Seeing Through Fog
New Life-Saving Technology Clarifies The Haze
SAMIE Intellab’s SeeTrue Set To Be a Game Changer in Vision Enhancement
Think, for a moment, about the cost of haze. Lives lost from driving in fog. Rescue helicopters grounded by low visibility. Drone images of terror camps rendered useless by dusty winds. Oil tankers colliding in marine fog. Criminals getting away with murder, literally, from security cameras obstructed by smog.
But what if you could see through the haze and fog?
Welcome to the universe of vision and image enhancement, where smog, haze, fog, smoke, dust and low light no longer need impede the work of drivers, soldiers, pilots and policemen. Where with a simple software download or chip-embedded device, obstructed air no longer keeps you from seeing what needs to be seen.
SAMIE Intellab Pvt Ltd is at the forefront of this deeply important technology. Their product, SeeTrue, based on advanced algorithms developed in-house to cut through haze, is clearly a lifesaver, if you consider all the drivers who will now be able to see through fog, firefighters who will see amid smoke or soldiers who will be able to perform their missions at night.
What is behind this extraordinary quest for clarity and how does it work?
“In layman terms, this algorithm sees beyond and restores colour to build the correct image,” explains Laszlo Kadar, founder and CEO of the Singapore-based SAMIE Intellab.
“It sees through the fog. It uses artificial intelligence to figure out the impediment – fog, smoke, haze or whatever – applies the correct algorithm appropriate to the impediment, and then proceeds to enhance the image in real time.”
Mr. Kadar and a team of some 20 seasoned researchers and engineers from Singapore, Europe, India and Canada came out with SAMIE SeeTrue about a year ago after more than four years of development. The reaction from automakers, CCTV and security camera manufacturers, and smart phone makers has been strong.
SAMIE SeeTrue can be used in various ways. If you download the software on a laptop, you can turn hazy photos into clear ones immediately. If you’re in a car during heavy fog, a clear image might be displayed on a dashboard, or even a windshield, screen. If you’re hiking in the Himalayas, putting out a fire or on a night raid in Afghanistan, SAMIE SeeTrue might be incorporated into your goggles.
SAMIE Intellab, a privately-funded, debt-free company, has taken a significant leap from existing technology. The degree of clarity and speed of enhancement have been vastly improved. Unlike other products, SAMIE SeeTrue works seamlessly in all types of vision impediments, including haze, smog, dust, fog, smoke , snow, rain and even low light. It can further enhance infra red and thermal camera images. Its portability and ease of of integration – including on phones, computers and the Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) of cars – make it unique in the market.
“Within a short period of time, we hope to be incorporated into the ADAS of major automakers worldwide,” Mr. Kadar says. “The first ADAS integration with SAMIE’s SeeTrue algorithm, is already underway.”
Current systems used in air traffic control, license plate recognition, face recognition, traffic monitoring and police and military surveillance are often rendered useless in low-visibility conditions. If used in conjunction with SAMIE SeeTrue, all that can change.
In addition to SAMIE’s B2B segment, consumers anywhere will soon be able to access the SeeTrue technology by simply visiting the company’s website. SAMIE Intellab is poised for rapid growth, and is now adding additional AI features to the software.
“It’s not necessarily something one would require every day, but it’s something you want available every day,” Mr. Kadar says. “You have a fire extinguisher and hope not to have to use it, but are glad you have one when it’s needed.”
Kadar points to the millions of dollars lost and extreme inconvenience caused by having to shut down airports from lack of visibility. Or the many thousands of deaths caused each year by traffic accidents and pileups in foggy conditions.
When asked about the vision at SAMIE Intellab, Kadar says he wants SAMIE SeeTrue software to be “bundled with every device that has a lens, image sensor, or display screen.”
