In this work, we propose a distributed control strategy for perimeter patrolling and target tracking in a multi-camera video surveillance system with communication, resources and speed constraints. These cameras are required to monitor a perimeter and share common portions of this perimeter to allow redundant coverage. We propose an algorithm that is able to find the global patrolling strategy only through local asynchronous communication and coordination of neighboring cameras even in presence of physical limits of each camera visibility area. The algorithm converges to an optimal solution, and its distributed implementation is obtained through an electric circuit analogy. The proposed system also includes a Kalman-based filter for each camera to track moving targets within its areas of competence, and a distributed coordination scheme for target hand-off between different cameras that guarantees target locking at all times. Numerical simulations are provided to test the proposed algorithms

Driving simulators play an important role in the development of new vehicles and advanced driver assistance devices. In fact, on the one hand, having a human driver on a driving simulator allows automotive OEMs to bridge the gap between virtual prototyping and on-road testing during the vehicle development phase. On the other hand, novel driver assistance systems (such as advanced accident avoidance systems) can be safely tested by having the driver operating the vehicle in a virtual, highly realistic environment, while being exposed to hazardous situations. In both applications, it is crucial to faithfully reproduce in the simulator the drivers perception of forces acting on the vehicle and its acceleration. The strategy used to operate the simulator platform within its limited working space to provide the driver with the most realistic perception goes under the name of motion cueing. In this paper we describe a novel approach to motion cueing design that is based on Model Predictive Control techniques. Two features characterize the algorithm, namely, the use of a detailed model of the human vestibular system and a predictive strategy based on the availability of a virtual driver. Differently from classical schemes based on washout filters, such features allows a better implementation of tilt coordination and to handle more efficiently the platform limits