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- Artificial intelligence isn’t just about science fiction anymore, it’s in everyday technology.
- Because it’s in everything from diagnostic solutions to facial recognition, you may already be using AI.
- The next frontier in AI will be smart robots that work and learn independently.
Artificial intelligence, or the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, once only existed in science fiction novels and movies. But today, technology is integrated into more and more applications, influencing the way we live on a daily basis.
For businesses, AI has become a real competitive advantage. Companies are increasingly examining how AI will deliver value to their operations and their customers. In a recent study, 50% of 2,395 respondents said their companies have adopted AI in at least one of their business functions.
At the same time, AI is making inroads into our lives on all levels. Whether it’s the automatic correction of spelling mistakes on your smartphone or the algorithm that decides what shows up in social feeds, AI does the heavy lifting. And then there are the more visible AI applications that bring greater convenience and efficiency to our daily interactions – chatbots, navigation tools, voice assistants, etc.
When it comes to technological innovation in AI, Taiwan ranks well above its weight class, building on its reputation as a global hub for information and communications technology and semiconductor production. Below are three Taiwanese companies – all of which were recently celebrated at the Taiwan Excellence Awards 2021 – whose product innovations show how AI is already changing our lives for the better.
Disease detection in seconds
The need for access to quick and accurate medical diagnoses, often managed remotely, is a growing trend in healthcare that has been dramatically accelerated by the pandemic. And with the increasing availability of AI-powered medical solutions, early disease detection is becoming a reality for more and more people around the world.
More than 400 million people worldwide have diabetes, and it is estimated that a third of these patients will eventually progress to diabetic retinopathy (DR), a disease that damages the back of the eye and can lead to blindness. if it is not diagnosed and treated. This is in part due to screening rates below 50%, even in developed countries. However, due to AI-assisted diagnostic software, it may be possible for physicians and ophthalmologists to detect DR earlier and raise the standard of diabetes care.
This software is produced by Acer Medical and known as VeriSee DR. It provides clinical decision support by using AI to analyze images of a patient’s retina and providing a referral recommendation. The device only takes three seconds to determine if the patient should be referred to an ophthalmologist for further care and has already obtained approvals from regulatory authorities in Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
With the AI ​​technology that powers VeriSee DR, patients can stay on top of their health checks, while physicians and ophthalmologists benefit from a more efficient referral process.
How AI in facial recognition improves safety across industries
Facial recognition technology works by associating a human face from a digital image or video image with a database of faces based on a set of algorithms. While the technology has been around for decades, AI developments that allow instant searches of these databases have dramatically improved speed and accuracy.
Real-time AI-based solutions are able to improve facial recognition accuracy to a few points near 100% accuracy. Cyberlink, the Taiwanese tech company known for its multimedia software innovations, has developed the FaceMe facial recognition engine which integrates its AI capabilities.
Powered by deep learning algorithms, the engine claims a level of accuracy of 99.73%. Even when masks are worn, as was common during the pandemic, FaceMe can still produce an accuracy rate of 98.5%.
Facial recognition is useful in a wide variety of industries, such as retail, healthcare, and home security. The financial industry is a major growth sector as banks, insurance companies and financial services seek solutions that will allow them to secure biometric verification and fight cybercrime. Recently, FaceMe has been used in the fight against COVID-19, offering facial recognition capabilities and temperature scanning kiosks across Taiwan.
Independent learning robots powered by AI
Intelligent, self-aware robots might be the subject of a dystopian fiction, but robotics powered by AI is creating exciting possibilities.
Until very recently, most robots could be programmed to perform a series of tasks – for example, industrial robots that we may encounter in a factory. These are known as dumb robots. AI-controlled robots are much more efficient: thanks to their advanced software, they are able to perform more complex tasks and can even, in some cases, learn and improve independently of external commands.
Robots in the service industry are nothing new, but Ayuda, a service robot designed and manufactured in Taiwan by Syscom, goes beyond novelty value. Ayuda is capable of facial recognition, voice recognition, voice chat, video chat, QR code reading, and even human shape detection.
And these are just the basics. Ayuda can also provide environmental mapping and target navigation, which means he can create a virtual representation of his physical surroundings and use it to move around independently. Ayuda is even able to identify people not wearing masks and then ask them to do so.
Acer Medical, Cyberlink and Syscom were recently awarded the Taiwan Excellence Awards. These awards have been held annually by the country’s Ministry of Economic Affairs since 1993 to celebrate how technological innovation helps people live more fulfilling lives. Each year, the Taiwan Excellence Awards select Taiwan’s most innovative products from four main categories: research and development, design, quality and marketing. In addition to recognizing national achievements, the awards serve as a benchmark for innovation and excellence in international markets.
Find out how the Taiwan Excellence Awards support businesses and promote innovation and excellence.
This post was created by Insider Studios with Taiwan Excellence.
