ABB To Strengthen Software and AI Solutions With Meshmind Acquisition

ABB recently announced its majority acquisition of Meshmind, a software service provider. Meshmind showcases proficiency in product management, software engineering, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, including machine learning and computer vision.

To advance AI and software in automation, ABB has acquired the majority of Meshmind. Image used courtesy of ABB

 

ABB and Meshmind

This strategic initiative by ABB looks to strengthen its research and development capabilities in AI, Industrial IoT, and machine vision. ABB aims to establish a new global research and development hub by combining engineering expertise, AI, and software knowledge within its machine automation division (B&R). The integration of approximately 50 Meshmind employees will promote collaboration with B&R teams on diverse research and development projects. Meshmind’s office in Bosnia will become B&R's new global hub for AI and software development. 

Meshmind’s portfolio that caught ABB’s attention includes software and AI-powered solutions such as Remedim, pTag, and Food Analytics.

 

Remedim functions as a management system for edge devices. Image used courtesy of Meshmind 

 

Remedim

Remedim is a real-time operations platform that addresses clients' needs with an extensive network of over one million edge devices. The requirements included establishing remote access for device configuration and implementing maintenance and monitoring capabilities for devices distributed across the globe. With a primary focus on security, Meshmind's solution involves a system where all devices securely connect to an internal service through a bi-directional RPC protocol. This strategic approach ensures secure communication from both the client and server ends.

pTag uses machine learning to automate dataset management. Image used courtesy of Meshmind 

 

pTag

pTag integrates with third-party computer vision annotation tools to generate bounding boxes for machine learning training. The dataset service incorporates a cropping function that uses crop generation based on the bounding boxes. Following the cropping process, the system clusters to group similar crops, significantly reducing the time required for dataset preparation.

To enhance dataset quality, Meshmind developed a dataset cleanup function capable of detecting and eliminating duplicate and blurry photos. In addition, The platform also offers dataset versioning, enabling efficient tracking of changes and merging of two or more datasets when necessary. This multifaceted approach ensures the creation of high-quality datasets with improved efficiency and management capabilities.

Food Analytics enables customers to make informed resource planning and budgeting according to data. Image used courtesy of Meshmind

 

Food Analytics

Food Analytics incorporates real-time monitoring for food servings, offering diverse user roles the capability to observe and annotate correct/incorrect servings. Additionally, users can provide supplementary product information and comments. This functionality proves particularly beneficial during dataset preparation, aiding teams in refining their datasets with accurate corrections.

Furthermore, the system incorporates comprehensive statistics and analytical insights, ranging from popular food and drink combinations to frequently chosen side dishes. This function empowers stakeholders to forecast the anticipated demand for food and ingredients during specific periods.

 

Advancing AI-powered Automation

With the addition of Meshmind's software expertise, ABB strives to serve customers' growing needs and expedite the creation of innovative automation solutions. According to the President of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation Business, Sami Atiya, ABB's acquisition of Meshmind "will further accelerate the development of our [ABB's] software and AI-powered solutions to make automation more adaptive and accessible, enabling businesses of all sizes to become more resilient."