Quantum Picture develops advanced image recognition software based on the idea that any image is a collection of a finite number of discrete features (thus the name Quantum Picture). Here you can read more about our approach to images. We are particularly interested in developing a Web search engine based on image content. Let's suppose the user submits a picture of a face. The engine has to find all the images on the Web containing this same face. Currently, we are testing software which can deal with a simpler task of recognizing a cat's face, or rather a profile of the cat's head. We have built a working device which prevents a cat from bringing in animals from the street. We call it The Flo Control Project.
   
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Great news for all of you who inquired over the years about when the Flo Control box will be available for sale. Microprocessor performance improved so much recently that we can now build the Flo Control system without using a real desktop computer. It will be a fully self-contained device, looking like a regular cat door with a small box attached on the outside. While we are working out all the details, if you are interested you can drop us an email. We'll notify you when the device will become available (we absolutely do not sell or otherwise provide email addresses to any third parties).

Curiously, it turned out that some of the image recognition ideas used here found application in 3D rendering. The resulting 3D technology is currently featured in the software application called Groboto. It delivers fast rendering at ultimate quality.

Now you can observe in real time as the Flo Control Box is being tested by our two new cats, Squirrel and Alexia. They go in and out as they please and all their activities are immediatelly published on the Web. Our image recognition algorithm can determine which of the two cats is entering. It labels the snapshots 'Squirrel' or 'Alexia' accordingly.

Mobile Cat Watch

Our cat-recognition software now creates pages for WAP (wireless application protocol) browsers. If your cell phone has a color screen and a browser, you can check what Squirrel and Alexia are up to at www.quantumpicture.com/watchpic/livecell.wml     On this page there is a link to the last cat recognition event, with the picture of the cat's profile (the picture shows up in 15-20 seconds). That page has a link to the previous cat recognition event and so on. There are usually 10-15 events per day.

This application is really gold for people like us who like to know the whereabouts of our cat in real time even when we are not home. We like to know that our cat is safe and also that it does not bring a mouse home to play with all night long. This special mobile application let us know exactly where he is while we are having a good meal at an expensive restaurant. But if the price of gold continues to go down, we may not be able to afford it too often.