Videoguard Project: intelligent image analysis to detect and prosecute poaching in Vigo

The Telecommunications Technology Center of Galicia participates in the Videoguard project, coordinated by Coremain, to develop a video surveillance system adapted to the maritime environment to detect and prosecute poaching in Vigo, in which Retegal also participates, Bastet and TRC.

Detect and prosecute poaching in Galicia, specifically in Vigo, is the goal of the Videoguard project, that uses intelligent image analysis technology for video surveillance adapted to the maritime environment in conditions of low or no visibility.

In this project, coordinated by the Spanish technology consulting company Coremain, The Galician Telecommunications Technology Center participates (Gradient – Galician Research and Development Center in Advanced Telecomunications), as well as the public telecommunications company Retega, the design specialist, installation and maintenance of security and telecommunications systems Bastet Engineering and the technological integrator and developer TRC.

The Videoguard project, financed by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through funds from the Feder Interconnect Galicia program 2012-2014, focuses on the development of an intelligent video analysis platform specially adapted to maritime and, concretely, in its application in coastal surveillance for the prevention and prosecution of poaching fishing and shellfish harvesting.

Among other challenges, developments focus on testing the feasibility of long-distance video surveillance deployment, taking advantage of the infrastructure available in the area.

At a technological level, The main objective of the project is the research and development of analysis algorithms adapted to natural environments, mainly for ground-based video surveillance in maritime and coastal environments, with systems that support the great variability of this environment and the low resolution of the objects in the image in conditions of very low or no visibility.

In this sense, new detection algorithms are being researched and developed, classification and tracking of objects in video based on the use of thermal imaging , suitable for the specific case of boats and people in these scenarios, since poaching usually occurs at night, or in low visibility conditions, poor lighting, which adds adverse weather conditions.

This consortium of companies, coordinated by Coremaint and in collaboration with Gradiant, which has made its developments in intelligent video analysis and monitoring available to the project, tries to optimize video surveillance recording technologies and systems with new detection algorithms, classification and movement of objects with thermal infrared cameras, which until now offer low image resolution.