Gradiant released automatic people counting system at JAI 2012

The fifth edition of Symposium on Technologies and Solutions for industrial automation  (JAI, according to the initials in spanish) was held in the auditorium of Centro Social Novacaixagalicia, in Vigo, last November 12-16. The event, organized by the School of Industrial Engineering of the University of Vigo, has among their goals to spread technical concepts related with the automation of industrial processes.

The organization of the event showed interest about Gradiant depth camera based Automatic People Counting system, so a demonstration was performed in its facilities. The system consists of a depth camera placed at 2.80 metres high with its viewing axis perpendicular to the ground, that provides images of people crossing through its area of vision. Those images, which are termed depth maps, contain information about the distance between the objects in scene and the device. When people pass through the area being monitored, the system detects the top of their heads, which is the region closest to the camera, and each person is counted.

The system was operating during two hours in the opening day, controlling the entrance which the attendees had to cross through to enter the auditorium. People transit in both directions was constant during the demonstration as they could go in and out freely once they had obtained their credentials. The results were as follows: the system counted 457 people entering and 247 going out the area, so the total amount of attendees counted was 210. According to organization information, the participation during the demonstration was 229 people. The result for this first test of the system is considered to be good.

System presentation has thrown interest and expectation among the media and people who tested its functioning in situ, and some organizations has contacted Gradiant so as to get information about this technology and its possible applications.