People counting systems and crowd monitoring

When running any large organization, balancing the size of your operation and the people using it is a necessity. For locations such as airport, this includes using thorough people counting systems and crowd monitoring solutions. Find out more about what people counting and crowd monitoring are, the benefits of these systems and how airports implement them in day-to-day operations.

What is people counting and crowd monitoring?

People counting refers to systems that airports and other large facilities use to track the number of people in a space. This is a relatively simple process, using AI as a means of tracking the number of people entering the airport by counting the number of boarding passes accepted and counting passengers that leave through the air. This includes both counting individuals in the group and “crowd counting”, which is a method of estimating the number of people through recognizable body features.

Crowd monitoring slightly differs, instead focusing on the way that a crowd behaves and moves. This means that an airport has the right security provision in the right place at the right time, reducing the risk of people causing harm to one another through overcrowding and other related issues.

Technology used in people counting and crowd monitoring

There is a selection of technology that organizations use in the people counting and crowd monitoring processes. These include:

CCTV

CCTV is one of the simpler methods of using crowd monitoring. This is a series of cameras that show security and logistics teams the entire airport, providing instant access to an idea of the levels of footfall that the airport is experiencing at any one time. CCTV is prevalent in businesses and premises of all kinds, which makes it a highly flexible method of counting people and monitoring the size of crowds as they move and develop throughout the day.

Monitoring crowds is impossible without seeing them, and organizations see crowds with ease when using CCTV.

Queue Management Systems (QMS)

Queue management systems play an underlying role in monitoring and controlling the number of people in a set area at any one point. For example, one kiosk with a large queue receives a significant number of customers, and upon seeing this amount of customers the organization opens more kiosks. This is a method of diluting the excess pressure on individuals and bottlenecks in the organization, increasing efficiency and significantly reducing the density of crowds.

Guidance signage

Guidance signage sees use at the very end of the process. Airports and other facilities use guidance signage to guide people to the right location, such as signage that shows passengers where their next flight is and exactly when the flight is due. Monitoring crowds and then implementing systems to control them keeps the people in the airport as safe as possible, preventing dangerous crushes and guaranteeing a more comfortable experience.

If your organization has any interest in making use of people counting systems and crowd monitoring, contact Bayanat Engineering Qatar to find out more about how to count the people within your premises and how to monitor and manage large crowds on our website https://www.bayanatengineering.qa/.