Sophie Naue: AI technologies make it possible to accelerate mapping of informal settlements

Modern artificial intelligence technologies and satellite data make it possible to significantly accelerate and improve the detailed mapping of informal urban settlements, down to the level of individual buildings, Sophie Naue, Urban Innovation Specialist at UNITAC-Hamburg, said during the event "Transformation of Informal Settlements" held within the framework of World Urban Forum 13 in Baku.

Report quotes her as saying UNITAC-Hamburg developed the BEAM tool (Building Extraction and Mapping System), which uses machine learning to identify roofs and building outlines in informal settlements.

"The system makes it possible to analyze the development and dynamics of informal settlements at the level of individual structures using high-precision aerial and satellite imagery," she said.

Naue emphasized that the tool was created to automate processes that were previously carried out manually and could take months, whereas now the mapping of entire cities can be completed within a matter of days.

According to her, the technology has already been implemented in several cities, including Durban and Cape Town, as well as in countries across Central America and Namibia.