As more and more things are added to the Internet of Things (IoT), more and more gets written about it.
With the embedded technology that Critical Link provides, we’ve been part of the IoT even before anyone was calling it that. So we’re always interested to read about it and, in our own small way, writing about it. (Of course, as engineers we’re mostly focused on actually doing something about it by continuing to develop the products that enable IoT.)
Anyway, while I was “grazing”, I came across something written by Brian Dipert of the Embedded Vision Alliance, an association focused on promoting (and educating on) computer vision technology. Brian’s article, “The Internet of Things that See”, is a round-up of some of the embedded vision applications. Video surveillance is, of course, a biggie. (Interesting, isn’t it, that now when we hear about a crime that’s reported we’re surprised when there’s nothing captured on video?) Brian notes that surveillance technology has historically required a human to monitor it to determine whether something is a true threat (human intruder vs. lost possum vs. blowing plastic bag). The technology is now moving toward more machine-to-machine applications.
“However, as analytics algorithms grow more robust, in the process more effectively accounting for non-ideal lighting and other environmental conditions, they’re increasingly able to discern between disconcerting and of-no-concern movement, and (via face recognition) between humans and other objects.” (Source: Embedded Vision Alliance)
Surveillance is not just about catching bad guys. Brian gives the examples of using surveillance software (taking advantage of advanced algorithms for analyzing facial recognition) to keep track of an elderly Alzheimer’s patient, and of using it for swimming pool safety. He then writes about applications that don’t involve monitoring human beings. How about a dumpster that can alert the waste-removal company that it’s getting full? (There’s an app for that…) And ranchers being alerted to sick cattle in his herd. (Yep, there’s an app for that, too.)
An interesting article, if you want a high level view of what’s going on when it comes to The Internet of Things that See.