Using optical flow for the detection of floating mines in IR image sequences

Alexander Borghgraef; Marc Acheroy

doi:10.1117/12.688839

5 October 2006 Using optical flow for the detection of floating mines in IR image sequences

Alexander Borghgraef, Marc Acheroy

Proceedings Volume 6395, Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems: Technology and Applications III; 63950Y (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.688839
Event: Optics/Photonics in Security and Defence, 2006, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

In the first Gulf War, unmoored floating mines proved to be a real hazard for shipping traffic. An automated system capable of detecting these and other free-floating small objects, using readily available sensors such as infra-red cameras, would prove to be a valuable mine-warfare asset, and could double as a collision avoidance mechanism, and a search-and-rescue aid. The noisy background provided by the sea surface, and occlusion by waves make it difficult to detect small floating objects using only algorithms based upon the intensity, size or shape of the target. This leads us to look at the sequence of images for temporal detection characteristics. The target's apparent motion is such a determinant, given the contrast between the bobbing motion of the floating object and the strong horizontal component present in the propagation of the wavefronts. We have applied the Proesmans optical flow algorithm to IR video footage of practice mines, in order to extract the motion characteristic and a threshold on the vertical motion characteristic is then imposed to detect the floating targets.

Citation Download Citation

Alexander Borghgraef and Marc Acheroy "Using optical flow for the detection of floating mines in IR image sequences", Proc. SPIE 6395, Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems: Technology and Applications III, 63950Y (5 October 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.688839

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available