PaderBäder Rely on AI to Support Swimming Pool Safety

(eap) In swimming facilities, alongside leisure value and guest satisfaction, the safety of visitors is the top priority. In order to further enhance this, PaderBäder are now using artificial intelligence (AI) at the Paderborn Schwimmoper (North Rhine Westphalia, Germany). The aim is to support lifeguards in the early detection of potentially dangerous situations in the water.

An AI-based system from the company Lynxight has been installed, which is already in use, among others, at the KölnBäder as well as at the Nettebad in Osnabrück. The system operates with cameras that continuously record movement patterns in the water. If the AI detects that movements abruptly stop or that a person remains on the pool floor, a warning message is automatically triggered. Lifeguards receive this alert in real time on their smartwatch – including the exact location of the potentially hazardous situation in the pool.

In this context, the AI is expressly intended as a supporting tool and not as a replacement for lifeguarding staff. According to the operators, all data is processed exclusively in real time. Furthermore, no image or video material is stored or viewed. Also, the system runs locally on a server, ensuring that no information is transmitted externally.

More information on the possible applications of AI in swimming pool operations – including the system from Lynxight – can be found in our AI special in EAP 3/2024. ■