A model-driven approach for real-time road recognition

This article describes a method designed to detect and track road edges starting from images provided by an on-board monocular monochromic camera. Its implementation on specific hardware is also presented in the framework of the VELAC project. The method is based on four modules: (1) detection of the road edges in the image by a model-driven algorithm, which uses a statistical model of the lane sides which manages the occlusions or imperfections of the road marking – this model is initialized by an off-line training step; (2) localization of the vehicle in the lane in which it is travelling; (3) tracking to define a new search space of road edges for the next image; and (4) management of the lane numbers to determine the lane in which the vehicle is travelling. The algorithm is implemented in order to validate the method in a real-time context. Results obtained on marked and unmarked road images show the robustness and precision of the method. Received: 18 November 2000 / Accepted: 7 May 2001     

加权多特征外观表示的实时目标追踪

目的 目标跟踪是计算机视觉领域重点研究方向之一,在智能交通、人机交互等方面有着广泛应用。尽管目前基于相关滤波的方法由于其高效、鲁棒在该领域取得了显著进展,但特征的选择和表示一直是追踪过程中建立目标外观时的首要考虑因素。为了提高外观模型的鲁棒性,越来越多的跟踪器中引入梯度特征、颜色特征或其他组合特征代替原始灰度单一特征,但是该类方法没有结合特征本身考虑不同特征在模型中所占的比重。方法 本文重点研究特征的选取以及融合方式,通过引入权重向量对特征进行融合,设计了基于加权多特征外观模型的追踪器。根据特征的计算方式,构造了一项二元一次方程,将权重向量的求解转化为确定特征的比例系数,结合特征本身的维度信息,得到方程的有限组整数解集,最后通过实验确定最终的比例系数,并将其归一化得到权重向量,进而构建一种新的加权混合特征模型对目标外观建模。结果 采用OTB-100中的100个视频序列,将本文算法与其他7种主流算法,包括5种相关滤波类方法,以精确度、平均中心误差、实时性为评价指标进行了对比实验分析。在保证实时性的同时,本文算法在Basketball、DragonBaby、Panda、Lemming等多个数据集上均表现出了更好的追踪结果。在100个视频集上的平均结果与基于多特征融合的尺度自适应跟踪器相比,精确度提高了1.2%。结论 本文基于相关滤波的追踪框架在进行目标的外观描述时引入权重向量,进而提出了加权多特征融合追踪器,使得在复杂动态场景下追踪长度更长,提高了算法的鲁棒性。     

Robust feature learning for online discriminative tracking without large-scale pre-training

Owing to the inherent lack of training data in visual tracking, recent work in deep learning-based trackers has focused on learning a generic representation offline from large-scale training data and transferring the pre-trained feature representation to a tracking task. Offline pre-training is time-consuming, and the learned generic representation may be either less discriminative for tracking specific objects or overfitted to typical tracking datasets. In this paper, we propose an online discriminative tracking method based on robust feature learning without large-scale pre-training. Specifically, we first design a PCA filter bank-based convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture to learn robust features online with a few positive and negative samples in the high-dimensional feature space. Then, we use a simple soft-thresholding method to produce sparse features that are more robust to target appearance variations. Moreover, we increase the reliability of our tracker using edge information generated from edge box proposals during the process of visual tracking. Finally, effective visual tracking results are achieved by systematically combining the tracking information and edge box-based scores in a particle filtering framework. Extensive results on the widely used online tracking benchmark (OTB-50) with 50 videos validate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed tracker without large-scale pre-training.     

A grid-based Bayesian approach to robust visual tracking

Visual tracking encompasses a wide range of applications in surveillance, medicine and the military arena. There are however roadblocks that hinder exploiting the full capacity of the tracking technology. Depending on specific applications, these roadblocks may include computational complexity, accuracy and robustness of the tracking algorithms. In the paper, we present a grid-based algorithm for tracking that drastically outperforms the existing algorithms in terms of computational efficiency, accuracy and robustness. Furthermore, by judiciously incorporating feature representation, sample generation and sample weighting, the grid-based approach accommodates contrast change, jitter, target deformation and occlusion. Tracking performance of the proposed grid-based algorithm is compared with two recent algorithms, the gradient vector flow snake tracker and the Monte Carlo tracker, in the context of leukocyte (white blood cell) tracking and UAV-based tracking. This comparison indicates that the proposed tracking algorithm is approximately 100 times faster, and at the same time, is significantly more accurate and more robust, thus enabling real-time robust tracking.     

加权间隔结构化支持向量机目标跟踪算法

目的 目标在跟踪过程中,各种因素的干扰使得跟踪结果存在不确定性。因此,将跟踪过程中所提取样本的可靠性融入跟踪模型中,有助于克服低可靠性样本对跟踪算法的影响。为此,基于最近的结构化支持向量机（SSVM）跟踪算法,提出一种包含样本置信度的加权间隔结构化支持向量机跟踪模型（WMSSVM）,以增强SSVM跟踪算法性能。方法 首先,基于打分和位置重合率估计样本可靠性;其次,建立WMSSVM模型处理具有不同置信度的跟踪样本训练问题,并采用对偶坐标下降优化算法求解跟踪模型。结果 在包含100个视频的OTB100跟踪数据集上进行测试,提出的WMSSVM跟踪器与基准跟踪器Scale-DLSSVM相比,在精准度和成功率两个指标上分别提高了1%和2%。与最近的跟踪算法相比,提出的方法也表现出更好的性能。结论 本文首次将样本的可靠性融入结构化支持向量机跟踪模型,并提出一种基于加权间隔的结构化支持向量机跟踪模型及其优化求解方法,在包含100个视频序列的跟踪数据集上验证了提出方法的有效性,本文提出的算法能够适应复杂场景下的跟踪任务,并在背景混杂、目标形变、遮挡、运动模糊、目标出界、快速位移等类别的视频中表现出优异的性能。     

基于混合注意力的Transformer视觉目标跟踪算法

基于Transformer的视觉目标跟踪算法能够很好地捕获目标的全局信息,但是,在对目标特征的表述上还有进一步提升的空间.为了更好地提升对目标特征的表达能力,提出一种基于混合注意力的Transformer视觉目标跟踪算法.首先,引入混合注意力模块捕捉目标在空间和通道维度中的特征,实现对目标特征上下文依赖关系的建模;然后,通过多个不同空洞率的平行空洞卷积对特征图进行采样,以获得图像的多尺度特征,增强局部特征表达能力;最后,在Transformer编码器中加入所构建的卷积位置编码层,为跟踪器提供精确且长度自适应的位置编码,提升跟踪定位的精度.在OTB100、VOT2018和LaSOT等数据集上进行大量实验,实验结果表明,通过基于混合注意力的Transformer网络学习特征间的关系,能够更好地表示目标特征.与其他主流目标跟踪算法相比,所提出算法具有更好的跟踪性能,且能够达到26帧/s的实时跟踪速度.     

Contour tracking with automatic motion model switching

In this paper we present an efficient contour-tracking algorithm which can track 2D silhouette of objects in extended image sequences. We demonstrate the ability of the tracker by tracking highly deformable contours (such as walking people) captured by a static camera. We represent contours (silhouette) of moving objects by using a cubic B-spline. The tracking algorithm is based on tracking a lower dimensional shape space (as opposed to tracking in spline space). Tracking the lower dimensional space has proved to be fast and efficient. The tracker is also coupled with an automatic motion-model switching algorithm, which makes the tracker robust and reliable when the object of interest is moving with multiple motion. The model-based tracking technique provided is capable of tracking rigid and non-rigid object contours with good tracking accuracy.     

Improving performance of distribution tracking through background mismatch

This paper proposes a new density matching method based on background mismatching for tracking of nonrigid moving objects. The new tracking method extends the idea behind the original density-matching tracker, which tracks an object by finding a contour in which the photometric density sampled from the enclosed region most closely matches a model density. This method can be quite sensitive to the initial curve placements and model density. The new method eliminates these sensitivities by adding a second term to the optimization: the mismatch between the model density and the density sampled from the background. By maximizing this term, the tracking algorithm becomes significantly more robust in practice. Furthermore, we show the enhanced ability of the algorithm to deal with target objects, which possess smooth or diffuse boundaries. The tracker is in the form of a partial differential equation, and is implemented using the level-set framework. Experiments on synthesized images and real video sequences show our proposed methods are effective and robust; the results are compared with several existing methods.     

多通道特征和择优并行更新的核相关滤波跟踪

针对传统核跟踪算法单一特征的局限性、目标模板和特征外观模板更新的不足,提出了一种多通道特征和择优并行更新的核相关滤波跟踪算法。采用多通道特征提取方式：上支路采用卷积神经网络提取深度特征,下支路则将HOG特征和CN特征相结合用于训练与跟踪。采用新的目标模板和特征外观模板更新方式：择优并行更新,取不同支路当前帧的最大响应值作为最佳目标位置,下一帧中两个支路的模板更新采用前一帧最优位置的参数同时进行更新,直到跟踪结束,多支路的择优并行更新弥补了单一支路更新的不足。实验表明该算法能在不同挑战因子下实现更加鲁棒的跟踪过程。     

Scalable and robust multi-people head tracking by combining distributed multiple sensors

In this paper, we present a robust 3D human-head tracking method. 3D head positions are essential for robots interacting with people. Natural interaction behaviors such as making eye contacts require head positions. Past researches with laser range finder (LRF) have been successful in tracking 2D human position with high accuracy in real time. However, LRF trackers cannot track multiple 3D head positions. On the other hand, trackers with multi-viewpoint images can obtain 3D head position. However, vision-based trackers generally lack robustness and scalability, especially in open environments where lightening conditions vary by time. To achieve 3D robust real-time tracking, here we propose a new method that combines LRF tracker and multi-camera tracker. We combine the results from trackers using the LRF results as maintenance information toward multi-camera tracker. Through an experiment in a real environment, we show that our method outperforms toward existing methods, both in its robustness and scalability.     

增强二阶网络调制的目标跟踪

目的 表观模型对视觉目标跟踪的性能起着决定性的作用。基于网络调制的跟踪算法通过构建高效的子网络学习参考帧目标的表观信息,以用于测试帧目标的鲁棒匹配,在多个目标跟踪数据集上表现优异。但是,这类跟踪算法忽视了高阶信息对鲁棒建模物体表观的重要作用,致使在物体表观发生大尺度变化时易产生跟踪漂移。为此本文提出全局上下文信息增强的二阶池化调制子网络,以学习高阶特征提升跟踪器的性能。方法 首先,利用卷积神经网络（convolutional neural networks,CNN）提取参考帧和测试帧的特征;然后,对提取的特征采用不同方向的长短时记忆网络（long shot-term memory networks,LSTM）捕获每个像素的全局上下文信息,再经过二阶池化网络提取高阶信息;最后,通过调制机制引导测试帧学习最优交并比预测。同时,为提升跟踪器的稳定性,在线跟踪通过指数加权平均自适应更新物体表观特征。结果 实验结果表明,在OTB100（object tracking benchmark）数据集上,本文方法的成功率为67.9%,超越跟踪器ATOM （accurate tracking by overlap maximization）1.5%;在VOT （visual object tracking）2018数据集上平均期望重叠率（expected average overlap,EAO）为0.44,超越ATOM 4%。结论 本文通过构建全局上下文信息增强的二阶池化调制子网络来学习高效的表观模型,使跟踪器达到目前领先的性能。     

Correctness of dataflow and systolic algorithms using algebras of streams

We present two case studies which illustrate the use of second–order algebra as a formalism for specification and verification of hardware algorithms. In the first case study we specify a systolic algorithm for convolution and formally verify its correctness using second–order equational logic. The second case study demonstrates the expressive power of second–order algebraic specifications by presenting a non–constructive specification of the Hamming stream problem. A dataflow algorithm for computing the Hamming stream is then specified and the correctness of this algorithm is verified by semantical methods. Both case studies illustrate aspects of the metatheory of second-order equational logic. Received: 16 August 1999 / revised version: 15 June 2001     

足球视频球员感知跟踪算法

目的 足球比赛视频中的球员跟踪算法为足球赛事分析提供基础的数据支持。但足球比赛中球员跟踪存在极大的挑战：球员进攻、防守和争夺球权时,目标球员可能产生快速移动、严重遮挡和周围出现若干名干扰球员的情况,目前仍没有一种能够完美解决足球比赛中球员跟踪问题的算法。因此如何解决足球场景中的困难,提升球员跟踪的准确度,成为当前研究的热点问题。方法 本文在分析足球比赛视频中球员目标特点的基础上,通过融合干扰项感知的颜色模型和目标感知的深度模型,提出并设计了一种球员感知的跟踪算法。干扰项感知的颜色模型分别提取目标、背景和干扰项的颜色直方图,利用贝叶斯公式得到搜索区域中每个像素点属于目标的似然概率。目标感知的深度模型利用孪生网络计算搜索区域与目标的相似度。针对跟踪漂移问题,使用全局跟踪器和局部跟踪器分别跟踪目标整体和目标上半身,并且在两个跟踪器的跟踪结果出现较大差异的时候分析跟踪器有效性并进行定位修正。结果 在公共的足球数据集上将本文算法与10个其他跟踪算法进行对比实验,同时对于文本算法进行了局部跟踪器的消融实验。实验结果表明,球员感知跟踪算法的平均有效重叠率达到了0.560 3,在存在同队球员和异队球员干扰的情况下,本文算法比排名第2的算法的有效重叠率分别高出3.7%和6.6%,明显优于其他算法,但是由于引入了干扰项感知的颜色模型、目标感知的深度模型以及局部跟踪器等模块增加了算法的时间复杂度,导致本文算法跟踪速度较慢。结论 本文总结了跟踪算法的整体流程并分析了实验结果,认为干扰项感知、目标感知和局部跟踪这3个策略在足球场景中的球员跟踪问题中起到了重要的作用,为未来在足球球员跟踪领域研究的继续深入提供了参考依据。     

A large margin framework for single camera offline tracking with hybrid cues

We introduce MMTrack (max-margin tracker), a single-target tracker that linearly combines constant and adaptive appearance features. We frame offline single-camera tracking as a structured output prediction task where the goal is to find a sequence of locations of the target given a video. Following recent advances in machine learning, we discriminatively learn tracker parameters by first generating suitable bad trajectories and then employing a margin criterion to learn how to distinguish among ground truth trajectories and all other possibilities. Our framework for tracking is general, and can be used with a variety of features. We demonstrate a system combining a variety of appearance features and a motion model, with the parameters of these features learned jointly in a coherent learning framework. Further, taking advantage of a reliable human detector, we present a natural way of extending our tracker to a robust detection and tracking system. We apply our framework to pedestrian tracking and experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of our method on two real-world data sets, achieving results comparable to state-of-the-art tracking systems.     

A 2D/3D model-based object tracking framework

This paper presents a robust framework for tracking complex objects in video sequences. Multiple hypothesis tracking (MHT) algorithm reported in (IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell. 18(2) (1996)) is modified to accommodate a high level representations (2D edge map, 3D models) of objects for tracking. The framework exploits the advantages of MHT algorithm which is capable of resolving data association/uncertainty and integrates it with object matching techniques to provide a robust behavior while tracking complex objects. To track objects in 2D, a 4D feature is used to represent edge/line segments and are tracked using MHT. In many practical applications 3D models provide more information about the object's pose (i.e., rotation information in the transformation space) which cannot be recovered using 2D edge information. Hence, a 3D model-based object tracking algorithm is also presented. A probabilistic Hausdorff image matching algorithm is incorporated into the framework in order to determine the geometric transformation that best maps the model features onto their corresponding ones in the image plane. 3D model of the object is used to constrain the tracker to operate in a consistent manner. Experimental results on real and synthetic image sequences are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed framework.     

An Adaptive Padding Correlation Filter With Group Feature Fusion for Robust Visual Tracking

In recent visual tracking research, correlation filter (CF) based trackers become popular because of their high speed and considerable accuracy. Previous methods mainly work on the extension of features and the solution of the boundary effect to learn a better correlation filter. However, the related studies are insufficient. By exploring the potential of trackers in these two aspects, a novel adaptive padding correlation filter (APCF) with feature group fusion is proposed for robust visual tracking in this paper based on the popular context-aware tracking framework. In the tracker, three feature groups are fused by use of the weighted sum of the normalized response maps, to alleviate the risk of drift caused by the extreme change of single feature. Moreover, to improve the adaptive ability of padding for the filter training of different object shapes, the best padding is selected from the preset pool according to tracking precision over the whole video, where tracking precision is predicted according to the prediction model trained by use of the sequence features of the first several frames. The sequence features include three traditional features and eight newly constructed features. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed tracker is superior to most state-of-the-art correlation filter based trackers and has a stable improvement compared to the basic trackers.      

基于多观测模型的粒子滤波头部跟踪算法

粒子滤波在非线性和非高斯问题上具有独特的优越性,但在视频跟踪过程中,其跟踪性能却在很大程度上依赖于观测模型的选择。为了解决被跟踪目标特征状态随时间变化而与粒子观测模型不匹配的问题,提出了一种新的粒子滤波算法,即将被跟踪目标的不同特征状态与粒子观测模型相结合,形成一组具有不同观测模型的粒子,并且在跟踪过程中,对应不同观测模型的粒子根据被跟踪目标所表现的特征线索的变化而相互转换,从而动态刻画了被跟踪目标特征变化的过程。实验结果表明,本算法能够有效处理由于头部旋转而导致跟踪性能下降甚至丢失跟踪目标的问题,提高了跟踪的准确性,并且具有较好的鲁棒性。     

基于关键特征点的改进TLD目标跟踪算法研究

TLD（Tracking-Learning-Detection）算法是一种新颖的单目标长时间视觉跟踪算法,在给定极少的先验知识的情况下,能够迅速地学习目标特征并进行有效的跟踪。TLD算法中跟踪器每次在跟踪目标上均匀地选取特征点进行跟踪,不能保证每个特征点都能够被可靠地跟踪。针对这个问题,提出一种基于关键特征点检测的改进TLD算法,保证所选特征点都能够被正确可靠地跟踪,防止跟踪结果发生漂移,提高了跟踪器的跟踪精度。另一方面,在TLD检测器中引入了基于轨迹连续性的在线位置预测,在保证正确跟踪的前提下,缩小了检测器的检测范围,提高了运算速度。实验结果表明,该算法有较高的跟踪精度和速度。     

Visual tracking with multiple Hough detectors

We propose a visual tracking method using multiple Hough detectors to address the problem of long-term robust object tracking in unconstrained environments. The method constructs the detectors based on the feature selection by the mutual information. These detectors serve to learn the partial appearances of target and synchronously evaluate image locations via the voting based detection with the generalized Hough transform. According to the result of detections, the best detector is selected by the minimum entropy criterion and delivers the final hypotheses for target location. The feature selection allows our tracker to be able to obtain and use the most discriminative parts of target and thus more robust to its changes, e.g. occlusion and deformation. The detector selection can correct undesirable model updates and restore the tracker after tracking failure. Meanwhile, the Hough-based detection can reduce the amount of noise introduced during online self-training and thus effectively prevent the tracker from drifting. The method is evaluated on the CVPR2013 Visual Tracker Benchmark and the experimental results demonstrate our method outperforms other tracking algorithms in terms of both success rate and precision.