Detection and Tracking of Targets in Forward-Looking InfraRed (FLIR) Imagery

Detection and tracking of targets in forward looking infrared (FLIR) imagery are challenging tasks. IR sensors often provide low signal-to-noise ratio and heavy background cluttering images. Non-stationary cameras can introduce further challenges, because detection and tracking might make it necessary to properly deal with sensor ego-motion through suitable estimation and compensation techniques. Moreover, further issues are posed by imagery with multiple and possibly moving target and non-target objects, which can blend into the background, change their signature, size, shape, and even overlap during their motion. Finally, specific applications could introduce cumbersome real-time constraints, thus requiring tracking techniques with a reduced computational footprint.