Synaptics Inc. announced today that Dell Technologies Inc. and Panasonic Corp. have launched the world’s first laptops that incorporate its Emza Visual Sense artificial intelligence technology.

The technology enables what Synaptics calls “human presence detection” to allow the laptops to detect when the user walks away from the machine and conserve power until they return.

Emza Visual Sense is a turnkey offering for personal computer manufacturers that enables both longer battery life and enhanced privacy and security. The technology incorporates sensors and machine learning algorithms that can analyze context and detect when users sit down in front of the computer. Then it can automatically wake the system before the users engage with it, and dim or lock the screen when they walk away. It can even use context to detect when an onlooker is present and hide confidential information displayed on screen.

“By using Emza Visual Sense AI for HPD, Dell and Panasonic are leading an era of context-aware computing that will combine multiple sensing modes with edge AI to enable user-friendly, efficient and secure intelligent platform experiences,” said Synaptics Senior Vice President and General Manager Saleel Awsare.

Synaptics is best known for building human interface systems, which include touchpads for laptops, touch displays, display drivers, video and far-field voice recognition and fingerprint biometrics technology. It extended its business to the imaging sensing game when it acquired Emza Visual Sense Ltd. in October, and has clearly wasted little time in putting its new technology to good use.

The Emza Visual Sense technology utilizes a low-power image sensor that allows users to detect humans nearby without turning the web camera on. It also relies on machine learning algorithms for better context, and is powered by Synaptics’ Katana AI system-on-a-chip processor that consumes an order of magnitude less power than rival chipsets.

Besides laptops, the technology can also be integrated with other devices such as smart TVs, smart cars, assisted living cameras and consumer appliances, the company said.

The new Dell Latitude and Panasonic SR laptops are going on sale today and their human presence detection capabilities will be exhibited at the CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas Jan. 5-8.

Image: Synaptics