Figure Founder Pumps $10 Mn into AI Hardware Project to Prevent School Shooting

Brett Adcock, founder of Figure and Cover, has unveiled a potentially life-saving project aimed at preventing school shootings in the US. In a bold move, Adcock is personally investing a whopping $10 million into this advanced AI hardware initiative through his company, Cover.

The project leverages cutting-edge technology licensed from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, focusing on high-frequency terahertz imaging. These advanced imaging scanners are designed to detect concealed weapons with unprecedented accuracy and safety, operating at frequencies ten times higher than current airport scanners and with a stand-off distance of up to four meters. 

In the US, the number of school shootings has surged from 20 incidents in 1970 to 251 in 2021. Most victims (77%) and shooters (96%) were male, with nearly two-thirds of shooters under 17 years old. It is noted that handguns were the most common weapon, used in 84% of shootings, followed by rifles (7%) and shotguns (4%). 

Adcock highlighted that the innovative scanners will be strategically placed at school entrances, capable of detecting concealed weapons in backpacks, pockets, and waistbands. The technology’s core strength lies in its hardcore AI focus, enabling autonomous object detection with minimal human intervention and low false positives. 

While the primary focus is on schools, Adcock emphasised the broader potential applications fo this technology. “In the future, imaging systems like these could become ubiquitous in public venues, including airports, stadiums, concerts, churches, and more,” he explained. 

Brett Adcock is a technology entrepreneur and the founder/CEO of Figure, an AI robotics company developing a general-purpose humanoid. He also founded Archer Aviation, an electric aerospace company that went public on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2021 with a valuation of $2.7 billion. 

Additionally, Adcock founded Vettery, an online recruiting marketplace acquired by The Adecco Group for $110 million in an all-cash deal.