aimapit, a pioneering computer vision spin-out from the ADAPT Centre at Trinity College Dublin, has completed a landmark case study in the London Borough of Westminster, aimed at enhancing the precision of roadside infrastructure mapping for telecommunications and utility networks. In this pilot, aimapit undertook the development of a streetlight mapping solution for BrightSites, one of the latest innovations from Signify. Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) is the world leader in lighting for professionals, consumers and the Internet ofThings.
BrightSites chose to work with aimapit due to its unique infrastructure mapping capability. This latest asset mapping solution from aimapit provides highly accurate maps of streetlights, delivering asset-level GPS coordinates with <1 meter positional accuracy. Models were trained on over 55,000 sample images containing the assets of interest from locations around the world, and high quality street-level imagery for the project came from TomTom’s global repository. Working with TomTom’s street level imagery repository ensures timely and reliable geotagging necessary for 5G network expansion, optimising signal placement and coverage in urban environments. Through advanced computer vision, aimapit can process imagery at scale, enabling analysis of large geographic areas quickly and cost-effectively. This scalability accelerates network rollout and minimises costs associated with manual surveys or other, less precise data sources.
Pioneering Innovation with Proven Results
aimapit’s technology has already proven successful in previous case studies, including high recall rates and precision in identifying traditional telecoms infrastructure such as poles and ducts. The data allows for informed, data-driven decisions and asset identification. Further benefits include seamless integration with existing GIS platforms which reduces operational complexity and improves consistency of design for communication networks such as 4G, 5G and public Wi-Fi.
Cutting-Edge Precision for Urban 5G Planning
The study achieved a 95% recall rate in identifying streetlights and achieved sub-meter (<1m) positional accuracy, setting a new standard for urban infrastructure mapping using TomTom’s street level imagery as the key source of input data. Leveraging advanced AI-driven image analysis, aimapit processes the imagery to extract GPS coordinates and other essential attributes on roadside infrastructure, such as streetlights, poles, and ducts. This granular data enables telecom operators to accurately plan the layout of their 5G networks, a critical step as cities around the world prepare for the next generation of high-speed connectivity.
Completeness and location accuracy are key metrics for 5G network design and urban expansion. The Westminster Borough case study validated aimapit’s strong asset detection and mapping capabilities. These data insights empower infrastructure owners as well as telecom and utility companies to plan infrastructure deployment, enabling accelerated rollout of 5G across urban areas. aimapit’s computer vision technology is well-suited to handle the complexity of dense urban environments, such as Westminster, by delivering the high positional accuracy needed for network infrastructure like 5G small cells. With the ability to generate real-time highly accurate maps, operators can successfully position hardware components, ensuring minimal overlap and maximum coverage.
Scaling to Meet Growing Global Demands
The successful Westminster project marks a new beginning for aimapit in the fixed and wireless network design space. Cities worldwide are racing to establish 5G networks, and with that the demand for accurate and efficient urban mapping solutions is on the rise. aimapit is now planning market expansion in the UK and across Europe, with plans to apply its innovative solution to additional cities, further scaling its capabilities to address the needs of growing urban centres globally.
A Promising Future for UrbanConnectivity
As 5G continues to reshape cities, aimapit’s data-driven approach has positioned itself as a crucial player in the journey toward smarter, more connected urban spaces. With its roots in innovation from ADAPT at Trinity College Dublin and a bold vision for the future, aimapit is transforming how we approach the planning and execution of digital infrastructure, one street at a time.
For more information on aimapit’s work in Westminster or its future projects, visit aimapit.com or email: [email protected]
