Sydney Trains are using Artificial Intelligence to detect Trespassers

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September 28, 2021

Sydney Trains Artificial Intelligence Trespassers

Railway stations in Sydney have started using artificial intelligence technology to detect trespassers traveling in trains. Railway Stations have integrated artificial intelligence analytics systems with CCTV cameras to automatically identify intruders in real-time.

This technology will help officials to reduce unnecessary delays in train timings and will also reduce fatalities. Many CCTV cameras have been deployed in the underground railway stations across Sydney that are integrated with an artificial intelligence-powered video analytics software that detects humans who are entering into railway tunnels.

The software aims to tackle the issue of numerous deaths and train delays that are reported every year. The challenge is quite tough to handle, even with 24/7 security teams, surveillance teams, and over thirteen thousand standard operational CCTV cameras.

New South Wales Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said, “The technology is already working, with seven trespassers caught attempting to access tunnels from the platforms.”

He further added that while capturing trespassers, security staff were able to take swift actions avoiding any kind of injuries. According to officials, more than 2370 cases were reported of trespassing in 2020, out of which four cases resulted in deaths. As railway tunnels are one of the most prone places of mishaps, this new technology brings in high hopes of improving the current situation drastically.

The CEO of Sydney Trains, Mathew Longland, said, “This AI video analytics technology is a first for NSW – we’re utilising our existing CCTV infrastructure to make it an incredibly savvy solution to a deadly and costly problem.”

He also mentioned that trespassing results in intensive disruption for customers, as it can cause train delays of up to four hours and an average of 6.5 incidents per day.

Earlier this year, an artificial intelligence system was deployed at Melbours railways corridors that used a combination of optical distance sensors and thermal imaging technology to detect trespassers.

Morpho unveiled Image Processing And AI Technologies At Intel Evo Event

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Dipayan Mitra

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September 28, 2021

Image processing technology developing company Morpho announces that it has unveiled its artificial intelligence-powered image processing technology as an independent software vendor partner solution.

The new technology was showcased by Morpho during the Inten Evo 2021 experience day event held in Beijing. Morpho’s new image processing technology was shown running on Intel Evo platform-based computers.

The company revealed its artificial intelligence-enabled auto framing technology that lets subjects always stay focused at the center by adjusting frames. The AI software is also capable of applying various facial enhancement options like skin whitening, skin beautification, small face functions, and many more.

According to Morpho, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies across the world to adopt virtual meeting software and other related technologies to meet their business needs that have increased the requirement of better image processing abilities for webcams and laptops.

The technology also comes with other high-end features like Morpho Video Denoiser that is capable of reducing extra noise in videos, and Morpho Video WDR that automatically corrects the dynamic range of videos during image generation.

Tokyo-based image processing solutions developing firm Morpho was founded by Shigeo Kagami in the year 2004. The company has raised a total funding of $3.7 million from investors like Nomura Securities, NGP Capital, NTT DoCoMo, and The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners in four funding rounds.

Morpho officials said that considering the rising demand for in-built PC camera capabilities, Morpho would continue putting tremendous effort in the research and development process for coming up with new and better innovations to help customers shoot the best possible videos from their PC camera.

MTS AI Center launches $100 million Artificial Intelligence fund

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Dipayan Mitra

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September 27, 2021

International subsidiary of telecom giant Mobile Telesystems, MTS AI Center launches a $100 million fund and artificial intelligence accelerator program. It aims to boost the development and commercialization process of artificial intelligence solutions developed by AI startups across Asia, Europe, and North America.

The program, named Intelligent Machines (Intema), will provide best-in-class financial and technical assistance to artificial intelligence startups for developing innovative solutions to real-life challenges.

MTS will use its world-class artificial intelligence talent pool and infrastructure to support startups for their product development process. Over the years, MTS has achieved expertise in several doctors, including telecom, big data, fintech, artificial intelligence, cloud technology, and many more.

The Chief Financial and Investment Officer of MTS AI Center, Alexey Posternak, said, “The guiding vision for MTS Artificial Intelligence Center is to establish itself as an AI institute, with deep technical expertise, boosting the capabilities of its investee firms to bring new products to the market.”

He added that they are delighted to launch this accelerator program to support companies in developing groundbreaking artificial intelligence solutions. In the coming three years, MTS plans to invest $100 million in startups through venture funds. The company will invest up to $20 million on single projects.

The funds will be invested in already established startups and also in emerging companies to help them get a grip on the market. MTS AI Center has already made a successful investment in a United States-based AI startup that specializes in developing application-specific artificial intelligence-powered integrated circuits and AI software.
The accelerator program will offer world-class mentoring to the selected startups by experts working in organizations like NVIDIA, Intel, Samsung, Google, and Apple. “The field of AI services has huge, transformative potential and our full-cycle platform will enhance our position in this dynamic global market by fostering innovation and seeding a diverse network of cutting-edge AI businesses,” said Posternak. Interested Startups can apply to this program from the official website of MTS AI.

United States Senators to enhance Nation’s Data Science and Literacy Education in K-12

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Dipayan Mitra

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September 27, 2021

United States Senators including Alex Padilla, Cory Booker, and Jeff Markley, and others urged the Institute of Education Science (IES) and National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve access to high-quality K-12 data science education in the country.

The group also raised questions about how the government can help improve the data science curriculum in the country and widely deploy them to enable more individuals to make careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) industries. They wrote the letter to better understand the strategy of Congress to support students so that they can keep up with the 21st-century technology-driven world.

The letter mentioned, “Enhancing data science education will have significant benefits for our nation’s citizenry and economy. Like reading, writing, and arithmetic, basic data literacy is vital for informed democratic participation.”

It further added that the senators are witnessing an increased demand for data science talents in the market that needs to be catered to for providing better career opportunities to students and workers.

According to a research conducted by the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF), 69% of businesses prefer candidates who have data science skills to be hired in their organizations. However, educational institutes said that only 25% of individuals possess those necessary skills.

US senators urged IES and NSF to provide their past and existing plans for enhancing unbiased access to data science education and careers. Senators also asked the institutions to describe their efforts to increase research in the data science domain.

The African American and Latinos communities occupy six and seven percent of STEM jobs, respectively. The government needs to boost its efforts in order to provide more exposure and relevant education to these communities for increasing their employability.

“Moreover, as we learn more about how artificial intelligence algorithms may be coded with implicit biases, it is critical that we foster a diverse data science workforce that will work toward development of more equitable technologies,” mentioned the letter.

California makes zero-emission Autonomous Vehicles mandatory by 2030

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Dipayan Mitra

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September 27, 2021

california zero-emission vehicles mandatory

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom signs a law that mandates all autonomous vehicles operating on the roads of California to be zero-emission by the end of 2030. This decision was made condensing the harmful effects greenhouse gases have on our environment.

Vehicle emission has been a global issue for quite some time. This new law would ensure better protection of our environment against harmful gases like nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and many more.

Last year, Newsom signed another law that prohibits buying new gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles by 2035. This new law will push manufacturers to limit the sales of light-duty vehicles and encourage buyers to opt for self-driving zero emission vehicles in the near future.

The head of global government affairs at Cruise, Prashanthi Raman, said to Engadget, “The AV industry is primed to lead the way in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in cities, and it’s why we’ve operated an all-electric, zero-emissions fleet from the start.”

She further mentioned that they are grateful to the California government for making zero emission vehicles standard in the automobile industry. Many car manufacturing companies like Cruise and Waymo have already successfully tested electric and hybrid autonomous vehicle taxis in the state.

This new law will ensure that in the coming future, autonomous vehicles don’t spread pollution like the way combustion engine vehicles have in the last few decades. Currently, autonomous cars have a small market share in California, with nearly 15 million operational vehicles.

With companies like Tesla, Nuro, and others, constantly developing new and improved self-driving vehicle technologies, a hike in the number of autonomous electric vehicles can be expected soon.

Helbiz Partners with Drover AI to bring Artificial Intelligence to Scooter Sharing

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Dipayan Mitra

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September 27, 2021

Helbiz partners drove artificial intelligence scooter

Micro-mobility firm Helbiz partners with artificial intelligence-powered IoT developing company Drover AI to bring artificial intelligence to scooter sharing. With this partnership, both the companies plan to integrate Drover AI’s PathPilot safety technology with Helbiz manufactured e-scooters.

Initially, the product will launch in Milan, Italy, by the end of 2021. However, the market is expected to expand with new partnerships in the near future. Drove AI has used computer vision technology that uses multiple cameras to determine the surroundings of vehicles, including sidewalks, bike lane riding, and also identifies appropriate parking areas.

PathPilot also provided various security features like automatic deceleration that reduces the speed of the scooter when it gets too close to an object. PathPilot gathers data from each ride and then analyzes them with artificial intelligence to provide improved performance during future rides.

The head of partnership and policies at Helbiz, Vivian Myrtetus, said, “The integration of Drover’s PathPilot technology will help us better enforce local regulations and create a safer experience for riders and pedestrians alike. We are thrilled to partner with Drover as we continue our expansion efforts.”

He further added that the company is dedicatedly working towards providing safe and efficient micro-mobility services in the cities they are currently operating. Los Angeles-based Drover AI was founded by Alex Nesic, Christian Scheder, Jamie Ahmed, and Max Scheder in 2020. Soon after its establishment, the company received its seed funding from 500 Startups.

Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Drove AI, Alex Nesic, said, “Micro-mobility has such tremendous potential as urban transportation in Europe as evidenced by recent announcements, and Drover is proud to be able to use our technology to address the biggest concerns currently limiting the broader acceptance and growth of the sector.”

He also mentioned that Drove AI is excited to work alongside Helbiz to grow the shared mobility market safely and reliably.

IIT Madras Partners with Taylor & Francis to amplify data science research

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Dipayan Mitra

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September 26, 2021

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras partners with Taylor & Francis Group to conduct research at the Robert Bosch Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI).

The lab is one of India’s most advanced research laboratories, with twenty-eight faculty spanning over ten departments. The collaboration will help IIT Madras to gain more visibility for their research.

It will also provide support services and guidance to IIT Madras’ research authors. IIT Madras researchers will gain access to onboard assistance on the publishing process, open practices, research promotions from Taylor & Francis Group’s experts.

Mindtree Faculty Fellow and the Head of RBCDSAI, IIT Madras, Prof. Balaraman Ravindran, said, “The current pandemic has highlighted the importance of openness and collaboration in the scholarly publishing industry to share research more efficiently.”

According to Taylor & Francis, the collaboration will benefit the association partners by providing them information and advice to their authors and members. RBCDSAI was established with the sole motive of developing solutions that would generate actionable, reliable, and impactful insights for making better decisions regarding technology adoption in the engineering, healthcare, and finance sectors.

This partnership will help RBCDSAI researchers accelerate their operations in order to achieve their goals. Senior Publisher at CRC Press, Dr. Gagandeep Singh, said, “India has the ‘highest relative AI skill penetration rate’ in the world according to the Stanford University Artificial Index Report 2021, and it’s also ranked as one of the top five countries for growth in AI hiring. This is an incredible opportunity for Taylor & Francis to partner with an organization that is helping India to become a global leader.”

He further added that they expect this partnership to result in an exchange of ideas and concerns that would be mutually beneficial.

Hy-Vee Partners with Simble to provide better Customer Experience

By

Dipayan Mitra

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September 25, 2021

Hy-Vee partners Simble customer experience

Hy-Vee partners with robotics firm Simble Technologies to deploy artificial intelligence-powered robots. The collaboration aims to provide a better buying experience to its customers. The autonomous inventory management and retail intelligence robot named Tally will be deployed in Hy-Vee stores located in various regions of the United States, including Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri.

The artificial intelligence-enabled robot can maneuver autonomously across the entire store to scan over ten thousand products in grocery and health & wellness sections. The robot ensures that every product is in stock and is placed at the right spot to make it easier for customers to spot them.

Tally also checks and displays prices and promotional offers on products. Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Hy-Vee, Luke Tingley, said, “By employing Tally, we can continue providing that excellent service by reducing out of stocks and empowering our store teams with real-time insights to ensure the best customer experience across the board.”

The impactful insights generated by Tally can help stores reduce out-of-stock products up to 30%. It also aids businesses in making better decisions regarding order forecasting and optimizing store layout to increase sales.

San Francisco-based robotics startup Simbal Technologies was founded by Jeff Gee, Mirza Shah, and Bradley Bogolea in the year 2014. The company specializes in developing automation solutions for the retail industry that helps enterprises optimize their workflow. Simble has received a funding of $26 million to date from investors like Venrock, FutureShape, Valo Ventures, and Tectonic Ventures.

The company’s flagship product, Tally, is already being used in Hy-Vee stores located in Ankeny, Lincoln, and many more. Co-founder and CEO of Simble Robotics, Bradley Bogolea, said, “No other retail solution supports store teams the way Tally does. The pandemic truly created a ‘new normal’ for grocery that has illuminated the need for a greater frequency and fidelity of in-store data.”

He further mentioned that Tally provides a cost-effective solution to grocery stores that helps them provide improved customer experience and an enjoyable working environment for their employees.

GM invests $300 million in Self-driving Car manufacturing startup Momenta

By

Dipayan Mitra

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September 24, 2021

Car manufacturer General Motors (GM) invests $300 million in a Chinese self-driving car developing startup, Momenta. GM intends to boost the development process of autonomous vehicles in the Chinese market with this new investment.

Momenta is currently focusing on two varied technologies for its autonomous cars. The company is developing a car with complete autonomous driving capabilities and another vehicle with less advanced features that will be ready for mass production in a short time.

General Motors wants Momenta to develop hardware and software for its vehicles that are specifically designed to suit the Chinese market as GM plans to launch semi and fully autonomous vehicles in China.

General Motors China President, Julian Blissett, said, “Customers in China are embracing electrification and advanced self-driving technology faster than anywhere else in the world, and the agreement between GM and Momenta will accelerate our deployment of next-generation solutions tailor-made for our consumers in China.”

Beijing-based autonomous vehicle developing firm Momenta was founded by Gang Sun, Yan Xia, Xudong Cao, and Shaoqing Ren in the year 2016. Momenta has received a total funding of $1 billion till date from leading investors like Tencent, Toyota, Bosch, Daimler, SAIC Motor, and many more.

The company shares a common vision with GM as it aims to eliminate one million road traffic and pedestrian deaths in China over the next ten years. According to Momenta, autonomous vehicles will play a vital role in increasing the efficiency of logistics and mobility companies that would help reduce traffic congestion.

CEO and Co-founder of Momenta, Xudong Cao, said, “Momenta is committed to developing breakthrough artificial intelligence solutions to push beyond the frontier of possibilities today and significantly improve personal mobility experiences.” He further added that the joint venture would help them develop cutting-edge technologies to enhance driving safety, convenience, and efficiency.

Greece uses AI for COVID-19 testing, a more efficient and targeted approach

By

Osheen Jain

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September 24, 2021

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe, many European Union member states implemented widespread lockdowns in March 2020, and the EU allowed non-essential travel to recommence from July 2020. Operations researcher Kimon Drakopoulos e-mailed Greece’s prime minister and the COVID-19 scientific task force head to ask if they needed extra advice. The Greek government replied to Drakopoulos within hours since they needed help to decide when and how to reopen borders. Drakopoulos and his team helped Greece build a system powered by AI to make Covid-19 testing efficient.

Like many other countries, Greece could not test all travelers, particularly those not displaying symptoms. Instead of testing a sample of visitors, Greece uses AI for COVID-19 testing, an approach rooted in ML. Between August and November, 2020—with input from Drakopoulos and his colleagues—the authorities launched a machine-learning algorithm-based system called Eva to determine which travelers entering the country should be tested for COVID-19.

Drakopoulos, among other authors of the research paper, found that ML systems are more effective at identifying asymptomatic people. According to the researchers’ analysis, their system was two to four times more successful in identifying infected travelers during Greece’s peak tourist season than random testing. Eva is an example of how data analysis can contribute to designing and implementing effective COVID-19 policies.

In contrast with many countries that choose travelers at random or according to risk categories for COVID-19 testing, Eva collected travel history and demographic data from passengers’ information forms. Eva matched the collected data with the characteristics of previously tested passengers. COVID-19 tests were administered to travelers calculated to be at the highest risk.

Although there was no shortage of ideas on deploying big data and AI to improve public health during the pandemic, relatively few of them made it into practice. It was partly because companies and governments that hold relevant data need proper security systems to be in place before sharing the data with researchers. There is always a challenge of obtaining consent to use personal data and ensuring safety while storing the data. To overcome these two challenges, researchers consulted with lawyers to ensure that Eva abides by the privacy protections afforded by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).