Under the terms of the partnership, Google will source Movidius processors alongside the entire Movidius software development environment and in turn contribute to Movidius’ neural network technology roadmap.
Google will place Movidius’ MA2450 chip inside Android handsets. This will allow the device to recognize images such as faces and street signs in real terms, without requiring to use cloud-based apps. The heavy computation for the process would be done internally, allowing for data to stay on device and provide proper functionality without the need of an internet connection and with fewer latency issues. This will result in a more personal and contexualized computing experience in future products, which will have the ability to recognize images and audio with high speed and accuracy.
Currently, image recognition is done through certain apps which with remote data centers to tap into advanced artificial intelligence techniques for performing facial recognition and other tasks.
Such a phone, if successfully built by Google, will have huge potential benefits for people with disabilities. Visually-challenged people will be able to more easily maneuver urban areas or strike up a conversation with familiar people on the street. It can be imagined as an extended version of the firm’s Google Translate function, which allows users to translate foreign language just by holding the phone in front of the text. Another mobile app and image hosting service- Google Photos, can store and analyze images uploaded from smartphones. Users can simply type the names of objects, such as flowers or houses or mountains, to find the corresponding image. However, to use this app, you need to be connected to Google servers. Moreover, an image takes time to upload and it may not be always possible since it depends on the availability of a wireless connection.
Movidius, which specializes in computer vision, has previously collaborated with Google on Project Tango, an initiative aimed at allowing phones to 3D map real-world environments.
Every day we send out a free e-mail with the most important headlines of the last 24 hours.
Subscribe now