Remote surveillance and face tracking with mobile phones (smart eyes)

Abstract

This thesis addresses analysis, evaluation and simulation of low complexity face detection algorithms and tracking that could be used on mobile phones. Network access control using face recognition increases the user-friendliness in human-computer interaction. In order to realize a real time system implemented on handheld devices with low computing power, low complexity algorithms for face detection and face tracking are implemented. Skin color detection algorithms and face matching have low implementation complexity suitable for authentication of cellular network services. Novel approaches for reducing the complexities of these algorithms and fast implementation are introduced in this thesis. This includes a fast algorithm for face detection in video sequences, using a skin color model in the HSV (Hue-Saturation-Value) color space. It is combined with a Gaussian model of the H and S statistics and adaptive thresholds. These algorithms permit segmentation and detection of multiple faces in thumbnail images. Furthermore we evaluate and compare our results with those of a method implemented in the Chromatic Color space (YCbCr). We also test our test data on face detection method using Convolutional Neural Network architecture to study the suitability of using other approaches besides skin color as the basic feature for face detection. Finally, face tracking is done in 2D color video streams using HSV as the histogram color space. The program is used to compute 3D trajectories for a remote surveillance system.