The subway will save lives. Literally

A unique artificial intelligence system was launched in the metro in Montreal, Canada, which – in cooperation with approximately 2,000 cameras – will be able to detect potential suicides. For now, it is working on a test basis, but the authorities hope that it will help reduce the number of people who take their own lives in this way.

The subway will detect suicides

Professor Brian Mishara from the Suicide Intervention Center worked on the system, among others. He explains that as many as 81 percent informs people planning to take their own life of their intention in some way. These are the signs that are analyzed by artificial intelligence. These include crossing the platform line, staring into the tunnel, walking between the wall and the edge of the platform, or leaving things on the ground.

People who spend a lot of time staring into the tunnel, people who approach the edge of the platform or frequently cross the yellow line, and people who allow multiple trains to leave – these are all indicators that may indicate an attempt at suicide.

– said Professor Wassim Bouachir from TÉLUQ University.

Ultimately, the system is to alert metro station security so that they can react in the event of a potential suicide attempt. It will even be possible to stop the subway so that it does not enter the platform, which will also save a person’s life. For now, the system is in test mode and is expected to be fully ready after a maximum of two years.