（英文版在较下方）
2021年11月5日，上海——在第四届中国国际进口博览会上，微软（中国）有限公司（以下简称“微软”）与索尼半导体科技（上海）有限公司（以下简称“索尼”）宣布发起合作伙伴赋能计划（Partner Enablement Program），鼓励具备资质的中国本土独立软件供应商（ISV），以及系统集成商（SI）合作伙伴基于商业AI摄像头解决方案（AI camera-driven solutions）进行创新。该解决方案将全球首款*具有 AI 处理功能的图像传感器——索尼IMX500智能视觉传感器与微软智能云的AI能力相结合，实现边缘人工智能处理。在此之前，微软也与索尼在中国发起了联合创新实验室（Co-Innovation Labs），为计算机视觉和视频分析领域的合作伙伴和企业客户提供构建、开发、原型和测试解决方案所需的支持与服务。
*在图像传感器领域，根据索尼方的调查（截止该款传感器发布之日-2020年5月14日）
图为索尼半导体科技（上海）有限公司总裁木村信（左）和微软中国区总裁包嘉峰（右）
微软中国区总裁包嘉峰表示：“此次与索尼携手，将微软可信、企业级的人工智能技术和分析解决方案领域的专长，与索尼在成像传感器市场的公认的领导地位相结合。双方携手深耕智能边缘领域，进一步挖掘各行业潜能，为我们的客户和合作伙伴发掘无限机遇。”
索尼半导体科技（上海）有限公司总裁木村信表示：“索尼的创新成像和传感技术结合微软卓越的智能云及人工智能服务，将带来更强大、更高效的AI摄像头解决方案。我们相信，索尼与微软在中国市场的合作，将进一步强化我们与本土合作伙伴和客户的关系，帮助他们进一步拓展商业价值。”
基于Azure人工智能的全球首个*AI处理图像传感器
索尼智能视觉传感器IMX500可在传感器上进行高速AI处理，仅输出语义元数据信息而非图像数据，从而减少数据流量并解决隐私问题。通过与微软合作，索尼将Azure AI嵌入传感器，这种集成可以为通用应用程序提供多样化功能——如高速AI处理下的实时目标追踪等——为商业场景带来更智能的 AI 摄像头解决方案，并在边缘和云端之间更有效地分配资源，以提高成本效率和功耗效率。
索尼还创建了基于Azure IoT和认知服务（Cognitive Services）的AI摄像头托管应用，不仅对IMX500传感器进行了完善，也为合作伙伴和客户拓展了视频分析领域的能力及范围，帮助其把握更多机遇。
发掘商业应用无限潜力
借由此次合作，AI摄像头解决方案将索尼尖端的成像及传感技术，与微软的智能云技术及AI平台相结合，展现出在商业应用领域的无限潜力。用户可以创建、选择和上传AI模型至传感器，对智能摄像头解决方案进行完整定制，各行各业的客户都能够基于这一解决方案发掘新的营收机遇，简化运营并解决挑战。
例如，零售业企业可以借助AI摄像头来检测何时补充货架商品，或根据顾客队列长度调整收银台的开放数量。此外，使用AI摄像头，制造业企业可实时识别鉴别车间的危险情况，防患于未然。传统意义上，这类应用程序的数据收集往往依赖于分布在商店、仓库和配送中心等站点的AI摄像头，计算资源的分配难以优化，进而导致成本或能耗的增加。
合作伙伴赋能计划——鼓励更多有志者 “入局”
在2021中国国际进口博览会上，微软与索尼推出了合作伙伴赋能计划（Partner Enablement Program），通过微软人工智能和物联网实验室进行招募，吸引更多优秀的本土ISV和SI合作伙伴“入局”，共创更加多样化的行业解决方案。这一计划的推出将丰富现有的生态系统，招募在其主导行业具备丰富的海内外经验、销售和营销资源的优秀合作伙伴，并助力其打造应用于不同行业场景的解决方案，在克服技术挑战的同时，为这些合作伙伴提供产品上市资源。
早在2020年5月，微软与索尼半导体集团就已在全球范围内宣布合作，此次发起的合作伙伴赋能计划也是这一全球合作的本土延续之一，点击链接了解更多细节。
作为微软的全球认证合作伙伴、以及首批加入该计划的合作伙伴，汉朔科技（Hanshow）打造了基于零售行业场景的解决方案，通过部署具有多种AI模型的智能摄像头，可监控产品量、客流量、销售状态。通过集成固定位置的摄像头，它将生成店内客户轨迹的热图，为客户提供更有价值的数据信息，强化数据洞察力，从而提升门店销售额。
汉朔科技CEO侯世国表示：“汉朔在全球零售市场拥有丰富的经验，在微软和索尼的技术支持下，加快了三方共同创新的进程，也让我们能够更好地服务于快速变化和多元化的泛零售行业，帮助客户获得更高的灵活性和更多收益。”
关于微软公司
微软（纳斯达克上市代码“MSFT”）致力于成就“智能云与智能边缘”时代的数字化转型，予力全球每一人、每一组织，成就不凡。
关于索尼半导体集团公司
索尼半导体集团公司是图像传感器领域的全球领导者。我们努力提供先进的影像技术为人们的生活带来更多便利与愉悦。此外，我们还开发并将新的传感技术推向市场，致力于将人类与机器的视觉和认知能力提升到新的高度。欲了解更多详情，请浏览网站： Sony Semiconductor Solutions Group.
Microsoft and Sony Semiconductor Solutions Partner to Expand AI Camera-Driven Solutions in China
Nov 5, 2021, Shanghai – At the 2021 China International Import Expo (CIIE), Microsoft China and Sony Semiconductor Solutions (Shanghai) Ltd. (Sony) announced a Partner Enablement Program to encourage China local qualified independent software vendors (ISV) and system integrators (SI) partners creating commercial AI camera-driven solutions, which combines Sony's intelligent vision sensor IMX500, the world's first* image sensor equipped with AI functionality, with Microsoft Azure's AI technology capabilities to achieve AI processing on edge. As part of the partnership, Microsoft and Sony jointly launched Co-Innovation Labs in China for partners and enterprise customers in the areas of computer vision and video analytics, which offers access and facilities to build, develop, prototype and test solutions for partners and customers.
*Among image sensors. According to Sony research (as of its announcement date on May 14, 2020).
Makoto Kimura, President of Sony Semiconductor Solutions (Shanghai) Ltd. (Left) and Joe Bao, President of Microsoft China (Right)
Joe Bao, President of Microsoft China said:” Our partnership has combined Microsoft's expertise in providing trusted, enterprise-grade AI technology and analytics solutions with Sony's established leadership in the imaging sensors market. The edge intelligence we ignite together has great potential in every industry, this uncovers unlimited opportunities for our mutual customers and partners.”
Makoto Kimura, President of Sony Semiconductor Solutions (Shanghai) Ltd. said: "The combination of Sony's innovative imaging and sensing technology with Microsoft's excellent cloud AI services will bring more powerful and efficient AI camera-driven solutions. We are confident that Sony's collaboration with Microsoft in the Chinese market will further strengthen our ties with our partners and customers in China and contribute to the expansion of their business value."
World's first AI-processing image sensor, powered by Azure AI
Sony's intelligent vision sensor IMX500 feature high-speed AI processing on the sensor, and output only semantic metadata information instead of image data, that helps in reducing data traffic and addressing privacy concerns.
Sony collaborates with Microsoft to embed Microsoft Azure AI technology capabilities on the sensor. This integration makes it possible to deliver diversified functionality for versatile applications, such as real-time object tracking with high-speed AI processing. This integration results in smarter AI camera-driven solutions for enterprise scenarios as well as a more efficient allocation of resources between the edge and the cloud to drive cost and power consumption efficiencies.
In addition, Sony created AI camera managed application powered by Azure IoT technology and Cognitive Services technology that complements the IMX500 sensor and expands the range and capability of video analytics opportunities for partners and customers.
Discover unlimited potential for commercial use
As result of the collaboration, AI camera-driven solutions bring together Sony's cutting-edge imaging and sensing technologies, with Microsoft's cloud technology and AI platform, and it unveils an unlimited potential for commercial use.
Users can create, choose, and upload AI models of their choice to the sensor and the AI camera-driven solution can be fully customized, enabling customers across industries to uncover new revenue opportunities, streamline operations and solve challenges.
For example, retailers can use AI cameras to detect when to refill products on a shelf or to better understand the optimal number of available open checkout counters according to the queue length. Additionally, a manufacturer might use an AI camera to identify hazards on its manufacturing floor in real time before injuries occur. Traditionally such applications rely on gathering data distributed among many AI cameras across different sites like stores, warehouses and distribution centers, and struggle to optimize the allocation of computing resources, resulting in cost or power consumption increases.
Partner Enablement Program to encourage more players joining the game
At the 2021 CIIE event, Microsoft and Sony released a Partner Enablement Program (PEP) to recruit more China local qualified ISV/SI partners through Microsoft AI & IoT Insider Labs, leveraging the AI camera-driven solution to co-create more diversified industrial solutions. The launch of PEP enriches the existing ecosystem to recruit qualified partners with experiences, sales and marketing resources in their leading industry to develop and enrich solutions in various of industrial scenarios, overcome technological challenges and invests in go-to-market resources.
Both companies' collaboration in China is part of the partnership between Microsoft and Sony Semiconductor Solutions, which was globally announced in May 2020 of which its details can be found here.
One of the Microsoft certified partners, Global ISV Hanshow, made the first wave of building its intelligent solution in the retail industry by onboarding a Partner Enablement Program. Hanshow's solution employs multiple intelligent cameras with various AI models for monitoring product volume status, customer traffic flows, and sales status. By integrating stationary cameras, it can also provide a heat map tracking in-store customer journeys, providing retailers with valuable insights to increase sales.
Hanshow's experience in global retail markets, combined with the technological support from Microsoft and Sony “can accelerate co-innovation initiatives to better serve the rapidly changing and diversified retail industry, helping retailers to be more agile and profitable. We are also exploring application of this solution in manufacturing and other industries together with Microsoft and Sony.” said Shiguo Hou, the CEO of Hanshow.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
About Sony Semiconductor Solutions
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation is the global leader in image sensors. We strive to provide advanced imaging technologies that bring greater convenience and joy to people's lives. In addition, we also work to develop and bring to market new kinds of sensing technologies with the aim of offering various solutions that will take the visual and recognition capabilities of both human and machines to greater heights. For more information, please visit: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Group.