Target Enumeration via Euler Characteristic Integrals

Abstract

We solve the problem of counting the total number of observable targets (e.g., persons, vehicles, landmarks) in a region using local counts performed by a network of sensors, each of which measures the number of targets nearby but neither their identities nor any positional information. We formulate and solve several such problems based on the types of sensors and mobility of the targets. The main contribution of this paper is the adaptation of a topological sheaf integration theory—integration with respect to Euler characteristic—to yield complete solutions to these problems.