It’s still up to people, sitting and listening on headphones, to say whether or not shots were fired. The sensors themselves can only determine whether there is a loud noise that somewhat resembles a gunshot. Location is determined by measuring the amount of time it takes for the sound to reach sensors in different locations.Īccording to ShotSpotter, the largest vendor of acoustic gunshot technology, this information is then verified by acoustic experts to confirm the sound is gunfire, and not a car backfire, fire crackers, or other sounds that could be mistaken for gun shots. If a gunshot is fired, the sensors detect the specific acoustic signature of a gunshot and send the exact time and location to the police.
#The sound of a gunshot rings out series
Source: Īcoustic gunshot detection relies on a series of sensors, often placed on lamp posts or buildings. Minneapolis Shot Spotter Activation Call Locations in 2011. As is so often the case with police surveillance technologies, a device initially deployed for a less intrusive purpose (here, to report the sound and location of gunshots to police) is now being used for a far more intrusive purposes (to spy on people having conversations within the vicinity of their sensitive microphones). However, we now know that gunshot detection systems can also hear and record human voices¾and police have used these recordings as evidence in court. Police and companies that manufacture and sell acoustic gunshot detection systems have claimed that the point of this technology is to inform police of the location of shots fired, more quickly and accurately than relying on witnesses who overheard gun fire and who may call the police. They are usually mounted on street lights, or other elevated structures, though some mobile and fixed systems operate in both indoor and outdoor settings. The equipment usually takes the form of sensitive microphones and sensors, some of which must always be listening for the sound of gunshots. Acoustic gunshot detection is a system designed to detect, record, and locate the sound of gun fire and alert law enforcement.
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