The digitization of monotonous work

Artificial intelligence is gaining ground everywhere. So it is also happening in civil engineering. Especially where repetitive work occurs that requires specialized knowledge, learning software based on KI offers a solution.

BrainCreators develops software solutions based on Artificial Intelligence (KI for short), better known worldwide as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Very briefly, we are talking about a concept where computers learn tasks that require knowledge and experience. BrainCreators specializes in tasks involving 'observation', 'assessment' and 'follow-up'.

Intelligent Automation

Jasper Wognum, general manager of BrainCreators explains how automation based on Artificial Intelligence comes about. "Suppose a road inspector watches many hours of video of highways every week to determine the condition of the pavement. No matter how monotonous, the work requires his expertise. Artificial intelligence has the ability to learn from this. By offering the road inspector's findings as examples, the machine assumes the knowledge and experience until it can eventually perform the monotonous task independently."

Observing, interpreting and responding

Central to BrainCreators' intelligent automation solutions are the concepts of Observe, Interpret, Respond. Seeing something, recognizing what you are looking at, detecting anomalies and taking action to initiate a solution. The collected knowledge is housed in BrainMatter, BrainCreators' intelligent software platform. Wognum: "Intelligent automation is particularly interesting for organizations that regularly perform inspections and quality checks. Within Civil Engineering, you can think of quays, bridges, guardrails, tracks, roadsides et cetera. Detected defects are neatly mapped and maintenance work is scheduled. For underground observation - of cables, pipes, sewers and structures - radar can be used."

Collaboration

For specific solutions, collaboration with partners is essential. They bring in the business cases, context, knowledge and experience, and BrainCreators use BrainMatter to intelligently automate. Then parties can jointly market the solution. This has already led to numerous partnerships, including with MapXact (VolkerWessels) for automatic mapping of underground infrastructure and Unihorn (Strukton) to automate pavement inspection.

"Intelligent automation does much more than minimize monotonous work," Wognum says. "The domain experts can now step up and grow again, and the company taps into a new source of innovation that delivers immediate financial results. Intelligent automation puts the business in motion. Doing more in less time at lower cost. That's the magic of automation." 

BrainCreators has written an e-book on 5 innovations with impact on infrastructure management, download it here!