To support the training and development of its Machine Learning capabilities, Seeing Machines Limited (LSE:SEE), the advanced computer vision technology company that designs AI-powered operator monitoring systems to improve transport safety, today announces a collaboration with Swedish startup, Devant, a world leading supplier of human centric synthetic data.
Seeing Machines is revolutionising global transport safety, developing and licensing proprietary eye-tracking technology, underpinned by bespoke AI that monitors driver attentiveness, to some of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers. Its class-leading driver and occupant monitoring system (DMS/OMS) technology is powered by Machine Learning networks, which need to be trained and validated using large sets of high-quality data.
This collaboration brings together Seeing Machines’ 20+ years’ experience and unrivalled access to human behavioural insights with Devant’s specialist rendering capabilities, leaving Seeing Machines uniquely positioned to accelerate the development and training of its Machine Learning networks that underpin its advanced DMS and OMS solutions.
Seeing Machines’ move to incorporate the world’s most advanced synthetic data into its DMS development flow is part of a larger Digital Engineering initiative critical to achieving market leading development efficiency, to meet the growing demand for more in-cabin, driver and occupant monitoring capabilities as new transport safety regulation deadlines approach. The successful incorporation of computer-generated synthetic data follows Seeing Machines’ research and development of a realism taxonomy considering all system attribute and noise factors (i.e. human appearance and behavioural variations, optical, electronic, and vehicle cabin environment), impacting the real-world fidelity of data ultimately used to augment the development, training and eventually validation, if its in-cabin AI vision software.
Seeing Machines’ scientific approach to validate what makes a computer-generated human “real enough” in practice, prosecuted on a feature-by-feature basis for DMS/OMS, combined with Devant’s unrivalled capability and focus to solving the unique but critical in-cabin human synthesis challenges, is unlocking an abundant source of synthetic data suitable for accelerated development of in-cabin sensing technology. It is also satisfying Seeing Machines’ demanding requirements needed to achieve best-in-class safety outcomes and to uphold its reputation for delivery of real-world reliability and performance.
Commenting on the partnership, Paul McGlone, CEO at Seeing Machines said: “With a wave of new transport safety regulations coming into force around the world, it is increasingly vital for the advanced Machine Learning networks that underpin our AI-driven technology to access reliable data of the highest quality, accuracy and realism.
“Our mission to get everyone home safely has never been more relevant. That is why we have partnered with Devant, a leader in its field, to help deliver on our promise of providing our customers with bespoke, mission-critical solutions that enhance driver safety.
“Devant is uniquely able to capture and translate the subtlest movements and human behaviours, producing a granularity of detail that has, until now, been impossible to simulate. This unique approach to data creation will allow our Machine Learning to cover a broader range of human activity, improving on delivery times without compromising quality.”
Richard Bremer, CEO and Co-Founder at Devant, added: “We pride ourselves on delivering best in class synthetic data, combining unparalleled 3D human animation, computer graphics and engineering to deliver millions of images and animations. We are pleased to be partnering with an innovative market leader like Seeing Machines, which is delivering a step change in transport safety by harnessing its class leading DMS technology.”
Seeing Machines uses advanced machine vision technology to monitor driver behaviours under a full spectrum of demanding lighting conditions, including through sunglasses. This data is processed to interpret driver attention state, focus, drowsiness and impairment levels to provide critical inputs in real-time to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), as well as to vehicle cockpit, comfort and convenience systems.
With DMS set to become mandatory around the world this decade, Seeing Machines continues to grow as a world-leader in driver and occupant monitoring systems, with close to 900,000 cars on the road today featuring its safety technology underpinned by 15 expanding automotive programs for 10 individual global OEMs.
Download Seeing Machines’ white paper, “Do not believe your eyes. The use of synthetic data for driver monitoring product development”.
Devant will be exhibiting at InCabin, the world’s thought-leading event for interior intelligence specialists, taking place between 20 and 22 June 2023 in Brussels. Devant will be showcasing the Devant NCAP Validation Service developed in close collaboration with Seeing Machines, targeting Tier 1s, OEMs and regulators to accelerate in-cabin monitoring system validation by providing high-quality human-centric synthetic data.
