Automated surveillance in distributed, visual networks: an empirical comparison of recent algorithms

Abstract

A number of algorithms have been recently proposed for automatic intruder detection from CCTV images. Past researchers have typically tested these algorithms on centralized networks where all images are transmitted to a central control room. This paper demon- strates the applicability of a selection of such algorithms to a distributed network of wireless sensors. A distributed network of wireless visual sensors was simulated using a number of high-resolution webcams setup in the hallways of an academic building. The selected algo- rithms were then applied in a distributed fashion at each node. An empirical comparison of the most popular of the recent algorithms on a simulation of a wireless sensor network was thus obtained. This paper provides corroborating evidence in support of the most effective of such algorithms to the problem of automatic anomaly detection from image streams.