Interview with Dr. Ahmed Nabil Belbachir, editor of the book Smart Cameras

Computer Vision Central interviews Dr. Ahmed Nabil Belbachir, editor of the book Smart Cameras (Springer 2009)

1. Tell us about yourself, including your background in computer vision and smart cameras.

My name is Ahmed Nabil Belbachir, (PhD in Computer Science in 2005, Master in Signal Processing in 2000 and Engineer in Electronics 1996). Senior scientist at AIT Austrian Institute of Technology since 2006, dealing with intelligent vision systems, specifically those inspired from the biology. Before AIT, I worked at Vienna University of Technology where I was involved in the Herschel Space Observatory project from the European Space Agency (ESA), and I was responsible for the data reduction and image compression for PACS camera. Among others, I developed the on-board reduction/compression software for the IR photo-detector camera PACS. I was one of the first dealing with on-board processing for infrared observatories (see also my book of 2008 on this topic).

2. How did you come to work in smart cameras? How do you see this research area grow in the next 5-10 years?

My previous investigation within the ESA project was actually dealing with one type of smart cameras, that is, "stand-alone smart infrared cameras". My actual work at AIT is dealing with biologically-inspired smart cameras. After having published the first book on-board processing for infrared observatories, I noticed a lack of a single and reliable reference and definition for this important topic of smart cameras. While many commercial contributors (mainly in the machine vision community) used the term "smart cameras" for marketing their products, scientists were mainly concerned with basic aspects and new findings from disparate scientific fields related to smart cameras. For this reason, I decided to create a single reference on smart cameras by bringing contributions from scientists and industry in one volume.

Cameras are getting more compact, low-cost, emerging for a wide range of applications such that the number of cameras installed and operated is increasing very fast. On the other hand the capacity of memory devices is increasing rapidly at low-cost prices. As a consequence, there are and will be a huge number of cameras (in the order of billions) operating and delivering zettabytes or yottabytes of data for the next five decades. Therefore, applications and research related to smart cameras is expected to rapidly grow in the next years.

3. You are currently involved in the Embedded Computer Vision workshop. Tell us how that experience influenced your work and your writing.

I attended the Embedded Computer Vision (ECV) in 2008, I organized it as program chair in 2009 and I am organizing it as a general chair in 2010. While the idea of the Smart Cameras book came before, my participation to ECV2008 influenced its content. This workshop allowed me to meet and discuss with scientists who influenced the book content. Some of them influenced through discussions and other contributed with chapters.

4. Tell us more about the book and the type of readers you are reaching.

The book targets professionals, researchers and practitioners who are interested in research and applications of smart cameras. The book provides background information, fundamentals, and an overview of the historical evolution, applications and the latest trends in smart cameras. It is subdivided in eight parts with a total of twenty chapters. Part I comprises three chapters which provide a detailed (historical and conceptual) introduction to smart cameras. Part II provides in two chapters important background information on imaging technologies. Part III presents three chapters which investigate embedded vision aspects. Part IV provides examples of three computer vision methods (self-calibration, object segmentation and change detection and object tracking) for smart cameras. Part V comprises four chapters that deal with distributed smart cameras. Part VI features three selected applications of smart cameras: machine vision, visual surveillance applications and camera-based automotive systems. Part VII comprises chapter 19, which highlights the market evolution of smart cameras. Interviews conducted at the "Vision Expo 2008" in Germany provide facts and figures to illustrate the current market situation and requirements for smart cameras. Part VIII comprises chapter 20, which provides future perspectives and directions of smart cameras by considering the scientific interest, application needs and the market evolution.

5. What was the most difficult part of writing your book? Is there anything you found particularly challenging about writing a book?

I edited the book and wrote two chapters. The other chapters were written by other specialists. The book has a large scientific spectrum involving electronic engineering (sensors and technologies), computer science (computer vision), embedded systems, applications of computer vision and market research. For this reason, it was important for me to involve scientists and experts from all these fields. The most difficult thing was to find coherent content involving all the above listed fields, to coordinate between all contributions and to realize the book within the one year time.

Another difficulty was to collect old information about smart cameras (60s, 70s and 80s). I have to thank the scientists and inventers who supported me for this research like Richard Lyon, Steve Kirsch, Hans Moravec and many others.

6. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in writing this book?

The most surprising information was about the long history of the smart cameras (1000 years) and about the most selling smart camera, that is the optical mouse.

7. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?

No. I am fully satisfied with the book.

8. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? Do you have a message that you want convey to your readers?

If you are interested in research, technologies, applications and markets related to smart cameras, this book can serve you without being a specialist.

9. What advice would you give to people interested in entering the field of smart cameras?

This field has large research and market potential with many open questions and big challenges. The book provides a few ideas, unsolved research questions, potential applications and future market orientations. I hope to have supported ambitious scientists and practitioners in finding attractive topics for contribution towards developing future smart cameras.

Click Here to buy the book:

.	Smart Cameras by Ahmed Nabil Belbachir

An interview by Sek Chai. Disclosure: Computer Vision Central is an official website for the book, Smart Cameras.