The document summarizes a study that analyzed existing camera distractors and ways to improve facial recognition security in real-world situations. The researchers conducted experiments to test how people respond to different distractors near security cameras, such as noise, television screens, and privacy concerns. The results suggest that sustained noise is more distracting than instant sounds, and that people are more likely to look away from cameras entering private information. The researchers also optimized camera placements to better capture faces for security purposes.

1. Camera Distractors and Facial Recognition
Travis Goodspeed, Edward Huang, Bryan Kao, Curtis Bressert, Michael Brockly, Stephen Elliott
The purpose of this study was to analyze and improve upon existing camera distractors in real-world situations
to access the overall quality of, and improve upon, these existing systems. We address the current lack of
efficient security in many real-world places and scenarios. In today’s world, higher security is becoming an
increasing necessity, and our experiments suggest several possible solutions for more efficient camera
placements to better be able to capture peoples’ faces more fully, and for a longer period of time, to enhance
the environments and make them more safe, secure, and monitored if need be.
Experiments and Applications
Overview
Camera Distractors Optimized Camera Placements
4
Looked While at
Keypad, 3
Looked Walking
By, 7
Ignored Camera
When At
Keypad, 13
Covered
Camera With
Object, 1
Keypad Camera
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
ESPN Television Experiment
# of Looks
81
7
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
Student 6
Time (seconds)
Rock & Roll - Iron Maiden Distractor
Tuesday 11:30am
Tuesday 1:30pm
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Time (seconds)
Classical - Bach Distractor
Tuesday 9:30am
Tuesday 3:30pm
Keypad Camera
In this experiment we found that when entering
private/sensitive information, people are more likely to
look away from the camera or cover it up completely.
Yet when people are not having to hide anything
(passerby’s) they were more likely to look at the camera.
Noise Distractor
Overall, people are not too distracted by an
instantaneous noise (a pan dropping), however when
that noise is sustained over a period of time (loud music)
people are more prone to looking in that direction in
search of what it is that’s catching their attention.
ESPN Television
We found that people are distracted/take notice when
relevant, recent, or newsworthy information is being put
in front of them to see/watch/read on a television screen
or monitor.
1 2
3 4
For this experiment we focused on
optimizing our camera placements
to be able to capture both the test
subject and the administrator in
the same shot.
It was important for us to utilize
more efficient camera placements
in order to capture close ups of
each individual station. By doing
this, it will enable us to be able to
more accurately examine the
details of the scenario rather than
having the typical “room-wide”
camera angles seen in many real-
world applications today.
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