Object Tracking: CamShift Algorithm Implementation and Optimization

The CamShift algorithm is a color-feature-based target tracking method primarily used for real-time tracking of specific objects in video sequences. By analyzing the color distribution of the target region, this algorithm rapidly locates the target position in subsequent frames. This article introduces several MATLAB implementation optimizations for the CamShift algorithm that enhance its practicality and interactivity.

First, the traditional implementation required manual input of AVI filenames for video reading, which proved inconvenient in practical applications. The improved version directly reads video files using MATLAB's VideoReader function, simplifying the operational workflow. Additionally, whereas the original algorithm required creating separate AVI files to save results, the optimized implementation now displays tracking results in real-time through MATLAB's figure window, significantly improving interactivity and real-time performance.

The tracking results are presented as color images with the target region prominently marked using a distinctive red bounding box, implemented through rectangle drawing functions. This visualization allows observers to intuitively understand the tracking status. Since the CamShift algorithm relies on color features for target localization, the selected target should exhibit strong color contrast against the background. Users can capture videos with prominent color features for testing to achieve better tracking performance using hue-saturation histogram analysis.

Note that the program may occasionally encounter minor issues during termination; it's recommended to use Ctrl+C for forced process termination. These optimizations make the MATLAB implementation of the CamShift algorithm more convenient and intuitive, particularly suitable for tracking tasks involving targets with distinctive color characteristics.