Issue of the day: Counting elephants from space

IN only a 10 year period, more than 50 per cent of the world’s elephant population was wiped out. Now the remaining creatures are to be tracked from space as part of a new conservation project.

Counting elephants from space?

That’s the aim of the project. To do so, earth-observation satellites and a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) known as machine learning are being deployed.

How so?

Researchers are using the highest resolution satellite images currently available, which are processed and analysed automatically by a computer algorithm that has been trained with more than 1,000 images of elephants to help spot elephants in the wild. The AI involvement means the creatures can be counted even in hard-to-spot areas covered with trees or shrubs.

It’s an international project?

A team from the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Dr Olga Isupova of the University of Bath and Dr. Tiejun Wang, of the University of Twente, are leading the effort, saying the work is “vital” to ensure the survival of the species.

They are still hunted for their ivory?

The population of African elephants has plummeted over the last century due to poaching for their ivory, as well as retaliatory killing from crop raiding and habitat fragmentation. According to Action for Elephants UK, around 100 years ago there were over five million elephants across Africa. In 1979 there were 1.3 million, but by 1989, more than 50% of the population was wiped out. This led to an ivory ban in 1989 – at that time, there were only 600,000 elephants left across the whole continent.

Counting is crucial?

Dr Isupova, who created the algorithm, said: “Accurate monitoring is essential if we’re to save the species. We need to know where the animals are and how many there are.”

What method is currently used to track elephants?

The most common technique in savannah environments are aerial counts from manned aircraft, although observers can get tired and counts can be impacted by poor visibility. Aerial counts can also be logistically challenging and expensive.

The new technique?

Its benefits include eliminating any risk of disturbing the animals. Maxar, the US space tech firm behind the satellites used – including one called WorldView-3 which presently orbits 372 miles above the Earth – said: “This unobtrusive technique requires no ground presence so the animals are not disturbed and human safety is not put at risk during data collection. Previously inaccessible areas become accessible.”

Hope for the future?

There are fears for the the future of the largest land mammals on earth. With somewhere between 40,000 to 50,000 elephants left in the wild, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed them as “vulnerable” and placed them on their Red List of Threatened Species. But the team behind the new project are hopeful. They say: “Satellite remote sensing and deep learning technologies offer promise to the conservation of these majestic mammals.”

Published at Sat, 23 Jan 2021 05:26:15 +0000

Chatbots and Conversational AI: What It Is and What It Isn’t

The origin of chatbots can be traced back to the 1960s. Joseph Weinbaum created ELIZA, the chatbot, inside the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. It used simulations and gave responses and open-ended questions to users. For a long time, this Natural Language Processing (NLP) based chatbot created an illusion of being human. We are now in a digital age with more human-machine interaction happening. The journey from rule-based chatbots to AI-driven conversational chatbots helped improve industries and their user-experience. Chatbots are cost-effective, time-saving technology with maximum ROI, used to extract the best business solutions possible.

Chatbots: Truth and Myth

Chatbots are now a significant part of customer interactions and HR management. Chatbots use Natural Language Processing programs and machine learning to interact with users through a chat interface. They understand the end-user needs and guides them towards a positive outcome. AI-driven chatbots use artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse a phrase rather than focusing on keywords. This helps them draw inferences from customer behaviour and act accordingly.

Industries these days are striving to establish their place in the market. They expect to consistently improve customer-experiences with changing market trends. Chatbots helps boost customer interaction and analyse market trends. Bots take up the repetitive questions and provide a solution in real-time with lesser errors.

Myth 1- Chatbots will replace humans and reduce employment opportunities

Chatbots and AI are faced with insecurities. A belief that they would reduce jobs and replace people has been looming over for a long time. Humans are irreplaceable and technologies like AI work alongside humans to improve business outcomes. Chatbots take up mundane and repetitive tasks that need less skill. This helps people invest their time and energy in more skill-based tasks. Chatbots are cost-effective and time-saving. It will create a space for increased innovation and productivity.

Myth 2- Chatbots will takeover mobile apps

The truth is, chatbots and mobile applications can co-exist. Chatbots and applications have different features. Mobile apps serve a visual experience while chatbots are usually conversational. Chatbots use messenger platforms like Slack whereas apps need storage space. They are distinct and they complement each other.

Myth 3- Customer interaction is the only use

The capabilities of chatbots are not limited to customer services. They analyse data and derive insights to boost sales and identify trends. Chatbots are used to schedule meetings, predict risks, improve cybersecurity, etc. Their capabilities are explored in the field of education, where chatbots can be used as virtual tutors. Chatbots can be applied in a variety of industries like finance, marketing, banking, consumer services, and education.

Shifting towards conversational AI

Customer experience is the power key for any business. Chatbots with conversational AI make optimum use of the technology to provide the best outcomes. Conversation AI uses voice-based interactions apart from textual chats. They enable a personalised experience with interactivity and instant response. Conversational AI makes users feel that they are interacting with a person and not a machine. The AI algorithms understand the user’s context, location, and system to provide the best solutions.

The two-way intuitive interaction engages the users and delivers accurate responses within a short time-span. Since conversational AI holistically interprets the end-user, it becomes easier to understand consumers and improve business strategies according to the market trends.