Approximate techniques in solving optimal camera placement problems

While the theoretical foundation of optimal camera placement has been studied for decades, its practical implementation has recently attracted significant research interest due to the increasing popularity of visual sensor network. The discrete camera placement problem is NP-hard and many approximate solutions have been independently studied. The goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive framework in comparing the merits of these techniques. We consider two general classes of camera placement problems and adapt some of the most commonly used approximation techniques in solving them. The accuracy, efficiency and scalability of each technique are analyzed and compared in depth. Extensive experimental results are provided to illustrate the strength and weakness of each method.