Figure Founder’s New Startup Licenses NASA Tech to Prevent School Shootings

The Rise in Violence

In 2013, there were 26 reported school shootings in the U.S. That figure rose to 82 a decade later. America has a school shooting problem, this much we can agree on. The cause of — and solution to — the issue, on the other hand, is where things start to fall apart.

It has become one of the most polarizing topics for a very polarized country. Solutions range from far stricter gun enforcement and more robust mental health investments to locking doors and arming teachers.

The Emergence of Tech Startups

The dramatic uptick in instances has created a cottage industry of tech startups hoping to address the problem. There’s ZeroEyes, which uses AI imaging monitored by law enforcement, panic alert system Centegix, and scanner-maker Evolv Technology, among others.

Studies conducted by research institutes like Johns Hopkins have, however, called their efficacy into question.

Cover: A New Approach

A new startup from Archer and Figure AI founder Brett Adcock thinks it has cracked the code. At its core, the company’s approach isn’t wholly dissimilar from existing methods like metal detectors and scanners, in that it monitors a school’s entryway.

A pair of objects seen above are mounted on a doorway, scanning those who walk through. Cover says what sets it apart is the underlying technology it employs, which has been exclusively licensed from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

The Technology

In fact, the startup is headquartered in Pasadena, California, as several employees at the nearby JPL facility have joined on. Adcock compares the underlying technology to full-body scanners that supplement metal detectors at many airports.

"Our system is very similar to that, but it’s, like, 10x more powerful and accurate," he told TechCrunch. "So, we can basically do very long-distance scanning. Ten to 15 feet away, we can scan somebody, instead of having them sit here for a couple of seconds in line."

The comparison to TSA scanners points to what could well prove a major hurdle for the technology’s wide-scale adoption. The topic has been a minefield of privacy advocate pushback, owing to their ability to effectively see under clothing.

Privacy Concerns

In 2019, the TSA announced that it would require full-body scanners to add a layer of privacy protection. Such concerns will likely be exacerbated by the fact that the technology will largely be scanning minors in a school setting.

Adcock explains that the system will be monitored by AI, rather than humans, while only looking for a ‘finite’ number of weapons, including guns, knives, and explosives.

"That’s all we’ll be looking for," he said. "We’re not going to surface uncompressed files out of the system. We won’t have a place to store them, we won’t need them. We’re just using an onboard neural net to look for these specific items."

Implementation

Adcock believes that this technology can help address the school shooting problem by detecting potential threats before they happen.

"We’re not trying to replace human security personnel," he said. "We’re trying to augment their capabilities and make it easier for them to do their jobs."

The startup is currently working with several schools to implement its system, and Adcock believes that it can be scaled up to address the problem nationwide.

Conclusion

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the school shooting problem, Cover’s innovative approach offers a promising new direction. By leveraging advanced technology and AI, we may finally have a way to detect potential threats before they happen, and prevent these tragedies from occurring in the first place.

As the debate over gun control and school safety continues, it is clear that new ideas and approaches are needed to address this complex problem. Cover offers a glimmer of hope for a safer future, where our children can learn without fear of violence.