Highlights
This Dubai-based firm’s tech can monitor body temperatures, check whether people wear masks and maintain social distancing in shared spaces
With each passing week signalling a new easing of restrictions, UAE businesses and residents can look forward to the economy gradually reopening as the country’s coronavirus cases begin to decrease. However, with people returning to shopping malls, gyms, offices and other shared spaces, it’s important that those responsible for managing these places ensure the rules are being followed.
AIDirections, a Dubai-based company doing research and development in AI, has developed two solutions that are particularly well-suited to the Covid-19 era.
Eye for Safety
ÚAE residents visiting malls, supermarkets and other establishments over the past couple of months have become used to having their temperature scanned as they enter. However, AI Directions’ solution goes well beyond handheld thermometers.
The standalone or integrated Eye for Safety device not only tracks body temperature but can also detect whether a person is wearing a mask or not. Built upon AI Directions’ facial detection and recognition models, the technology is effective even in complex environments where larger sets of people travel through in an unregulated manner.
If Eye for Safety notices an infringement, it can automatically raise an alarm and alert security.
Use cases
Malls, supermarkets and shops: These places currently only check temperatures and masks at entrances. Eye for Safety can do this throughout a person’s journey through these places.
Airports: While checks are carried out at the security gate, monitoring can continue in duty free stores and airline lounges.
Schools and universities: When these are open again, students may disregard safety protocols in their excitement to see friends.
Leisure areas: Where people may forget about Covid-19, such as museums.
Residential and office buildings: Eye for Safety can support compliance with safety controls
Eye on Distance
While facial masks are one important method of combating the spread of coronavirus, social distancing is another. The Eye on Distance tool is a software solution that can monitor whether or not people are adhering to two-metre social distancing rules while standing in line, shopping or walking through a shared space.
Built on AI Directions’ pre Covid-19 People Flow solution, Eye on Distance can also generate heat maps that highlight the busiest parts of a space, helping managers to come up with solutions to reduce congestion and aid easier social distancing.
Use cases
Malls, supermarkets and stores: Managers can monitor which parts are busiest and reconfigure these spaces to help shoppers adhere to social distancing rules.
Universities and schools: The solution is particularly useful immediately before and after classes, during break periods and in cafeterias.
Airports: Eye on Distance can help ensure travellers keep a safe amount of space between them - something crucial in spaces where the virus is more liable to spread easily.
Restaurants and leisure spaces: The solution can look out for distancing infringements across eateries and bars.
Working in real time, both solutions are compliant with data protection regulations such as the European GDPR and UAE rules that stipulate sensitive data should remain in the country.
Both solutions can also be implemented in a modular fashion, either built from the ground up or integrated into a company’s existing hardware and software assets.
Dr Angelika Eksteen, co-founder and CEO of AIDirections, explains, “AIDirections was built to empower organisations to transform AI advantages into innovation and success; the Eye for Safety and Eye on Distance implement this vision very well. These solutions can be used anywhere where there is likelihood that people might be challenged in complying with the COVID-19 rules.”
To learn more, visit Aidirections.com
