Microsoft’s wicked-smart camera AI tracks people and equipment to keep workers safe

Artificial intelligence is going to radically change the workplace. But not just in terms of eliminating jobs, but also by making them measurably safer.

Today at Microsoft’s Build conference in Seattle, Andrea Carl, Director of Commercial Communications at Microsoft, demonstrated how the Azure stack, Azire IoT Edge, Microsoft Cognitive Services, and commodity camera equipment can make the workplace safer.

It does this by identifying tools, people, and even potential accidents, like spillages and improperly-stored tools, all in real-time.

The software can even identify people who are trained to use a specific tool. So if, say, a hot saw or a jackhammer, is left unattended in the workplace, the system can notify the nearest trained employee, and instruct them to store it in a safe place.

It can also identify non-employees, and identify policy violations – like an unauthorized individual using a particular piece of equipment.

This astonishingly sophisticated  software works instantly, and can be managed from something as simple as an iPhone. And the fundamentals of how this works can be tweaked and modified for other workplace environments.