An Image-Free Single-Pixel Detection System for Adaptive Multi-Target Tracking

Conventional vision-based sensors face limitations such as low update rates, restricted applicability, and insufficient robustness in dynamic environments with complex object motions. Single-pixel tracking systems offer high efficiency and minimal data redundancy by directly acquiring target positions without full-image reconstruction. This paper proposes a single-pixel detection system for adaptive multi-target tracking based on the geometric moment and the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA). The proposed system leverages geometric moments for high-speed target localization, requiring merely 3N measurements to resolve centroids for N targets. Furthermore, the output values of the system are used to continuously update the weight parameters, enabling adaptation to varying motion patterns and ensuring consistent tracking stability. Experimental validation using a digital micromirror device (DMD) operating at 17.857 kHz demonstrates a theoretical tracking update rate of 1984 Hz for three objects. Quantitative evaluations under 1920 × 1080 pixel resolution reveal a normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of 0.00785, confirming the method's capability for robust multi-target tracking in practical applications.