Search Results (44)

Urban traffic management faces challenges, including inadequate sensing capabilities and insufficient operational status evaluation. The rapid expansion of electronic toll collection (ETC) systems from highways to urban roads provides new opportunities to address these issues. The vast amount of “dormant” ETC data contains rich traffic information that urgently needs to be deeply mined and effectively utilized. This paper reviews the research status, key technologies, and development trends of urban traffic state sensing and analysis technologies based on ETC data. In terms of technological development, ETC systems have evolved from simple toll collection tools to comprehensive traffic management platforms, featuring unique advantages such as accurate vehicle identification, extensive spatiotemporal coverage, and stable data quality. ETC data-based traffic sensing technologies encompass traffic state representation at microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic levels, enabling comprehensive sensing from individual vehicle behavior to overall network operations. The construction of multi-source data fusion frameworks enables effective complementarity between ETC data, floating car data, and video detection data, significantly improving traffic state estimation accuracy. In practical applications, ETC data has demonstrated enormous potential in real-time monitoring and signal control optimization, traffic prediction and artificial intelligence technologies, environmental impact assessment, and other fields. Meanwhile, ETC data-based urban traffic management is transitioning from passive responses to proactive prediction, from single functions to comprehensive services, and from isolated systems to integrated platforms. Looking toward the future, the deep integration of emerging technologies, such as vehicle–road networking, edge computing, and artificial intelligence, with ETC systems will further promote the intelligent, refined, and precise development of urban traffic management. Full article

The primary purpose of video surveillance is to monitor public indoor areas or the boundaries of secure facilities to safeguard them against theft, unauthorized access, fire, and various other potential threats. Security cameras, equipped with integrated video surveillance systems, are strategically placed throughout critical locations on the premises, allowing security personnel to observe all areas for specific behaviors that may signal an emergency or a situation requiring intervention. A significant challenge arises from the fact that individuals cannot maintain focus on multiple screens simultaneously, which can result in the oversight of crucial incidents. In this regard, artificial intelligence (AI) video analytics has become increasingly prominent, driven by numerous practical applications that include object identification, detection of unusual behavior patterns, facial recognition, and traffic management. Recent advancements in this technology have led to enhanced functionality, remarkable accuracy, and reduced costs for consumers. There is a noticeable trend towards upgrading security frameworks by incorporating AI into pre-existing video surveillance systems, thus leading to modern video surveillance that leverages video analytics, enabling the detection and reporting of anomalies within mere seconds, thereby transforming it into a proactive security solution. In this context, the AiWatch system introduces digital twin (DT) technology in a modern video surveillance architecture to facilitate advanced analytics through the aggregation of data from various sources. By exploiting AI and DT to analyze the different sources, it is possible to derive deeper insights applicable at higher decision levels. This approach allows for the evaluation of the effects and outcomes of actions by examining different scenarios, hence yielding more robust decisions. Full article

Artistic masterpieces are mostly collected in museums located in the center of urban areas, which are prone to heavy traffic. Traffic-induced vibrations can represent a significant hazard for museum objects, due to the repeated nature of the excitation and the brittle, pre-damaged condition of the artifacts. This is the case of the Sarcophagus of the Spouses, displayed at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome. Vibrations on the floor of the room are measured by means of velocimeters, highlighting substantial vertical amplitudes and recommending the design of an isolation system. For its design, the dynamic identification of the statue is essential, but the use of contact or laser sensors is ruled out. Therefore, a recent technique that magnifies the micromovements present in digital videos is used and the procedure is validated with respect to constructions where the dynamic identification was available in the literature. In the case of the Sarcophagus, identified frequencies are satisfactorily compared with those of a finite element model. The recognition of the dynamic characteristics shows the method’s potential while using inexpensive devices. Because costs for cultural heritage protection are usually very high, this simple and contactless dynamic identification technique represents an important step forward. Full article

Internet service providers allocate network resources for different network flows. Among them, video streaming requires substantial network bandwidth to provide a satisfactory user experience. The identification of video traffic is one of the tools that helps to manage and optimise network resources. However, available solutions usually focus on traffic traces from a single application and use black-box models for identification, which require labels for training. To address this issue, we proposed an unsupervised machine learning model to identify traffic generated by video applications from the three popular services, namely YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. Our methodology involves feature generation, filtering, and clustering. The clustering used the most significant features to group similar traffic patterns. We employed the following three algorithms that represent different clustering methodologies: partition-based, density-based, and probabilistic approaches. The clustering achieved precision between 0.78 and 0.93, while recall rates ranged from 0.68 to 0.84, depending on the experiment parameters, which is comparable with black-box learning models. The model presented is interpretable and scalable, which is useful for its practical application. Full article

The development of China’s digital waterways has led to the extensive deployment of cameras along inland waterways. However, the limited processing and utilization of digital resources hinder the ability to provide waterway services. To address this issue, this paper introduces a novel waterway perception approach based on an intelligent navigation marker system. By integrating multiple sensors into navigation markers, the fusion of camera video data and automatic identification system (AIS) data is achieved. The proposed method of an enhanced one-stage object detection algorithm improves detection accuracy for small vessels in complex inland waterway environments, while an object-tracking algorithm ensures the stable monitoring of vessel trajectories. To mitigate AIS data latency, a trajectory prediction algorithm is employed through region-based matching methods for the precise alignment of AIS data with pixel coordinates detected in video feeds. Furthermore, an augmented reality (AR)-based traffic situational awareness framework is developed to dynamically visualize key information. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model significantly outperforms mainstream algorithms. It achieves exceptional robustness in detecting small targets and managing complex backgrounds, with data fusion accuracy ranging from 84.29% to 94.32% across multiple tests, thereby substantially enhancing the spatiotemporal alignment between AIS and video data. Full article

This paper presents a computer-vision-based approach designed to enhance product placement and sales strategies in physical retail stores through real-time analysis of customer behavior. Our method employs DeepSORT for tracking and YOLOv5 for object identification to generate heatmaps that illustrate consumer movement patterns and engagement levels across various retail locations. To precisely track customer paths, the procedure starts with the collection of video material, which is then analyzed. Customer interaction and traffic patterns across various retail zones are represented using heatmap visualization, which offers useful information about consumer preferences and product popularity. In order to maximize customer engagement and optimize the shopping experience, businesses may use the findings of this analysis to improve product placements, store layouts, and marketing strategies. With its low intervention requirements and scalable and non-intrusive solution, this system may be used in a variety of retail environments. This system offers a scalable and non-intrusive solution that requires minimal intervention, making it adaptable across different retail settings. Our findings demonstrate the approach’s effectiveness in identifying strategic areas for improvement and adapting retail environments based on real-time customer interaction data. This study underscores the potential of computer vision in retail analytics, enabling data-driven decisions that enhance both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. This approach gives merchants useful data to develop more responsive, customized, and effective shopping experiences by providing a dynamic perspective of consumer behavior. Retailers may promote a modernized and customer-centered retail management strategy by using this creative application of computer vision to match marketing tactics and shop design with real consumer behaviors. Full article

Mobile inspections conducted by intelligent tunnel robots are instrumental in broadening the inspection reach, economizing on inspection expenditures, and augmenting the operational efficiency of inspections. Despite differences from fixed surveillance, mobile-captured traffic videos have complex backgrounds and device conditions that interfere with accurate traffic event identification, warranting more research. This paper proposes an improved algorithm based on YOLOv9 and DeepSORT for intelligent event detection in an edge computing mobile device using an intelligent tunnel robot. The enhancements comprise the integration of the Temporal Shift Module to boost temporal feature recognition and the establishment of logical rules for identifying diverse traffic incidents in mobile video imagery. Experimental results show that our fused algorithm achieves a 93.25% accuracy rate, an improvement of 1.75% over the baseline. The algorithm is also applicable to inspection vehicles, drones, and autonomous vehicles, effectively enhancing the detection of traffic events and improving traffic safety. Full article

Intelligent transportation systems represent innovative solutions for traffic congestion minimization, mobility improvements and safety enhancement. These systems require various inputs about vehicles and traffic state. Vehicle re-identification systems based on video cameras are most popular; however, more strict privacy policy necessitates depersonalized vehicle re-identification systems. Promising research for depersonalized vehicle re-identification systems involves leveraging the captured unique distortions induced in the Earth’s magnetic field by passing vehicles. Employing anisotropic magneto-resistive sensors embedded in the road surface system captures vehicle magnetic signatures for similarity evaluation. A novel vehicle re-identification algorithm utilizing Euclidean distances and Pearson correlation coefficients is analyzed, and performance is evaluated. Initial processing is applied on registered magnetic signatures, useful features for decision making are extracted, different classification algorithms are applied and prediction accuracy is checked. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, achieving 97% accuracy in vehicle re-identification for a subset of 300 different vehicles passing the sensor a few times. Full article

In emergency situations, every second counts for an ambulance navigating through traffic. Efficient use of traffic light systems can play a crucial role in minimizing response time. This paper introduces a novel automated Real-Time Ambulance in an Emergency Detector (RTAIAED). The proposed system uses special Lookout Stations (LSs) suitably positioned at a certain distance from each involved traffic light (TL), to obtain timely and safe transitions to green lights as the Ambulance in an Emergency (AIAE) approaches. The foundation of the proposed system is built on the simultaneous processing of video and audio data. The video analysis is inspired by the Part-Based Model theory integrating tailored video detectors that leverage a custom YOLOv8 model for enhanced precision. Concurrently the audio analysis component employs a neural network designed to analyze Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) providing an accurate classification of auditory information. This dual-faceted approach facilitates a cohesive and synergistic analysis of sensory inputs. It incorporates a logic-based component to integrate and interpret the detections from each sensory channel, thereby ensuring the precise identification of an AIAE as it approaches a traffic light. Extensive experiments confirm the robustness of the approach and its reliable application in real-world scenarios thanks to its predictions in real time (reaching an fps of 11.8 on a Jetson Nano and a response time up to 0.25 s), showcasing the ability to detect AIAEs even in challenging conditions, such as noisy environments, nighttime, or adverse weather conditions, provided a suitable-quality camera is appropriately positioned. The RTAIAED is particularly effective on one-way roads, addressing the challenge of regulating the sequence of traffic light signals so as to ensure a green signal to the AIAE when arriving in front of the TL, despite the presence of the “double red” periods in which the one-way traffic is cleared of vehicles coming from one direction before allowing those coming from the other side. Also, it is suitable for managing temporary situations, like in the case of roadworks. Full article

We present an automatic road incident detector characterised by a low computational complexity for easy implementation in affordable devices, automatic adaptability to changes in scenery and road conditions, and automatic detection of the most common incidents (vehicles with abnormal speed, pedestrians or objects falling on the road, vehicles stopped on the shoulder, and detection of kamikaze vehicles). To achieve these goals, different tasks have been addressed: lane segmentation, identification of traffic directions, and elimination of unnecessary objects in the foreground. The proposed system has been tested on a collection of videos recorded in real scenarios with real traffic, including areas with different lighting. Self-adaptability (plug and play) to different scenarios has been tested using videos with significant scene changes. The achieved system can process a minimum of 80 video frames within the camera’s field of view, covering a distance of 400 m, all within a span of 12 s. This capability ensures that vehicles travelling at speeds of 120 km/h are seamlessly detected with more than enough margin. Additionally, our analysis has revealed a substantial improvement in incident detection with respect to previous approaches. Specifically, an increase in accuracy of 2–5% in automatic mode and 2–7% in semi-automatic mode. The proposed classifier module only needs 2.3 MBytes of GPU to carry out the inference, thus allowing implementation in low-cost devices. Full article

The successful investigation and prosecution of significant crimes, including child pornography, insurance fraud, movie piracy, traffic monitoring, and scientific fraud, hinge largely on the availability of solid evidence to establish the case beyond any reasonable doubt. When dealing with digital images/videos as evidence in such investigations, there is a critical need to conclusively prove the source camera/device of the questioned image. Extensive research has been conducted in the past decade to address this requirement, resulting in various methods categorized into brand, model, or individual image source camera identification techniques. This paper presents a survey of all those existing methods found in the literature. It thoroughly examines the efficacy of these existing techniques for identifying the source camera of images, utilizing both intrinsic hardware artifacts such as sensor pattern noise and lens optical distortion, and software artifacts like color filter array and auto white balancing. The investigation aims to discern the strengths and weaknesses of these techniques. The paper provides publicly available benchmark image datasets and assessment criteria used to measure the performance of those different methods, facilitating a comprehensive comparison of existing approaches. In conclusion, the paper outlines directions for future research in the field of source camera identification. Full article

As a result of increasing urbanization, traffic monitoring in cities has become a challenging task. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) provides an attractive solution to this problem. Multi-Object Tracking (MOT) for UAVs is a key technology to fulfill this task. Traditional detection-based-tracking (DBT) methods begin by employing an object detector to retrieve targets in each image and then track them based on a matching algorithm. Recently, the popular multi-task learning methods have been dominating this area, since they can detect targets and extract Re-Identification (Re-ID) features in a computationally efficient way. However, the detection task and the tracking task have conflicting requirements on image features, leading to the poor performance of the joint learning model compared to separate detection and tracking methods. The problem is more severe when it comes to UAV images due to the presence of irregular motion of a large number of small targets. In this paper, we propose using a balanced Joint Detection and Re-ID learning (JDR) network to address the MOT problem in UAV vision. To better handle the non-uniform motion of objects in UAV videos, the Set-Membership Filter is applied, which describes object state as a bounded set. An appearance-matching cascade is then proposed based on the target state set. Furthermore, a Motion-Mutation module is designed to address the challenges posed by the abrupt motion of UAV. Extensive experiments on the VisDrone2019-MOT dataset certify that our proposed model, referred to as SMFMOT, outperforms the state-of-the-art models by a wide margin and achieves superior performance in the MOT tasks in UAV videos. Full article

The merge areas of freeway work zones include relatively significant safety hazards that have continuously led to urgent safety issues to be solved by the management departments. In order to make up for the cumbersome process of independent identification of rear-end collisions and lane change collisions on complex road sections, an appropriate identification method of traffic conflicts in the merge area of freeway work zone was explored, this study collected vehicle running tracking data from the merge areas of multiple work zones, using an unmanned aerial vehicle video technique. Based on an inter-frame difference method and the principle of a spatio-temporal context visual tracking algorithm, the vehicles were detected and tracked, and the coordinate data of the vehicles in continuous motion were parsed using MATLAB 2018b extension tools. Based on the behavior characteristics of vehicle conflict avoidance, a new identification method for evading severe traffic conflicts is proposed according to the initial velocity, acceleration, and accident rate of section traffic. Then, a statistical analysis was performed on the spatial distribution characteristics of the traffic conflicts in typical merge areas. The impacts of the road conditions in work zones, vehicle factors, and traffic flow factors on traffic conflicts were analyzed. A binomial logistic model was established to identify the main influencing factors. The results show that in the merge area of the freeway work zone, there are serious traffic conflicts between vehicles in the following two situations: (I) $v\in [7,13.5]$ m/s and $\mathrm{a}\in [-3.96,-0.65]$ m/s²; and (Ⅱ) $v\in [13.5,24.3]$ m/s, and $a\in [-3.96,-1.57]$ m/s². The probabilities of serious traffic conflicts in the first and last 25 m of the merge area are greater than those in the other sections. The smaller the space between the upstream work zone and the merge area, the greater the probability of serious traffic conflicts between vehicles. When the average vehicle speed is relatively high, the probability of serious conflicts is the highest, i.e., by a multiple of 5.95 from the baseline. Moreover, the probability of serious conflicts between vehicles is higher for larger vehicles, i.e., 4.765 times that for small vehicles. The research results can serve as a reference for freeway management departments to improve the safety levels of merge areas during road work. For example, the probability of serious conflicts can be effectively reduced by setting up reasonable speed limit signs in the work zone, increasing the spacing between the work zone and merge area, and appropriately diverting large vehicles. Full article

This study describes an applied and enhanced real-time vehicle-counting system that is an integral part of intelligent transportation systems. The primary objective of this study was to develop an accurate and reliable real-time system for vehicle counting to mitigate traffic congestion in a designated area. The proposed system can identify and track objects inside the region of interest and count detected vehicles. To enhance the accuracy of the system, we used the You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLOv5) model for vehicle identification owing to its high performance and short computing time. Vehicle tracking and the number of vehicles acquired used the DeepSort algorithm with the Kalman filter and Mahalanobis distance as the main components of the algorithm and the proposed simulated loop technique, respectively. Empirical results were obtained using video images taken from a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera on Tashkent roads and show that the counting system can produce 98.1% accuracy in 0.2408 s. Full article

Automated surveillance systems based on machine learning and computer vision constantly evolve to improve shipping and assist port authorities. The data obtained can be used for port and port property surveillance, traffic density analysis, maritime safety, pollution assessment, etc. However, due to the lack of datasets for video surveillance and ship classification in real maritime zones, there is a need for a reference dataset to compare the obtained results. This paper presents a new dataset for estimating detection and classification performance which provides versatile ship annotations and classifications for passenger ports with a large number of small- to medium-sized ships that were not monitored by the automatic identification system (AIS) and/or the vessel traffic system (VTS). The dataset is considered general for the Mediterranean region since many ports have a similar maritime traffic configuration as the Port of Split, Croatia. The dataset consists of 19,337 high-resolution images with 27,849 manually labeled ship instances classified into 12 categories. The vast majority of the images contain the port and starboard sides of the ships. In addition, the images were acquired in a real maritime zone at different times of the year, day, weather conditions, and sea state conditions. Full article