AI at the Edge

Preface

Over the past few years, a growing community of engineers and researchers have quietly rewritten the rules for how computers interact with the physical world. The result, a technology known as “edge artificial intelligence,” promises to upend a century of computer history and touch the lives of every human being.

With a tiny software update, edge AI technology can grant cheap, energy-efficient processors—already inside everything from dishwashers to thermostats—the ability to perceive and understand the world. We can empower everyday objects with their own intelligence, no longer dependent on data-hungry centralized servers. And next-generation tools put this magic in reach of everyone, from high school students to conservation researchers.

There are already many edge AI products out there in the world. Here are some that we’ll meet in the pages of this book:

• Smart devices that help prevent forest fires caused by electricity transmission, by mounting to electricity pylons and predicting when a fault may occur

• Wearable bands that keep firefighters safe by warning when they’re at risk from heat strain and overexertion

• Voice user interfaces that provide hands-free control of technology, no internet connection required

• Smart collars that monitor the movements of wild elephants, helping researchers understand their behavior and protect them from conflict

• Wildlife cameras that identify specific animal species and help scientists understand their behavior

The technology ...