Automated Pedestrians Data Collection Using Computer Vision

Abstract

Active modes of travel such as walking are being encouraged in many cities to mitigate traffic congestion and to provide health and environmental benefits. However, the physical vulnerability of pedestrians may expose them to severe consequences when involved in traffic collisions. This paper presents three applications for automated video analysis of pedestrian behavior. The first is a methodology to detect distracted pedestrians on crosswalks using their gait parameters. The methodology utilizes recent findings in health science concerning the relationship between walking gait behavior and cognitive abilities. In the second application, a detection procedure for pedestrian violations is presented. In this procedure, spatial and temporal crossing violations are detected based on pattern matching. The third study addresses the problem of identifying pedestrian evasive actions. An effective method based on time series analysis of the walking profile is used to characterize the evasive actions. The results in the three applications show satisfactory accuracy. This research is beneficial for improving the design of pedestrian facilities to promote pedestrian safety and walkability.