New AI Tool to Secure Schools

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Due to the ever-rising amount of violent cases occurring at schools, especially those in the United States, many experts have analyzed possible solutions to the problem. Now, a new AI tool developed by a Texas based company might become the ultimate answer for school security.

This new tool utilized existing school camera systems to monitor for potential threats in real time. It enhances school safety by proactively identifying and preventing active shooter incidents, for example, the AI tool can identify weapons, individuals, and their movements, and alert law enforcement when a threat is detected.

While previous iterations of AI security tools were capable of only identifying gun detection and minimal anomalies in behavior, this tool uses existing school CCTV infrastructure to detect several types of unusual events and patterns such as the presence of a weapon, an open door, unauthorized access, a license plate, vehicle identification, suspicious behavior, a person in distress, a fire, etc.

Upon detecting a threat, a security breach, or other developing situation, it transforms data into real-time actionable insights that instantaneously send alerts and alarms to school staff and law enforcement with detailed information via web and mobile apps, email, and text, and then designates specific actions like initiating lock-down procedures, as reported by gadgetsnow.com.

According to studies done on the subject, up to 80% of active shooters can be identified as much as 30 minutes before a shooting occurs, with some of them possessing visible weapons that can be seen in security camera footage. It is critical for schools to be able to quickly alert the relevant staff members of suspicious behavioral patterns, and AI can be vital to such early detection, and perhaps even save lives.