UVeye raises $4.5M to use computer vision to inspect underside of vehicles at security checkpoints

UVeye, an Israeli startup that is building computer vision and machine learning technology to be used to help detect security threats by scanning the underside of passing vehicles, has raised $4.5 million in seed funding. The round was led by Ahaka Capital, with participation from angel network SeedIL. Initially being applied to roadside security -- such as stopping car bombs or drugs smuggling -- UVeye's tech claims to be able to analyse any vehicle from underneath to identify and detect threats that would otherwise be concealed to the human eye, even as it is moving, up to 28 MPH, apparently. It does this using "strategically angled and synchronised hi-res cameras" to build a 360 degree digital model, and says that three seconds after a vehicle passes over UVeye's ground installed device, the system is able to process multiple images to create a 3D model of the undercarriage and provide high resolution full colour visuals to rule out any security risks. This is also where UVeye's combination of vehicle manufacture-supplied data and machine learning kicks in, which can compare and track characteristics of different vehicle models for differentiators, such as weight and part placement.