Month: August 2016

A new module is being developed for IVISET — «Spherical warp removal».

Designation: some types of cameras have a spherical warp problem due to the lens operation. The image from such a camera is heavily warped, which results in incorrect assessment of the size of the objects within the camera’s field of vision, as well as of the distance to them. Curves appear at the edges of the picture (frame), which, respectively, warps the image. These warps interfere with the operation of identification and tracking detectors. Warped shape of the object is the main reason of object identification errors.

Problem solving method: The warped frame edges should be equalized along the top and bottom frame boundaries, thus equalizing the image. The frame edges that fall beyond the equalization boundaries are cut off.

In the near future, IVISET software will be supplemented with a module that processes spherical images from Fisheye cameras and transforms it into a panoramic one or divides it into several standard image windows.

Designation: wide view angle (180°) allows doing with one camera instead of several cameras looking at different directions. The image from such a camera has a shape of a circumference, in the center of which the warp is minimal, but the farther from the center the greater.

Displaying on a small screen of a wide view angle image results in small size of important details, which naturally affects the operation of motion sensors, object and face identification systems etc., and the operator loses spatial reference (if such a camera is ceiling-mounted) and cannot correctly identify a certain person or event.

Problem solving method: the image from such a camera, depending on the option of its installation, is transferred to a special filter that projects it on a cylinder. During projecting, proportions of all objects are equalized. The resulting image becomes spatially oriented.

The main purpose of the image heat analysis module is ensuring adequate level of security. There are two activity identification methods: dynamic and static.

In the first case, a color scale is laid over the video, and each moving object leaves a “trail” that acquires colder hues with time. Presence of “hot” zones means that there was an activity in a set area recently, which allows detecting the moving object even if it has already left the camera’s vision field.

The second heat map-based detection method is accumulation of “heat indices” in certain parts of the image. Apart from ensuring security, the analysis of “cold” and “hot” zones allows optimizing the good’s layout in a shop, better arranging exhibits at an exhibition, defining popular areas of an object etc.

In IVISET software, the heat map operation mechanism is realized based on the difference of frames.