The Innovators: Intuitive AI pivoted to workplace safety in the pandemic

From sorting household waste to battling infection, its algorithms help us make better decisions.

Credit: Intuitive AI

Intuitive AI developed a workplace sanitization and wellness station when COVID-19 struck

From sorting household waste to battling infection, its algorithms help us make better decisions

Intuitive AI founders and SFU graduates Hassan Murad and Vivek Vyas were looking for a way to help solve the waste crisis. To that end, they developed an AI application named Oscar (after the Sesame Street character) that attaches to any bin and uses a camera, an ultrasonic sensor and an algorithm to tell people which section of the receptacle to put their garbage and recycling in.

In the wake of COVID19, the pair pivoted to Oscar Hygiene, whose workplace sanitization and wellness station does touchless temperature readings and check-ins. Maclean’s put Vancouver-based Intuitive on its 2018 list of 10 Canadian startups that could be billion-dollar breakouts in the next year. So far, that remains to be seen, but it doesn’t mean the prediction is trash.