Dealing with Massive Data with a Distributed Expectation Propagation Particle Filter for Object Tracking

Target tracking in distributed networks faces the challenge in coping with large volumes of distributed data which requires efficient methods for real time applications with minimal communication overhead. The complexity considered in this paper is when each sensor in a distributed network observes a large number of measurements which are all required to be processed at each time step. The particle filter has been widely used for localisation and tracking in distributed networks with a small number of measurements [1]. This paper goes beyond the current state-of-the-art and presents a novel particle filter approach, combined with the expectation propagation framework, that is capable of dealing with the challenges presented by a large volume of measurements in a distributed network. In the proposed algorithm, the measurements are processed in parallel at each sensor node in the network and the communication overhead is minimised substantially. We show results with large improvements in communication overhead, with a negligible lossin tracking performance, compared with the standard centralised particle filter

Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Crowd and Extended Object Tracking and Dealing with Tall Data

The Bayesian methodology is able to deal with a number of challenges in object tracking, especially with uncertainties in the system dynamics and sensor characteristics. However, model complexities can result in non-analytical expressions which require computationally cumbersome approximate solutions. In this thesis computationally efficient approximate methods for object tracking with complex models are developed. One such complexity is when a large group of objects, referred to as a crowd, is required to be tracked. A crowd generates multiple measurements with uncertain origin. Two solutions are proposed, based on a box particle filtering approach and a convolution particle filtering approach. Contributions include a theoretical derivation for the generalised likelihood function for the box particle filter, and an adaptive convolution particle filter able to resolve the data association problem without the measurement rates. The performance of the two filters is compared over a realistic scenario for a large crowd of pedestrians. Extended objects also generate a variable number of multiple measurements. In contrast with point objects, extended objects are characterised with their size or volume. Multiple object tracking is a notoriously challenging problem due to complexities caused by data association. An efficient box particle filter method for multiple extended object tracking is proposed, and for the first time it is shown how interval based approaches can deal efficiently with data association problems and reduce the computational complexity of the data association. The performance of the method is evaluated on real laser rangefinder data. Advances in digital sensors have resulted in systems being capable of accumulating excessively large volumes of data. Three efficient Bayesian inference methods are developed for object tracking when excessively large numbers of measurements may otherwise cause standard algorithms to be inoperable. The underlying mechanics of these methods are adaptive subsampling and the expectation propagation algorithm

A Data-Analysis and Sensitivity-Optimization Framework for the KATRIN Experiment

Presently under construction, the Karlsruhe TRitium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment is the next generation tritium beta-decay experiment to perform a direct kinematical measurement of the electron neutrino mass with an unprecedented sensitivity of 200 meV (90% C.L.). This thesis describes the implementation of a consistent data analysis framework, addressing technical aspects of the data taking process and statistical challenges of a neutrino mass estimation from the beta-decay electron spectrum

World Modeling for Intelligent Autonomous Systems

The functioning of intelligent autonomous systems requires constant situation awareness and cognition analysis. Thus, it needs a memory structure that contains a description of the surrounding environment (world model) and serves as a central information hub. This book presents a row of theoretical and experimental results in the field of world modeling. This includes areas of dynamic and prior knowledge modeling, information fusion, management and qualitative/quantitative information analysis

Articulated human tracking and behavioural analysis in video sequences

Recently, there has been a dramatic growth of interest in the observation and tracking of human subjects through video sequences. Arguably, the principal impetus has come from the perceived demand for technological surveillance, however applications in entertainment, intelligent domiciles and medicine are also increasing. This thesis examines human articulated tracking and the classi cation of human movement, rst separately and then as a sequential process. First, this thesis considers the development and training of a 3D model of human body structure and dynamics. To process video sequences, an observation model is also designed with a multi-component likelihood based on edge, silhouette and colour. This is de ned on the articulated limbs, and visible from a single or multiple cameras, each of which may be calibrated from that sequence. Second, for behavioural analysis, we develop a methodology in which actions and activities are described by semantic labels generated from a Movement Cluster Model (MCM). Third, a Hierarchical Partitioned Particle Filter (HPPF) was developed for human tracking that allows multi-level parameter search consistent with the body structure. This tracker relies on the articulated motion prediction provided by the MCM at pose or limb level. Fourth, tracking and movement analysis are integrated to generate a probabilistic activity description with action labels. The implemented algorithms for tracking and behavioural analysis are tested extensively and independently against ground truth on human tracking and surveillance datasets. Dynamic models are shown to predict and generate synthetic motion, while MCM recovers both periodic and non-periodic activities, de ned either on the whole body or at the limb level. Tracking results are comparable with the state of the art, however the integrated behaviour analysis adds to the value of the approach.Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS