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Rowan University

A framework based on Gaussian mixture models and Kalman filters for the segmentation and tracking of anomalous events in shipboard video

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Anomalous indications in monitoring equipment on board U.S. Navy vessels must be handled in a timely manner to prevent catastrophic system failure. The development of sensor data analysis techniques to assist a ship's crew in monitoring machinery and summon required ship-to-shore assistance is of considerable benefit to the Navy. In addition, the Navy has a large interest in the development of distance support technology in its ongoing efforts to reduce manning on ships. In this thesis, algorithms have been developed for the detection of anomalous events that can be identified from the analysis of monochromatic stationary ship surveillance video streams. The specific anomalies that we have focused on are the presence and growth of smoke and fire events inside the frames of the video stream. The algorithm consists of the following steps. First, a foreground segmentation algorithm based on adaptive Gaussian mixture models is employed to detect the presence of motion in a scene. The algorithm is adapted to emphasize gray-level characteristics related to smoke and fire events in the frame. Next, shape discriminant features in the foreground are enhanced using morphological operations. Following this step, the anomalous indication is tracked between frames using Kalman filtering. Finally, gray level shape and motion features corresponding to the anomaly are subjected to principal component analysis and classified using a multilayer perceptron neural network. The algorithm is exercised on 68 video streams that include the presence of anomalous events (such as fire and smoke) and benign/nuisance events (such as humans walking the field of view). Initial results show that the algorithm is successful in detecting anomalies in video streams, and is suitable for application in shipboard environments.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.S. Engineering
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Year dc:date.available
2010

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Wenger, Ben
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Mandayam, Shreekanth

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/28
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1027

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Rowan University
Base URL
rdw.rowan.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Wenger, Ben. A framework based on Gaussian mixture models and Kalman filters for the segmentation and tracking of anomalous events in shipboard video. Thesis thesis, 2010. https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/28