This could improve privacy if all the processing remains internal, however there are several ways it could reduce privacy and create problems depending on what you do with the AI output. For example, the AI output could deny access to buildings if it detects a person is a child (good for industrial settings, not so good if you're a short adult) or it could deny access if it detects a person is white or female (bad for society). The video data might all be processed internally, but if the chip also has a video output the AI output could simply be used to decide what video to save. Or the AI output could trigger recording from an external video camera. So overall, the privacy aspects of this sensor seem pretty weak; it would have to be used in a properly designed system or else this privacy protection could be easily bypassed.<p>I've worked with similar systems that used local AI to process speech (to determine things like turn taking in conversations) and there was a claim that the system enhanced privacy because no speech was ever recorded, but in truth it would have been easy to compromise that privacy protection. If the ability to record or export video is not part of the sensor design, then it would be difficult for anyone to alter the chip to record video, but how do you verify that? The chip could have a secret "test" mode where it exports video and AI parameters for troubleshooting. You'd have to trust Sony, which might be reasonable in some circumstances, but not in others. The same is currently true for a variety of phones with "smart" features associated with the camera. It may seem like the phone will only unlock for you when it sees you, but what if it also secretly unlocks when presented with a specific QR code? How would you ever know?
Quote 1: "They can then select only relevant images, or parts of images, to send on to cloud-based systems or local hubs. "<p>Quote 2: "..enhanced privacy.."<p>Syntax error.
I have a beginner's question about sensors and chips, for the experts out there:<p>When chip hardware gets faster, or you read about such developments as cramming more and more functionality onto the sensor, does that mean the package could draw less and less power and do the same functions as previously for less energy?<p>Suppose this chip's function were (as in the article) to image a scene and decide whether to send the image over wireless to a central monitoring station.<p>As the chips get more capable, does that mean less power is used compared to before, to do the same function? Or are there overheads that dominate the power consumption for such under-utilization of a chip? Is there a rapid falloff in benefit of the "advanced-ness" of a chip for such applications where you really don't need such sophistication, and rather have energy-conserving, simple design? Will this really lead to months more lifetime for a remote sensor powered by battery?<p>(sorry if some of my nomenclature is imprecise, but hopefully you get the idea of the question)
Reminds me a little bit of the chip in the game boy camera - it tried to do edge detection on chip, like vertebrate eyes do.<p><a href="https://gbdev.gg8.se/wiki/articles/Gameboy_Camera" rel="nofollow">https://gbdev.gg8.se/wiki/articles/Gameboy_Camera</a>
>> Hanson says that while other organizations have similar technology in development, Sony is the first to ship devices to customers.<p>Following are some links to such similar technology developments for those interested. Of these, [4-5] cover a lot more.<p>PS: I was the technology lead for [1] below, which I believe is a pioneering work which kickstarted this.<p>[1] Qualcomm Wants Your Smartphone to Have Energy-Efficient Eyes
<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2017/03/29/243161/qualcomm-wants-your-smartphone-to-have-energy-efficient-eyes/" rel="nofollow">https://www.technologyreview.com/2017/03/29/243161/qualcomm-...</a><p>[2] emza Visual Sense - IoT Visual Sensors
<a href="https://www.emza-vs.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.emza-vs.com/</a><p>[3] Why the Future of Machine Learning is Tiny
<a href="https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/tinyml/9781492052036/" rel="nofollow">https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/tinyml/9781492052036/</a><p>[4] The tinyML Summit
<a href="https://www.tinyml.org/summit/" rel="nofollow">https://www.tinyml.org/summit/</a><p>[5] TinyML: Machine Learning with TensorFlow Lite on Arduino and Ultra-Low-Power Microcontrollers
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/TinyML-Learning-TensorFlow-Ultra-Low-Power-Microcontrollers-ebook/dp/B082TY3SX7/" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/TinyML-Learning-TensorFlow-Ultra-Low-...</a>