lidar
LiDAR-based visitor tracking for museums — contactless interaction and flow analysis.
What it does
A LiDAR-based visitor tracking system developed at ZKM for contactless interaction in museum environments. Detects visitor positions and movements using ceiling-mounted LiDAR sensors and outputs tracking data over OSC.
Key features
- Contactless tracking — no cameras or wearables needed, just ceiling-mounted LiDAR sensors
- Multi-sensor fusion — combine multiple sensors to cover large areas with seamless handoff
- OSC output — real-time position data sent via OSC for integration with interactive artworks
- Calibration tools — built-in GUI for sensor positioning, alignment, and zone configuration
- Background subtraction — filters out static objects to track only moving visitors
Tech stack
C++ application built on openFrameworks with custom LiDAR driver integration. Supports multiple LiDAR sensor models. Coordinate system calibration and multi-sensor stitching handled internally.
Scale
Started as a single-sensor COVID-era prototype, scaled to a 53-sensor installation covering 1,400 sqm for the Renaissance 3.0 exhibition at ZKM.