What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence, it sounds so easy and obvious, but try describing it in your own words. In a nutshell, it is machine intelligence that simulates human intelligence: by training a machine, you actually teach it to make choices and understand and process information like a human does. There is one big difference, though: artificial intelligence is much faster. Within artificial intelligence, again, there are multiple forms and subdivisions and one example of this is Machine Learning, an aspect that is widely used within Datacadabra. Machine Learning involves training a computer to recognize certain patterns in order to make decisions as independently as possible. Take a flower as an example: if you input as many images of a rose as possible and label it as a rose, the computer will eventually be able to tell itself when it detects a rose in incoming data.
Within Datacadabra, we apply artificial intelligence in combination with all kinds of data sources, such as sensors, cameras and microphones. The MowHawk is a smart roadside mower that uses camera images to detect vegetation height, invasive exotics and litter in the grass clippings. The technology of the MowHawk is designed in a way that the camera images are analyzed directly so that vegetation height, invasive exotics and litter are immediately detected and this data is made available in GIS. Another development of Datacadabra is the Luistervinq, which uses audio to map athletic use of outdoor spaces. When someone cycles past, the Luistervinq detects and recognizes this as a cyclist and reports it. In this way, it is possible to count how many users of an outdoor space there are and what type of user it is. In these ways, among others, Datacadabra provides insight into data through artificial intelligence to support organizations and experts.
Recognizable examples
The previously mentioned example of the rose is obviously not applicable to the average person's daily life, but artificial intelligence is in many places where you would not easily expect it. Online streaming platforms often offer a section called "Suitable for You" or "You Like This Too," these suggestions made especially for you are often accurate and fit your tastes and preferences. This is a recognizable example of artificial intelligence: by comparing your previously chosen movies and videos and looking for similarities, a computer is able to make suggestions that are similar and that you are likely to like.
An example within Datacadabra is the case of Sony. They wanted insight into users' listening behavior in order to create the perfect playlist. Datacadabra used a number of variables to create an index for songs to recommend similar songs.
Privacy and legislation
It is also important to consider the laws and regulations surrounding artificial intelligence. Working with a lot of data means that this data must also be safe and handled correctly, especially if it is personal or privacy-sensitive data. In recent years there have been many changes in laws and regulations to keep up with technical developments, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (AVG). At Datacadabra, we make sure we handle this properly and comply with the regulations. An example of this is the camera images from the MowHawk, our solution for smart roadside management that analyzes camera images. If these images show license plates, people or other recognizable aspects, they are immediately blurred to prevent abuse. This is also taken into account with the Luistervinq, because this development uses sound instead of images. Because the sound is immediately analyzed and not stored, it is impossible to eavesdrop on any conversations. In this way, people's privacy is not violated and this development is also according to the rules of the AVG.
