A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool from the University of Surrey promises to help combat knife crimes.

The tool, dubbed Knife Hunter, is believed to be the world's first AI-based knife analysis system that enables law enforcement to identify weapons found during stops, recovered from crime scenes or seized.

Because tens of thousands of these knives are recovered each year in the U.K., the system lets law enforcement log these weapons, trace their origins via retail or illegal import channels and monitor geographical patterns.

Further, Knife Hunter can store data, analyze trends and produce reports on knife crime patterns, in support of local law enforcement efforts.

Knife Hunter, which is an advanced recognition network (ACTNET), was reportedly trained on a dataset of over 25,000 images of 550 different knife types. This system, according to its developers, can identify subtle unique features of assorted weapons — regardless of viewing angle, lighting conditions or partial occlusions.

"Knife Hunter transforms the way Police process and analyze images and videos, doing it faster and more efficiently. More importantly, it's a major step forward in helping uncover the origins of weapons in our communities. Looking ahead, we're excited about the potential for Knife Hunter and similar tools to work hand-in-hand with Police and local communities to create safer streets for everyone," its developers noted.

To contact the author of this article, email mdonlon@globalspec.com