2019.10.17
EBARA CORPORATION
EBARA CORPORATION (“EBARA”) is pleased to announce that our group company, EBARA Environmental Plant Co., Ltd. (EBARA Environmental Plant) won the Excellence Award on September 30 at the Deep Learning Business Awards, which is jointly sponsored by Nikkei Cross Trend and Nikkei xTECH. The awards ceremony took place on October 10 at Conference Tower, Tokyo Big Sight.
1.Background and intent
EBARA Environmental Plant, which constructs and operates the wastes incineration facilities, promotes the development of next-generation operating systems of wastes incineration plants. In order to enhance the stability of waste treatment, with the latest technology including AI, we aim to realize the automation of incinerators, not depending on experience based knowledge by human workers. The Award evaluated one of these initiatives, which is an automatic crane system with waste identification AI as an outstanding project utilizing deep learning in business.
2.Project overview
The automatic crane system with waste identification AI started operation in 2019. The AI system analyzes the situation captured by camera while trash is mixed in the pits. Then, high controlling device determines to manipulate the crane inside, and automatically operates the crane. The system was jointly developed by EBARA Environmental Plant and Ridge-i Inc., an AI development startup especially well reputed with their image analysis technology. Using AI deep learning to recognize a condition of trash makes it possible to identify and feed into the incinerator if suitable for combustion. It also finds out a specific trash that affects the facility if a large amount is put into the incinerator to process appropriately. With conventional automatic cranes, it used to be difficult to perform in such a way.
Identification of a wide variety of trash is possible
【Related links】
■ Deep Learning Business Awards
https://xtrend.nikkei.com/atcl/contents/watch/00013/00643/
■ Past releases
EBARA Environmental Plant Starts Operation of Automatic Crane System equipped with Trash Recognition AI
https://www.ebara.co.jp/corporate/newsroom/release/products/detail/1190362_1685.html
The EBARA Group will continue promoting the development of new technology in business.
The EBARA Group strives to achieve its management policy and further enhance its corporate value based on its medium-term management plan. We achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by tackling ESG issues.