Eastern Michigan University (EMU) will be among the first higher education institutions in the state to deploy an AI-based gun detection solution across campus to protect students, staff, and visitors from gun-related violence.
The university has partnered with ZeroEyes, whose AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software will be layered on EMU’s existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images will instantly be shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center to determine if the threat is valid. If so, the center will dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence, including visual description, gun type, and last known location, to local staff and the campus police force in as fast as three to five seconds from detection.
According to the partners, ZeroEyes does not conduct any kind of facial recognition, eliminating the risk of bias based on skin color or other personal characteristics. EMU President James Smith said, “Ensuring a secure, inclusive, and open campus environment is an ongoing commitment by our Department of Public Safety leadership and campus staff.”
Located in Ypsilanti, Mich., EMU has an 800-acre campus, with 14,000 students and nearly 2,000 employees. AI-based gun detection is the latest addition to an expanded, comprehensive, and multilayered range of security measures the university has implemented to help ensure a safe community.
Other solutions include a high-tech police dispatch center that monitors over 1,000 security cameras 24/7; key locks on classroom doors, newly installed over the summer with additional locks being added throughout the year; an emergency text alert system; and residence hall key card entry for students.
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