Last month the San Jose police department announced that it would equip police officers with head mounted cameras to record contact with civilians.  Today, the AXON system that will be used by the SJPD passed through the FCC, thanks to its manufacturer TASER.

The AXON system is comprised of a head mounted webcam, a small computer called the AXON Tactical Computer (ATC) to record video, and a communications hub that connects the two and has buttons for controlling recording.

The head cam, pictured below, wraps around the sides and back of the user’s head.  It is supported by the user’s ears, as well as the back of the neck.  A small camera points forward from the left side of the headband.

The head cam has a wired connection to the ATC.  This small Linux-based computer has a 4.3” touch screen LCD display (480 x 272), and is worn by officers on duty.  Officers can control the ATC through the device’s touch screen or through the communications hub that sits between the ATC and head cam.  The communications hub gives officers quick, push-button access to video recording functions without having to navigate through the ATC’s menu.

By default, the ATC runs in ‘Buffering’ mode, which continuously records a 30 second buffer of video.  Once a recordable situation is encountered, the officer places the ATC in ‘Event’ mode, where all video from the camera is recorded in addition to the 30 second buffer.  This system allows the ATC to record throughout an officer’s shift without running out of storage space.  And, once a situation occurs, the buffer gives the officer 30 seconds to hit the ‘Event’ button.

The ATC also has a ‘Privacy’ mode where no video is captured.

At the end of an officer’s shift, the ATC is placed in a dock for recharging.  The dock also downloads data from the ATC, and uploads any video clips to the Evidence.com website.  The Evidence.com site allows video taken from the AXON to be reviewed online by police personnel.

Overall, TASER has developed a pretty slick solution here with the AXON.  By recording sensitive situations, the AXON could reduce complains of abuse or unnecessary force by police, while preserving evidence that can be used in court.  Sure, it does remind me a bit of Minority Report, but in the case of law enforcement, video does help to clarify heated situations.