New Software May Identify And Track An Individual In A Group

Researchers from the Spanish National Research Council (SNRC) have developed a new software tool that might be able to recognise and track people in large groups, which would make it difficult for criminals to disappear in a crowd.

The new software, called idTracker, is based on the discovery of some algorithms that enable the identification of each individual, allowing their tracking within a group.

The image of the individual becomes the particular ‘footprint’ that allows its tracking, although the human visual system cannot.

Even if they hide or temporarily disappear from the scene, these people are recognised by the programme when they enter the scene again.

"From now on, we will be able to quantitatively determine the rules of animal behaviour in groups, taking into account the individuality of each animal," said Gonzalo G de Polavieja, CSIC researcher and head of the study.

"Furthermore, it is possible to study the same individual in several videos because its 'footprint' is always the same. This enables a better understanding of their behaviour," Polavieja said.