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SPECIAL REPORT

Next Generation Indoor People Counting Solutions Anonymous People Tracking (And Counting) Indoors Why People Counting Solutions are Important Getting the Most out of People Trackers Why Privacy is a Major Issue for Airports How New Technology is Revolutionising People Counting

Sponsored by

Published by Global Business Media

“Accurate people counting and tracking compromises people‘s privacy“

“Not true!“ Observer™ products use depth sensors to acquire the track of each person moving inside the monitored area. Depth sensors inherently protect people’s privacy - it is impossible to recognize a person! Detection zones can be augmented simply by adding Observer devices and provide some detection zone overlap. Counts are derived from the tracks generated by each person - there’s no inherent limit to how many count objects (line- or polygon-shaped) can be employed!

Observer One

Observer II

CCTV

RF-based

inherent privacy-protection

auto-calibration

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gadget-tracker

people-tracker

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(with illuminator)

some

works in darkness expandable detection zone accurate tracking PoE-powered

n/a

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ADEC Technologies AG Gublenstrasse 1 8733 Eschenbach, Switzerland +41-55-214-2400 • +41-55-214-2402 (fax) info@adec-technologies.com • www.adec-technologies.com

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SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION INDOOR PEOPLE COUNTING SOLUTIONS

SPECIAL REPORT

Next Generation Indoor People Counting Solutions Anonymous People Tracking (And Counting) Indoors Why People Counting Solutions are Important

Contents

Getting the Most out of People Trackers Why Privacy is a Major Issue for Airports How New Technology is Revolutionising People Counting

Foreword

Tom Cropper, Editor

Anonymous People Tracking (And Counting) Indoors 3 Andreas Hartmann, ADEC Technologies Sponsored by

Published by Global Business Media

Keeping a Track on Passenger Volume CCTV – Not the Perfect Answer The Advent of Depth Sensors ADEC Technologies’ Observer People Counter & Tracker System

Global Business Media Limited 62 The Street Ashtead Surrey KT21 1AT United Kingdom

Why People Counting Solutions are Important

Switchboard: +44 (0)1737 850 939 Fax: +44 (0)1737 851 952 Email: info@globalbusinessmedia.org Website: www.globalbusinessmedia.org Publisher Kevin Bell

Counting people Customer Experience Security Retail Moving Forward

Business Development Director Marie-Anne Brooks

Getting the Most out of People Trackers

Editor Tom Cropper Senior Project Manager Steve Banks Advertising Executives Michael McCarthy Abigail Coombes Production Manager Paul Davies For further information visit: www.globalbusinessmedia.org The opinions and views expressed in the editorial content in this publication are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of any organisation with which they may be associated. Material in advertisements and promotional features may be considered to represent the views of the advertisers and promoters. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily express the views of the Publishers or the Editor. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, neither the Publishers nor the Editor are responsible for such opinions and views or for any inaccuracies in the articles.

© 2014. The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright. Full details are available from the Publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

Tom Cropper, Editor

By James Butler, Staff Writer

Getting the Most from Technology Software Full Customer Journey Metrics Maximising Revenue Conclusion

Why Privacy is a Major Issue for Airports

Jo Roth, Staff Writer

Growth in Retail Analysing Shopper Behaviour Private Affairs

How New Technology is Revolutionising People Counting

Tom Cropper, Editor

Dubai Airport Heathrow Airport Smartphones Three Dimensional Tracking Conclusion

References 16

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SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION INDOOR PEOPLE COUNTING SOLUTIONS

Foreword A

IRPORTS ARE becoming bigger and more

advanced systems which provide highly accurate,

overcrowded by the year. Managing the flow

real time actionable data. This is allowing them to

of people through airport terminals is becoming

schedule staffing levels more effectively and to use

critical to reducing congestion and waiting

space within the terminal buildings more efficiently.

times, while improving the customer experience.

In the third article, James Butler looks at the different

Advanced people counting solutions are crucial

uses people counting solutions can be put to and

to this.

what airport managers should be thinking about

Airports have been tallying up the number of people

when deciding how to install the solution. As he

passing through its buildings for many years, but

illustrates, the range of uses is growing, from

these systems have been comparatively rudimentary

managing crowds, to improving the performance of

compared with the sophisticated and advanced

an airportâ€™s retail operation.

technology which is now becoming available on

That, though, as Jo Roth explores, creates a number

the market. This report will focus on some of these

of problems. Several airports around the world have

innovations and what their implications are for the

trialled video and Wifi based solutions designed

way in which airports run their affairs.

to improve people flow and retail performance.

In the first article, Andreas Hartmann of ADEC Technologies, talks about how his company has

However, this creates a PR headache over the use of passengersâ€™ personal information.

pioneered the use of highly accurate depth mapping

Finally, we take a closer look at several projects

people counting solutions. These have hitherto been

around the world which are putting the next

too expensive to be considered commercially viable,

generation of people tracking technology to use.

but as he explains, the available technology has

Each of these, in their own way, shows the

advanced to such a degree that cost has reduced,

considerable benefits that having accurate real

making these a compelling option for airport, retailers

time data on people flow can bring.

and other areas experiencing high people flow. The evolution of people tracking systems in general is looked at in the second piece. Airports are migrating from basic people counters to more

Tom Cropper Editor

Tom Cropper has produced articles and reports on various aspects of global business over the past 15 years. He has also worked as a copywriter for some of the largest corporations in the world, including ING, KPMG and the World Wildlife Fund.

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SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION INDOOR PEOPLE COUNTING SOLUTIONS

Anonymous People Tracking (And Counting) Indoors

ADEC Observer™ Products: „Anonymous people counting and tracking - to protect people‘s privacy and still get the data you need!“

Andreas Hartmann, ADEC Technologies Tracking People While Protecting People’s Privacy

Keeping a Track on Passenger Volume The goal of a people counting and tracking system is to accurately measure passenger volume at any point in time. This aggregate volume at a given point in time can be put in relation to the arriving flight schedule, i.e. the sum of the passenger volume at the N originating airports at some prior point in time:

The relationship is established using an unknown function. Simply put, the goal is to find an estimate for the unknown relationship by accurately accounting for passenger flow in a given airport and put that in the context of the arriving and departing flight schedule. Following the traffic upstream, the arriving flight schedule can be derived from the flight departure schedules at the originating airports. The share of the traffic that typically requires more time (and more personnel expenses) is generated by the passengers departing from an airport as they need to pass extensive security checks. While larger airports have a steadier flow of passengers due to the sheer number of departing flights, on smaller airports the gains from optimally allocating work schedules at security checks etc. are greater. Hence, smaller airports can benefit the most from establishing an accurate relationship between incoming and outgoing flights and the workload at its service points.

CCTV – Not the Perfect Answer The growing use of CCTV surveillance for security purposes may lead to the conclusion that such video systems could be tabbed for people counting applications, given the fact that today the software is certainly present to accommodate such additional features. The use of existing CCTV systems for security purposes however does not properly take into account people’s concerns for privacy nor are such cameras typically installed at locations that would optimally serve the latter purpose – counting and tracking of passengers. Passengers will certainly understand they are being monitored to some degree – the absence of any reluctance to have boarding passes scanned at automatic gates with integrated scanners proves that – but most passengers should be expected to resent the fact that the surveillance system can tell of each and every passenger where he likes to shop or purchase a meal.

3D-depth sensors, unlike CCTV cameras, stereovision CCTV or RF-based technologies, inherently protect people’s privacy while acquiring each person’s path for counting or tracking applications. No Vid eo

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IRPORTS ARE major organizations with a vast number of dependencies, i.e. external factors that impact the internal processes. A major such factor obviously is the inbound and outbound flight schedule , which impacts the queue lengths at the security lines, at luggage claims, immigration (if any) and all the other secondary service points such as restaurants, duty-free shops etc. The flight schedule at an airport is affected by numerous factors that vary daily, most of which are beyond the control of the airport personnel and management. Variations are caused by delays at originating airports (that is, the airports from where the arriving flights originate), weather and precipitation, as well as season and air-traffic management system’s capacity to handle and guide flight movements. Numerous studies have been conducted to explore the interconnections between these factors1,2,3 and gauge their economic impact, particularly the impact of flight delays. The impact on the cost of airport operations caused by this variability is less well known. It is obvious though that such variability poses particular challenges to airport operators. In times of tight budgets (most of the largest airports are publicly owned, either directly or through special management corporations) or pressure to maximize return on equity, the incentives to optimally accommodate variations in passenger flow are not far-fetched.

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ADEC Observer products feature: • inherent privacy protection • auto-calibration • easy expansion of coverage simply by adding Observers • equally high performance in complete darkness • PoE capability for easy wiring

www.adec-technologies.com +41-55-214-2400

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While larger airports have a steadier flow of passengers due to the sheer number of departing flights, on smaller airports the gains from optimally

The Advent of Depth Sensors Luckily, there are other systems available that can observe the passengers as they pass through the gates, or wait in queues. This article describes such a system. It uses neither CCTV nor does it use RF tracking of passengers mobile gadgets (such as Bluetooth or WiFi tracker). This system takes advantage of relatively new technologies that only recently have become affordable. These are so-called depth sensors. While this kind sensor does not measure the depth it is immersed under water, it is similar to a CCTV camera, but instead of the luminosity (or color) of each pixel it provides the distance information of each pixel between an object and the sensor. The output is not an image composed of pixels with different luminosity (or color), but instead, a so-called depth-map: Each pixel has a distance associated with it.

allocating work schedules at security checks etc. are greater

FIGURE 1: DEPTH-IMAGE OF TWO PERSONS IN FRONT OF A WALL, BLUE COLORS SIGNIFY SHORTER DISTANCES, ORANGE ONES GREATER DISTANCES

There are various technologies that enable sensors to measure an object’s dimensions in 3D and generate the depth map. The obvious approach is to use stereo vision cameras. These are very similar to regular CCTV cameras but instead of a single lens (and a single sensor) they use two lenses (and two sensors) that are offset by a well-defined distance, similar to how we humans perceive depth using stereo-vision using our eyes. Using CCTV in a stereo-vision setup does not inherently address the problem of privacy protection; the system acquires and processes black and white or color images. Further, due to the fact that some shapes are much easier to obtain distance information than others, stereo-vision approach requires greater computational work than depth images obtained by a system that measures the distance directly. • Time-of-Flight Sensors Other systems use typically a variation of the following approach: Single-wavelength light is emitted in a sine-wave pattern, and the reflected light’s sine wave’s phase shift is measured for each pixel. The greater the travel-time of the light from the laser diode to the object and back the 4 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM

longer the time the light has traveled and thus the greater the phase shift will be. The phase shift is therefore directly proportional to the distance. Similar to this approach is a technique used by sensors that use pulsed light, in which case a short burst of light is emitted and the time it takes until some light returns from the object is measured. Both these approaches fall under the category of time-of-flight (‘TOF’)sensors, where flight here has nothing to do with airplanes, instead it refers the flight of the light-waves from the sensor to the object and back. • Structured-Light Sensors A third way of obtaining the depth map of a system uses so called structured-light sensors. This approach also uses a near infra-red laser light emitter that projects a pattern onto the scene. The sensor reads the pattern and processes the changes in alignment of the pattern into distances. The use of Kinect sensors, made popular by Microsoft’s Xbox gaming console, is the most well-known implementation of this type of technology. • Stereo Vision The stereo-vision based approach is different from the other two depth-measurement technologies in that it does not emit any light. It uses mere environmental light. For applications with low or possibly no environmental light source, illuminators can be used to light the scene. The TOF as well as the structured light depth sensor emit light and are thus not suitable, with exceptions, for applications where the scene is affected by direct sunlight.

ADEC Technologies’ Observer People Counter & Tracker System All these technologies have their merits and pitfalls, affecting performance, cost, longevity and reliability. Instead of attempting to choose the “best” technology, realizing that one single technology does not fit the different scenarios customers are typically calling for, we have pursued the approach that any technology can be used with our Observer people counter & tracker system as long as it provides a viable depth image stream. ADEC Technologies’ people counter and tracker product line consists of two distinct systems that are compatible but satisfy different needs. The Observer One integrates a structured light depth sensor with a computing platform to process the depth data stream for extracting passing people and a database to manage the counter objects. It is powered through a single network cable that also delivers the power via 802.3af (also known as Power-over-Ethernet,

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION INDOOR PEOPLE COUNTING SOLUTIONS

or PoE). This version primarily addresses those customers that value easy wiring and mounting heights up to 4.5 m (15 ft.)

ADEC Observer™ Products: „Anonymous people counting and tracking - to protect people‘s privacy and still get the data you need!“

FIGURE 4: TRACK-ID HANDOVER PROCESS

FIGURE 2: OBSERVER ONE SCHEMATIC

FIGURE 3: OBSERVER ONE WORKING PRINCIPLE

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The device is mounted at between 2.8 and 4.5 meters above the floor and is aimed vertically down to the area where the counting process is to take place. ADECs patent-pending solution permits easily augmenting the detection zone by adding as many Observer One devices as necessary. Each Observer One device detects and tracks standing or walking people in its field of view. If the person exits the detection zone of an Observer One, it communicates with the neighboring Observer One that is monitoring the area into which the person is moving and transmits the unique ID (track-ID), which has

been assigned to the person upon entering the aggregate monitored area, to the Observer One so it can continue to track the person: (1) Person enters the monitored area through Observer A (2) As the person is about to exit the detection zone of Observer A and enter that of Observer B, A informs B about the impending entrance of the person and passes along the person’s Track-ID (3) The person is about to exit the monitored area, the resulting track is closed The Observer II on the other hand uses a design that separates the computing platform from the depth sensors. Instead of a single built-in depth sensor using structured light depthmeasurement technology, the Observer II supports external depth sensors that utilize USB, Ethernet or PoE Ethernet to transmit the depth image data. Multiple sensors can be connected to the same Observer II unit. Observer II units communicate to each other and to Observer One units in the same manner as do Observer One units, in fact, Observer One and Observer II devices can be used with overlapping detection zones in the same installation. The inherent communication between Observer sensors as people pass from zone to zone are the same as with the Observer One. By now we got to know the devices to track people. Next we take a closer look at the data that the process of tracking people produces using a real-world (albeit simple) example of a detection zone consisting of two sensors (ET1, ET2). The excerpt of the database is shown in Figure 5. The

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FIGURE 5: OBSERVER II SCHEMATIC

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ADECs patent-pending solution permits easily augmenting the detection zone by adding as many Observer One devices as necessary

person that enters the monitored area through ET2 and exits from ET1: 1. R ows 1-4: ET2 reports the details of the new track to the database. The randomlygenerated track-ID 96A44… (in the “trackIDBin” column) uniquely identifies the person 2. R ow 5: The first time ET1 reports the track, NEWN indicates this track is “new” but it results from a neighbor’s notification (rather than a detection) 3. R ow 6, 8: ET2 continues to report the location of the person, but soon the person leaves ET2’s detection zone 4. Row 9, 12,14,15: ET2 doesn’t really see the track anymore and closes it (Row 15). 5. R ow 11, 13, 15-18: While ET2 loses track, literally, of the person, ET1 starts to report the person’s position until 6. R ow 19-21: ET1 too, loses track of the person and closes the track. It is evident from the database excerpt that the Observer units must be synchronized, i.e. they must use the same time-source. The timestamp column reveals that it took the person 22.11 – 19.10 = 3.01 seconds to pass the (small) aggregate field of view. A larger installation monitoring an area with many people moving simultaneously generates quite a bit of data. The trackpoints, like those shown in Figure 5, are the basis for the actual counting. Counting occurs indirectly using the track-points; it is essentially a by-product of the trackpoints data. To obtain counting information, counting objects are applied to the trackpoints. The DBCounter software – part of the Observer software package – provides basic counting functionality by allowing the user to create line- or polygon-shaped counting structures. Counting structures are created using the Commissioning software that

is also used to perform the two distinct calibration processes for a successful commissioning of a site. The intrinsic calibration is used to measure the mounting height and alignment of the sensor to the floor. The extrinsic calibration properly positions the sensors in relation to each other so that the hand-over of the tracks occur seamlessly. The following illustration shows the system overview of the Observer people tracking system:

FIGURE 7: OBSERVER TRACKING SYSTEM OVERVIEW

ADEC’s anonymous people tracking system gives a viable alternative to those owners and operators who care for their customers’ privacy and would like to emphasize this additional benefit to their clientele so as to gain a competitive advantage. The privacy-protection does not mean a reduced amount of useful data, instead, useful data can be collected anonymously, while promoting the privacy-protection aspect – an ever increasing concern of many people.

FIGURE 6: SAMPLE DATABASE EXCERPT OF A PERSON CROSSING TWO ADJACENT DETECTION ZONES

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References: 1

The impact of airline flight schedules on flight delays: An analysis of block-time, delay propagation, and schedule optimization using stochastic models by Mazhar Arikan, Purdue University

ADEC Observer™ Products: „Anonymous people counting and tracking - to protect people‘s privacy and still get the data you need!“

Analysis of aircraft arrival delay and airport on-time performance by Yuqiong Bai, University of Central Florida, Orlando (FL) 2006

Who owns and manages privatized airports? Compiled by Momberger Airport Information March 2012

Contact Andreas Hartmann, M.Sc.EE, M.B.A Co-Founder ADEC Technologies AG Gublenstrasse 1 8733 Eschenbach (Switzerland) +41-55-214-2400 +41-55-214-2402 (fax) www.adec-technologies.ch info@adec-technologies.ch

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FIGURE 8: LOOK FOR THIS LOGO AND GAIN THE TRUST FROM YOUR CUSTOMERS!

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Why People Counting Solutions are Important Tom Cropper, Editor With visitor numbers growing and competition increasing, people counting software is crucial in helping airports improve their offering to passengers.

The problem is there is a lack of reliable information available to airport managers

VERY DAY around 200,000 people pass through Heathrow, Britainâ€™s busiest airport, and with airport traffic increasing year on year that number is likely to grow. Managing the flow of passengers through the terminals in a more effective way is important for reducing queuing times and congestion, improving the overall customer experience, and helping retailers to maximise benefit from the volume of passengers arriving and departing each day.

Counting people At the same time as passenger numbers are growing, security requirements are becoming more complex and behaviour patterns are changing. The problem is there is a lack of reliable information available to airport managers. People tracking solutions can offer at least some of the answers. They can provide information about what areas people visit, what they do when they get there, how the terminals respond during peak times and which areas are most vulnerable to congestion. A typical counting solution may include cameras placed strategically throughout the terminal, helping to compile real time, live footfall data which can give operators an instant look at how many people are passing through at any one time. Linking these cameras to space management software can help airports to utilise space more efficiently, schedule extra staff when needed and deal with any problems as and when they occur. An example of how a system is being used can be seen at East Midlands Airport1 where a video counting system counts passengers at three key points in the departing journey: entering the hall, entering security and exiting security. This is firstly a more efficient approach than manual counting methods, and can provide reliable information on processing times at these key points. The cameras are linked to a forecasting system which can be used to produce daily forecasts which can help them predict fluctuations in demand on security, check-in desks and retail outlets. 8 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM

There are multiple uses for these systems, but there are three compelling reasons why airports are so keen to get their hands on this data: a better customer experience, coping with new security demands, and improving retail performance.

Customer Experience Visit a number of different airports and you wonâ€™t fail to notice how different they can be in terms of the experience they offer to their passengers. Airports in East Asia such as Singapore routinely score highly on customer satisfaction surveys. Key to that success is an ability to reduce waiting times throughout the customer journey, and airports around the world are looking at innovations which can ease congestion. JFK, for example, has implemented smaller security kiosks which it says has played a role in reducing waiting time2. Automatic passport control and check-in systems are also being used to speed customers through the entire process. However, key to all this is gaining an understanding more about passenger flows and people movement. This can allow airport operators to identify areas of bottleneck and develop solutions to address them accordingly.

Security With every new terror alert, security restrictions become more severe and complex. Passengers are already routinely asked to remove shoes and belts; random searches are becoming more common and scanners are more sensitive, increasing the range of objects which could trigger alarms. This summer, news that western extremists could be concealing explosives inside electronic devices meant passengers would have to undergo an additional layer of security as their mobile phones were checked. All this leads to delays and increased waiting times. As well as mitigating these delays, though, people counters can increase the level of security at airports. Advanced systems can be used to address issues such as tail-gating, piggy backing

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION INDOOR PEOPLE COUNTING SOLUTIONS

ADEC Observer™ Products: „Anonymous people counting and tracking - to protect people‘s privacy and still get the data you need!“

and credential pass back and can lock doors or trigger alarms when needed. Equally, people counting can be used to control immigration. In the US, officials use people tracking solutions to identify those individuals who enter, but never leave3. Equally GPS monitors can be used to ensure the safety of vulnerable young people and adults, such as those with dementia. It all contributes to a safer and more secure environment for passengers.

Retail

Moving Forward Those concerns, though, are a real issue for airports. Although we live in a society of constant surveillance, passengers are uncomfortable with their every movement within an airport terminal being traced. High profile leaks of supposedly secure data undermine public trust that any images or personal data of theirs will be kept safe. As such there is a requirement for the development of more advanced people counting systems which restrict airports to monitoring crowds, while ensuring individual identities are protected. Technology which produces and uses thermal images or 3D technology delivers that level of reassurance, but cost remains a significant barrier to adoption. However, with technological advancements elsewhere making these systems considerably more affordable, the next few years are seeing the introduction of new nonintrusive systems that achieve the aims of airport operators while respecting the rights to privacy of their passengers. This will be the challenge confronting airport operators over the course of the next few years. The good news, as articles later in this report will demonstrate, is that there are suppliers delivering just the kind of innovations the industry demands.

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Retail is becoming an increasingly important source of revenue as airports look to reduce their reliance on airline fees in favour of other, more diverse, sources. In order to maximise their performance in this area, airports around the world are undertaking initiatives to improve their retail offering. Research suggests there is room for improvement – understanding the way in which different people shop at airports is crucial. For example, a recent white paper by Research For Travel suggests that passengers from China are more likely to go for big name brands while UK passengers prefer niche products4. People counting solutions can increase the amount of information available by showing more information about where people visit, how long they linger and what they buy. Moving to monitoring systems which scan for Wifi signals provides an extra layer of data about shopper behaviour. By using opt-in apps, airports can also direct personalised promotional messages to individual customers enabling them

to get deals on the products they are looking for. These devices have controversial implications for privacy, but despite concerns from passengers, airports are investigating ways to make use of this information to increase their sales.

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Getting the Most out of People Trackers By James Butler, Staff Writer Airports are looking to people tracking solutions to deliver a number of solutions. What their end goals are will determine the way in which they implement these systems.

Their intention is relatively simple – to provide accurate measurements on passenger volume and traffic flow as people pass through the terminal

ETAILERS AND other commercial organisations have long been counting footfall in their outlets as an important metric in assessing performance and identifying potential problems with people management. However, recent years have seen a move away from basic footfall counters to more sophisticated traffic management systems which can provide enhanced information on space management and shopper behaviour. These systems, which perform so well in the retail sphere, are also making their presence felt in airports, where monitoring the movement of people can help identify areas of potential concern, reduce queuing and generally improve the overall customer experience. However, barriers exist to creating systems which deliver the required richness of data, while also addressing customer concerns over privacy.

Getting the Most from Technology The majority of people movement counters use video cameras to count people as they pass through key areas of a building such as check-in or security. Their intention is relatively simple – to provide accurate measurements on passenger volume and traffic flow as people pass through the terminal. However, more advanced products are coming to market which can provide a far more accurate picture and address concerns over privacy. Thermal imaging and 3D scanning packages can remove the ability of the system to capture images of individuals, thereby providing a level of protection for their personal identity. Until now the cost of technology has been a prohibitive factor, but this is now becoming less of a factor, making them affordable for use in a commercial environment, as Andreas Hartmann, marketing manager of ADEC explains. His company has been developing non-invasive counting technology since 2009. 10 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM

However, until now, these systems have been considered unaffordable. “During our development, the entire technology available to us changed dramatically,” he explains. “Incorporating these new technologies we are now able to offer privacy preserving, highly accurate people counter applications that, up until now, would require more expensive solutions or ones which were incompatible with privacy protection regulation.” As technology becomes more affordable, a new generation of secure and ultra-accurate sensors is coming to market, dramatically increasing the level of real time data available.

Software While much attention is focused on the development of the sensors themselves, this represents only part of the story. Much depends on the software backing it up, which can help staff make use of all the information they receive. It is now possible for staff to access data from any computer in the world which has access to the internet, running diagnostics, maintenance and gathering quite unprecedented levels of data – all in real time. Alerts can be sent from a control centre to staff on the ground, enabling them to take action immediately when needed. This is crucial in ensuring the data harvested by cameras or sensors can be used in the real world.

Full Customer Journey Metrics Much work has already been done on analysing traffic flow through key areas during the departure journey. However, to truly gain advances, operators will need a view on the entire passenger journey cycle within the airport – that means those arriving as well as departing. This is the major flaw in East Midlands’ current project which seeks to roll out people counting measures at key points in the departing journey only5. However, installing cameras for arrivals is on the agenda for the airport in the future.

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION INDOOR PEOPLE COUNTING SOLUTIONS

ADEC Observer™ Products: „Anonymous people counting and tracking - to protect people‘s privacy and still get the data you need!“

Maximising Revenue

Technology such as infra-red sensors allows airports to look at footfall conversion, how many members of staff need to be on tills at any one time, and how to manage queuing times. Moreover, some are looking at using Wifi detectors not only to count passengers but to find new ways of selling. Apps can be delivered which allow users to receive personally tailored text messages containing promotions meant just for them, or alerts to any changes in their departure information. This, however, is controversial and while many passengers are happy to have their personal information accessed in order to provide useful selling messages, the majority remain wary. Even so the pressure to sell could see airports overcoming such scruples.

Conclusion There is no one size fits all solution for airport people counting solutions. Each one will have its own set of challenges and own particular goals. This will decide how data is collected, used and stored. As such, it is crucial for the end user and the supplier to work together in developing comprehensive monitor solutions which meet their own particular requirements. Equally, for suppliers it is important to deliver flexible solutions which can be tailored to offer a best-fit approach for customers.

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As technology improves, airport managers are finding a growing range of uses for the technology. Aside from benefits of crowd management, many are using these to boost their retail offering. As much as half of an airport’s total revenue stems from non-aviation activities, which include retail sales from walk through areas of the terminals. These have been particularly well exploited by airports in the Pacific and Asia, but major European airports have also experienced significant growth and are looking to expand revenue in these areas. As part of this, there is considerable demand for technologies which can show how passengers spend their waiting time, which retail outlets and product lines work most effectively, where footfall is heaviest, conversion rates of visitors to customers and the impact of queuing time on sales. They can even ascertain the value of display advertising placed around the airport. Airports have traditionally compiled metrics by comparing the number of sales to the number of boarding passes, but they are looking for increasingly rich levels of information. This leads them to divide customers among those who don’t shop at all; those who know what they’re looking for; those who make impulse purchases and those who do not buy, either because they can’t find what they are looking for or because it is too difficult for them to locate it.

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Why Privacy is a Major Issue for Airports Jo Roth, Staff Writer As airports become increasingly adept at counting and monitoring people, the issue of privacy is becoming a major cause for concern

They achieve the dual goal of delivering footfall information to retailers and airports, while guaranteeing the security of personal information

ITH HIGH street sales showing volatility over the last few years, major retailers are increasingly finding a safe haven in the world that lies beyond airline and security check-in. Here a captive audience of cash rich consumers have an hour or two to kill before their departures with nothing to do other than shop. Airport operators and retailers are working hard to maximise revenue from this increasingly lucrative source and people counting solutions have an important role to play. However, the more information they gather the more uneasy passengers become about the safety of their personal data.

Growth in Retail The last few years have seen an explosion in retail revenues in major international airports. Those in the Pacific and East Asia lead the way, with fashion being a primary mover, but Europe and the UK are not far behind. Major retailers such as WH Smith have announced plans to treble the amount of stores it takes in departure lounges while fashion chain Zara is among a number of big name brands that has opened up at Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Millions of people pass through departure lounges of the biggest airports every year making it every bit as valuable as a large shopping centre – if not more so. Speaking to the Financial Times, Vicky Wyatt, business development manager at Gatwick Airport said: “Airports offer a greater degree of resilience in a tough market than high streets. Every day is Saturday. For more retailers, their airport business outperforms their high street stores. When they’re in a holiday frame of mind, passengers are more likely to spend on discretionary items here than on the high street.”6 Purchasers are motivated by the perception that goods here will be cheaper than elsewhere, which means luxury foods, fashion and other niche items are popular purchases. Impulse buys of merchandise and last minute gifts also do good business.

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Analysing Shopper Behaviour The nature of shopping in departure lounges, where passengers must present their boarding passes to buy an item, already providers retailers with a huge amount of information about purchasers. They can see who buys, where they’re from and where they’re travelling to. For example, it can tell them that Nigerian women are more likely to buy shoes, UK holiday makers go for premium items or Chinese travellers reach for the big brand names. However, they want more and airports are increasingly expanding their footfall monitoring efforts from just the departure journey to analyse the retail experience. Sensors placed in retail areas can provide information on passenger movements, visits-to-sales conversion rates, which items sell best, how queuing times affect conversion and much more. This allows them to plan space better, making it simpler and faster to get customers to the tills. Some airports are taking this a step further and tracking mobile phone signals in an attempt to gather more information and increase their engagement with shoppers. Helsinki Airport has recently started to use mobile phone technology to track the movements of people through the airport7. Monitors placed around the facility track Wifi signals enabling the operators of the airport to track the movements of people in and around the building. An opt-in app can also enable passengers to receive personally tailored promotional messages direct to their smartphones, pointing them to special offers and brands that may suit their interests. In addition, this app can be used to alert passengers to any changes of their departure information, such as a change of time or gate.

Private Affairs However, while some may welcome the opportunity to receive more tailored marketing, the entire issue of having your movement monitored is a source of considerable controversy. To

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Speaking to Bloomberg, Antti Tikkanen, director of security response at software maker F-Secure said: “The fact that my movements are tracked is a scarier thought than someone knowing which websites I visit. I have a hard time believing location tracking is only left at statistics when the same technology makes so many other things possible.”10 High profile security leaks, such as Apple’s loss of data from iCloud, mean that even when the intention is not there, the public simply does not trust the integrity of security measures. The only way to provide the reassurance that customers are looking for is to create systems that could not store images or personal information even if they tried. To meet this demand a new generation of people trackers using thermal imaging, infrared and three dimensional depth mapping are coming to market. Until now the cost of delivering these products to the market has been prohibitive, but developments in technology mean they are increasingly becoming a viable option. They achieve the dual goal of delivering footfall information to retailers and airports, while guaranteeing the security of personal information. As such, it is these solutions that will be central in making up the next generation of people counting solutions.

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illustrate, just look at the media coverage Helsinki’s innovations attracted. The Daily Telegraph labelled it the ‘Big Brother Airport’8. The Daily Mail was equally unequivocal claiming ‘Big Brother is Watching You’9. We do live in a surveillance society, but the thought that cameras and Wifi sensors are monitoring our every movement and buying decision sits uncomfortably with passengers. Finnavia, which operates Helsinki Airport, insists that the sole purpose of the technology is to provide greater levels of information on crowd movement within the building eliminating bottlenecking at security checkpoints or shopping areas. They insist that the monitors do not store any personal data relating to the owners of the mobile device. The sensors will either passively monitor signals or use an app-based opt in; they will collect the unique identifier number of MAC address from devices searching for Wifi networks, before scrambling the information and sending it to the servers. They believe their passengers will be comfortable with the technology and estimate that around 60% of people will leave their Wifi on once the new devices have been introduced. However, public trust in how governments and commercial organisations store and make use of personal information is at an all-time low.

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How New Technology is Revolutionising People Counting Tom Cropper, Editor As new technology becomes more affordable, a new generation of people counting solutions, tailored especially for airports is making its way onto the market.

Concerns over privacy, plus the need to maintain accurate scanning in high density traffic areas has prompted some providers to look towards non-invasive, extremely accurate solutions

EOPLE COUNTING solutions have long been a feature of high street retail, but until recently airports have lagged behind in terms of the sophistication of the solutions they use. Many have simply used their existing CCTV systems to deliver counts, but new solutions ranging from infra-red, Wifi detection and 3D imaging promise greater levels of accuracy and security than ever before. This article will look at a number of projects around the world which are putting this new technology to use.

Dubai Airport Management teams at Dubai Airport11 are transitioning thermal detection systems which are already widely used in the retail market for use in their airport. As part of what is the largest end to end service measurement programme of its kind, they will deploy over 1000 discrete infra-red sensors, which can measure everything from temperature to odour and ambience within the terminal. Within this are around 200 thermal detection counters that can feed data via a communication and data-based application to be displayed via operational dashboards, which can be accessed on any internet enabled device. It provides the operator of that device with real time information which can enable them to address any issues with congestion which might arise in their location. The first phase will be rolled out in high priority areas such as check-in, security, immigration and flight transfer to help identify areas of congestion and monitor passenger flows. Its implementation, say the airport operators, will play an important role in reducing waiting times in the airport.

Heathrow Airport The use of people trackers at Heathrow Airport indicates that there is literally nowhere these systems cannot go if required. The idea of installing trackers in retail areas was considered but rejected. However, they did decide that it 14 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM

would be helpful to have them in the toilets. This is why people who enter the public lavatories in Heathrow might see a small unit placed flush to the ceiling adjacent to the entrance. They use technology which has already been employed successfully in tracking people through public buses. It collects data in a way which captures no images, and helps to ensure toilets are cleaner, easy to use and that maintenance staff are less pressured. The box tallies real time data on people as they enter and leave the bathroom and can send a text message to bathroom staff at intervals of around every 200 customers. This means the bathroom is cleaned on the basis of use rather than an arbitrary schedule. This makes for cleaner toilets, and more efficient and content staff.

Smartphones Smartphone use has exploded over the last few years, so itâ€™s no surprise that several projects are taking place around the world trialling ways to improve people tracking by detecting the Wifi signals of these phones. As mentioned earlier in this report, the use of smartphones to capture personal information is a matter of some controversy, but it can also deliver significant benefits. Airports have already been using smartphones for a range of services such as automated checkins, to access flight information on the go or use a number of automated services from their airline. However, this only scratches the surface of whatâ€™s possible. Copenhagen Airport was one of the first to trial this system by using smartphone signals to track movement and shopping behaviour around the airport.12 This helps them to reduce waiting times and over-crowding, allowing them to send security staff to areas of high density to try and alleviate the backlog. However, it also provides a huge amount of data on shopping habits, which in turn can help them to target promotions and retail activity.

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By accessing an app, for example, smartphone users could receive all sorts of notifications about special offers, as well as being updated on journey information. Even so, the issue of privacy will be a serious point of division, which is why the search is on for other, less invasive options and that takes us to the most extreme end of what’s possible with the latest generation of people counting solutions.

Three Dimensional Tracking

Conclusion This is an exciting time in the development of people tracking technologies. Airport managers have seen how they have been used in the retail sector. They are moving on from systems which use the inputs from existing CCTV surveillance systems to those which can provide an unprecedented level of accuracy and real time data, which helps improve traffic flow as well as helping managers organise staffing levels and reduce overcrowding. A whole suite of technologies is now being developed, which have hitherto been deemed unaffordable for implementation. This means that the next few years are likely to see further escalation in the level of real time information available to operators of airports.

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Concerns over privacy, plus the need to maintain accurate scanning in high density traffic areas has prompted some providers to look towards non-invasive, extremely accurate solutions, such as three dimensional technology. These sensors lack the ability to capture an image or any sensitive personal information, so they offer the reassurance of privacy. Sensors measure the distance to any object producing an image composed of pixels, by what’s called a depth map. Each pixel has a depth associated with it which displays in a range of colours to create a silhouette of any object or person. These systems can deploy a mixture of technologies to create this map. One of the most common is stereo vision cameras which are similar to CCTV cameras. However, rather than a single lens or camera, they use two lenses, thus mimicking the way in which human eyes register depth and distances. Alternatively, single wave-length light emitters can be used to measure the depth of each pixel. This has an advantage over stereo cameras of not producing any photo-quality images of people. With stereo cameras, a black and white image is created. One of the leading names in this pioneering field is ADEC Technologies which has spent much of the last five years exploring non-intrusive alternatives to video or Wifi technology.13

The result was the Observer I and Observer II products which were released in summer 2013 and January 2014 respectively. These use 3D detectors to create a 3D point cloud which can be stored in a built-in or external database. This 3D approach firstly removes many of the privacy issues associated with CCTV or Wifi monitoring systems, and also provides an increased level of accuracy compared with conventional system, especially when it comes to difficult areas such as those with high volume or movement. ADEC says that its Observer systems deliver a typical accuracy of 99% in normal conditions and 96% in difficult conditions. “The platform permits the installation of larger scale people tracking projects with great accuracy while protecting each person’s privacy,” says Markus Guntensperger, Product Manager at ADEC Technologies. “The Observer II provides the analytics for up to five sensors that can be connected via a USB, Ethernet or even PoE.”

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References: 1

East Midlands Airport Case Study: http://www.peoplecounting.co.uk/files/East_Midlands_Airport_Passenger_Counting_Case_Study.pdf JFK Airport Kiosks result in less waiting times:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-06/jfk-airport-customs-kiosks-pay-off-in-shorter-wait-times.html US aims to track foreigners who enter but never leave:

http://www.npr.org/2013/05/01/180338462/u-s-aims-to-track-foreigners-who-arrive-but-never-leave 4

How airports can improve revenue and profitability from retail: http://researchfortravel.com/Documents/Europe-AirportFandB.pdf

East Midlands Airport Case Study: http://www.peoplecounting.co.uk/files/East_Midlands_Airport_Passenger_Counting_Case_Study.pdf

Shopping at airports take off: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f3946dd0-ffd4-11e0-89ce-00144feabdc0.html

Helsinki Airport installs world’s first real time passenger tracking system: http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=23814

Big Brother airport installs world’s first real time passenger tracking system:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/10997539/Big-Brother-airport-installs-worlds-first-real-time-passenger-tracking-system.html 9

Big Brother is Watching you…

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2710491/Helsinki-Airport-track-passengers-using-mobile-phone-WiFi.html 10

Airport becomes first to track passengers’ movements by phone:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2710491/Helsinki-Airport-track-passengers-using-mobile-phone-WiFi.html 11

People counting to eliminate congestion at Dubai:

http://www.irisys.co.uk/news-blog/bid/55262/People-counting-technology-to-eliminate-congestion-at-Dubai-Airport 12

New program in Copenhagen tracking passengers by Wifi: http://www.macgasm.net/2011/03/22/program-copenhagen-tracking-wifi-airport/

Immediate release of the Observer II:

http://www.adec-technologies.ch/News-Detailview.86.0.html?&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=42&cHash=fcddaa2229ab0fdf2917ad85215adc82

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