The year 2020 gave us an opportunity to reflect on the importance of health and health policies aimed at ensuring healthy living, promoting the well-being of all at all ages. As recounted the past few days by the i404 editorial staff, the 2030 Agenda itself with Goal 3 (Ensure health and well-being for all and all ages) promotes prevention to improve the quality of life for all also by taking advantage of the technology we have at our disposal that can become our great ally.
How does artificial intelligence come to our rescue?
The headline cites in particular the case of Blimp, an enterprise of the e-Novia Group that, at the moment the emergency broke out, decided to make its technology available to help companies and businesses get back on their feet faster. Founded in 2017, Blimp has developed an artificial intelligence sensor that is used to measure the flow of people and detect their gender and age distribution, for example. After the March 2020 restrictions, the company, which was already working with some entities challenged by the enacted security regulations (such as retail outlets and shopping malls), decided to leverage the project to support recovery, already starting Phase 2, which started between April and May. Artificial intelligence has been trained to recognize infectious risk situations: gatherings and failure to use personal protective equipment. I sensori di Blimp sono infatti in grado oggi di rilevare la distanza tra le persone e Blimp’s sensors are in fact now able to detect the distance between people and whether or not they are wearing a mask. When a dangerous situation is registered, an alert is sent, which can be an audible warning, an automated voice reminding people to observe the rules.
This feature, called Beat-19, has been exploited mainly in manufacturing plants and offices to help reopen factories and businesses safely. Sensors have been installed in food service areas, where it is easier to let one’s guard down. But also in retail, to signal the presence of the maximum number of people an enclosed environment can accommodate based on the available floor space.
In addition, interest in the project is growing from municipal administrations, which want to receive important information on the flows of pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles and percentage of mask use. The system is very useful to monitor with analytical and scientific methods the security measures taken, for example, during events with many people.
Privacy information
Privacy is crucial to Blimp. In fact, information is captured by a camera located inside the sensor. The image is processed within the instrument itself, strictly anonymously, aggregated and with the utmost respect for privacy, and immediately destroyed, leaving no trace. The user is informed at each installed location through the presence of a notice in simplified form that gives information about the system used, and a QR code that links to the notice in extended format, to read in detail about data processing.
Health also comes through the creation of sustainable cities
Not only that, Blimp’s technology serves our tomorrow to find cutting-edge solutions with the aim of ensuring a better quality of life and making cities more livable. In this direction, in addition toGoal 3 of Agenda 2030, Blimp’s project also embraces Goal 9 (innovation) and Goal 11 (sustainable communities). And in this sense it is actively collaborating with theMilan City Council in order to monitor the progress of the city administration for that green turn needed in every urban center.The Lombard city hosts sensors that can provide useful information not only for what concerns the effects of the decrees and restrictions issued for Covid, but also for what concerns security management or mobility monitoring. Also in light of the new bike lanes that have sprung up in the capital city to promote more sustainable travel and consequently improve the quality of the air that the Milanese breathe every day.
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