Robust Motion Detection in Real-Life Scenarios [Paperback]

This work proposes a complete sensor-independent visual system that provides robust target motion detection. First, the way sensors obtain images, in terms of resolution distribution and pixel neighbourhood, is studied. This allows a spatial analysis of motion to be carried out. Then, a novel background maintenance approach for robust target motion detection is implemented. Two different situations are considered: a fixed camera observing a constant background where objects are moving; and a still camera observing objects in movement within a dynamic background. This distinction lies on developing a surveillance mechanism without the constraint of observing a scene free of foreground elements for several seconds when a reliable initial background model is obtained, as that situation cannot be guaranteed when a robotic system works in an unknown environment. Other problems are also addressed to successfully deal with changes in illumination, and the distinction between foreground and background elements.

Our knowledge of the surrounding world is obtained by our senses of perception. Among them, vision is undoubtedly the most important for the information it can provide. In artificial systems, this discipline, known as Computer Vision, mainly tries to identify physical objects and scenes from captured images to be able to make useful decisions. For that, the processing and analysis of images, video sequences, views from multiple cameras, or multi-dimensional data like a medical scanner, are carried out.

In this context, motion plays a main role since it provides a stimulus for detecting objects in movement within the observed scene. Moreover, motion allows other characteristics to be obtained such as, for instance, object shape, speed or trajectory, which are meaningful for detection and recognition. Nevertheless, the motion observable in a visual input could be due to different factors: movement of the imaged objects (targets and/orlC+