[ad_1]
Sony Corp. unveiled the world’s first image sensors with built-in artificial intelligence on Thursday, promising to make data collection tasks much faster and more secure.
Calling it the first of its kind, Sony said the technology would give cameras “smart vision” for retail and industrial applications.
The new sensors are similar to small autonomous computers, incorporating a logic processor and memory. They are able to recognize images without generating images, allowing them to perform artificial intelligence tasks such as identifying, analyzing, or counting objects without downloading any information onto a separate chip. Sony said the method provides greater privacy while allowing near-instant analysis and object tracking.
Sony joins tech giants like Huawei Technologies Co. and Google of Alphabet Inc. to work on building dedicated AI silicon to help speed up everything from image processing to machine learning. Its latest semiconductors could offer a big boost to augmented reality applications, should the technology adapt to the smartphone or consumer markets, where the Japanese company is a leader.
The new AI-augmented sensors are capable of capturing a normal 12-megapixel image, 4K video at up to 60 frames per second or none, providing only metadata about what the sensor has seen. Applications suggested by Sony include counting and tracking visitors to public spaces, mapping heat and congestion, and measuring shopper behavior in stores.
Although intended for commercial customers in its current version, the technology holds promise for consumer applications as well. It could help a personal device, such as a smartphone, to identify objects and users securely, without generating real images. Accelerated object detection would also be an advantage in maintaining sharp focus when shooting fast-moving subjects, such as athletes or pets.
Sony is the world leader in supplying image sensors for smartphones like Apple Inc.’s iPhone and dedicated photo and video cameras like Nikon Corp.
Its sensor division has been its most trusted growth engine in recent years, fueled by the proliferation of multi-camera phones.
The new products are in line with the company’s long-term goal, as articulated by CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, to expand the range of detection solutions it offers and seek more forms of recurring revenue.
Sony said it had already sent samples of its new sensors to potential customers, which are mainly in the business-to-business segment, including factory automation.
