Heterogeneous Multi-Target Tracking

Description

Tracking multiple moving targets in a dynamic environment has many applications. For example, it can be used in surveillance, in sports events to keep track on where the players are, or for tracking the position of animals. Furthermore, if cameras are used for tracking, it is beneficial to maximize the visual coverage of the targets. This can be used in post-processing, for example in case of sports events to give detailed feedback about the players, or in case of animals to create 3D-Animations.

To achieve both tracking and maximum visual coverage, the robots must collaborate and share sensor information. Moreover, planed paths need to take the limited fields of operation, occlusion, and obstacles into account.

A video for the 2D-case is shown below. Assume there are cameras placed on differential drive robots. All robots collaborate to maximize the coverage (marked as green edges) and minimize the surface area which is not visible (red edges). Dynamic path planning is used to find a path to better configuration (blue lines).

Investigators

  • Wolfgang Hönig
  • Nora Ayanian

Related Publications