Robust multiple objects tracking using image segmentation and trajectory estimation scheme in video frames

In this paper, a novel image segmentation and a robust unsupervised video objects tracking algorithm are proposed. The proposed method is able to track complete object regions in a sequence of video frames. In this work, object tracking is achieved by analysing the movement of the contours with frame by frame in the video stream. The proposed algorithm involves with three major components for analysing the shapes and motions of the object in the video frames. First, a modified mathematical morphology edge detection algorithm is utilized to extract the contour features in the video frames. Then, a contour-based image segmentation algorithm is proposed and applied to the contour features for partitioning the predetermined target objects in the video frames. Finally, a trajectory estimation scheme is developed to handle the movements of the objects in the video frames. The proposed image segmentation algorithm is capable of automatically partitioning the predetermined objects. The proposed tracking algorithm is also robust against overlapping and videos acquired by non-stationary cameras. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can precisely partition and track the predetermined objects in video frames. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.