1 Challenge the future

Measuring Crowd Density for Safety and Efficiency

Marco Cattani Embedded Software Group, TU Delft

2 Challenge the future

Motivations

Concerts, festivals and sporting events often attract large crowds.

© Alex Prager

Heineken Music Hall

3 Challenge the future

Motivations

Concerts, festivals and sporting events often attract large crowds.

Kingsday

4 Challenge the future

Motivations

Concerts, festivals and sporting events often attract large crowds.

© Alex Prager

Ajax Stadium

5 Challenge the future

Motivations

To improve planning and safety, we provide real-time visualization of crowd density.

6 Challenge the future

Solution

Low cost wristband that periodically senses and communicates the surrounding density.

7 Challenge the future

Solution

• Cheap: 10-20 $ • Compact: 38x14 mm •  Energy efficient: x20

• Accuracy: < 10% error •  Speed: sense in < 1’ • Concurrency: 100s nodes

Limited capabilities Powerful tool

8 Challenge the future

Demo

• Group of visitors •  1 device per person, 18 persons

• A selected subset of stands •  1 device per stand, measuring the surrounding density

• Visualizer •  Visitors: blue dots, mobile •  Stands: red/orange dots, static •  Mobility estimated from connectivity

Tracing the popularity of stands during a technology fair in Amsterdam

9 Challenge the future

Running experiment

Tracing the popularity of paintings at Cobra Museum in Amsterdam

10 Challenge the future

Conclusions

•  Improve safety and efficiency of crowds •  Help crowd managers •  Improve attendees awareness

• Not only for crowd monitoring •  Popularity of painting •  Usage of building’s facilities

• More information: www.cattanimarco.com à projects

Trace crowd density using a low cost wristband