Cover photo by YAMASAN
The evolution of science and technology is expanding the future of photography to a new dimension. Recently, researchers at MIT have developed a groundbreaking AI tool, the 'Earth Intelligence Engine', which generates realistic satellite images based on flood predictions.
This tool is expected to be a new method for visualizing future flood damage and enhancing people's evacuation awareness. This time, we delve into the mechanism of this tool and its potential.
New Possibilities Brought by the Fusion of AI and Physical Models
The 'Earth Intelligence Engine' integrates generative AI with physical models simulating floods to realistically recreate the appearance of regions after floods. The images generated by this AI for Houston, hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, closely matched actual satellite photos taken after the flood.
Additionally, traditional methods that do not use physical models had issues with depicting floods in areas where there was no risk of water damage. This physical approach provides realistic and accurate results.
Visualization Tools Transforming the Future of Disaster Prevention
By visually indicating areas where floods may occur, it is expected to encourage evacuation decisions. The MIT research team is working on making the tool available as an online resource and expanding datasets tailored to different regions.
Photo by あおねこ
Researchers say, 'Visualization technology that allows intuitive understanding of disaster risks can be the key to saving lives.'
The Future Possibilities Narrated by Photography
Capturing reality through photography is an indispensable act in our daily lives. With the advent of this technology, photography is evolving into a tool that also narrates the 'future'. Generative images predicting the impact of weather disasters demonstrate the power to change the actions of individuals and communities.
For creators, such technology may provide insights for capturing things from new perspectives.
