Drowning is the leading cause of accidental deaths for children under five – and most of these tragedies happen despite close adult supervision in private swimming pools. Children under the age of five generally do not struggle, shout, or splash before they drown but instead slowly sink to the bottom of the pool without alerting an adult that they need help. To combat these heartbreaking tragedies, Israel-based startup Coral Smart Pool has created an AI-powered lifeguard that scans the pool constantly for potential drowning risks.
The virtual lifeguard, Mylo, uses cameras both above and below the water to track movement in the pool for any motions associated with drowning. The AI technology was programmed using four years of data and millions of videos so that it can properly recognize pre-drowning behaviors and active drowning signs. If any warning signs are detected, Mylo sends an instant alert to a smartphone app and sounds an alarm both on the smartphone and on an alarm installed within the household or building.
Mylo is also programmed to send an alert when anyone enters the pool in the case that a child finds their way in without adult knowledge. The system shares an image from the pool to the app from when the alarm sounded so that the user can see what the potential emergency is and can act in accordance.
The device is built to look like a pool filter and is fitted on the edge of the pool so it can have a clear view. The only setup necessary is to connect it to a power outlet. Once installed, Mylo continues to learn and adapt its knowledge with every scenario it observes.
The first Mylo devices are expected to be delivered to consumers next April. The company is currently developing ways for the device to also monitor different factors of the pool water, such as the clarity and quality, and hope to control the water treatment through the app in the future to help make pool maintenance easier. Coral Smart Pool/Mylo Co-founder and CTO Dr. Tamar Avraham and CEO Shadie Bisharat are both Technion alumni.