AI Comes to the Classroom
How AI and machine learning can help campuses keep the pace with the evolving learning environment
- By Jumbi Edulbehram
- October 01, 2018
The biggest trend in video surveillance and indeed the
security industry as a whole over the past several years
has been the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the
revolutionary promise it holds for the market. What
once seemed like capabilities reserved only for the characters
of science fiction novels and movies, are quickly becoming a
reality because of advancements in computing combined with parallel
breakthroughs in machine learning technology.
This has subsequently resulted in a renaissance for video analytics,
which were frequently written off by systems integrators and end users
as being an over-hyped solutions. Indeed, many of the vendors that
offered video analytics as a standalone solution as little as a decade ago
have now been largely relegated to the ash heap of industry history via
company or patent acquisition. Now, however, the technology is once
again flourishing with fresh venture capital funds flowing into an evergrowing
number of companies. There are still many lingering questions
about what tangible effect these advancements are going to have
on the wider industry and especially in a vertical like education where
users have to get every bit out of their investment dollar. Just because
a Fortune 500 organization or large city can afford to spend millions on
a state-of-the-art video surveillance system doesn’t mean that your
average K-12 or college campus is going to see any real benefit from AI
on a practical level right?
The fact is that schools—be they primary or secondary, public or
private—have the same duty to protect students and staff members as
a business would to protect their customers, stakeholders and workforce.
That responsibility requires that schools look into cutting-edge
technologies like AI, which stands poised to fundamentally alter the
landscape of physical security.
THE BENEFITS OF AI FOR SCHOOLS
The recent rash of school shootings across the country has shined a
bright spotlight on issues surrounding campus security and the shortcomings
of more traditional solutions have really been brought to the
forefront. While more public schools today use video surveillance than
at any other point in history, the fact is the vast majority of these camera
networks are not actively monitored, which limits the role they can
play in mitigating incidents. However, with the rise of AI, schools
could get more out of their camera deployments as it would give them
a better chance to have advance warning of a potential attack.
For example, take the shooting that occurred earlier this year at
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which
claimed the lives of 17 people and resulted in more than a dozen others
being injured. The accused gunman, identified as a 19-year-old exstudent,
had been expelled from the school prior to the massacre and
his presence on campus was an immediate red flag. It’s not hard to see
how an AI-powered solution could be used in the future to stop similar
incidents from occurring given how the technology provides end users
with the ability to more easily verify identities and even behaviors
using video surveillance. Leveraging advanced facial recognition and/
or behavioral anomaly detection capabilities offered by AI, school
administrators and security staff could be immediately notified when
former students or disgruntled staff members or parents set foot on a
campus and keep track of their movements across facilities.
Even for incidents involving individuals who have exhibited no
prior warning signs, machine learning offers end users the capability
to spot suspicious behaviors that could be an indicator of a potential
attack. Say, for instance, a campus has a clear backpack or even a no
backpack policy and someone shows up carrying a duffle bag or rifle
case, AI-powered surveillance software would be able to quickly determine
that such behavior is abnormal for the campus and alert the
proper authorities. Once AI software has been given an opportunity to
study a dataset over a period of time, it can easily identify when an
anomaly occurs.
Another benefit of deploying AI in schools is that it provides returnon-
investment beyond security, which is something that has proved
elusive for much of the rest of the industry.
ALTERNATIVE USES FOR SECURITY AI ON CAMPUS
Although the primary application of AI and machine-learning solutions
today is to bolster the effectiveness of video surveillance systems
and those tasked with monitoring them, the use cases for this technology
continue to evolve. Among these include robotics in the form of
unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs), more commonly referred to as drones, and various standalone
solutions, such as stationary towers.
Robotics are not only a cost-effective force multiplier given their
relatively low deployment costs compared to human guards and police
officers, but they can also serve a multitude of purposes beyond just
video surveillance. Imagine, for typical day-to-day operations, having
a tower outfitted with a number of megapixel cameras and/or high
resolution touchscreen monitor that could serve as an emergency
communications station and also provide a variety of information,
such as bus routes and campus maps. During an actual emergency or
when the school is closed, however, the tower could serve as an extension
of the video surveillance system and leverage AI to identify people,
vehicles, etc.
The same also holds true for UGVs and UAVs. Whereas in the past
human operators would be needed to analyze and make decisions
based on the information collected via video and other security sensors,
robots with built-in AI capabilities can now process data and
make determinations about what is and what is not a security risk on
their own and thereby reduce the demand on human capital. In the
wake of the shootings at Parkland and Santa Fe, Texas, there has been
a push among lawmakers across the nation to increase the number of
police officers and security personnel patrolling the halls and campuses
of K-12 schools, but having additional manpower is an expensive
proposition and much more so over the long-term when compared to
using AI-powered unmanned vehicles.
MOVING BEYOND SECURITY
The uses of AI also do not have to just be limited to security within the
education market but could be expanded upon to become a solution to
improve the overall learning environment. In schools where cameras
have been placed in the classroom to ensure appropriate behavior from
students and faculty, AI is already being leveraged to help improve
teacher development.
Rather than have a person serve as an intrusive classroom observer,
surveillance footage can be utilized to help staff see what teaching
strategies and methodologies are the most effective for their students.
Some may argue that having video cameras in classrooms creates an
uncomfortable environment and is invasive but it doesn’t have to be
viewed as a tool of “Big Brother.” Rather, it should be seen as an opportunity
to keep students and teachers safe, while also serving to help
teaches strive for excellence.
AI and machine learning are undoubtedly going to be a critical
part of video surveillance moving forward and
it’s incumbent upon schools to learn how they
can take advantage of it to improve safety and
boost the effectiveness of teachers and educational
experiences of students.
This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of Campus Security Today.