OARAI, Dec 28 (News On Japan) - As dry conditions persist and residential fires break out across Japan, Oarai Town in Ibaraki Prefecture has introduced an AI-powered "fire watchtower" to enhance early fire detection.
With the dry season underway and fires occurring daily across various regions, Oarai Town has implemented a cutting-edge disaster monitoring system called the "fire watchtower," equipped with artificial intelligence.
Oarai Town Mayor Kunii Yutaka: "This system allows for faster initial response times."
The system features a 17-meter tower at the local fire department, equipped with cameras capable of monitoring a 360-degree radius up to 800 meters. When detecting unusual phenomena such as flames or smoke, the system displays an enlarged warning on the central monitor. An operator confirms the situation and alerts the fire department to dispatch firefighters.
But how accurate is the AI in identifying fires? The president of the system's developer, Earth Eyes, shared insights.
Earth Eyes President Yamauchi Saburo: "When flames are detected, a percentage appears like this. Once it exceeds 80%, it's almost never wrong."
The AI's development began by teaching it to recognize fires. Initially, it was trained on everyday landscapes, into which CGI flames and smoke were added. By identifying these differences, the AI learns to distinguish fire.
Yamauchi: "Because of this training, it won't mistake car headlights for flames."
The AI is also trained to recognize similar phenomena and differentiate them, ensuring that false positives are minimized. The system’s accuracy improves the more it is used.
Yamauchi: "Perfection isn’t possible from the start. With continuous retraining, this system will become highly reliable and beneficial."
Source: ANN
