“The gadget will notify emergency services” – Kommersant FM

Kommersant FM columnist Alexander Levi talks about a body camera with artificial intelligence.

The capabilities of artificial intelligence are in the process of being studied, which means that a lot of interesting variations of its application await us, including in gadgets. Last year we saw the first implementation in wearable electronics, in the so-called Humane Ai Pin smart pin. At the beginning of 2024, another solution from the same category appeared.

The world’s first affordable miniature body camera with artificial intelligence, PhoneCam, is how the developers describe it. In terms of weight and dimensions, the device is no larger than a regular gas lighter and is attached directly to clothing. In meaning, it is close to the DVRs worn by police officers, inspectors or other people on duty.

PhoneCam must ensure the safety of the user. As its creators assure, citing research results, body cameras are better than smartphones at de-escalating conflict situations and preventing violence. And the evidence collected with their help is suitable for use in court.

To activate recording, the owner of PhoneCam only needs to press a single button. If you press it again, the gadget will notify emergency services and contacts that the user specified in advance. In active mode, the device transmits information about the owner’s location, as well as video and sound. It is worth clarifying that the latest information is available to designated contacts, and not to the police or rescuers. The presence of two-way communication fully justifies the first part of the name PhoneCam.

Where is artificial intelligence here? The developers have created their own machine learning algorithm to improve the quality of recordings, especially in low light conditions. And all video processing takes place directly on the device. And there is something to improve: the camera shoots video with a wide-angle lens with a 120-degree field of view in 1080p format, at a frequency of 30 frames per second.

PhoneCam supports Wi-Fi, 4G and 5G, and a backup GSM transmitter is responsible for sending an alarm signal even when offline. The new product is protected from water and dust according to the IP65 standard. The availability of the device is more than justified. Compared to Humane Ai Pin, for example, PhoneCam is ten times cheaper and costs $69.