Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have powered the growth of so many industries that humans have no idea how great it has been impacting their lives. Whether you are reading your emails, getting directions, or even changing songs in your car, AI assists every area of our lives.
Technology is going to be a part of our daily lives henceforth. There is only going forward when it comes to technological development. Looking at AI with a lens of change, the dreams of smart city and robotics are not far.
Featuring for The Enterprise World’s this issue of The Most Innovative Artificial Intelligence Solution Providers To Watch is EDGEMATRIX, a company dedicated to revolutionizing industries and everyday lives.
The Company-
EDGEMATRIX is an industry pioneer that can provide “video edge AI” that analyses camera images on-site (edge) from end to end as a one-stop-shop. They are a startup of about 30 people in Tokyo Japan but have specialists who can provide hardware devices, software, cloud services, and solutions including installation work. Their offerings are the following products and services.
“Edge AI Box” is a device that processes high-definition video in real-time on-site (edge). “EDGEMATRIX Platform Service” is an integrated management platform for devices and AI applications. “Video edge AI solution” implements on-site and solves problems. Also, the company provides “EDGEMATRIX stores” that sell AI applications developed by various partners, forming an ecosystem of video edge AI.
Cutting Through the Complexities-
EDGEMATRIX was born in 2019 by a spin-off of the Japanese AI project team at Cloudian Inc., headquartered in Silicon Valley. This team conducted a demonstration experiment to identify the type of vehicle running on the highway by AI and post the optimum advertisement for digital signage. In this use case, transmitting high-definition video to the cloud causes a delay in processing, increases communication costs, and reduces recognition accuracy due to image compression. Therefore, it was necessary to bring an AI processing server to the site.
“Based on that experience, we have developed a compact device “Edge AI Box”.”
Edge AI Box comes with a built-in high-performance GPU, WiFi / LTE / 5G communication, camera connection, and other interfaces to enable video edge AI at any site. Furthermore, assuming that video edge AI will be installed at various bases that are difficult for humans to manage, the company has started offering “EDGEMATRIX platform service”, a platform for remote management of “Edge AI Box”, cameras, and AI apps, in 2020.
The Growth Quotient-
Among AI, the accuracy of image recognition by Deep Learning has improved dramatically, and it has reached a level where surveillance camera images can be analyzed by AI and used in practice. Cloud services and open-source tools for AI image recognition development have increased, making development easier. Not only companies specializing in AI development, but also general companies have conducted much proof of concept (PoC) using AI, and the number of adoption cases has increased, and users have become AI.
In order to commercialize the AI developed here, there is a need for a device to be installed in the field and a mechanism for remotely managing a large number of devices.
The Products and Services-
“Unlike many AI development companies, we provide “video edge AI” as a one-stop, end-end service.”
They range from “video edge AI” devices (Edge AI Box), remote management platforms (EDGEMATRIX Platform Service), sales of AI applications (EDGEMATRIX store), and on-site implementation including installation work including cameras and adjustments.
Edge AI Box: Product features and points
- AI processing compact device for surveillance camera images, etc.
- Communicate video / analysis data via WiFi / LTE / 5G
- Abundant interfaces such as camera connection
- Security measures such as robust data protection
- Lineup from small to high performance models
- Outdoor model: IP67 dustproof / waterproof and lightning strike countermeasures
EDGEMATRIX Platform Service: Service features and points
- Remote control of Edge AI Box / camera / AI
- Email notification of AI analysis data, warnings, etc.
- Simultaneous viewing of many locations with a web browser
- Real-time video transmission by P2P
The AI apps used in the “Edge AI Box” and “EDGEMATRIX Platform Service” can be purchased and used from the “EDGEMATRIX store”, which sells AI apps developed by partners (currently 30 types, increasing monthly). Customers can get started with video edge AI without having to develop their own AI application.
“Our ability to handle all the process of video edge AI is a differentiating factor from other companies that only develop AI.”
In particular, the recognition accuracy of video edge AI depends on the on-site environment. The company’s strength is the accumulation of know-how that they have visited the site, installed video edge AI, and optimized it.
Shinya Motohashi- Leading the Way-
Co-Founder and COO
“Even innovative businesses when they are born become more conservative and slower as the industry and company grow.”
After working for Japanese telecommunications companies KDD, Vodafone, and Softbank, Mr. Motohashi was in charge of corporate planning at the Silicon Valley headquarters Cloudian Inc that develops object storage products and sells them worldwide.
He then founded EDGEMATRIX by spinning off the AI project team of Cloudian Japan.
In Japan, the utilization of big data is far behind than in the United States. With a thought that the need for big data storage would increase if AI such as Deep Learning, which learns a large number of images and improves recognition accuracy, becomes widespread, Mr. Motohashi founded EDGEMATRIX.
“Through the proof-of-concept (POC), we were able to obtain support from major Japanese companies such as NTT Docomo and Shimizu Corporation, which led to the founding of EDGEMATRIX.”
Strong Leadership, Stronger Team-
What makes EDGEMATRIX unique is that it provides a one-stop service for device hardware, AI software, cloud services, and installation work for field implementation of “video edge AI”. No engineer can provide all of this technology on its own, so they have a team of technical experts.
“Since each employee is a professional in their respective fields, we manage them by respecting them as professionals rather than managing them as employees.”
Specifically, to prevent each person’s work from becoming a black box, everyone announces the contents of the week’s work every week so that they can see what they are doing.
In addition, the team has introduced a system in which employees give “Thank You Point” to other colleagues for “colleagues who have helped me” and “colleagues who are doing their best”.
This allows them to take a closer look at who is doing what and admire good work. By evaluating one’s work not only from the expert’s boss but also from all colleagues, it is expected to have the effect of communicating one’s work to everyone in an easy-to-understand manner.
Mr. Motohashi’s Advice to Young Entrepreneurs-
“Being in control of your life as an entrepreneur is less risky than being controlled by someone in a large company.”
