Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Eastern Michigan University Adopts AI Gun Detection Solution

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/18/23

AI-based gun detection video analytics platform ZeroEyes recently announced that Eastern Michigan University in Washtenaw County, Mich., will adopt its solution on campus, according to a news release. EMU is the first higher education institution in Michigan to install an AI gun detection solution. ZeroEyes is currently the only solution of its kind holding a SAFETY Act Designation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

EMU will layer the ZeroEyes solution on top of its existing digital security cameras. Images of potential flagged firearms will be shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), staffed by U.S. military and law enforcement veterans 24 hours a day. The experts will review the threat and, if it is valid, trigger alerts and send actionable intelligence (including last known location, a visual description of the potential shooter, and gun type) to local staff and campus police in as little as 3 to 5 seconds, the news release reports.

“The integration of ZeroEyes will continue Eastern's commitment to providing a safe campus experience for all who study and work here,” said EMU President James Smith. “Ensuring a secure, inclusive, and open campus environment is an ongoing commitment by our Department of Public Safety (DPS) leadership and campus staff.”

The ZeroEyes analytics software does not include any kind of facial recognition technology, reducing risk of bias based on personal characteristics or skin color.

“In the event of gun-related violence, the advance notice offered by ZeroEyes will provide our first responders with the opportunity to intervene proactively and potentially de-escalate the situation,” said Matthew Lige, Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police at Eastern Michigan University. “It will also provide Department of Public Safety staff the ability to notify the campus community with timely and accurate information in order to make informed safety decisions.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • A digital silhouette works at a computer, immersed in a glowing, interconnected world

    How Will AI Transform Learning Space Design?

    For years, higher education has designed learning spaces around technology as a tool for display, capture, collaboration, and connectivity. AI changes that equation.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.