Annotated Cargo Inspection Video With Virtual Assistant Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
CBP inspections face challenges due to the variety of products, languages, and expertise required, leading to inefficiencies and errors in cargo inspections at entry points, with insufficient personnel and inconsistent tracking of trends across different entry points.
Innovation Solution
A communication system utilizing a server and portable devices with video analytics and a virtual assistant to automate and guide inspections, including video annotation, risk assessment, and interactive displays for manual inspection guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual inspection of all cargo is conducted, then inspection thoroughness is improved, but inspection time and personnel requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection process is segmented into two distinct subsets: automatic inspection of a first subset of cargo items and manual inspection of a second subset. The system divides the inspection workload based on risk assessment, allowing automated systems to handle routine items while human inspectors focus on high-risk items that require specialized knowledge and judgment.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated inspection system performs self-service by independently analyzing cargo characteristics, comparing them against risk criteria, and identifying items for manual inspection without requiring human intervention. The system uses its own computational resources to process inspection data and generate recommendations.
2Measurement precision
If CBP personnel are trained in all product types and languages, then inspection accuracy is improved, but training time and personnel costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary layer in the form of automated inspection algorithms and virtual assistants that mediate between the cargo inspection process and human inspectors. This intermediary handles routine analysis and provides guidance, allowing human inspectors to maintain high accuracy without needing comprehensive expertise in all product types and languages.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the automated inspection system provides recommendations and insights to human inspectors in real-time. This feedback loop enables inspectors to make more accurate determinations without requiring extensive prior knowledge, as the system continuously provides guided recommendations based on analyzed cargo characteristics.
3Productivity
If automated inspection is implemented, then inspection speed is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated inspection system is designed with multi-functionality to handle various cargo types and inspection scenarios through a single unified platform. The system can process different product characteristics, apply various risk criteria, and generate appropriate recommendations, reducing the need for multiple specialized systems and thereby managing complexity while maintaining high productivity.
4Reliability
If all cargo is inspected manually, then detection of contraband is improved, but inspection cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by differentiating the inspection approach based on individual cargo risk levels. High-risk cargo items receive manual inspection with full attention to detail for contraband detection, while low-risk items are processed through automated inspection. This localized differentiation ensures effective contraband detection in critical areas while reducing overall inspection costs.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for virtual assistant based cargo inspection. The method includes automatically inspecting a subset of cargo using a first recorded video associated with the cargo and generating a second recorded video by annotating the first recorded video including annotations for a second subset of the cargo identified for manual inspection. The method also includes accessing, using a portable communications device, a virtual assistant feature of the portable communications device. In response to receiving one or more prompts via the virtual assistant feature, the method includes receiving the second recorded video and generating an interactive display for displaying the second recorded video. In response to receiving one or more prompts via the virtual assistant feature, the method also includes detecting an interaction with the annotations of the second recorded video and providing, using the virtual assistant feature, a recommendation corresponding to the interaction via a human machine interface.