The Future Is Now: Adam Gibson of Safe Stations On How Their Technological Innovation Will Create Safer Environments
We’re working on how to reopen businesses and events with safety and technology.
Our technology partner, Malong Technologies, has developed artificial intelligence with detection abilities for temperature, coughing, sneezing, masks, social distancing and weapons.
When we do gather in groups again, public health and safety measures will require more mitigation technologies than we are currently using. Our health deserves these technologies to be accurate and commonplace.
As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adam Gibson of SafeStations.org.
Prior to Safe Stations, Adam was a part of the drone industry since 2012 at Ctrl Me Robotics, a custom drone and robotics manufacturer, where they were acquired in 2016 by Snap, Inc. Adam is an RBA Graduate of West Virginia University and lives in Venice, California.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
When I moved to LA from SF in 2011, I wanted to do something where creative problem solving was more valued than data mining and social media. The drone industry was emerging heavily as a prosumer category and I was experimenting with drones for the hotel industry when I met someone who wanted to start a drone company in Venice Beach. We took on as many custom builds as we could find and many of them were for studios, networks and theme parks abroad as the US regulations had yet to evolve.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Universal Studios Japan hired us to fly a drone show from Halloween to New Years in 2015. This was one of the most advanced aerial choreographies to be attempted at the time as we were flying at night, near people, sometimes in the rain with Chinese flight controllers, Japanese pilots and American engineers and producers. 75 shows and zero safety incidents with three language barriers at Harry Potter World in Osaka kept things interesting.
Can you tell us about the Cutting edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?
We’re working on how to reopen businesses and events with safety and technology.
Our technology partner, Malong Technologies, has developed artificial intelligence with detection abilities for temperature, coughing, sneezing, masks, social distancing and weapons.
When we do gather in groups again, public health and safety measures will require more mitigation technologies than we are currently using. Our health deserves these technologies to be accurate and commonplace.
How do you think this might change the world?
Produce is often displayed in ways we perceive it to be fresh and clean. Many items in grocery stores can carry germs from customers who cough, sneeze or put back with other produce in the pile. Detecting these behaviors in real time and sharing them with grocery staff will create safer environments.
Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
Welcoming robotics and artificial intelligence to the grocery aisle could create restrictive diets to prevent people from purchasing certain foods in the future, provided they opt in to certain programs and agreements.
Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?
As AI continues to evolve, I believe grocery stores of the future will have this technology or they won’t. The ones who do not have ThermalNet cameras will be seen as unhealthy to the ones who do because they can’t give the consumer the same product with any certainty. Customers in the future will have more information overlays when purchasing products, especially ones they are consuming. Much of this has been observed with retail AI research and applied to ThermalNet.
What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?
We would love to work with any grocery partner who believes in the future of artificial intelligence and providing the healthiest produce sections in America. Some partners we have on our radar for working with are H.E.B., Publix, Safeway, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s or Wegman’s.
What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?
We have been doing virtual demos, small events for temperature detection and Gold’s Gym before the lockdowns. Now we are focusing on referrals, it’s ultimately the best marketing you can get. If your products are great, new customers will come automatically.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
When I was in college, I met the COO of FedEx Freight and he was the first person to teach me about ‘Paying it Forward.’ He invested in my venture at the time and taught me much about how business works at scale.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
At Ctrl.Me Robotics, we were one of the first DJI Dealers in California. We sold thousands of drones and taught hundreds of drone classes to first time pilots. It was really great to share such a fun experience with so many people as it became a big part of their lives.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why.
Be Deterministic — An abundance of information can create an abundance of delays. I believe making decisions in an appropriate amount of time is critical to the success of any organization.
Be an Olympic Listener — Listening closely has solved many challenges I have faced in my career.
Seek hard-to-reach Contacts — Some of the best opportunities I’ve had were from those who were nearly impossible to contact in the beginning.
Avoid hyper specific services — Don’t offer something at a loss to appease some of your customers because you can’t make everyone happy.
Fail forward — Don’t repeat the expensive failures others have by ignoring market behaviors.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Pay it Forward.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Good ideas rule all.”
In the end, it’s all about creative ideas and technologies. It’s the lifeblood of our society. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some really smart people and the most consistent factories in Asia. As we evolve, so will the platforms and devices, I believe good ideas will see all of this through.
Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Safe Stations services and distributes the most innovative software and hardware for public health and safety.
While the world has had much focus on PPE in 2020, the software and hardware Covid defense companies have been busy building.
As many states prepare for 2021, we are ready to provide solutions with our industry relationships and expertise.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
@safestations — IG & Twitter
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
The Future Is Now: Adam Gibson of Safe Stations On How Their Technological Innovation Will Create… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
