|

ABB, Imperial College London and Unleash Live Leverage AI-Powered Video Analytics in the Control Room

June 19, 2024

ABB, Imperial College London and Unleash Live Leverage AI-Powered Video Analytics in the Control Room
  • Part of the carbon capture pilot plant at Imperial College London, the project adds AI-powered video analytics to a suite of technologies used in the control room
  • The project will explore how AI-powered video analytics can provide actionable insights to plant operators to drive safety, productivity and efficiency
  • The pilot plant provides the engineers and scientists of the future with hands-on experience of the use of technology

ABB, Imperial College London and innovative computer vision company Unleash live will leverage AI-powered video analytics in a new project that aims to help industrial companies improve safety, productivity and efficiency.

The project will explore ways AI-powered video analytics can amplify human potential and help to avoid human errors in industrial plants. It is part of the carbon capture pilot plant at Imperial College London, the only teaching facility of its kind in the world. The plant uses the ABB Ability™ System 800xA® for distributed process control and over 250 ABB instruments measuring temperature, pressure, carbon dioxide and flow to train the engineers and scientists of the future. 

The control system of the carbon capture pilot plant automatically controls and coordinates all aspects of the plant process, which is then visualized on displays where the students can monitor and intervene if necessary. As part of the new project, AI will track video images received through an ABB Ability™ System 800xA plug-in which alerts the control system if instrumentation is not positioned correctly before a process is started or shut down. For example, it will determine if selected valves are in the correct position – open or closed – before pumps shut down. It can also detect unusual events such as smoke or fire, or health, safety and environment related events, such as the lack of protective equipment on workers.

ABB, Imperial College London and Unleash Live Leverage AI-Powered Video Analytics in the Control Room

“We have many analytical technologies in our portfolio, and we are now very keen to explore the full potential of AI-powered video analytics,” said Jean-René Roy, Global Business Line Manager, ABB Measurement & Analytics. “A great deal of operational insights can be extracted from images, and it is great to see that innovation is ripe in this space. We want to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between industry leaders, startups and academic institutions to address key industrial challenges.”

“On a big industrial plant, you may have security cameras and other types of camera networks, for example CCTV,” said Hanno Blankenstein, CEO Unleash live. “AI-powered video analytics allows you to send video feeds from the camera system to the operator workspace and provide actionable insights in real-time, something that otherwise may take hours. This capability is underutilized, and we want to show its potential.“

Unleash live is an innovative enterprise that combines computer vision technology with real-time data analysis with the goal of equipping industries with actionable insights. In 2022, Unleash live won ABB Measurement & Analytics’ Startup Challenge. The aim of the challenge was to identify digital imaging technology that could complement ABB’s analyzer portfolio, helping customers to improve safety, productivity and efficiency.

In 2023, ABB and Imperial College London signed a 10-year contract to extend their successful partnership. More than 4,500 students have had hands-on experience of ABB’s technology solutions at the plant since it opened in 2012. The collaboration gives the university access to some of the most advanced control and instrumentation technology available from any manufacturer. Undergraduate students at Imperial College London were involved in the development and testing of the use cases in the new project.

ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps customers in process, hybrid and maritime industries improve performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. go.abb/processautomation

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on over 140 years of excellence, ABB’s more than 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com  

Source

Related Story

A Review of ABB’s “Billions of Better Decisions”

ABB recently hosted Billions of Better Decisions – Empowering the Workforce with the Industrial Internet of Things, a panel moderated by Molly Wood, Climate Investor and Journalist, and Managing Director of Launch. There she interviewed three industry experts: Peter Terwiesch, President of Process Automation at ABB, Ahmed Hashmi, Senior Vice President, Digital at bp, and Michael Wade, Professor of Innovation and Strategy and Director of Global Centre for Digital Business Transformation at IMD.

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • Promise Robotics Transforms Automation in Homebuilding with Next-Gen Control Platform

    April 16, 2025 The AI-powered robotic system enables homebuilders to build more homes faster with less resources using flexible automation and distributed drive technology from Beckhoff Imagine a world where affordable, sustainable housing isn’t a dream, but a reality. This vision faces two significant hurdles: skyrocketing construction costs and a shortage of skilled labour. These… Read More…

  • How Omron Light Curtains Improve Machine Safety Compliance in Canada

    April 16, 2025 In Canadian industrial environments, safeguarding workers and ensuring machine safety compliance is both a regulatory requirement and a productivity necessity. At Proax, as an authorized distributor of Omron, they offer safety solutions engineered to meet and exceed modern compliance standards — including the CSA Z432 and Z434 requirements unique to Canada. Among these solutions, Omron’s Safety… Read More…


Featured Article

Revolutionizing Material Movement with Autonomous Mobile Robots

Revolutionizing Material Movement with Autonomous Mobile Robots

In today’s fast-paced manufacturing and logistics industries, the need for efficient and flexible material movement solutions has never been greater. Traditional methods like conveyor systems, forklifts, and manual pushcarts have served us well, but they come with limitations.

That’s why Omron is thrilled to announce the launch of their game-changing MD Series of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). Read more


Products

  • New From SEW-EURODRIVE: WES Series Stainless Steel Drives

    April 22, 2025 New From SEW-EURODRIVE: WES Series Stainless Steel Drives SEW-EURODRIVE is proud to introduce the WES Series stainless steel gear unit, a compact, hygienic drive solution that runs cool – even under continuous operation. Unlike worm gear units that overheat, the WES Series integrates SPIROPLAN® right-angle gearing, ensuring smooth, reliable performance without excessive… Read More…

  • Kollmorgen Introduces New High-Voltage IC Ironcore DDL Direct Drive Linear Motor

    April 22, 2025 Kollmorgen Corporation, a global leader in motion control and automation systems, has introduced an addition to its IC Ironcore DDL motor family, expanding beyond 230 VAC products with a new capability to support 400/480 VAC-powered applications. Kollmorgen’s new direct drive linear motor delivers a continuous force range up to 8,211 N and peak… Read More…