The safety vest offers real-time threat detection, connectivity, and faster response times for safer, more effective law enforcement operations.
The Connected Tactical Vest project, a collaboration between France’s General Directorate of the National Gendarmerie (DGGN) and Wearin’, a startup from the Swiss technology group Conextivity, leverages artificial intelligence (AI) for its abnormal-situation detection system. This system can send alerts to a command centre using the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. The project’s first innovation is designed to meet the operational needs of various law enforcement professions.
The new tactical IoT solution integrates with existing body armour and provides enhanced safety and connectivity through an AI-powered warning device called the Wearin’ Brain. This device, which operates independently of traditional radio systems, can be activated manually via an SOS button or automatically when it detects anomalies such as loss of verticality, penetration of body armour due to a stab wound, or a bullet impact. Upon triggering an alert, the device also shares the personnel’s geolocation.
The connectivity kit includes a central high-performance battery with intelligent power management, ensuring 8 hours of autonomy and significantly extending the operational time of the gendarmes’ electronic equipment. Additionally, the kit’s optimised cabling system allows for the recharging of equipment through a single cable, which can be easily connected by the agent at the end of a mission or to their vehicle during extended operations.
The Wearin’ Brain, Wearin’ Battery, and quick-release system are ergonomically incorporated into the vest using MOLLE fasteners and durable, multifunctional pouches designed to prevent snagging. Additionally, the kit includes luminous fibres embedded in the front and back of the vest, providing personnel with the option of increased visibility during night operations.
The IoT platform created by Wearin’ can be equipped with a dashboard that integrates into the command centre system, offering real-time updates on the situation on the ground. This is achieved through data from sensors, warning devices, and communication systems used by personnel during operations. With this accurate operational intelligence transmitted in bidirectional streams, commanders can enhance tactical decision-making, improve the coordination of intervention units, and reduce response times.