[PROJECT NAME] AI-Powered Customs Inspection Robots
[SUBMITTED BY] Shenzhen Customs District
[PROJECT OVERVIEW] Customs authorities today face multiple challenges, including high inspection workloads and safety risks in handling hazardous chemicals at ports. To address these challenges, China Customs has developed and deployed inspection robots powered by big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and edge computing. This project established an innovative "front-end inspection robots + cloud-based AI algorithms + back-end human oversight" workflow, pioneering a "human-in-the-loop" inspection model. With robotic assistance, Customs officers can conduct remote inspections, achieving a 99% accuracy rate in cargo-declaration verification while reducing total processing time by approximately 30%, realizing precise and efficient inspections, particularly for complex or high-risk goods.
[PROJECT DETAILS]
I. Key Approaches
1. Front-End Inspection Robots. Three types of inspection robots were developed, respectively for empty containers, general cargoes, and hazardous chemicals. The core components of hardware include 6-axis robotic arms, radiation detectors, toxic and flammable gas sensors, volume and weight measurement modules, high-definition (HD) pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, temperature sensors, electromagnetic exciters, and audio pickup devices. Designed specifically for on-site inspection, the robots offer autonomous mobility, environmental safety verification, container and cargo scanning, and routine patrol capabilities.
2. Cloud-Based AI Algorithms. Leveraging large volumes of Customs data, China Customs has built a robust algorithm database employing Optical Character Recognition (OCR), image denoising, knowledge graphs, machine learning, and large-scale natural language processing models. A unified cloud-based algorithm library was created, accessible via standardized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that connect with front-end systems. The algorithms currently support six inspection scenarios, including empty containers, hazardous chemicals, and fruit. The robots use these algorithms to intelligently verify the data captured by their hardware sensors.
3. Back-End Human Oversight. A comprehensive monitoring platform was developed to integrate declaration data, inspection instructions, robot operation processes, verification and comparison results, and real-time video feeds into a single interface. The system enables customizable inspection workflows tailored to different operational scenarios. Customs officers can monitor, intervene, or override robot operations in real time and perform final manual confirmation of cloud-generated results when necessary.
II. Achievements
1. Significantly Improved Efficiency. At pilot sites, overall processing time was reduced by approximately 30% compared to traditional inspection methods. Specific use cases, such as fruit label verification, saw time reductions of around 90%, and hazardous chemical label checks were reduced by over 90%.
2. Notably Enhanced Accuracy. The intelligent inspection robots achieved a 99% accuracy rate in verifying goods and declared information for specific commodities and directives, effectively eliminating human errors.
3. Strengthened Operational Safety. Customs officers can remotely operate the intelligent inspection robots via the monitoring system to assist in inspections, thereby improving the overall safety of inspection activities.
III. Scaling and Application
The front-end hardware of the intelligent inspection robots is highly integrated and adaptable to routine inspection tasks across diverse scenarios. Thus, this system can be replicable with the integration of customized algorithms to meet the laws and regulations of other countries/regions. Currently, China Customs has embedded its cloud-based algorithm library in the handheld devices used by frontline officers, providing real-time decision-making support. Continuous research and development efforts are underway to further optimize algorithms, upgrade robot performance, and expand their application to a wider range of Customs inspection scenarios.