Bench Talk

(Source: Analog Devices)

Many decades ago, I used to sit with my children and watch the television show Sesame Street. My favorite character in this show is Count von Count. You know him. He is the friendly purple vampire. A parody of Bela Lugosi’s (1882–1956) movie character of Count Dracula from the 1930s.

1…, 2….,3…., and so on, the Count would go as he counted each and every object. The role of the Count was to teach young children valuable counting skills in an entertaining manner.

Who knows, maybe the Count inspired in you and me a love for counting that extended into mathematics and engineering.

Decades removed from learning these basic counting skills, we are still using what we learned at higher and more sophisticated levels. Take counting people. Precision counting and classification are necessary. For decades people have been employing tools such as a handheld tally counter to help them keep track (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Handheld tally counter for capturing a headcount. (Source: Brian Jackson - stock.adobe.com)

Analog Devices (ADI) EagleEye^™ is a complete end-to-end, edge-based hardware and software technology solution for counting and classifying people. The system data collection unlocks informed insights and analytics with an accurate, secure people counting capability. This data can provide the insight needed to improve asset and people management, social distancing, security, employee engagement, space utilization, labor productivity, and energy efficiency (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Analog Devices Inc. EagleEye^™ Trial Kit. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

The platform is designed for smart buildings, smart retail, and smart logistics use cases. ADI EagleEye^™ people counting system enables increased employee well-being through added comfort. People spend 90 percent of their time indoors. Having insight about usage and the number of people in defined spaces enables building managers to make better-informed decisions, such as decreasing lighting or HVAC needs based on reduced demand.

The people counting system allows easy integration to solve higher complexity problems within existing models. ADI offers hardware and software technology building blocks enabling users without optical or camera experience to go from evaluation to production rapidly. The easy integration of secure people counting technology provides compatibility with many other sensors. ADI’s software integrates into existing products and is updated in the field with over-the-air communication for continuous innovation.

Be a Great Corporate Citizen, Cut CO₂ Emissions

The powering of buildings is responsible for about 28 percent of global energy-related CO₂ emissions according to the International Energy Agency. With changes in consumer demand, increasing greenhouse gases and atmospheric temperature, and an exploding number of connected devices, global demands on energy see no end in sight. ADI’s advanced people counting system enables optimized electricity use and increased building efficiency.

Increase Employee Well-being and Safety through Better Air Quality

In addition to reduced energy usage, the ADI EagleEye people counting system enables increased employee well-being and safety. According to the US EPA report ”What are the trends in indoor air quality and their effects on human health?”, citizens spend 90 percent of their time indoors, so those spaces need to support maximum comfort and health. When space is designed more intelligently and used more efficiently, it improves worker wellness and happiness, improving productivity.

Making Buildings More Efficient with Energy Based on Demand

Power demands for lighting and HVAC typically are responsible for more than half the energy consumption in buildings. Having insight about usage and the number of people in defined spaces enables building managers to make better-informed decisions, such as decreasing lighting or HVAC needs based on reduced demand.

Real-Time, Accurate Data

Add EagelEye’s people counting system’s robust reporting capabilities to your solutions. ADI offers fast processing speeds and the highest accuracy, so its users can always trust the data.

Secure and Private

At no point does ADI EagleEye reveal personally identifiable information. Images are always analyzed only at the sensor edge, ensuring privacy and security.

Easy Integration

ADI’s flexible solution can integrate seamlessly into systems across many different suppliers. ADI EagleEye can merge into your software platform for an uninterrupted experience.

Scalable with Low Bandwidth

Low power and bandwidth requirements allow multiple devices to operate on the same network efficiently, so users can monitor their space from any location. Additionally, the over-the-air updates enable a complete sensor-to-cloud platform.

Informed Insights and Added Value

Room occupancy insights enable informed adjustment of energy-consuming lighting and HVAC systems, saving the environment while helping your customers and adding additional capabilities to your existing systems and solutions.

Custom Detection Areas

Mark specific areas for people counting and exclusion areas during sensor setup. The EagleEye sensor will only detect people in the selected regions and ignore those in the exclusion areas for an even more intelligent and configurable solution.

We continue to develop innovative ways to tally things, from the beloved Count von Count to handheld tally counters to ADI's EagleEye. However, EagleEye offers many advantages the other two do not, ultimately eliminating human error. EagleEye provides a simple, easy-to-use, real-time, accurate, and secure solution for counting people. As an engineer, I appreciate the development of technology you can count on. Somewhere, I can hear Count von Count’s maniacal laughter as EagleEye counts 71…, 72…., 73….

Paul Golata joined Mouser Electronics in 2011. As a Senior Technology Specialist, Paul contributes to Mouser’s success through driving strategic leadership, tactical execution, and the overall product-line and marketing directions for advanced technology related products. He provides design engineers with the latest information and trends in electrical engineering by delivering unique and valuable technical content that facilitates and enhances Mouser Electronics as the preferred distributor of choice.

Before joining Mouser Electronics, Paul served in various manufacturing, marketing, and sales related roles for Hughes Aircraft Company, Melles Griot, Piper Jaffray, Balzers Optics, JDSU, and Arrow Electronics. He holds a BSEET from the DeVry Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL); an MBA from Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA); an MDiv w/BL from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Fort Worth, TX); and a PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Fort Worth, TX).