“Every battle is won before it is fought” Although Sun Tzu might have been talking about philosophy, the same holds water for the latest technology. Technology has driven war since the dawn of time. The very same technology or the lack of it has also led to the downfall of many great empires and nations; the trick is not to be complacent in evolution. In the modern era, war meant military funding for the latest technologies, and the latest tech lead to quick victories. “Defence technology isn’t just limited to arms and ammunitions, but also logistics/transportation to ensure faster troop movement, networking to ensure effective communication, medical to maintain status quo, and last but not least strategic development as well,” Sandeep Shah, Co-Founder & MD, Optimized Electrotech tells Financial Express Online.
Following are excerpts of an interaction between Sandeep Shah and Huma Siddiqui.
How do you look at the rise of AI in surveillance and security?
Surveillance is a key component of today’s warfare, intelligence brings clarity and clarity becomes power. A state-of-the-art surveillance system can not only boost your defence, it is also one of the most important assets of your offence, it’s the difference between persistence and accurate persistence.
Artificial intelligence for surveillance imaging utilizes computer software programs that analyze the audio and images from video surveillance cameras in order to recognize humans, vehicles, objects, attributes, and events. Security contractors program the software to define restricted areas within the camera’s view (such as a fenced off area, a parking lot but not the sidewalk or public street outside the lot) and program for times of day (such as after the close of business) for the property being protected by the camera surveillance. The system sends an alert if it detects a trespasser breaking the “rule” set that no person is allowed in that area during that time of day.
The rise of artificial intelligence promises to streamline operations in border management, where governments and technology advocates point to its potential to help secure international borders more efficiently and in some cases more safely. In recent years, authorities particularly in the United States and the European Union have moved quickly to integrate “smart border” capabilities into their operations, heralding a potential game-changing moment for the ability of governments to patrol their borders. Border-focused AI technologies come in multiple forms and can include algorithms designed to evaluate travellers’ nuanced and almost imperceptible emotional expressions, biometric analysis of fingerprints and facial recognition, and scanner software that can differentiate humans from wildlife in remote border sections. Artificial intelligence promises to supercharge surveillance, making tools more powerful and capable of processing and interpreting more data than in the past.
Is AI limited to just war machines?
No. AI is not just limited to large gaudy war machines; it can provide warfighter soldiers with real-time intuitive actionable combat information. AI enabled sights can help in Passive Range Management, Automat Ballistic Correction, Weapon Zeroing without the need of live fire, and creates an effective interface with tactical command and control. Intelligent personnel systems is also extremely useful, from body analytics of the war fighter to AI enabled exoskeletons, Artificial Intelligence can be imbued in all aspects of conventional defence forces.
How conventional surveillance systems have limitations?
The main function of surveillance is to observe public places or the perimeter of secure facilities in order to protect them from theft, intrusion, fire, and any other possible danger. No matter how good the cameras and VMS are, the weakest link in the security system is the human operators. The problem is that people can’t keep an eye on multiple screens all the time without losing concentration, which eventually can lead to missing critical events. On top of that, people are prone to fatigue, which inevitably results in a decline in productivity and response time and increases the possibility of human error.
What is the significance of defence manufacturing, production sector ecosystem, behind the rise of strong Indian armed forces?
A strong Defence Industrial Ecosystem gives confidence to our armed forces, as a homegrown industry ensures end to end control on all aspects of a certain technology. Equipment or systems made in India can be customized to be best suited for Indian terrain and climate conditions, and can also be tweaked or modified in the future for further use. The Indian Armed forces do not have to rely on foreign OEMs to customize an otherwise off-the-shelf product for conditions specific to India, which can also be done for other nations and geographies. A strong Indian Industry gives an added edge to Indian armed forces as they can have technology that is not possessed by other nations either due to lack of access or other geo-political situations, these technologies will be Made In India, Made for India, Made by Indians. The might of Indian Armed forces is only strengthened further by a strong Indian Industry and Indian Industry specific government policies.
Indian Army looks for Jet Pack suits; Defence Ministry issues RFP for Made-In-India content – what is your view?
The Made-In-India content necessity is increasing day by day which is an amazing opportunity for aggressive expansion of the Indian Defence Industry. However, the industry is still trying to cope with the technological escalation all around the world and as such this is a time taking process. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. The industry has really rallied around the “Make in India” call and is steadily building up. Jet Packs might be a tall order for the Indian Industry; however, we are well on our way to fulfil the nation and its forces’ expectations of the Industry.
How does intelligent transportation system ensure women safety and becoming Aatma nirbhar?
Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) are the most disruptive areas of development at the moment. These two technologies are not only increasing the gap between actionable intelligence and situational awareness, they are also bringing freedom and ease of access to everyone individually. IoT enabled devices which can be triggered by women under duress to intimate authorities, Local GIS which gives the authorities the spatial locations of these signals, and our very own NavIC (India’s Own GPS) can ensure women’s safety all over the nation. Artificial Intelligence Enabled Video Monitoring Systems like CCTVs can analyse the threat, realise the threat, and rally the actionable information to concerned authorities even if the victim isn’t able to do so. Smart Cities programs are already enabling these methods in their local grids to ensure safety and freedom for all.