gesture recognition & the connected officer

February 2015

Public Safety Servants& Gesture Recognition

By The Numbers

● 461,000 sworn officers in the US

● 1,370 training hours completed by police academy recruits

● 1,129,250 firefighters in US

● 30,100 fire departments in the US

● 15% are career firefighters, 85% are volunteers

Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Fire Protection Association

Danger in the Field

● 9.3% of police officers were assaulted in 2013

● 76 officers died in the line of duty in 2013

● 160 firefighters died in 2013

● 34% (55 total) died at the scene of a fire

● Heart attacks accounted for 36 firefighter deaths

Sources: FBI LEOKA Report, US Fire Administration

How can gesture recognition help public safety servants?

Shots Fired Triggers Gathering of Evidence

● An officer shoots at a suspect ● Motion-sensors on the officer’s uniform

detect a shot has been fired● This automatically triggers a series of

actions including:○ Issuing an alert to headquarters○ Timestamping and saving footage

gathered by the officer’s body-worn camera and dashboard camera for supporting evidence

When a Routine Car Stop Quickly Takes a Turn

● Officer approaches a vehicle during a routine traffic violation

● He quickly realizes the situation requires backup however doesn’t want the suspect to be aware

● In secret, the officer completes a gesture via his wrist wearable that sends a notification to headquarters requesting backup

Early Detection of a Fallen Firefighter in a Building

● Firefighters are deployed within a burning building

● Each firefighter is outfitted with motion sensors to track movement

● Firefighters’ oxygen tank levels and motion data are monitored

● The chief notices one firefighter deployed hasn’t moved in over a minute

● He sends in help

Communicate in Silence and Low Visibility

● Low visibility situations at night or in buildings

● SWAT team struggles to see hand signals and communicate effectively on-the-go

● Motion-sensing wrist wearable detects hand signals

● Information transmitted to SWAT team members via earpiece for communication

Recruits’ Performance Tracked During Training

● Cadets incur 1,370 hours of physical, mental and in the field training

● Quantify and compare cadets’ progress through wearable devices

● Benchmark fitness levels and response times in situation-based training

● Utilize data to inform hiring decisions or recommend additional training

Modern Tools for Field Sobriety Testing

● Walking and standing on one foot are required for field sobriety testing

● Expand officers’ field tools by providing a wearable for the civilian in question to wear

● Software conducts analysis of normal movements of sober adult versus adult under the influence

● Submit motion data as supporting evidence

Learn more about Rithmio’s gesture recognition platform at rithmio.com.