THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to make the virtual production of prisoners and under-trials before courts hassle-free, the prisons department will replace its dated video-conference (VC) facility with a new system that’s sleek, portable and has integrated audio and video features.
The artificial intelligence-enabled system does not require exclusive studios and can be used in limited spaces as it will have advance features such as intelligent sound monitoring and audio fencing, which makes the system a useful tool for connecting prisons with courts using audio-video medium, department sources said.
The department is planning to phase out the existing VC facility, which is currently at around 420 installations, including courts and prisons. Sources said nearly 160 of the current systems are non-functional and have passed their warranty period. The expected purge will spare about 50 systems, which were installed recently.
Sources added that since the proposed system will have integrated audio, video systems, it will claim very little space. There will be no need for soundproof studios, as is the case with the existing systems.
“Our plan is to have a system in which all the features will be integrated and the system can be moved around. The AI-powered sensors will filter ambient sound, while smart speaker arrays will ensure that the voice of only the intended speaker is carried across,” they said.
The VC system reduced the burden of department personnel, allowing them to produce inmates before courts for trial and tasks such as extending remand, etc., virtually. Since the proposed system is highly mobile, it can be even taken to hospitals from where inmates produced before court.
“There are hundreds of inmates for whom appearing before court is a problem owing to their medical conditions. We will only require an additional white projector screen,” sources added.
Thiruvananthapuram central prison has four video-conferencing studios, each of which cost approximately `10 lakh. “The annual maintenance of the existing system and studios is a financial burden. Their total replacement with a more sophisticated system is the best way out,” sources added.
The department has been granted a fund of `12 crore for the purpose, but the price could overshoot and touch `30 crore, sources said.
Limited space
The AI-enabled system does not require exclusive studios and can be used in limited spaces as it will have advance features such as intelligent sound monitoring and audio fencing, which makes the system a useful tool for connecting prisons with courts using audio-video medium,
