AIWaysion Presents Edge AI Graffiti Detection Research at IEEE ITSC 2026

AIWaysion’s Principal Research Scientist, Dr. Hung-Min Hsu, will present our research on real-time graffiti tagging detection at IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC) 2026 in Naples, Italy, September 15–18! (https://lnkd.in/dqe4MZ4i)

Graffiti tagging on freeway walls, signs, and bridges puts taggers, motorists, and cleanup crews at risk. Removal often requires lane closures and exposes crews to moving traffic, while graffiti covering reflective tunnel surfaces or directional signs can reduce visibility and obscure critical information. These activities often occur at night along freeways, making them difficult to monitor. Automated detection and timely alerts are therefore essential to support a prompt law-enforcement response.

Our work began with Washington State Department of Transportation’s graffiti proviso pilot in 2024 testing technologies to address highway vandalism. Following AIWaysion’s successful pilot, WSDOT shared the pilot results (https://lnkd.in/g89y3q4h) at the 2025 Western States Forum (https://lnkd.in/gbKf-k8M annual gathering for ITS professionals across the western U.S. to exchange technical best practices and field deployment experiences. Later in 2025, WSDOT expanded deployment of our Edge AI sensors along I-5.

Our solar-powered Edge AI detects tagging in extremely low-light nighttime conditions, using closed-loop rare-event learning to improve accuracy and reduce false positives. Automated alerts to DOT traffic management centers support timely law-enforcement response at specific locations. Work is also underway to extend detection to wire theft, whose costs go beyond stolen copper to power outages, disrupted services, and expensive repairs.