Results of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's field-based startup collaboration project

Idein worked with the Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s field-based startup collaboration project, running a trial that visualized passenger volumes on the Toei subway using AI cameras, and has now reported the results.

Project background

The Bureau of Transportation operates the Toei subway, Toei buses, the Tokyo Sakura Tram, and the Nippori-Toneri Liner, and grasping boarding and alighting volumes at each station is essential for planning train schedules. Previously, staff measured these figures visually, which limited the locations, times, and trains that could be covered.

What was done

In February 2024, an edge AI camera, “ai cast,” was installed on the platform at Jimbocho Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line to measure the number of passengers on board and the number boarding and alighting at each stop. The results were verified against visual counts taken by staff.

Results

• Boarding/alighting counts: Accuracy was very high in the area near the doors, but accuracy near the windows dropped due to the effect of UV-cut film.
• Boarding/alighting detection: Person detection succeeded 100% of the time.

Privacy considerations

Images and video are processed in real time inside the camera and are never sent to the cloud. Only text-based analysis results that cannot identify individuals are sent to the server.