condensationPy - Condensation Tracking in Python

Condensation Tracking algorithm in Python - a version based on the original OpenCV code

Background

Forked from https://github.com/cesarorosco/condensationPy for use in teaching within the undergraduate Computer Science programme at Durham University (UK) by Prof. Toby Breckon.

• Based on the Legacy version on OpenCV and the Android version available here: https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/opencv/+/android-5.1.1_r6/cv/src/cvcondens.cpp

• For the GUI example it's based on the example: http://www.morethantechnical.com/2011/06/17/simple-kalman-filter-for-tracking-using-opencv-2-2-w-code/

• For an introduction to particle filters read these before: http://www.anuncommonlab.com/articles/how-kalman-filters-work/

Code Details:

• live_tracking.py: live tracking of selected objects from webcam / video file
• Condensation.py: main tracking object for Condensation approach
• camera_stream.py: threaded camera capture interface

live_tracking.py runs with a webcam connected or from a command line supplied video file of a format OpenCV supports on your system (otherwise edit the script to provide your own image source).

Tested with OpenCV 3.x / 4.x and Python 3.x.

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How to download and run:

Download each file as needed or to clone the entire repository as follows:

git clone https://github.com/tobybreckon/condensationPy.git
cd condensationPy
python3 ./live_tracking.py [optional video file]

Command line usage of the main tracking demo is as follows:

$ python3 ./live_tracking.py -h
usage: live_tracking.py [-h] [-c CAMERA_TO_USE] [-r RESCALE] [video_file]

Perform Condensation (particle filter) tracking on an incoming camera image

positional arguments:
  video_file            specify optional video file

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -c CAMERA_TO_USE, --camera_to_use CAMERA_TO_USE
                        specify camera to use
  -r RESCALE, --rescale RESCALE
                        rescale image by this factor

Once the tracking script is running perform the following steps

• use the sliders in the "Hue Histogram Back projection" to isolate (in white) the colours of the object you want to track.
• click and drag in the main colour image window to select an object to track.
• ...
• press 'x' to exit

Demo source code is provided "as is" to aid learning and understanding of topics on the course and beyond.

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If you find any bugs raise an issue (or much better still submit a git pull request with a fix) - [email protected]

"may the source be with you" - anon.