How computers learn to recognize objects instantly | Joseph Redmon

TED
18 Aug 201707:38

TLDRJoseph Redmon, a graduate student at the University of Washington, discusses the remarkable progress in computer vision, particularly in image classification and object detection. He introduces Darknet, a neural network framework for training computer vision models, and demonstrates its ability to recognize specific breeds of animals. Redmon also highlights the evolution of object detection technology, from a time-consuming process to a real-time system capable of tracking and identifying objects in video. The YOLO method, which simultaneously produces bounding boxes and class probabilities, has revolutionized the field, making real-time video processing possible. The technology is now accessible for various applications, from self-driving cars to medical imaging, and is being used globally for advancements in different fields.

Takeaways

  • 🧠 Image classification has advanced to the point where computers can differentiate between a cat and a dog with over 99% accuracy.
  • 🎓 Joseph Redmon, a graduate student at the University of Washington, works on the Darknet project, a neural network framework for computer vision models.
  • 🐕 Darknet's classifier not only identifies objects but can also predict specific breeds, such as correctly identifying a malamute.
  • 🔍 Object detection goes beyond classification by locating and identifying multiple objects within an image, providing bounding boxes and labels.
  • 🚗 The speed of object detection is crucial for real-world applications like self-driving cars and robotics, where real-time processing is necessary.
  • 🚀 Redmon's work has improved object detection speed dramatically, from 20 seconds per image to 20 milliseconds, a thousand-fold increase.
  • 🌟 The YOLO (You Only Look Once) method is a breakthrough in object detection, processing images in a single pass rather than multiple evaluations.
  • 📹 Real-time video processing is now feasible with the improved speed of object detection, allowing for dynamic tracking and interaction analysis.
  • 🌐 The YOLO detector is trained on a diverse set of objects from the COCO dataset, recognizing common and exotic items alike.
  • 📱 Object detection technology has been optimized for mobile devices, making it accessible for a wide range of applications.
  • 🌍 Darknet's open-source nature has facilitated global research and development in fields such as medicine and robotics.

Q & A

  • What was the initial challenge in computer vision research a decade ago?

    -Ten years ago, computer vision researchers thought that getting a computer to tell the difference between a cat and a dog would be almost impossible, even with significant advances in artificial intelligence.

  • What is image classification and how accurate has it become?

    -Image classification is the task of assigning a label to an image, and computers can now do it with greater than 99 percent accuracy, recognizing thousands of different categories.

  • What is the Darknet project and who is working on it?

    -Darknet is a neural network framework for training and testing computer vision models, and it is being worked on by a graduate student at the University of Washington.

  • How does the Darknet project classify images?

    -When the Darknet project runs its classifier on an image, it provides not just a prediction of the object, but also specific breed predictions, indicating a high level of granularity.

  • What is the difference between image classification and object detection?

    -While image classification labels an entire image, object detection identifies all objects within an image, places bounding boxes around them, and labels what those objects are.

  • Why is speed important in object detection systems?

    -Speed is crucial because it allows for real-time processing, which is essential for applications like self-driving vehicles or robotic systems that need to interact with the physical world.

  • How has the speed of object detection improved over the years?

    -In just a few years, the speed of object detection has improved from 20 seconds per image to 20 milliseconds per image, a thousand-fold increase.

  • What is the YOLO method of object detection?

    -The YOLO (You Only Look Once) method is an object detection system that produces all bounding boxes and class probabilities simultaneously, reducing the need to evaluate the image thousands of times.

  • How does the YOLO method differ from traditional object detection systems?

    -Traditional systems would split an image into regions and run a classifier on each region, whereas YOLO trains a single network to perform all detection tasks at once, making it much faster.

  • What is the significance of Darknet being open source and in the public domain?

    -Being open source allows anyone to use Darknet for various applications, from medical imaging to wildlife census, enabling global researchers to advance in their respective fields.

  • How has object detection been made accessible for mobile devices?

    -Through model optimization, network binarization, and approximation, object detection can now run on mobile phones, making it more accessible and usable for a wider range of applications.

Outlines

00:00

🐾 Advances in Image Classification and Object Detection

This paragraph discusses the significant progress in computer vision, particularly in image classification and object detection. Ten years ago, distinguishing between a cat and a dog was considered a monumental task, but now it is achieved with over 99% accuracy. The speaker, a graduate student at the University of Washington, introduces the Darknet project, a neural network framework used for training and testing computer vision models. The script demonstrates how Darknet can identify not just general categories like dogs and cats, but also specific breeds, such as the malamute. However, the speaker points out the limitations of image classification when faced with ambiguous images, highlighting the need for object detection. Object detection involves identifying and labeling all objects in an image, providing more detailed information about their locations and sizes. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of processing speed in applications like self-driving vehicles, where real-time detection is crucial. The YOLO method, which uses a single neural network to produce all bounding boxes and class probabilities simultaneously, is introduced as a solution to speed up the detection process.

05:02

📱 Making Object Detection Accessible and Real-Time

In this paragraph, the speaker continues the discussion on object detection, focusing on its practical applications and advancements. The speaker demonstrates the capability of the detection system by identifying various objects in the audience, such as stuffed animals and stop signs, and emphasizes the real-time processing capabilities of the system on a laptop. The speaker also discusses the versatility of the object detection system, noting that it can be trained for any image domain, from detecting traffic signs in self-driving vehicles to identifying cancer cells in medical images. The speaker mentions the use of this technology in various fields, including medicine and robotics, and highlights a specific example of counting animals in Nairobi National Park. The paragraph concludes with the announcement that object detection can now run on a phone, thanks to model optimization, network binarization, and approximation, making this powerful technology more accessible to everyone. The speaker expresses excitement about the potential applications of this technology and invites the audience to explore its possibilities.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Computer Vision

Computer vision is an interdisciplinary field that deals with how computers can gain high-level understanding from digital images or videos. It is a part of artificial intelligence that enables computers to interpret and categorize visual information. In the context of the video, computer vision is used to recognize and classify objects within images, such as distinguishing between a cat and a dog with high accuracy.

💡Image Classification

Image classification is a task within computer vision where the system assigns a label to an image from a predefined set of categories. This is crucial for enabling computers to understand what is depicted in an image. The script mentions that computers can now classify images with greater than 99 percent accuracy, indicating significant advancements in the field.

💡Neural Network

A neural network is a series of algorithms that are modeled loosely after the human brain. It is designed to recognize patterns and is a key component in machine learning and artificial intelligence. In the video, the speaker mentions Darknet, a neural network framework used for training and testing computer vision models, which plays a central role in object recognition tasks.

💡Object Detection

Object detection is a process within computer vision that involves not only identifying objects within an image but also determining their location by drawing bounding boxes around them. This is more complex than image classification as it requires spatial awareness. The script describes how object detection has evolved to be faster and more accurate, enabling applications like self-driving cars to understand their surroundings.

💡Bounding Boxes

Bounding boxes are rectangular frames used in computer vision to indicate the location of objects within an image or video. They are essential for object detection as they provide spatial context. The script uses bounding boxes to demonstrate how the computer can identify and locate objects such as a cat and a dog in an image.

💡YOLO (You Only Look Once)

YOLO is an object detection system that processes images in a single forward pass through the neural network, which is why it is called 'You Only Look Once'. It is designed to be fast and efficient, allowing for real-time object detection. The script highlights the development of YOLO, which reduced the time to process an image from 20 seconds to 20 milliseconds.

💡Microsoft's COCO Dataset

The Microsoft COCO dataset is a large-scale object detection, segmentation, and captioning dataset. It is widely used in computer vision for training and benchmarking models. The script mentions that a detector was trained on 80 different classes from this dataset, showcasing its versatility and the diversity of objects it can recognize.

💡Model Optimization

Model optimization refers to the process of improving a neural network's performance, often by reducing its size or complexity without significantly affecting its accuracy. In the script, the speaker discusses how model optimization, along with other techniques, has enabled object detection to run on a phone, making it more accessible.

💡Open Source

Open source refers to a type of software where the source code is available to the public, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute it. The script mentions that Darknet is open source, which means it can be freely used and adapted by anyone for various applications, including medical and robotic advancements.

💡Real-time Processing

Real-time processing is the ability of a computer system to process and respond to input data as it is received, without any noticeable delay. The script demonstrates real-time processing by showing how the object detection system can track the speaker's movements smoothly as he moves around the frame.

💡General Purpose Object Detection System

A general purpose object detection system is designed to be versatile and capable of recognizing a wide range of objects across different domains. The script emphasizes that the object detection system is not limited to specific objects but can be trained for various applications, such as detecting stop signs in a self-driving vehicle or cancer cells in a tissue biopsy.

Highlights

Ten years ago, computer vision researchers thought that distinguishing between a cat and a dog would be almost impossible.

Current image classification accuracy exceeds 99 percent.

The speaker is a graduate student at the University of Washington working on the Darknet project.

Darknet is a neural network framework for computer vision models.

Classifiers can now predict specific animal breeds with high accuracy.

The importance of object detection for understanding the context within images.

Object detection involves finding objects in an image, drawing bounding boxes, and labeling them.

Significant advancements in object detection enable real-time tracking and robustness to changes.

The initial 20-second processing time for object detection has been vastly improved.

The YOLO method allows for real-time object detection by evaluating the entire image at once.

YOLO stands for 'You Only Look Once' and is a single network trained for detection.

The speed of object detection has improved from 20 seconds to 20 milliseconds per image.

YOLO can process video in real time, allowing for dynamic interaction observation.

The detector is trained on 80 different classes from Microsoft's COCO dataset.

YOLO is being used in various fields such as medicine and robotics.

Darknet is open source and free for anyone to use, leading to global research advancements.

Object detection can now run on a phone through model optimization and network approximation.

The speaker encourages the audience to use the technology to build innovative applications.