A Real-Time Detection Algorithm for Vision-Based Pedestrian Protection

Abstract

This paper discusses the robust, real-time detection of stationary and moving pedestrians utilizing a single car-mounted monochrome camera. First, the system detects potential pedestrians above the ground plane by combining conventional Inverse Perspective Mapping (IPM)-based obstacle detection with the vertical 1D profile evaluation of the IPM detection result. Usage of the vertical profile increases the robustness of detection in low-contrast images as well as the detection of distant pedestrians significantly. A fast digital image stabilization algorithm is used to compensate for erroneous detections whenever the flat ground plane assumption is an inaccurate model of the road surface. Finally, a low-level pedestrian-oriented segmentation and fast symmetry search on the leg region of pedestrians is also presented. A novel approach termed Pedestrian Detection Strip (PDS) is used to improve the calculation time by a factor of six compared to conventional approaches.