PolyU research teams have achieved remarkable success at the 2024 Silicon Valley International Inventions Festival (SVIIF), garnering a total of nine prestigious awards. One of the gold medals goes to the project titled "Edge AI-Empowered Smart Devices and Robotics for AIoT Applications," led by our Chair Professor, Prof. Cao Jiannong, Dean of the Graduate School, Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Data Science, Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, Director of RIAIoT, and Director of UBDA.
Edge AI is an innovative technology that combines edge computing and artificial intelligence to enable real-time data processing and intelligent decision-making on IoT devices and robots. The research team has developed an edge AI platform that supports faster and collaborative model training and inference. Specifically, they have developed an edge-native task scheduling system to manage large-scale, geographically distributed, and heterogeneous edge resources. Atop this system, they have designed various resource-aware scheduling algorithms to optimise AI model training and inference, taking into account both AI model characteristics and underlying resources. Additionally, they offer easy-to-use programming APIs to streamline the development of edge-native AI applications.
To further demonstrate the advantages of edge AI, the team has also designed and developed an edge AI robot to inspect pipelines. This robot stands out due to its three key features: its real-time AI-based defect detection, its deformable design, and its autonomous control. It uses advanced edge AI technology to enable compressed, optimised AI models, enabling it to detect pipeline defects in real time. This feature makes the robot effective in challenging environments, such as underground or underwater pipelines. The robot’s unique deformable design and self-control algorithm also enables it to adapt and navigate through various pipe structures.
SVIIF is the largest event of its kind in the United States and drew participation from approximately 30 countries and regions this year. The event represented a wide array of academic institutions, research institutes, and enterprises. It was supported and attended by multinational corporations, investors, and entrepreneurs. SVIIF is a crucial platform for inventors and the business community to explore commercialization opportunities and seek partnerships.
