Safely Back to Work
OCCUPANCY Video Analytics
Fig . 1 : Problem space and the various available solutions surveyed here
One way to automate occupancy tracking is by the use of video analytics . It provides the flexibility of reusing the existing surveillance cameras for occupancy analysis . Leveraging existing infrastructure and employing adaptive analytics , we can have automated detection and a realtime count of people in different areas within a facility .
In this approach , cameras installed within the building capture the video feed and relay it to a software running on the computer or on an edge device . The software then processes the video frames to detect people present in it and keeps a count of the same . The count is updated every time the software processes a new video frame captured by the camera . The system can be made real-time with a proper optimized software and good processing capability .
As most of the commercial buildings already have cameras installed for security reasons , the same infrastructure can be used for occupancy tracking in this approach , thus reducing the infrastructural cost for implementing this solution . Moreover , with minimal infrastructural changes required , this approach is very easy to implement for occupancy tracking .
However , care should be taken to comply with laws around surveillance per the jurisdictions where this technology is deployed . The definitions of a workplace or a public place where such technology is deployed could differ . Same with labor laws in various states and around employeremployee relationships . For example , a business in Illinois that could potentially collect the biometric information of the employees should ensure it follows the appropriate processes with respect to ( 740 ILCS 14 /) Biometric Information Privacy Act 7 .
While security camera infrastructure could be utilized for occupancy tracking , many areas in offices / workplaces are not usually tracked by security cameras and this would require addition
IIC Journal of Innovation - 21 -