AI rail specialist expands into new headquarters
A Bristol firm that uses Artificial Intelligence to clean up the country’s railways is expanding into a new office next to Bristol Temple Meads station.
One Big Circle, which now boasts 35 employees, has acquired an additional office to accommodate their expanding Bristol-based team, moving into the iconic Temple Studios with a dedicated office and lab space.
The high-tech firm was established six years ago by a team of four tech experts and Bristol University alumni.
One Big Circle’s tech is deployed across 20,000 miles of track by Network Rail. Their small “smart capture” devices are mounted on the front trains across the country, providing high-definition “train and track-view” video.
The huge quantity of footage is then analysed at speed by AI to spot hazards such as scrap rail, which is then mapped using GPS, ready for train maintenance teams to safely remove.
West of England mayor Dan Norris will meet co-founder and director Emily Kent plus the team who will explain how their technology is important both in terms of reducing disruption for passengers caused by rail teams needing to make urgent maintenance repairs – by “spotting a problem before there is a problem” – and because “slips, trips and falls” are one of the largest causes of injury for train workers.
Dan Norris said: “We hear a lot about AI at the moment. How it can be used for good or evil. Here we can see a great application of a new technology that has the potential to really improve public services.
“The skill and innovation at One Big Circle is keeping the West of England and the rest of the country on track.”
Emily Kent, Co-Founder of One Big Circle, added: “We are looking forward to Dan Norris officially opening our newly extended office in Bristol, and to demonstrate our range of innovative technology created to increase safety, sustainability and performance across UK rail.”
The Bristol company is now trialling its systems across Europe, meaning other countries could soon benefit from safer railways too.
