September 1st, 2005
Technology at work (actually, at play)
We all know how automation can displace many jobs; did you know lifeguards could be one of them? Actually, in this case, augment their jobs: An interesting article out of the UK caught my eye: an underwater surveillance system, based on cameras and real-time analytics that can detect and alert when a body goes motionless or appears to be thrashing about, just saved a drowning girl at the bottom of a pool.
"The girl was pulled unconscious from 12 feet of water at the deep end of a public pool… when underwater cameras spotted that she was not moving and alerted a lifeguard. The lifeguard could not see the girl in the crowded pool but was able to respond to the alert within seconds."
"It is the first time in Britain that the Poseidon surveillance system, manufactured by a French company, has helped lifeguards to save a swimmer from drowning…. It took six years to develop. It is a pretty complex piece of software behind the system…. Poseidon has been fitted in more than 120 pools across the world."
[Link to ZDNet report here.]
According to the Website of Vision IQ, the company that developed and markets Poseidon, the product employs underwater and overhead cameras and "proprietary computer vision technology" — such as 3D imaging software — to monitor swimmers’ trajectories. The software can detect "suspicious situations, such as a slowly sinking or immobile victim, and trigger an alarm."
Joe McKendrick is an author and consultant with deep knowledge and insights regarding trends and developments in the technology industry. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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