Wearable Sensors Help Detect Firearm Usage by Community-Based Offenders

The University of Pennsylvania has conducted a new study on wearable sensors for monitoring the use of guns by community-based offenders. This research has been published in PLOS ONE journal.

Correctional systems need to track community-based offenders for usage of firearms. These offenders are responsible for an excessive amount of firearm shootings that may be fatal or non-fatal. Presently this kind of detection poses a challenge since there may not be enough evidence to show whether a particular offender used a firearm illegally.

Charles Loeffler, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, showed in his study that innovative wearable inertial sensors were able to detect usage of firearms. The movement of the wrist and other movements that related to usage of firearms need to be recognized. Wearable sensors such as those used in fitness trackers were used in the study to track the movement.

Penn Police Department officials, persons doing routine work and construction workers were roped in for the study. A detection algorithm was formulated using the sensor data received from the study. This algorithm demonstrated over 99% accuracy in categorizing the gunshots from different persons. Hence, usage of firearms could be uniquely identified from other similar activities.

Loeffler stated that gunshots had unique effects on the human wrist. Within a fraction of a second, the wrist is subjected to an instantaneous blast wave immediately after which the recoil impulse takes place.

This new technology provides an alternative monitoring system for detection of individual firearm usage. It may enable better monitoring and help deter firearm usage by community-supervised offenders.