NVIDIA Is Using AI to Revolutionize the Industrial Sector
If you've ever passed an oil well or petroleum refinery, you may have noticed the vertical steel cage climbing high into the air, with an ever-burning flame at the top, and perhaps wondered about its purpose. The object, known as a flare stack, is used to dispose of flammable gases released by pressure-release valves, aimed at preventing a dangerous buildup of these gases. These stacks need regular inspections that require mandatory shutdowns that last for days, a high-risk vertical climb, and enduring temperatures in the hundreds of degrees.
The advent of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs, or drones) has addressed some of these issues, allowing for flights that use high-resolution cameras to capture photos of a stack. These images must be carefully inspected for any damage or structural anomalies that could potentially be missed by the naked eye. Avitas Systems, a GE (NYSE: GE) Venture company, has partnered with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) to use graphics processing units (GPUs) and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the process.
The NVIDIA DGX-1 combines lightning-fast GPUs with AI software. Image source: NVIDIA.
Source: Fool.com