Pervasive surveillance using a cooperative mobile sensor network

A distributed processing and communication approach is applied to networked surveillance systems providing an extended perception and sensing capability in monitored environments. By pervasive we mean that the entire surveyed area is covered by a heterogeneous collection of fixed and mobile sensors. The sensor network uses a cooperative tracking technique that allows for the deployment of mobile sensors based on data provided by other sensors in the network. Also, an image-based tracking technique is used for tracking when the target is in view. The task of tracking multiple targets in a distributed surveillance network is a challenging problem because of the following reasons: (1) multiple targets need to be monitored and tracked continuously and must remain in view of at least one of the sensors; (2) the view of the sensors needs to be optimized so that the targets are observed with a discernible resolution for feature identification; (3) it is important to devise stable control algorithms for accomplishing the surveillance task; (4) assigning tracking tasks to sensors must consider load balancing and efficient use of all sensors. This paper presents a distributed communication and processing model that allows for a fast deployment of sensor nodes and implementation of ad hoc tracking in a multi-target surveillance scenario. Also, experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach for tracking multiple targets over a large area with fixed and mobile sensors