Checking the crowd

    A method of gathering crowd density data using already installed cameras could lead to a new way of monitoring people's shopping habits.
    The software method uses installed surveillance cameras to monitor the number and flow of people throughout the day. Each person appears as a colored disc, making it easy to determine how people move through the area and where they choose to linger. It is designed to keep each person unidentifiable, and cannot track individuals.
    The technology could also be used as a real time crowd map, allowing users to find out the crowd size of a particular place, such as a restaurant or mall.