project with a Feasibility Study to validate that the concept was technically sound and could scale efficiently. During this stage, we defined the design, system architecture, selected high-quality components, validated their long-term availability, and aligned on cost targets. Software requirements was incorporated early to ensure tight integration across the stack.

We selected high-sensitivity load-cell sensors, integrated a built-in siren directly into the platform for immediate on-device alerts, and developed a user-friendly companion mobile app, “My Gun’s Been Moved,” which delivers real-time alert notifications when an event is triggered.

From there, the project progressed smoothly from concept to working prototypes, resulting in a robust system designed for real-world deployment.

The Solution

The SmartPad is a connected device that continuously monitors a firearm's position and instantly alerts the owner the moment it's moved.

The SmartPad pairs with the My Gun’s Been Moved mobile app, sending notifications straight to the user’s phone so they can quickly decide whether the movement is expected or needs attention. With dependable hardware, intuitive software, and always-on connectivity, the SmartPad gives responsible gun owners peace of mind, without complicated installation or changes to how firearms are stored.

Product Design

The development process started the way the best ideas do - sketches. From there, the team moved to a detailed Feasibility Study, working closely with Kayla to pressure-test the concept, and determine the ideal form factor for the device.

The SmartPad is flat, low-profile, and weighted enough to stay firmly in place on any surface. The finish closely mimics the feel of hard rubber, non-slip, pleasant to the touch, and refined enough to blend into a bedroom without looking like a piece of tech equipment.

The UX philosophy was equally intentional. The device features a single button for powering on and nothing more. No complicated controls, no modes to cycle through. When a firearm is placed on the pad, the SmartPad activates automatically. Everything else, including disarming, configuration, and notifications, is handled through the mobile app. This was a deliberate design decision: keeping the device itself simple and tamper-resistant, while putting full control in the hands of the owner.

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Mechanical Design

The mechanical design focuses on a sturdy plastic enclosure shaped as a flat pad that supports the firearm.

While the enclosure was made from plastic, the finishing process was taken a step further: the surface was treated to achieve the texture that closely resembles the hard rubber - firm, smooth, and genuinely pleasant to handle. It is engineered to remain completely rigid under load, preventing flex or deformation that could affect measurement accuracy.

Using rapid prototyping, we created the first physical samples of the prototypes to test fit, rigidity, and real-world performance before moving to final tooling.

Electrical Engineering

At AJProTech, we follow a well-established methodology when designing complex electronics. We begin with a solid system architecture and careful component selection to deliver reliable, scalable, and future-proof hardware solutions. Part of that process means vetting every component for both performance and long-term supply chain viability, ensuring that each part remains actively available and sourceable well into the product's lifecycle.

For the SmartPad, we built the electronics around the powerful ESP32 platform. We chose Wi-Fi as the primary communication method so the device can instantly notify the user when someone picks up or moves the firearm, even if the owner is far away from the SmartPad. The system also supports Bluetooth Low Energy and an external antenna for reliable connectivity. The board also includes an external antenna connector for users who place the device inside a metal safe. A small opening in the safe, a thin antenna cable routed through it, and the SmartPad maintains a stable WiFi connection without signal loss.

To achieve maximum energy efficiency, the device spends most of its time in a deep sleep mode when not in use. It automatically wakes up only when movement is detected or when it needs to send an alert. Thanks to this smart power management, the SmartPad can operate for up to 6 months on a single battery charge.

Mobile App

The app is the primary way users interact with the SmartPad system. It handles everything from initial setup to day-to-day control, putting the full power of the device in the owner's hands.

Through the app, users can add and manage one or multiple SmartPad devices, arm and disarm the system, and configure how they want to be notified. One of the more thoughtful features is the ability to record custom voice alerts. A parent can record their own voice, so if a child attempts to access the firearm, that personal message plays instead of a generic tone. Users can also choose between a custom notification and a loud siren, depending on their preference and situation. The app delivers status updates across the board: when the device is armed, when it is disarmed, and when any movement is detected.

From a security standpoint, disarming the SmartPad is only possible through the app. This was an intentional decision. There is no physical disarm option on the device itself, removing any possibility of bypassing the system without the owner's phone. The app is available on both the App Store and Google Play.

Firmware development

On the firmware side, the system is optimized for long-term operation. An efficient deep sleep mode allows the device to check for weight deviations every second while consuming minimal power. This approach keeps the data current without sacrificing battery life, enabling the SmartPad to operate for up to 6 months on a single charge.

The firmware also supports Over-the-Air (OTA) updates, allowing the device to receive improvements and patches wirelessly through the app, with no cables or manual intervention required.

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Prototyping and Pilot Batch

To bring SmartPad from concept to reality, we leveraged our advanced R&D center in Taiwan to rapidly develop and produce functional prototypes.

These prototypes were built for real-world testing with early users, allowing us to gather valuable feedback on usability, reliability, and performance. This hands-on iteration process helped us refine the design, optimize the electronics, and ensure the final product meets the highest standards of quality and safety.

The prototyping phase went well beyond producing a handful of functional units. Once the design was validated, the team moved into producing a pilot batch of several dozen devices, built to be tested in real-world conditions by actual users. Every unit in this batch was assembled using production-grade components, the same parts and tolerances intended for the final product, ensuring that feedback collected during testing accurately reflected the experience of the finished device.

Enclosures were machined using CNC processing, delivering the precision fit and surface quality the design required. High-grade silicone materials were used throughout, contributing both to the tactile quality of the device and its overall aesthetic. The result was a pilot batch that looked and felt like a finished consumer product, ready to be placed on a nightstand and judged accordingly.

How It Works

SmartPad is designed to be incredibly simple and intuitive:

Connect to Wi-Fi

Pair the SmartPad with your home Wi-Fi network using the “My Gun’s Been Moved” app. Once connected, the device can send alerts to your phone even when you’re away from home.

Arming the System

Simply place your firearm on the SmartPad. The device automatically measures the weight and arms itself instantly.

Disarming the System

Disarming the device is exclusively available through the owner's mobile app. There is no physical override on the device itself, ensuring that only the owner can deactivate the alert system. When you need to take your firearm, just tap the button in the mobile app.

Instant Alert

If anyone lifts or moves the firearm while the system is armed, SmartPad immediately sounds a loud siren and sends an instant push notification to your phone.

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Impact

The My Gun's Been Moved project has stacked up some serious milestones, awards, and spotlight moments that show its growing impact:

Won Black Ambition Prize: Awarded at Pharrell Williams' Mighty Dream Forum, providing funding and mentorship to advance development.
Showcased at CES 2023: Featured as an exhibitor at the world's largest tech conference, gaining exposure among global innovators and industry leaders.
Extensive media coverage: Spotlighted by outlets like ABC News, Yahoo, Black Enterprise, Teen Vogue, News Nation, AfroTech, The Times Weekly, and Howard University platforms, amplifying its message on responsible gun ownership.
Additional spotlight events: Highlighted in USPTO discussions on Black innovation, AT&T's Dream in Black program, and National Urban League recognitions for future impact.
Successful Crowdfunding Campaign: The team launched a highly successful crowdfunding campaign that exceeded its funding goals, raising substantial capital from supporters who believe in smarter and safer gun storage solutions.

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