Human Attention Experiments For Evaluation Of Multi-Camera Video Summaries

Cameras used for observational purposes collect high volumes of video data. Unfortunately, not all that is collected is useful. To determine what a viewer presumes is interesting we conduct experiments using an eye tracker. Video sequences from two neighboring cameras are displayed simultaneously using a split screen format, reenacting what is done in practice, and the eye tracker records the user’s gaze patterns. Our hypothesis is that viewers will generally focus on one video while briefly referring to the other. Without the viewer’s knowledge, the sequences were edited to include several anomalies. The anomalies will involve the union of the two pieces of footage, where one of them won’t be logically coherent with the other, potentially creating a spark of interest. When the viewer is given an anomaly we expect that they will fixate on that video for a longer duration. It is those fixations that may provide hints about patterns of human interest. Proving this phenomenon increases our understanding of human gaze patterns, making the question “what is interesting to a viewer” more explicit. Applying the results to an algorithm, we can automate choosing which video segments are worth displaying to the user, establishing a more concise viewing experience.