Tools & Supplies
Japan’s Komatsu Adds Artificial Intelligence to Its Machinery
The deal could bring in dynamic changes in the construction and mining industry.
Japanese construction equipment maker Komatsu has signed a deal with California-based Nvidia and two others to deploy an Artificial Intelligence (AI) computing platform in the heavy machinery industry in a bid to improve efficiency and make construction sites safer.
The partnership also involves OPTiM, an Internet of Things management software company, which will provide an application to identify individuals and machinery collected from surveillance cameras, and SkyCatch, which will provide drones to gather and map 3D images for visualizing the terrain at the edge.
According to the deal, Komatsu will integrate Nvidia’s AI platform – a credit card-sized device designed to drive robots and drones – which will serve as the brain of heavy machinery, thereby improving efficiency and worker safety on site.
SkyCatch’s drone views and pictures captured through cameras mounted on Komatsu’s heavy equipment will be processed with Nvidia’s deep learning-based AI, enabling the firm to track the movement of workers and equipment, thus minimising the chances of fatal accidents.
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Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said the company’s graphics processing units (GPUs), which can be used for AI processing, will power visualization and analysis of construction sites for safety issues.
“Artificial intelligence is sweeping across industries, and its next frontier is autonomous intelligent machines,” he said.
“Future machines will perceive their surroundings and be continuously alert, helping operators work more efficiently and safely.”
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Yuichi Iwamoto, senior executive officer and chief technology officer at Komatsu said the deal could potentially bring in dynamic changes in the construction and mining industry.
“By leveraging Nvidia’s experience in image processing, virtualization and AI, we can further transform construction areas into job sites of the future,” Iwamoto said in a statement.
The use of artificial intelligence will build on earlier efforts by Komastu to build connected, smart worksites through its Smart Construction program that was launched in 2015.
Through the program, the company uses drones to survey construction sites, create 3D maps, extract blueprints, and simulate construction plans.
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