Choosing the Place to Count
Proposed Installation
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Camera position
The camera(s) will typically be mounted on the ceiling looking down at the floor below.
People are counted as they cross through a zone of the picture. People typically transit UP the screen or DOWN the screen (as shown in the diagram below).
Zone Advice
The preferred
position for a counting zone would be one where:
- People will transit through the zone
- People will not wait or queue within the zone
- There is a stable background<
- There is even lighting within the zone and picture in general
Typically a zone will cover a doorway since this will tend to meet the first two criteria.
Zone Transit Considerations
The best location is where people will cross straight through the zone, passing either up the screen or down the screen. In many circumstances, people will pass through a doorway and turn either left or right, or both, rather than continuing straight on. In these cases you can use the side-exit facilities of the VT unit.You will need to specify one of the zone marker lines (top or bottom line) as a reference line, which is the line that all people must cross.
Zone Waiting and Queueing Considerations
Consider anything that may cause people to stop inside the counting zone.
-
Members of staff who might stand in the zone
- Security staff
- Ticket collectors, guides etc
- Sales people attracting customers
- Marketing displays that will stop people within the zone
- Congestion - e.g. from a ticket office
People who stand still for long periods can become part of the background, and then
may get miscounted when they re-emerge.
People who stay within the zone but keep moving can make it difficult for the background
to be updated.
Zone Lighting and Shadow Considerations
Lighting in the zone should be even and stable.
-
Flashing lights
Direct flashing lights or reflections in the zone will continuously trigger the people tracking algorithms and make background updates difficult. - Varying Light Levels
Next: Choosing Communications.