This AI-powered shelter is a winter haven for what animals?

Winters in Beijing are cold, so cold that the food and water left out for stray kitties by the city’s good Samaritans often freeze over. That’s why employees at the search engine company Baidu decided to build a winter shelter for the city’s stray cats. And to make sure no other animals try to take advantage of the shelter, it’s guarded by a camera and facial-recognition system that only opens the door when a cat face is detected.

The AI can recognize up 174 different breeds and can also detect four common feline diseases including inflammation, skin problems and physical trauma. The system could inform volunteers when a sick cat enters the shelter so someone could come and treat them. The shelter itself is large enough to house a few kitties at a time, is temperature-controlled, and has a ventilation system that monitors the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.