Planning the camera trap

Our camera trap will use a computer with two attached cameras. One camera will continuously capture low-resolution images. For example, this first camera may be an ordinary webcam. Our software will analyze the low-resolution images to detect the presence of a subject. We will explore three basic detection techniques based on motion, color, and object classification. When a subject is detected, the second camera will activate to capture and save a finite series of high-resolution images. This second camera will be a dedicated photo camera, with its own battery and storage. We will not necessarily analyze and record images at the fastest possible rate; rather, we will take care to conserve the host computer's resources as well as the photo camera's battery power and storage so that our photo trap can function for a long time.

Optionally, our software will configure the photo camera for exposure bracketing. This means that some photos in a series will be...