Demonstration at Blue Grass Army Depot tests AI security camera tech for potential military use

The Blue Grass Army Depot hosted national defense officials Wednesday to test smart-camera technology meant to better detect active shooters.

The depot is the first army base to test the artificial intelligence tool SCYLLA, which immediately detects weapons, faces and “abnormal behavior” like violence. It’s able to be installed on security cameras and drones, and analyzes footage in real time.

Chris Willoughby, the depot’s electronic security systems director, says it’s meant to allow a much quicker response to potential threats.

“You imagine it picking up a gun 200 feet away from a school, and automatically sending an alert to the cops immediately, and autonomously locking the doors all at the same time and letting everybody know what's going on,” Willoughby said.

The tool is available commercially, but demonstrations at the Blue Grass Army Depot mark the first time it’s being tested for military use.

Drew Walter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters at the Department of Defense, says the agency would like to see the technology adopted widely if it proves successful.

“We are hopeful that this, among other technologies, could be installed across the board, whether that's at the Pentagon or at an army base or an Air Force installation, whether within the United States or overseas,” Walter said.

The DoD’s goal is to have the technology detect hazards at a 96 percent rate, with as little room for false alarms as possible.

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