Cisco bolsters Project SAIVE to prevent railway suicides

Groundbreaking technology designed to mitigate the risk of suicides on the railways is set to be accelerated as global technology behemoth Cisco joins forces with Purple Transform. The collaboration supports Purple Transform's Project SAIVE (Suicide Avoidance via Intelligent Video Examination).

Purple Transform, a tech company aimed at developing technology to improve human outcomes, has announced it will be entering the second phase of Project SAIVE, which is being developed in collaboration with Lancaster University. The initiative utilises three AI-enabled technologies to identify and assess individuals at risk of committing suicide on the railways, subsequently alerting staff, mental health professionals, and police while providing actionable advice.

Cisco's involvement will enhance the project's progress through its Country Digitisation Acceleration (Cisco CDA), an ongoing initiative to drive digitalisation across public and private sectors. Project SAIVE is focused on addressing the serious issue of suicide prevention on railways, aiming to improve passenger safety and rail productivity. It also seeks to ease the trauma experienced by train drivers, station personnel, and witnesses whenever such devastating incidents occur.

Gregory Butler, CEO of Purple Transform, highlighted the value of the Cisco partnership in bringing this cutting-edge technology from the lab into the real world. "Purple Transform is currently developing a prototype aimed at identifying vulnerable individuals, using AI-trained cameras to look for indicators of potential suicide attempts," he said. "With Cisco's support, we are taking our innovative tech from lab to life through the installation of the project in a real-world environment to further advance the prototype."

The partnership is not only about protecting an important infrastructure; it is very much focused on people. Tom Kneen, CTO Office and Head of Country Digital Acceleration, Cisco UK and Ireland, expressed his pride in working with Purple Transform and Lancaster University on such a project.

Tom Kneen said, "Cisco is proud to be working with Purple Transform and Lancaster University on such a crucial project to leverage digital tools like AI to empower a rapid, compassionate response, minimising harm and offering support to those at risk. Project SAIVE is not just about protecting infrastructure; it is about protecting people."

The project marks a significant step forward in the use of AI and digital technology within the mental health sector and the railway industry. Project SAIVE ultimately employs tech advancements to create better human outcomes, demonstrating the potential of AI-enabled technology in tackling some of the most critical issues we face today.