In 2013, there was There were 26 school shootings reported In the United States, this number rose to 82 a decade later. America has a school shooting problem, and that’s what we can agree on. On the other hand, the cause of the problem and its solution is where things start to fall apart. It has become one of the most polarizing topics for a very polarized country. Solutions range from tougher gun enforcement and stronger investments in mental health to locking doors and arming teachers.
The spike in cases has created a cottage industry of tech startups hoping to address the problem. There’s ZeroEyes, which uses AI photography monitored by law enforcement, the Centegix panic alert system and scanner maker Evolv Technology, among others. Studies conducted by research institutes Like Johns Hopkins However, they have questioned its effectiveness.
cover, a new startup from Archer and Figure AI founder Brett Adcock, believes it has cracked the code. In essence, the company’s approach is not very different from existing methods such as metal detectors and scanners, as it monitors the entrance to the school. A pair of the objects shown above are fixed to the doorway, to scan those who pass through.
What sets it apart, Coover says, is the core technology it uses, which is licensed exclusively from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). In fact, the startup is headquartered in Pasadena, California, with many employees joining it at the nearby Jet Propulsion Laboratory facility.
Adcock compares the underlying technology to the full-body scanners that complement metal detectors at many airports. “Our system is very similar to that, but 10 times more powerful and accurate,” he told TechCrunch. “So, we can basically scan very long distances. At ten to 15 feet away, we can scan someone, instead of having them sit here for a few seconds in line.”
However, a comparison with TSA scanners indicates what could be a major hurdle to widespread adoption of this technology. This topic has been a minefield of opposition from privacy advocates, due to their ability to effectively see under clothing. In 2019, the TSA announced it would require full-body scanners Add a layer of privacy protection. These concerns are likely to be exacerbated by the fact that technology will largely screen minors in a school setting.
Adcock explains that the system will be monitored by artificial intelligence, not humans, while only searching for a “limited” number of weapons, including guns, knives and explosives. “That’s all we’ll be looking for,” he said. “We won’t take the unzipped files out of the system. We won’t have anywhere to store them, and we won’t need them. We’re just using an onboard neural network to search for weapons. There won’t be [issue with] “How do we protect people’s faces, because we won’t record them or store them?”
Once the threat is identified, a cropped image of the object will be provided to management.
How this system ultimately engages and what alternatives will be implemented is up to the schools and districts that choose to implement the technology. The system will identify potential hazards based on factors including size, shape and material. For example, the latter should help you know the difference between a pistol and a squirt gun.
“People should not bring shotguns to school during this level of security risk,” Adcock said. “I would say if people were bringing a spray gun, we would really want to figure it out. Now, I think we’ll be able to figure out the difference between a spray gun and a squirt gun.” [hand]Venice, because metal and water are very different. I think the image would be very helpful here in knowing whether it is a false positive or not.
Like Figure AI, Cover is run by Adcock, who has so far invested about $2 million in the fledgling startup.