That’s one of the ideas driving the launch of Motorola’s newest 911 software, a product that — like so many others in the state and local government space now — uses artificial intelligence to help professionals deal with a deluge of often complex information.
The difference here is that Motorola is a leader in public safety and emergency dispatch technology, and the example it sets via its products promises to help set the stage for further innovation.
The new product is called Vesta NXT. It’s an offshoot of Motorola’s flagship Vesta offering, and is designed to, in the words of the company, boost “call handler speed and efficiency while reducing information overload and stress.”
According to the company, Vesta software is involved in 65 percent of 911 calls made in the U.S.
Vesta NXT shifts more focus to AI, in this case via a “virtual response assistant” that can reduce a call handler’s workload by up to 35 percent, and which can quickly provide floor plans, maps, caller information and other data to emergency call handlers — and do so on a single platform.
The new software was designed with the experiences of those call handers top of mind, Todd Piett, corporate vice president of command center technologies at Motorola Solutions, told Government Technology.
One example, according to Piett: The AI operates “indirectly on the side,” he said. “We are not asking them to change their workflows.”
As well, all that data regarding an emergency call appears essentially in one place in what Piett called a “holistic solution.” Such ease of use could make it attractive for agencies that already have a hard time attracting and retaining 911 emergency call handlers.
“During an emergency, so many members of the community want to help, which is an amazing thing. Yet all this information places the call handler under a lot of stress to process it and act quickly without missing a key detail,” said John Jokantas, director of the 911 call center in Hancock County, Ind., in a statement. “Fewer clicks, fewer tabs and not needing to dig for information frees up a call handler to be more present for that caller in their moment of need.”
Vesta NXT can offer call handlers what Motorola describes as “key contextual information.”
That could include, for instance, a map view and real-time summary of reports that come into 911 call centers after authorities issue an Amber Alert. A caller reporting a heart attack could result in the product digging up medical information and data specific to the person via their Smart911 profile.
Piett said the new product is suitable for both large and small public safety agencies, with Motorola offering various financing and subscription models depending on the context.
