The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project will result in a better understanding of the need for internet connected devices and how the collected data can influence specific customer needs. If designed for firearms, this will be the first major, objective firearms data collection technology. For private security and insurance firms, this could reduce liability and increase cost savings on premiums. Among law enforcement, the data could usher in a new age of policing and firearms handling, building trust within communities while keeping officers safe. Researching the data could generate new methods of visualizing large amounts of data that could be applied to other data-centric fields and technologies. Both the data analytics and the firearms industry are multi-billion dollar markets and if implemented effectively, this will drive technological advancements in a rapidly growing market.
This I-Corps project will explore the possible applications of a device composed of a series of ruggedized sensors, built into the grips of a firearm, dedicated to providing real time firearms activity monitoring, including firearm location, orientation, and discharge monitoring. This is an install and forget device, independent of the firing mechanism (does not prevent discharges), that collects objective data on firearms usage and orientation. In turn, the data collected has a host of possible applications among security forces, ranging from augmenting critical first response systems to minimizing response times and improving situational awareness, to machine learning in automating radio transmissions and predictive firearm maintenance. Inventory control and firearms accountability are also possibilities with this potentially life-saving technology.
