EMU Today

PHILADELPHIA, September 21, 2023 -- ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, today announced that Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in Washtenaw County, Mich., will deploy ZeroEyes’ solution across its campus to protect students, staff, and visitors from gun-related violence. EMU selected ZeroEyes following an extensive selection process and is the first higher education institution in Michigan to adopt an AI gun detection solution.

ZeroEyes' 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 (ZOC), staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If these experts determine that the threat is valid, they 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 3 to 5 seconds from detection. 

Throughout this process, ZeroEyes does not conduct any kind of facial recognition, eliminating the risk of bias based on skin color or other personal characteristics. 

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

Located in Ypsilanti, Mich., EMU has an 800-acre campus, with 14,000 students and nearly 2,000 employees. ZeroEyes 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 more than 1,000 security cameras that are monitored 24/7 by in a hi-tech police dispatch center, new key locks added over this past summer on many classroom doors with more locks being installed throughout the year, an emergency text alert system, and key card entry for students in residence halls. 

"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.”

“Eastern Michigan University’s dedication to the safety and welfare of its community is truly admirable,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO, and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “By choosing to implement ZeroEyes technology, the campus is showcasing its unwavering commitment to establish a safe and trusted learning environment. We are proud to provide the first AI gun detection solution adopted by a higher ed institution in Michigan.”

Please click on the FAQ for additional details about ZeroEyes and its weapon detection technology.

About ZeroEyes
ZeroEyes delivers a proactive, human-verified AI gun detection software solution that integrates into existing digital security cameras and helps to mitigate mass shootings and gun-related violence by reducing response times, providing actionable intelligence with images and delivering clarity among chaos – ultimately saving lives. ZeroEyes' patented solution has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a promising anti-terrorism technology and is the first video analytics technology to receive SAFETY Act DT&E Designation.

Founded by Navy SEALs, Special Operations military veterans, and technologists, ZeroEyes dispatches accurate and real-time actionable intelligence about the illegal brandishing of a gun near or in an occupied area or building, to local staff and law enforcement with an image of the shooter(s) and location of the threat, in as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from the moment the gun is detected. The ZeroEyes team also provides tech consulting, installation assistance and practice drills for active shooter events to enhance safety at schools, corporate and government facilities. Headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia area, the company's affordable and effective gun detection solution has been adopted by the US Department of Defense, leading public K-12 school districts, colleges/universities, healthcare facilities, commercial property groups, manufacturing plants, Fortune 500 corporate campuses, shopping malls, big-box retail stores and more. Learn more about ZeroEyes at ZeroEyes.com.

About Eastern Michigan 
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.