Sangkyu Kang

Real-time video tracking using PTZ cameras

Automatic tracking is essential for a 24 hours intruder-detection and, more generally, a surveillance system. This paper presents an adaptive background generation and the corresponding moving region detection techniques for a Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera using a geometric transform-based mosaicing method. A complete system including adaptive background generation, moving regions extraction and tracking is evaluated using realistic experimental results. More specifically, experimental results include generated background images, a moving region, and input video with bounding boxes around moving objects. This experiment shows that the proposed system can be used to monitor moving targets in widely open areas by automatic panning and tilting in real-time.

Color active shape models for tracking non-rigid objects

Active shape models can be applied to tracking non-rigid objects in video image sequences. Traditionally these models do not include color information in their formulation. In this paper, we present a hierarchical realization of an enhanced active shape model for color video tracking and we study the performance of both hierarchical and nonhierarchical implementations in the RGB, YUV, and HSI color spaces.

Laser ranging and video imaging for bin picking

This paper describes an imaging system that was developed to aid industrial bin picking tasks. The purpose of this system was to provide accurate 3D models of parts and objects in the bin, so that precise grasping operations could be performed. The technology described here is based on two types of sensors: range mapping scanners and video cameras. The geometry of bin contents was reconstructed from range maps and modeled using superquadric representations, providing location and parts surface information that can be employed to guide the robotic arm. Texture was also provided by the video streams and applied to the recovered models. The system is expected to improve the accuracy and efficiency of bin sorting and represents a step toward full automation.

Integration of color and shape for detecting and tracking security breaches in airports

We present an integrated surveillance system for detecting and tracking security breaches in airports. The first part of the system uses an overhead camera to detect security breaches in exit lanes using a motion-based segmentation algorithm, and the second part of the system tracks the detected target with a pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) camera using color and shape information. If an object comes into the exit lane from the wrong direction, the first subsystem detects a security breach and sends information to the second subsystem located inside the airport. The second subsystem then extracts the target that caused the security breach using motion-based segmentation and collects features for tracking. Color is initially used as the only feature and shape incorporated in a second step for a more robust tracking.

Automatic Target Acquisition and Tracking with Cooperative Fixed and PTZ Video Cameras

This chapter presents an overview of an automated video tracking and location system under development at the University of Tennessee’s Imaging, Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS) Laboratory in Knoxville, Tennessee. Utilization of this system in any situation where detection of “wrong way” motion with subsequent video tracking would be beneficial is feasible. Examples of these situations include federal buildings, court houses, large office buildings, military bases, and national laboratories. Guidance of a robot arm employing dynamic imaging and motion trajectory analysis of workers in hazardous environments are also potential applications of the system’s tracking aspect. The University of Tennessee is initially developing this system for potential use as a security tool in commercial airports.

Hierarchical approach to enhanced active shape model for color video tracking

Tracking and recognizing non-rigid objects in video image sequences are complex tasks of increasing importance to many applications. In this paper, we present a hierarchical realization of an enhanced active shape model for color video tracking and we study the performance of hierarchical and non-hierarchical implementations in the RGB, YUV, and HSI color spaces.

Optical flow-based tracking of deformable objects using a non-prior training active feature model

This paper presents a feature point tracking algorithm using optical flow under the non-prior training active feature model (NPT- AFM) framework. The proposed algorithm mainly focuses on analysis of deformable objects, and provides real-time, robust tracking. The pro- posed object tracking procedure can be divided into two steps: (i) opti- cal flow-based tracking of feature points and (ii) NPT-AFM for robust tracking. In order to handle occlusion problems in object tracking, feature points inside an object are estimated instead of its shape boundary of the conventional active contour model (ACM) or active shape model (ASM), and are updated as an element of the training set for the AFM. The pro- posed NPT-AFM framework enables the tracking of occluded objects in complicated background. Experimental results show that the proposed NPT-AFM-based algorithm can track deformable objects in real-time.

Automatic detection and tracking of security breaches in airports

A surveillance system that detects and tracks security breaches in airports is presented. The system consists of two subsystems with one overhead static and one Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) camera to first acquire and then follow an intruder who illegally walks into a crowded secure area of an airport. The overhead camera detects the intruder using a motion-based segmentation and an optical flow algorithm. Intruder handover from the overhead camera to the PTZ camera is then performed. A novel approach for intruder handover and feature extraction using color is presented for continuous tracking with the PTZ camera when the intruder moves out of the view of the overhead camera. We also use a mean shift filter with a newly designed non-rectangular search window which will be automatically updated to accurately localize the target. Real experimental results from a local airport are given and discussed.