A people counting system measures how many people enter, leave or occupy a space. Overhead sensors or cameras track each crossing and keep a running occupancy figure. Retail, venues and lobbies use the data for staffing, capacity and queue planning.
Counting is a different job from watching. The system needs a clean view of a threshold, not a view of faces.
Choosing the sensor type
An overhead time-of-flight or stereo sensor counts crossings without identifying anyone. A camera with analytics can count the same way and also record video, but it collects more data than the count requires.
Accuracy and privacy
Counts drift when people pass side by side or stand in the threshold. Recalibrate after a layout change, and decide early whether the system stores images or only totals, because that choice drives the privacy review.
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