Gestoos, a Spanish artificial intelligence startup, has won this year’s round of the Japanese firm NTT Data’s international innovation competition. Last year, another Spanish startup, SocialCoin, also won.
According to their website, “Gestoos is an AI platform that enables cameras and sensors to see, understand, and respond to human movement and behavior in any environment or context.” This revolutionary new technology could change the way humans interact with their environment.
Gestoos won various prizes from NTT Data. The first way in which NTT Data could provide value for startups was through client networks. NTT Data “has clients at 260 bases in about 50 countries across the world, including major corporations, public institutions and financial institutions that support the global community.” Gestoos gained access to this extensive network.
The next thing the winner gained was the ability to work with one of NTT Data’s solutions for ICT social infrastructure, “for example, in the Japanese market, over 700 financial institutions use the Internet banking service ‘ANSER.’ Using ANSER may increase the leverage 700 times in size. This is just one example out of many solutions and platforms across the world; they are looking forward to working with you.”
The last prize was funding directly from NTT Data – while there is no immediate cash prize, NTT Data will back the project with funding from its own coffers at a later date, explaining on their website that, “NTT DATA is truly serious about working together, through this contest, to create the new solution business that transforms the world.”
Gestoos can be incorporated into a number of different and innovative uses. It can be used as digital signage to deliver interactive content in retain advertisements, which will increase shopper engagement.
Gestoos can also be used in an automobile to provide added road safety. In the United States, over 6,000 fatal car accidents are caused by sleepy drivers every year – eight of these occur each day. Gestoos is working on a technological solution for driving danger – sensors will be able to detect when a driver falls asleep, and an Artificial Intelligence system will then take control of the car.
With Gestoos, you can also monitor passenger behavior (unruly kids) using motion sensors that detect unusual movement in the back seat. You can use it to take photos of landscapes you drive through without using your camera to distract you. You can change the volume of your music, change the song, and control the temperature of the car. Essentially, you will be able to control the center console without actually touching it.
You can also use Gestoos for smart-home automation. According to the website, “Gestoos can control your lights, sound system and media playback across different appliances in your home. Any appliance compatible with HomeKit or Airplay is supported.” This means you can control the appliances around your home with the wave of a hand from your couch.
Gestoos’ victory over their competitors in the most recent NTT Data Open Innovation contest was due to their automated solutions designed to make our lives easier. NTT Data’s goal was to search for someone to provide “the first innovative and new social infrastructure in the world.” There was no cash price – the prize was instead three different ways in which NTT Data could provide value for startups.
NTT Data seems to be committed to changing social infrastructure through the use of Artificial Intelligence. Last year’s prize winner was Spanish firm SocialCoin, which is currently partnering with NTT Data to create a method of gathering metrics on citizen happiness.
