This Startup Commercialises AI At Unthinkable Costs
Wobot started off as a tool that could digitize various aspects of Work through a bot and hence the name work + bot, Wobot.
Wobot Intelligence enables vision-based process compliance. Wobot‘s deep learning computer vision tool plugs into existing cameras and helps in monitoring industry-specific SOPs. The AI identifies people, their activities, and objects on the basis of pre-defined rules that help detect anomalies.
Gairika Mitra gets into an engaging conversation with Tapan Dixit, COO, and co-founder, Wobot.ai.
Edited excerpts:
How do you think is the sector going to upsurge in the near future?
The market will continue to grow and the growth drivers would be the following.
- CCTV Camera Installation
The Number of Installation YoY is supposed to grow at a CAGR of around 11% globally. This will provide a good base to build several video analytics use cases.
2. Video Application
The two major scaled-up use cases of intelligent Video Analytics on CCTV so far have been for Security and Retail Analytics. Going forward we will see other applications around human process compliance also become of great importance. There will be various applications across process compliance in different sectors such as Manufacturing, Healthcare, Food, Pharma, etc. For example monitoring worker and workplace safety for manufacturing industries, or monitoring hygiene at kitchens, food processing plants, restaurants, and hotels.
3. Internet Connectivity
The arrival of 5G will transform the video surveillance industry by solving the core problems associated with this field. The perpetual issues of bandwidth and latency can finally be solved by integrating 5G in the video and Data Analytics system. 5G allows us to send high-quality videos (1080p, 4K) over the network as it provides a high video transmission bandwidth.
This will, in turn, reduce the latency associated with video transmission and video processing.
Another important aspect associated with 5G is its ability to integrate billions of IoT devices. The integration of IoT devices in the video and Data Analytics pipeline will provide us with massive amounts of data that we can leverage to draw actionable insights.
4. Compute
The compute capability of modern devices is also increasing at an exponential rate which has allowed application developers to create more sophisticated AI algorithms.
In a nutshell, increased computing capability of new-age devices, high video transmission bandwidth provided by 5G, increase in the installed camera base and the omnipresent IoT devices will continue to create an extremely efficient and robust Video and Data Analytics market.
What is the exclusiveness of your startup, that’s unique from other gigantic players in the market?
There are various players in the market who provide security analytics as well as customer insights. Wobot while providing the same also goes deeper where we help companies to not just monitor customers but also help monitor employees’ SOPs and workplace compliances. We have a focus on building different process compliances for different industries. Customers from different industries can choose from these lists, plug their existing cameras, and get started immediately. What also makes us different is our low compute models with high accuracy, enabling us to commercialize AI at unthinkable costs.
As a team, we come with the right mix of technology background and industry expertise providing our customers with the best in class technology as well as ready-made Industry-specific use cases.
What is the latest mode of technology that you are catering to?
We use state of the art neural networks to build highly sophisticated models that are low on compute hunger as well as offer industry-relevant monitoring. We amalgamate Facial, Activity, Gesture, and Object Recognition for our use cases. The analyzed visual data is then delivered to relevant stakeholders through real-time notifications on the Wobot application, WhatsApp, or emails.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Wobot has been working closely with its customers in Food, Healthcare as well as Manufacturing to ensure employee safety. We have launched a suite of employee safety monitoring solutions that plug into existing cameras. These models are helping monitor 20 second-hand wash, PPE, social distancing among employees as well as premise cleaning and sanitation activities.
How important do you think is it for people to rely on technology? Are there any major follies per se?
We believe that technology is an enabler for a lot of functions today and tomorrow can eventually replace these functions as well. Hence we need to embrace and use technology to evolve further and focus on more strategic and non-repetitive tasks.
What are your immediate and long term milestones like?
We see the camera as a third eye for businesses. In the immediate term, we will continue to add more use cases for different sectors and expand in newer markets. In the long term, our vision is to create a supervisor less organization. We see the underutilized cameras becoming this smart and unbiased feedback provider for staff and members on the ground.
Lastly, any words of advice for the wannapreneurs?
Technology will always help solve challenges more efficiently but do not try to create a solution for a problem that does not exist. Sufficient primary research is essential before deciding to start the journey.
