On the role of negotiations in ad hoc networks of smart cameras

We introduce an ad hoc network of active pan/tilt/zoom and passive cameras capable of carrying out collaborative tasks through strictly local interactions. Camera interactions are modeled as negotiations between two or more cameras. Through negotiations camera agree upon how best to carry out an observation tasks. Our smart camera nodes are modeled as behavior-based agents and are capable of engaging in multiple negotiations and performing multiple tasks simultaneously. We expect the proposed camera network to be highly scalable due to the lack of any centralized control.