Anicet Mbida presents to us this Tuesday a tool that could give a serious helping hand to the master swimmers and rescuers on the beaches. It is an intelligent camera capable of spotting in the water a person who is drowning or exhibiting risky behavior.
We are innovating in the safety of swimmers this morning, with an artificial intelligence that assists lifeguards, especially at the beach and at leisure bases.
There is a lot of talk about swimming pools, but the majority of drownings (44%) take place at sea. And for good reason: it is extremely difficult to monitor an entire beach. You have to have your eyes everywhere and follow hundreds of people at the same time.
Good news, the rescuers will be able to rely on a smart camera. She will use image analysis and behavioral analysis to individually track what each person is doing. Suddenly, she will be able to spot someone who has a cramp and who panics. Someone who has gone too far and has trouble coming back. Or quite simply, a child who swims alone.
The rescuer then receives an alert on his control screen. And he can zoom in on the scene, to decide whether or not to intervene. The objective is therefore not to replace the lifeguards. But give them extra eyes and warn them before a problem occurs.
Is it already in use on beaches?
It is just beginning. It was Sightbit, an Israeli startup, that developed it. So the first installation was made near Tel Aviv on Palmachim beach. Since then, they have been in contact with several cities, notably in France, on the Atlantic coast, because their system is capable of detecting baïnes. These are very violent currents which occur with the tide and which carry even the most experienced swimmers.
This is why it is recommended to swim only in the supervised areas. As we recall, there were almost 1,200 drownings last year. It remains the leading cause of accidental death among people under 25.