Technique improves AI ability to understand 3D space using 2D images

"We live in a 3D world, but when you take a picture, it records that world in a 2D image," says Tianfu Wu, corresponding author of a paper on the work and an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at North Carolina State University. "AI programs receive visual input from cameras. So if we want AI to interact with the world, we need to ensure that it is able to interpret what 2D images can tell it about 3D space. In this research, we are focused on one part of that challenge: how we can get AI to accurately recognize 3D objects -- such as people or cars -- in 2D images, and place those objects in space." While the work may be important for autonomous vehicles, it also has applications for manufacturing and robotics.