GE Lighting and ShotSpotter to Bring Gunshot Detection to Luminaires

Cities and their emergency responders will soon have a new way to deploy gunshot detection technology and be able to respond to incidents and react faster to protect residents, according to the Lighting Controls Association. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between GE Lighting and SST, Inc., developer of the ShotSpotter crime detection and location suite, lays ground to embedding sophisticated ShotSpotter technology into GE’s intelligent LED street lights.

The proposed exclusive arrangement intends to add real-time gunfire detection to GE’s Intelligent Environments for Cities solution, which features software and sensor-enabled LED lighting powered by Predix —GE’s cloud-based platform for the Industrial Internet—to help cities realize potential opportunities for reducing cost, optimizing operations and creating value.

Through its proprietary acoustic sensors and enterprise-grade software, ShotSpotter detects and locates gunfire in real time. Alerts are then broadcast to 911 dispatch centres, patrol cars and even smart phones, with the precise location, number of rounds fired, multiple or single shooters, and other situational intelligence. These alerts enable first responders to get on scene quickly and safely in order to aid victims, collect evidence and quickly apprehend offenders.

How it will work: communities most affected by gunfire are least likely to call it in. It is estimated that 1 in 10 shooting incidents are reported to 911 (according to 2013 SST Inc., National Gunfire Index), and when calls do come in, the information is often inaccurate.