Pimloc, a new tech start up that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence, today announced it is developing a suite of image and video management solutions for businesses and private users who want their private images to stay private.
Global awareness of data privacy and its implications is improving, not least due to a spate of high profile image hacks. But this has been slow to translate directly into changed behaviour, as in many instances there has been no alternative to storing and archiving images other than on global online services, where data can be mined, hacked and shared.
Pimloc, which intends to provide that alternative, was founded in March this year by serial entrepreneur Simon Randall. The founding team includes some of the world’s foremost thinkers in deep learning visual technology and computer vision application development across a range of fields. The firm has already completed an oversubscribed seed funding round lead by staff and UK business angels.
“Up until now the lure of ‘free’ online image services has allowed some global internet providers to gain access and in some cases ownership of very personal user data,” explained Simon Randall, CEO. “This ‘Faustian’ pact has led to a situation where many users have handed over their image collections without fully comprehending the future implications of doing so. Issues over the control of image data will be felt more acutely than other content domains due to the richness and depth of information which imagery provides. It gives a detailed account of a user’s life over time which can be easily mined for commercial gain.”
The Pimloc platform locates, identifies and learns image by image, all within the security of the user’s archive with no requirement to share personal or private data with a third party. Pimloc’s services can run standalone within a home or small office environment rather than requiring large data farms to offload processing.
Randall continues, “We’re aiming to put the power of vision-based machine learning into the hands of the people.”
Personal interaction with Pimloc’s deep learning networks improves and evolves searches to give connected, contextual and individualised results. The platform learns fast. Image search can now be more human, more secure, with endless potential applications.
“The overwhelming level of interest we’ve seen in our new venture reflects a global shift in attitudes towards personal data privacy. There is a large and growing opportunity for image based services that are built with end user control in mind – appealing to those who have been reluctant to adopt existing cloud services and those who want to take back control of all their online image data,” concludes Randall.
Pimloc’s first product release will provide private and personalised image management services to the connected home and business environment and will be available for a public beta programme in the new year.
