Artificial Intelligence based algorithm for image quality enhancement
Challenge
Streaming Video Content accounts for 63% of Internet Traffic today and future traffic volumes forecast significant increase as a result of more internet users, more smart devices along with the demand for higher resolution content from HD to 4K or 8K UHD. The challenge of the project is to deliver high quality video experience to the user by increasing the compression and decreasing the resolution of the source stream. This will have the potential to massively reduce global internet traffic, improving the user experience and benefitting the World at large.
Solution
Artomatix goal is to develop a more efficient method to deliver high-resolution content to the user while minimising the network traffic and associated infrastructure costs. So the challenge is to enable data to be transmitted / broadcast at a low resolution and then upscaled and enhanced in real-time on the user’s device by applying “AI at the edge” to deliver that compelling user experience.
By exploiting the capabilities offered by new AI approaches and applying CNNs to image upscaling, Artomatix are developing an efficient high-quality hardware independent upscaling engine which can be licenced to and exploited by multiple platforms such as the TheoPlayer™ multi-platform player.
FED4SAE Support
FED4SAE has enabled Artomatix to further a collaboration with Intel; receive support from CEA-Leti and receive advice on the management of innovation and the got-to-market strategy from Blumorpho.
Artomatix have built a stripped-down version of its image-enhancement NN making it compatible with resource-limited hardware such as the Intel ® Movidius™ Myriad VPU in the Intel Neural Compute Stick hardware with almost unperceivable quality loss. Thanks to the collaboration with CEA, Artomatix is now operating an industry-standard-based image and video compression testbench for enhanced-images quality assessment and NN training.
Impact
Artomatix aim to be the “Adobe of Creative AI” and they plan to double their workforce from 20 to over 40 by the end of 2020. There are multiple markets that can benefit from this technology from Creative AI, e-Sports and streaming media and one option is to licence their commercial solution on a “pay per use” model and address multiple markets using Software as a Service API approach.