Center Grove schools in Indiana have partnered with ZeroEyes and Omnilert, two artificial intelligence-based gun detection video analytics platforms, to proactively protect students and faculty from gun violence. The software is capable of detecting guns in security footage and immediately sharing images with their respective operations centers. ZeroEyes' Operations Center is staffed by trained military and law enforcement veterans, while Omnilert's platform provides 24/7 gun detection. Both platforms prioritize privacy and ethical concerns by focusing on identifying weapons rather than people.
ZeroEyes, founded by former U.S. Navy SEALS, is the first video analytics technology to receive a SAFETY Act Designation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It has already demonstrated its effectiveness in detecting a man with a gun on a subway platform, enabling first responders to intervene before any harm occurred. The software will be implemented across Center Grove's nine school campuses and is being funded by a $100,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security [8b381eda].
Omnilert's third-generation AI-based gun detection platform offers 24/7 monitoring of gun threats using existing security cameras. The system can identify a weapon in a fraction of a second and verify in as little as three seconds. It can activate a response, including dispatching police, locking doors, sounding alarms, and automating other responses, in only two more seconds. When a threat is detected, the system sends still images and a short video clip to provide more context to security personnel and first responders. The third-generation system has added enhancements such as lower hardware costs, high-performance processing on commodity GPU and server platforms, and improved architecture efficiency. It can process 55 1080P camera streams running at 15fps on a standard NVIDIA RTX 4060. It also offers PTZ camera compatibility and simplified management of large deployments [26dabbe7].
Former Navy SEAL Mike Lahiff founded Zero Eyes, a company dedicated to curbing mass shootings and improving public safety. Zero Eyes uses AI technology to seamlessly integrate with existing security camera infrastructure and detect the presence of firearms within 3 to 5 seconds. The system then alerts relevant facility managers, law enforcement, or on-site security staff to take immediate action. Zero Eyes received a $20 million Series A investment in 2018 and an additional $23 million in 2023 to support its expansion and meet growing demand [16735906].
Appomattox County Public Schools in Virginia has also adopted ZeroEyes, an AI situational awareness system for gun detection. The school district contains four schools and educates around 2,500 students each year. The district has implemented several security measures, including school resource officers, door alarms, and monitoring student computer software. The AI gun detection platform will be the district's latest addition to its security efforts. The system uses pre-existing digital cameras to provide image-sharing capabilities and alerts staffed operation centers in the event of a potential gun detection. If the threat is determined to be valid, prompt alerts and action are taken to dispatch the threat [a50df475].
Newark Public Schools in New Jersey has approved a $12 million contract to install over 7,000 security cameras equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities in schools this summer. The contract was awarded to Turn-Key Technologies Inc. and will include the installation of servers and storage. The project will be funded in part by federal COVID relief dollars. The new surveillance system aims to enhance school safety by going beyond the current camera system to detect weapons and track people and cars using license plate and facial recognition. The system will also include sensors to detect vaping, gun sounds, and abnormal noise. The installation was delayed due to bidders not meeting the New Jersey Alarm or Locksmith License requirement. The contract was approved by all school board members except one who abstained from voting. City police officials will not have access to the system. The district has previously invested millions in security measures and plans to hire more security guards and update its software to track school incidents [5d15ea2b].
US states are considering providing multi-million dollar grants for AI-powered firearm detectors in schools. Kansas may soon provide $5 million in grants, but the AI software must meet specific criteria, including being patented, recognized as qualified anti-terrorism technology, adhering to security industry standards, being in use in at least 30 states, and being able to detect three broad classifications of firearms with at least 300 subclassifications and 2,000 permutations. Currently, the only company that meets all these requirements is ZeroEyes, a company started by veterans of the armed forces. Other states, such as Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Utah, Colorado, Louisiana, and Wisconsin, also have laws or proposals that make ZeroEyes the only eligible company for state gun detection programs. AI-powered gun detectors are becoming a trend to ensure student safety on campuses. Silicon Valley startup Iterate.ai has created AI-powered gun detection equipment that can identify firearms in schools using existing security cameras. Several Bay Area institutions are interested in implementing this technology nationwide. The technology can be easily integrated with most security cameras and sends an alert when a weapon is detected. [945017f9]
Missouri is joining the trend of implementing AI weapon detection systems in schools. The state legislature has passed a $51 billion fiscal 2025 state budget, which includes funding to implement firearm detection software in schools. The budget still needs to be signed by Governor Mike Parson. The bill allocates $2.5 million for firearm detection software, and the Department of Public Safety must certify and provide school districts with a list of approved software before August 1. Vendors must meet certain requirements to be certified as approved vendors, including being designated as a qualified anti-terrorism technology under the federal SAFETY Act. One popular AI detection system used is ZeroEyes, which can detect guns and notify police officers within two to three seconds. Columbia Public Schools has already approved a bid with Communications Technologies Inc. for a weapons detection system. The state is also considering implementing AI detection software and may offer up to $5 million in grants for schools to use the software [f6aff183].