Motorola to outfit first responders with new AI-enabled body cameras

Motorola Solutions is bringing AI to the front lines, launching a new AI solution to help first responders make timely decisions, improve police reporting, and foster interaction with the community. 

On Monday, Motorola unveiled AI Assist, which the company describes as “a new category of human-AI collaboration for public safety.” It also unveiled SVX (which stands for secure voice and video converged), a first-of-its-kind body camera with radio. Paired with AI Assist, SVX fuses AI with core law enforcement tools to help first responders work more efficiently. 

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For example, Motorola explains, AI Assist enables SVX to look up a license plate or driver’s license and search for associated records or warnings; function as a live language translator; guide officers through steps of life-saving procedures, such as administering an EpiPen; and detect keywords in radio communications to alert nearby officers and command center staff.

“This AI … is integrated into our software that supports that 911 call taker, supports the dispatcher, and also supports this officer in the field, so it has a more complete view of what’s happening,” said Mahesh Saptharishi, Motorola Solutions EVP and CTO.

The benefits extend beyond assisting first responders; Motorola’s AI solution plays a critical role in ensuring their safety. As Saptharishi explains, the guiding philosophy of “hands up, and hands free” underscores the importance of minimizing distractions so public safety officers can remain fully alert and perform at their best.

With AI Assist, officers have an intelligent assistant that delivers the information they need in the field without requiring them to look down. Officers can access critical data seamlessly through voice commands or built-in device features, such as using the SVX camera and a voice prompt to look up a license plate. 

“The more we can make it frictionless, where their situational awareness is improved, [the more] they can ask questions as if they’re asking the question of a person with them,” said Saptharishi. “This allows them to manage their cognitive awareness in a manner where hopefully mistakes will be reduced.” 

The combination of SVX and AI Assist can help first respondents document incidents from a more holistic point of view. AI Assist combines the data collected from SVX, such as audio conversations and body camera footage, with the officer’s location, 911 call information, dispatch records, and more. AI Assist’s cross-referencing of the different sources allows the collection to go beyond the officer’s perspective, creating more reliable and trustworthy sources. 

“Now you’re making sure that there’s accountability in the types of things that you did, and there’s evidentiary data that can be used for training, can be used for prosecutorial purposes, etc,” said Saptharishi. 

Responders can also spend less time on administrative tasks. According to Motorola’s research, patrol officers spend between 40% and 60% of their time on tasks such as writing reports and entering basic data. The time gained can be used toward more worthwhile, higher-level tasks. For example, Saptharishi said, the device can allow them to spend more time with the communities they work in to improve those relationships.

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Naturally, users will be concerned about bias and accuracy. According to Saptharishi, Motorola gives special consideration to implementing appropriate guardrails for its products. The Motorola Solutions Technology Advisory Committee works to ensure the responsible deployment of new technologies.  

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