Honor unveiled two new innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) on Monday at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai 2024. The smartphone maker introduced an AI Defocus Eye Protection technology that can reduce the risk of nearsightedness or nearsightedness which occurs when looking at a screen for too long. It also showcased an AI-powered Deepfake Detection technology that can detect faked or altered videos using synthetic and AI means. Interestingly, the company said that both features will be implemented on the device rather than being fed through cloud servers.
Honor introduces new AI technologies
According to a press release at MWC Shanghai, the Chinese consumer tech brand showcased new on-device AI innovations aimed at creating user security. The announcements were made during Honor's keynote session at the event titled “The Human-AI Synergy: Intelligent Devices Will Empowering People Better.” In addition to introducing new technological advancements, the company also highlighted the need to create human-centric AI features on the device that are accelerated with dedicated hardware to protect user privacy.
Eye protection with Honor AI Defocus
Photo credit: MWC Shanghai/Honor
AI Defocus eye protection is designed to address the global increase in cases of myopia caused by long-term screen use, the company said. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of peripheral defocusing lenses in controlling myopia among individuals. These glasses create an altered visual perception that slows down the eye elongation process responsible for the eye disorder. Now, Honor's technology uses AI to simulate blur glasses on the screen of a smart device.
According to the company, the AI Defocus eye protection can reduce users' transient myopia by an average of 13 degrees after using it for 25 minutes. Citing research, the brand said some users have even experienced a maximum reduction of 75 degrees.
Honor AI Deepfake Detection
Photo credit: MWC Shanghai/Honor
Deepfakes have also been a major problem in recent years, accelerated by the introduction of video-generating AI models. Many AI scientists, tech companies, and regulatory bodies have acknowledged their role in spreading misinformation and manipulating people. Honor's Deepfake AI detection is an in-device technology that can analyze videos frame by frame to check for information such as “eye contact, lighting, image clarity and video playback that are imperceptible to the human eye.”
The AI technology was trained using a large dataset of videos and images related to online scams. The company claims it can perform identification, detection and comparison in three seconds. The feature can display a risk warning if a deepfake is detected. Honor says this can help protect people from scams.
