Huawei’s Asia-Pacific Innovation day 2018 took place in Bangkok, with discussions on various topics like how the cloud has enabled Thailand’s Digital Economy to AI applications facilitating the next series of smart city innovations.
Thailand 4.0
The Thai government is working on a completely connected ecosystem with the cloud processing the big data generated from electronic payments in the BTS skytrain system to monitoring industrial economic indicators. The vision for Thailand 4.0 is driven by cloud computing & IoTs as infrastructure for modernization and Digital Transformation. SMEs can boost their ICT based businesses utilizing this infrastructure further leading to socio-economic benefits in Thailand.
The deputy PM of Thailand is discussing how SMEs can use #IoTs and compete with big retailers. Also how digital innovation in education and healthcare can lead to growth of the Thai economy. #HID18 #digitaltransformation pic.twitter.com/4viBf97kt6
— Shashwat Pradhan (@shashwatpradhan) June 6, 2018
Open, sustainable & collaborative ecosystem leading to Digital Transformation
Huawei rotating chairman, Guo Ping spoke about how businesses are embracing digital transformation by restructuring their organizations and IT infrastructure. Through digitization and increased connectivity both reliability and efficiency of business processes are improving. He shared the example of Costa Rica, which is situated between North America & South America has an open & inclusive environment which facilitates a prosperous and sustainable ecosystem.
.@Huawei is collaborating with governments to build digital ecosystems to provide connectivity and help ICT innovations. #HID18 #SmartCity #DigitalTransformation pic.twitter.com/f4U69ooUCc
— Shashwat Pradhan (@shashwatpradhan) June 6, 2018
Artificial Intelligence used on smartphones & IoTs
Huawei’s consumer group has been focussing on the Kirin 970’s AI capabilities in applications like contextual photography and using context to better customize the smartphone experience for their users. Moving beyond the smartphone, the Huawei HiAI open ecosystem can be used by a whole range of IoTs like smart home & smart speaker devices.
.@Huawei taking AI beyond phones to the #IoT ecosystem with the HiAI open platform. #AI #IoTs pic.twitter.com/YbtfbphU9t
— Shashwat Pradhan (@shashwatpradhan) June 6, 2018
AI for Smart City programs
Another aspect of innovation in the AI space was shared by YITU Tech, one of China’s leading AI startups. (Also a unicorn!) They shared how their AI face matching application in the cloud for Safe City programs has now progressed to a low error rate of 1 in 3 billion! That is quite radical progress, with AI systems now being able to match faces more accurately than humans. Apart from public safety applications, this technology can be used for healthcare, financial services and even customs.
.@YITUTech‘s AI face recognition platform is used as a safe city platform. With a low error rate of 1/3bn. #CV #ComputerVision #AI #SmartCity pic.twitter.com/EF3jejLjk7
— Shashwat Pradhan (@shashwatpradhan) June 6, 2018
The “Connected Cow”
IoTs can be applied to a variety of applications to provide economic benefits. One really interesting application was that of the connected cow, where the cow wears a sensor collar to monitor temperature, pulse and activity. This IoT device generates data which can be used by dairy enterprises to improve milk yield, reduce labor and medicine costs leading to increase revenue. This is a really cost effective and fascinating application of Internet of Things.
Overall, I am really excited with the applications presented at the innovation day, I am also looking forward to how Huawei’s 5G infrastructure creates new applications in the VR & IoT space. More on Huawei Asia-Pacific Innovation Day 2018.
The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own, I am not paid to write about them. Huawei does invite me for some events as a Key Opinion Leader.