TOKYO: Japan's Toshiba Corp. has developed an artificial intelligence technology that can analyze images from some 180 cameras in one minute to assess crowd density.

The company aims to commercialize the technology by the end of March 2021, amid a rise in the need to grasp the state of congestion in real time at public facilities, including train stations, airports and large commercial buildings, in order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

The image analysis AI is capable of counting the number of people with high accuracy by recognizing their heads captured in various sizes in images, according to the electronics and machinery maker.

Previously, such analysis required computers with graphics processing units that enable the terminals to handle large amounts of data.

By improving the efficiency of arithmetic processes, Toshiba made it possible to conduct the counting task on a normal computer.

Toshiba hopes that the AI technology, which will be available at a low cost, will be used widely to relieve congestion at facilities.

JIJI Press