Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has paired up with Cambridge-based technology giant Arm to develop smart “person recognition” cameras that can spot intruders and monitor staff on its premises, in a move that could speed up operations and improve security.

The artificial intelligence technology will be used by the children’s hospital in London to track doctors and nurses on site, whilst also keeping a watch on visitors as they pass from the reception area to wards.

The moment the AI system notices a face it registers the person's features and cross checks it with a database of known faces. This will allow reception staff to automatically check-in and check-out known visitors, doctors and nurses, but also identify people that should not be in the building.

If an intruder or unknown person walks in, the AI can flag this and the option to alert security will be given, Arm said.

When the camera network is deployed it could also grant or restrict access to certain zones of the hospital based on the individual’s identity.

However, experts believe that the system may not improve security, but could bring about greater efficiency in the hospital as the location of staff and patients can be monitored.

GOSH stated the AI, that can also recognise objects, could in the future be used in operating theatres to monitor equipment usage, to prevent surgeons from accidentally leaving items in patients during treatments.