Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal have created a ‘Crowd and Mask’ monitoring system that can possibly contribute to preventing COVID-19 spread. The unique low-cost artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled device is portable thus making it easily deployable at different locations. 

Since the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a mask and avoiding crowded surroundings have become one of the primary precautions against infection. Now that schools and colleges are ordered to once again commence physical classes, IISER has developed and deployed this machine to help maintain a minimum of three feet distance for social distancing. 

Elaborating on the innovation, Dr. P.B. Sujit, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, IISER Bhopal, said, “We wanted a simple advisory system to warn students of breaching social distancing norms at selected locations”.

The device uses AI and Machine Learning (ML) to understand and better its image processing ability. The device's high-definition camera is connected to a microchip computer and a 5V battery to monitor the people on the campus. As soon as the camera detects people breaching the safety codes such as not maintaining social distance or not wearing a mask, it will alter the crowd with pre-recorded messages. 

Dr. P.B. Sujit, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, along with Dr. MitradipBhattacharjee and Dr. SantanuTalukdar, Assistant Professors, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Dr. Venkateshwar Rao, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IISER Bhopal, and BSMS student Mr. Kasi Viswanath developed this AI-enabled device that can replicate manual policing.

The team created this invention in early October 2020 but continued working to better the machine and reduce the false alarms. “Given the opportunity, this device can be deployed at various crowded public places to ensure that the basic safety rules are not violated in this tough time of COVID-19 pandemic”, said the IISER Bhopal team.