This project supports collaborative research by Dr. Magdy Bayoumi, Director, Center for Advanced Computer Studies (CACS), University of Louisiana, Lafayette and Dr. Ayman El-Dessouki, President of the Electronics Research Institute (ERI), Cairo. They plan to develop a framework for automated scene surveillance using algorithms, architecture, and prototyping. From the technological-solution perspective, video surveillance has been widely employed for this purpose. However, the advances in this area have mainly aimed at the video sensors only. The human operator still has to analyze the images. In other words, despite the technological advances individually made for sensors, and computing power, there exists a vacuum for a fully automated system capable of scene understanding and automated surveillance. This project proposes to automate the process of tracking objects on the area of observance by comprising a network of sensors and closed circuit television cameras. It identifies threats and raises the alarm.
Intellectual Merit: the proposed activity will deepen the understanding of video surveillance, monitoring, and automatic scene understanding. The followings are the objectives/features of the proposed architecture for an automated scene understanding: Resistance to attacks; Autonomous object detection; Video detection independent of illumination changes; Tracking of objects by agents; and Object detection without waiting for a stable camera. It will attract and prepare graduate students for research in the development of novel algorithms, methods, and hardware/software prototype for scene understanding and automated surveillance.
Broader Impacts: The proposed activity will enrich the course materials offered at the CACS. It also aims to impart training to the Egyptian side through the junior researchers' visits - thus aiming to boost awareness in the scientific education. The project will promote scientific and technological cooperation between the U.S. and Egypt in the automatic video surveillance area, which is of mutual benefit to both sides. Private sector will have the chance to develop their ability to build and implement new algorithms for different tasks and can test their developed system in an already established test environment. Start up companies will get opportunities in integrating different system components and provide services for customers in need of this automated surveillance system. The PI's will collaborate with the existing university programs, such as McNair Scholars and the Louis Stokes Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation (LS-LAMP) programs that are aimed at substantially increasing the number of underrepresented students completing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The project results could help in securing the country's borders and ports. The project will influence the principal investigator's efforts to educate and train manpower in the critical research areas. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.
