Good morning, Chicago.
The CTA has begun testing technology that uses artificial intelligence to identify guns in its “L” stations.
The technology, from company ZeroEyes, automatically detects guns that have been brandished. Images are sent to a ZeroEyes operations center where they are reviewed by staffers who determine what the object is, then alert relevant authorities like police, CTA officials and Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
The goal, CTA officials said, is to alert police quickly to any situation arising at the transit agency’s stations. Often the alert can be made in under a minute, they said.
The test program comes as the CTA has grappled with concerns about personal safety, both real and perceived, in recent years, and as the use of different types of technology to address public safety concerns has grown. ZeroEyes technology has at times been used on other public transit systems, and the company touts the use of its program in schools, businesses and other places.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Sarah Freishtat.
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