Technology
Chicago startup tests smartphone-based gunshot detection app
SplitSec is conducting free trials in select Chicago wards, using on-device acoustic sensors and user confirmation to broadcast neighborhood alerts.
The short version
- Chicago startup SplitSec is testing a mobile application that uses built-in smartphone microphones and artificial intelligence to detect gunshots.
- The trials follow Chicago's 2024 termination of its contract with fixed-sensor acoustic provider SoundThinking.
- Participating users must confirm detected gunfire before alerts are shared within a one-mile radius, though early testers report battery drain and false positives.
Key facts
- SplitSec, founded in 2025, is conducting no-cost trials of its gunshot detection app in Chicago's 21st and 42nd wards, with discussions to expand to additional wards.[Fox News]
- The technology runs an AI model locally on Android smartphones, prompting users to confirm gunshot sounds before sending notifications to other app users within a one-mile radius.[Fox News]
- If two or more users confirm a detected gunshot, the software attempts to triangulate the location of the gunfire.[Fox News]
- The city of Chicago previously ended its contract with gunshot detection vendor SoundThinking in 2024.[Fox News]
- SplitSec is currently operating independently of the Chicago Police Department and emergency communications office, issuing alerts directly to participating residents.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- The system's real-world accuracy remains unverified, as SplitSec was unable to independently confirm gunshots reported by app users during July 2026 test events.[Fox News]
- Trial participants reported performance issues including high false-positive rates on sensitive device microphones and accelerated battery drainage.[Fox News]