ABB, Imperial College London and innovative computer vision company Unleash live will deploy AI-driven video analytics in a new project. The aim is to help industrial companies improve safety, productivity and efficiency in the control room.
The project will investigate how AI-driven video analytics in the control room can enhance human potential. It aims to help prevent human error in industrial plants. The project is part of Imperial College London's carbon capture pilot plant.
Detection of unusual events
The control system of the pilot carbon capture plant automatically controls and coordinates all aspects of the plant process. It is then visualised on displays. On these, students can monitor and intervene if necessary. As part of the new project, AI will track video images received via an ABB Ability System 800xA plug-in. This system will alert the control system if instrumentation is not placed correctly before a process is started or closed. For example, it will determine whether selected valves are in the correct position - open or closed - before pumps are shut down. It can also detect unusual events. Think smoke or fire, or events related to health, safety and the environment, such as workers not wearing protective equipment.
Harnessing full potential
"We have many analytics technologies in our portfolio. We are now very keen to explore the full potential of AI-assisted video analytics." So says Jean-René Roy, Global Business Line Manager, ABB Measurement & Analytics. "A lot of operational insights can be extracted from images. It's great to see that innovation in this area is ripe. We want to encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange between industry leaders, startups and academic institutions to address key industrial challenges."
Control room
"At a large industrial plant, you might have security cameras and other types of camera networks, for example CCTV," says Hanno Blankenstein, CEO Unleash live. "With AI-driven video analytics, you can send video feeds from the camera system to the operator's control room. This can provide actionable insights in real time, something that can otherwise take hours. This capability is underused. We want to show its potential."
Digital imaging technology
Inleash live is an innovative company that combines computer vision technology with real-time data analytics. This aims to equip industries with actionable insights. In 2022, Unleash live won ABB Measurement & Analytics' Startup Challenge. The aim of the challenge was to identify digital imaging technology that could complement ABB's analyzer portfolio and help customers improve safety, productivity and efficiency.
Collaboration
In 2023, ABB and Imperial College London signed a 10-year contract to extend their successful partnership. More than 4,500 students have had hands-on experience with ABB's technology solutions at the facility since it opened in 2012. The collaboration gives the college access to some of the most advanced control and instrumentation technologies available from any manufacturer. Students from Imperial College London were involved in developing and testing the use cases in the new project.
Opening photo: ABB
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