A method of real-time moving vehicle detection for bad environments using infrared thermal images

Abstract

We propose a method of real-time moving vehicle detection using infrared thermal images. It can detect moving vehicles robustly even for bad environments compared with conventional vehicle detection methods using visible light cameras. It can also measure the size of each vehicle around the clock. The algorithm we propose for this detection is designed for a high-speed processing without complicated calculations and also designed for a real-time vehicle detection by using a generalpurpose personal computer. Experimental results of our method by use of infrared thermal traffic images both at daytime with vehicular shadows and at nighttime in darkness show that the vehicle detection accuracy is 100%. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.