Hitachi unveils real-time detection and tracking technology using AI

Source: Hitachi. Summary of the technology. 

Hitachi has announced the development of real-time detection and tracking technology using artificial intelligence (AI) that can boost public safety and security. The company will apply this technology to security and surveillance systems* such as those in public areas.

The technology can distinguish an individual in real-time using over 100 categories of external characteristics such as sex, colour of clothing or items carried. Using this technology, it will be possible to detect a suspicious individual or a lost child using public surveillance cameras, even if the face of the person cannot be seen, or the person is captured from a distance. 

Being able to immediately identify a suspicious person or a lost child based on eyewitness accounts and pinpointing his or her location using surveillance cameras can be critical to avoiding emergencies. Detection and tracking have traditionally been limited by lack of eyewitnesses, people wearing similar clothing, or unclear facial images due to camera angles or lighting.

To overcome these challenges, Hitachi applied AI to distinguish an individual in real-time using multiple features such as sex, age group and clothing, and furthermore, track that individual in real time from the images from surveillance cameras. The AI that can make identify more characteristics simultaneously from a single camera image compared to conventional technology, enabling high-speed detection of individuals.

The AI can also abstract the description of the individual so that the person can still be identified regardless of a change in body angle or lighting. An image of the same person can be extracted from among several ten thousands of recorded images in under 1 second.

*In installing such technology, sufficient discussion will be held with the customer to ensure measures that are introduced to protect personal information and privacy.