Meet the software that wants to fix Dhaka traffic

Sigmind.ai, a Bangladesh-based AI company, has recently launched TrafficFlow, a software solution for real-time traffic management in urban environments. According to the startup, this AI-based software aims to address the bustling traffic challenges of Dhaka city.

TrafficFlow can classify 25 categories of vehicles specific to the Bangladeshi context, enabling enhanced monitoring and control of vehicular traffic. The software's capabilities extend to vehicle detection, colour classification, licence plate recognition, and optical flow-based speed and direction estimation, says the startup. 

Abu Anas Ibn Samad, CEO of Sigmind.ai said, "We have successfully implemented our software in various places so far. It is currently used by many authorities including BEPZA, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, CAAB, and Bangladesh Cricket Board, among others".

According to Samad, key features of TrafficFlow include multi-directional vehicle counting, vehicle speed estimation, wrong-direction vehicle identification, and standalone reporting systems for comprehensive analysis. The software is also able to provide accurate reports based on traffic analytics. "The software has end-to-end vehicle analytics. Powered by specialised deep neural networks, TrafficFlow tackles the complexities of city traffic with precision and efficiency," says the CEO. 

The software is also able to provide accurate reports based on traffic analytics, says the startup. Image: Sigmind.ai

When asked about the technology behind the software, Samad shared that unlike traditional Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), TrafficFlow uses Vision Transformer (ViT) models for robustness and accuracy in diverse scenarios. The system's 'Recurrence sorting method and Deep learning-based Re-Identification' (ReID) tracker ensure accuracy and reliability in licence plate identification and vehicle tracking, even during challenging conditions.

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) began its pilot project with TrafficFlow in September 2020. The software is currently being used in Dhaka EPZ and Karnaphuli EPZ. "EPZ has many vehicle movements in a day. Vehicles with goods need a gate pass to enter the EPZ area. We mainly use the software for security purposes to ensure proper vehicle movement and maintaining a database," states a representative of the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA).

Established in 2017, Sigmind.ai's vision is to democratise the power of modern AI, leveraging technology to ease people's lives and enhance human capabilities. With a team of 17 individuals, the startup is committed to delivering solutions that redefine the possibilities of AI-driven technology in Bangladesh and beyond, says the CEO of the startup.

Other than winning the National ICT Award and APICTA Awards, the company also has strategic partnerships with organisations like Robi Axiata Limited and Vehant Technologies Limited, including affiliations with companies like NVIDIA and Google Cloud.