# Chicken Counter First-pass Python pipeline for Jetson-style chicken counting using Ultralytics YOLO tracking with BoT-SORT, ROI/gate-based counting, backward-motion detection from background optical flow, and an OpenCV overlay that matches the provided reference visual. ## What Is Included - Modular runtime under `src/chicken_counter/` - Sample camera config in `configs/cameras/example_camera.yaml` - BoT-SORT tracker settings in `configs/trackers/botsort_chicken.yaml` - CLI entrypoint: `chicken-counter` ## Pipeline Stages 1. Capture frames from a video file or camera stream 2. Run `model.track(..., persist=True)` with class filtering for chickens only 3. Maintain per-track state, track live occupancy inside the counting box, and count unique box entries 4. Estimate backward motion from sparse optical flow on background features 5. Render an OpenCV overlay with ROI, white gates, IDs, trails, and both live/cumulative counts ## Project Layout ```text configs/ floor_config/ ← Lightweight floor configs (K1-L1 to K5-L2, kandang-atas) K1-L1.yaml .. K5-L2.yaml ← Extends cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml kandang-atas.yaml ← Extends cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml cameras/example_camera.yaml cycle7_batch.yaml cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml ← Base batch processing config mortality_config.yaml trackers/botsort_chicken.yaml src/chicken_counter/ batch_discovery.py batch_runner.py capture.py cli.py compress.py config.py counting.py engine_utils.py mortality.py motion.py overlay.py pipeline.py report.py tracking.py types.py video_writer.py dashboard.py export_engine.py export_excel_report.py run_all_coops.sh ← Master multi-coop batch runner start_dashboard.sh ← Live dashboard launcher test_run_folder/ ← Archive of test run scripts and logs ``` ## Install ```bash python3 -m venv venv venv/bin/pip install --upgrade pip venv/bin/pip install -r requirements.txt venv/bin/pip install -e . ``` For Jetson deployment you will usually want a Jetson-compatible OpenCV and PyTorch stack already installed, then install the rest of the package around that environment. > **Tip:** See `RUN.md` for a full step-by-step quickstart guide for new developers. ## Run Update `configs/cameras/example_camera.yaml` with: - `source`: your input video path, RTSP URL, or camera index - `detection.model_path`: your TensorRT `.engine` or `.pt` checkpoint - ROI coordinates and gate lines calibrated for the real camera Then run: ```bash chicken-counter --config configs/cameras/example_camera.yaml ``` Press `q` to quit the preview window. For headless Jetson MP4 runs, set `display.show_window: false` and keep `display.output_path` enabled so the annotated video is written without opening a GUI. The video writer tries a Jetson GStreamer hardware encoder first when `display.encoder: auto` or `gstreamer`, then falls back to OpenCV codecs in `display.codec_preference` order (default: `avc1`, `mp4v`, `H264`). ## Config Notes ### Detection The sample config restricts inference to class `0` and keeps ignored classes explicit: - `classes: [0]` - `ignored_classes: [1, 2]` - `conf` and `iou` are exposed for real-footage tuning - `min_box_area_px` can be used to reject very small partial detections from validation - `device: "0"` should be set explicitly on Jetson CUDA - `imgsz` must match the size used when a TensorRT `.engine` was exported For TensorRT deployments, point `detection.model_path` at your `.engine` file and keep `performance.half: false` (precision is already baked into the engine build). ### Tracking The supplied tracker config enables: - `tracker_type: botsort` - `gmc_method: none` for fixed-camera MP4 runs (avoids duplicate optical flow) - `with_reid: false` Re-enable `gmc_method: sparseOptFlow` in `configs/trackers/botsort_chicken.yaml` only if the camera mount moves or footage is shaky enough that track IDs drift without GMC. Starting thresholds match the prompt defaults and can be tuned in `configs/trackers/botsort_chicken.yaml`. ### Periodic Runtime Feedback You can enable checkpoint-style progress feedback every `N` frames with the `feedback` config block: ```yaml feedback: enabled: true every_n_frames: 300 save_images: true image_output_dir: output/checkpoints log_to_terminal: true ``` When enabled, the pipeline will: - print a periodic progress line with frame number, elapsed time, processing FPS, ETA, and total count - save the current annotated frame as a checkpoint image (when `save_images: true`) This is especially useful on Jetson when processing MP4 files headlessly, because you can verify progress from the terminal and inspect saved snapshot images without needing an on-device display. ### Counting ROI And Gates The overlay is intended to resemble the reference image while staying easy to read: - no outer green ROI outline - one visible counting rectangle that is slightly smaller and cleaner than the previous broad region - orange chicken bounding boxes that are visually distinct from the counting guides - per-bird numeric labels based on count sequence, not raw tracker ID, using a non-white color - short centroid trails - one bold `TOTAL ENTERED` caption as the main count display, using a non-white color The green ROI should be treated as the actual middle counting box. The current counting semantics are: - `Inside Box`: how many currently tracked chickens have their centroids inside the ROI - `Total Entered`: how many unique tracked chickens have entered the ROI at least once - a chicken is only valid for `Total Entered` if its bounding-box area meets `min_box_area_px` - if backward motion is confirmed, the current frame is finalized and then the pipeline stops - validated chickens receive a stable visible sequence number `1, 2, 3, ...` in entry order - unvalidated chickens are tracked internally but do not show a visible sequence number yet The implementation still assumes normal travel is `bottom_to_up`. ## Calibration Workflow 1. Start with a representative frame from the real camera. 2. Set `roi.points` so the counting rectangle spans the intended middle counting box only. 3. If the displayed rectangle feels too large or small, tighten or expand `roi.points` directly. 4. Run a short clip and compare `Inside Box` against the visible birds currently in that box. 5. Increase `min_box_area_px` if small partial chickens are being counted too early. 6. Verify `Total Entered` only increases when a new tracked bird enters the box during forward motion and is large enough to be valid. 6. Verify that once backward motion is confirmed, the output video ends at that point and the MP4 is finalized cleanly. 7. Verify that the highest displayed sequence number matches `Total Entered`. 8. Verify the final freeze frame stays on screen long enough to read the last total clearly. ## Backward-Motion Tuning The stop trigger is separate from chicken tracks. It measures background motion while masking detected chicken boxes. Tune these values against real footage: - `motion.forward_sign` - `motion.ema_alpha` - `motion.reverse_enter_threshold` - `motion.reverse_exit_threshold` - `motion.debounce_frames` - `motion.min_features` - `motion.stride_frames` (run flow every N frames; `2` is faster) - `motion.flow_scale` (downscale ROI gray before flow; `0.5` is faster) - `motion.max_corners` (fewer corners = faster; try `80`) Important: confirm the actual sign convention from real cart footage before treating the configured forward direction as final. ## Jetson Performance Speedups For long batch runs, enable inference and motion stride in config: ```yaml performance: inference_stride: 2 # run YOLO+BoT-SORT every 2nd frame; reuse tracks in between motion: stride_frames: 2 # run optical flow every 2nd frame flow_scale: 0.5 # half-resolution flow inside ROI crop max_corners: 80 detection: imgsz: 640 # keep 640 while using existing TensorRT .engine ``` `configs/cycle7_batch.yaml` and `configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml` already use these production defaults. `configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml` adds per-camera parallelism, trimmed inference settings, and optimized YAML structure for the Sukawarna enclosure. **Validation:** run a short clip with stride enabled, then compare `total_entered` against `inference_stride: 1` and `motion.stride_frames: 1`. Watch checkpoint `fps=` logs for speedup. Box positions may lag by up to one frame on skipped inference frames. Set `inference_stride: 1` or `motion.stride_frames: 1` to restore full per-frame accuracy for tuning. ## Known Limits In This First Pass - No DeepStream integration yet - No multi-process or multi-camera scheduler yet - Counting currently assumes vertical motion and `bottom_to_up` travel - The live box count depends on stable tracking centroids inside the ROI - The optical-flow trigger is vision-first, though the config structure leaves room for a future controller/encoder integration path ## Cross-Machine Portability & Self-Healing Engine Auto-Recompilation TensorRT `.engine` files are compiled specifically for the host GPU architecture and TensorRT version. When copying the project to a different machine (e.g. from Jetson to NUC or across different RTX GPUs): - **Automatic Compatibility Check**: `src/chicken_counter/engine_utils.py` runs a fast health check on the specified `.engine` before counting starts. - **Self-Healing Recompilation**: If an incompatibility (e.g. platform tag mismatch or different compute capability) is detected: 1. The system automatically searches `models/` for the matching base `.pt` model weights (stripping hardware prefixes like `NUC5070_` or `jetson_`). 2. Automatically compiles a new optimized `.engine` on the host machine using FP16 precision. 3. Updates `defaults.detection.model_path` in `configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml` automatically. - **Manual Export Tool**: You can also compile engines manually anytime using `export_engine.py`: ```bash ./venv/bin/python export_engine.py models/chicken-detection-model-v26n-300e-best-2026-05-02-NEW.pt --half --workspace 4 ``` ## Multi-Stage Growth Cycles & Day 0 Configuration The pipeline dynamically adjusts detection and ROI entry thresholds based on flock age (Days Old Chick / DOC vs Mid-Cycle): - **Day 0 (`cycle_start_date`)**: Configured in `configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml` (default: `"2026-05-22"`). Can be overridden via CLI (`--cycle-start-date YYYY-MM-DD`) or REST API (`/api/config/cycle_start_date`). - **`early_cycle` (Days 0–15)**: Automatically applies high-sensitivity detection thresholds (`conf: 0.12`, `min_box_area_px: 200`, `min_overlap_ratio: 0.25`) for small fast-moving DOC chicks. - **`mid_cycle` (Days 16+)**: Preserves standard tuned per-camera defaults (`conf: 0.35–0.50`, `min_box_area_px: 2500–3000`). ## Mortality Detection A separate pipeline detects carcasses (dead birds) from still photos. Supports multi-image daily runs and date subfolders (`mortality/YYYY-MM-DD/`). ```bash # Run on default mortality directory ./test_run_mortality.sh # Run on a specific date (auto-creates/routes to mortality/2026-05-23/) chicken-counter mortality --date 2026-05-23 ``` Key features: - **Multi-Image & Multi-Day Support**: Processes multiple images per day (e.g. morning/afternoon scans), aggregates the grand total carcass count (`total_mortality_count`), and saves outputs into date-isolated directories. - **Direct High-Precision Segmentation (Default)**: Uses the **segmentation model** (`models/chicken-detection-model-v26n-seg-300e-best-2026-04-18.pt`) directly. 2-pass Detect & Refine (`two_pass: false`) is disabled by default because direct segmentation achieves higher accuracy and avoids false rejection on real farm photos. - **Optional 2-Pass Refine (`--two-pass`)**: An optional mode combining initial segmentation candidate proposals with `cv2.matchTemplate` similarity refinement. - **Containment filtering**: boxes where `IoA > 0.50` against a larger box are suppressed. - **Centroid deduplication**: detections whose centroids are within `dedupe_radius_px` of each other are merged to prevent counting the same carcass twice. Outputs for each daily run: - `output_.jpg` — annotated images with bounding boxes and carcass IDs - `mortality_report.json` — full summary report with `total_mortality_count`, per-image breakdown, and detection coordinates Config: `configs/mortality_config.yaml` ## Headless Jetson MP4 Example For a headless run that saves both output video and periodic checkpoint images, use a config shaped like this: ```yaml display: show_window: false output_path: output/coop_cam_03_overlay.mp4 encoder: auto output_bitrate_kbps: 4000 feedback: enabled: true every_n_frames: 300 save_images: true image_output_dir: output/checkpoints log_to_terminal: true ``` ## 40-Minute Jetson Recipe For long headless runs (~72,000 frames at 30 FPS), use the production-oriented settings in `configs/cameras/example_camera.yaml`: ```yaml detection: device: "0" imgsz: 640 model_path: /path/to/your-model.engine overlay: show_track_trails: false show_track_ring: false motion: max_corners: 80 stride_frames: 2 flow_scale: 0.5 display: show_window: false output_path: /home/asus/.Codes/try-sukawarna-vis.mp4 encoder: auto output_bitrate_kbps: 4000 performance: half: false overlay_buffer_reuse: true inference_stride: 2 feedback: enabled: true every_n_frames: 900 log_to_terminal: true save_images: false ``` Tracker YAML should use `gmc_method: none` for fixed-camera footage. Lower `display.output_bitrate_kbps` produces smaller MP4 files with more compression artifacts. Start at `4000` and adjust after inspecting output quality. Checkpoint logs look like: ```text [checkpoint] frame=9000/72000 elapsed=18m12s fps=8.2 total_entered=142 eta=2h05m status=running ``` When backward motion is confirmed, the pipeline now: - finishes the current annotated frame - writes that frame to the output video - logs the backward-stop event - appends a short freeze frame so the final total is readable - exits immediately afterward, so the output MP4 ends there ## Daily Cycle7 Multi-Camera Batch For everyday processing of 4 cameras, use `configs/cycle7_batch.yaml`. ### Input folder layout Place today's videos in a `VIDEOS` folder **adjacent to the project directory** (i.e. `../VIDEOS` relative to the project root): ```text ../VIDEOS/cycle7/kandang-atas/ 2026-06-18/ kandang_1_camera_1_2026-06-18_120056.mp4 kandang_1_camera_2_2026-06-18_120456.mp4 kandang_1_camera_3_2026-06-18_121012.mp4 kandang_1_camera_4_2026-06-18_121530.mp4 ``` Date folders use `YYYY-MM-DD`. Camera files are matched by `camera_num` using the pattern `kandang_*_camera_{num}_*.mp4`. ### Run commands ```bash # Process today's folder using default parallel process mode chicken-counter batch --config configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml # Process a specific date using Model-Level Tensor Batching mode chicken-counter batch --config configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml --date 2026-06-18 --mode tensor_batching # Process a specific date using Hybrid mode (Threaded CPU + Batched GPU) chicken-counter batch --config configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml --date 2026-06-18 --mode hybrid # Run automated batch script for Tensor Batching ./test_run_tensor_batch.sh # Runs all dates (2026-06-10 to 2026-06-19) ./test_run_tensor_batch.sh 2026-06-18 # Runs a specific date # Run automated batch script for Hybrid execution mode ./test_run_hybrid.sh # Runs all dates (2026-06-10 to 2026-06-19) ./test_run_hybrid.sh 2026-06-18 # Runs a specific date ``` ### Execution Modes (`execution_mode`) Set `batch.execution_mode` in `configs/cycle7_batch_optimized.yaml` or override via `--mode`: - `parallel_processes` (Default): Runs cameras in separate OS processes (e.g. via `test_run.sh`). - `tensor_batching`: Synchronizes camera frame streams and executes a single batched GPU model inference pass across all cameras (`batch_size=N`). - `hybrid`: Combines multi-threaded CPU frame capture, optical flow, and rendering across CPU cores with a single synchronized batched GPU forward pass (`batch_size=N`). Single-camera mode still works: ```bash chicken-counter --config configs/cameras/example_camera.yaml chicken-counter run --config configs/cameras/example_camera.yaml ``` ### Output layout ```text ../VIDEOS/cycle7/kandang-atas/2026-06-18/output/ CC1_vis.mp4 CC1_compressed.mp4 CC2_vis.mp4 CC2_compressed.mp4 ... checkpoints/CC1/frame_003000.jpg checkpoints/CC2/frame_006000.jpg counts_2026-06-18.json ``` After all 4 cameras finish counting, the batch runner compresses each annotated video to under `batch.compress_max_mb` (default 200 MB) using `ffmpeg`. ### Per-camera counting boxes | Camera | ROI points | |--------|------------| | CC1 | `[250,330], [1650,330], [1650,720], [250,720]` | | CC2 | `[20,380], [1880,380], [1880,720], [20,720]` | | CC3 | `[20,330], [1880,330], [1880,720], [20,720]` | | CC4 | `[50,330], [1450,330], [1450,720], [50,720]` | Tune these in `configs/cycle7_batch.yaml` if a lane drifts after camera maintenance. ### JSON report format `counts_{date}.json` contains per-camera totals and the sum across all 4 cameras: ```json { "date": "2026-07-09", "generated_at": "2026-07-09T11:45:00+00:00", "cameras": { "CC1": { "total_entered": 142, "source_video": "kandang_1_camera_1_2026-07-09_120056.mp4", "vis_video": "CC1_vis.mp4", "compressed_video": "CC1_compressed.mp4", "compressed_size_mb": 187.4, "frames_processed": 68432, "stopped_reason": "backward", "elapsed_seconds": 8234.5 } }, "total_entered_sum": 580 } ``` ### Checkpoint images Batch mode saves review images every `checkpoint_every_n_frames` (default 3000) per camera. For a ~72k frame run that is about 24 images per camera. ### Cron example ```cron 0 7 * * * cd /path/to/chicken-counting-sukawarna-det && ./test_run.sh >> logs/cycle7-batch.log 2>&1 ``` Requires `ffmpeg` on the Jetson PATH for post-run compression. ## Dashboard & API Start the live dashboard and API server: ```bash # Portable launcher (recommended) — auto-discovers mortality dir ./start_dashboard.sh # Or start manually PYTHONPATH=src venv/bin/python dashboard.py \ --port 8080 \ --db db/chicken_counts.db \ --mortality-dir ../VIDEOS/cycle7/kandang-atas/mortality ``` Key API endpoints (see `API.md` for full schema): | Endpoint | Description | | :--- | :--- | | `GET /api/db/summary` | Lifetime totals across all dates | | `GET /api/db/history` | Per-date summary, newest first | | `GET /api/db/date/` | Per-camera breakdown for a date | | `GET /api/mortality/latest` | Latest carcass detection report | | `GET /api/mortality/history` | All mortality reports, newest first | | `GET /api/mortality/image/` | Serve annotated output JPEG | ## Next Jetson-Focused Improvements 1. Add a hardware-aware video ingest path for CSI/GStreamer. 2. Export richer event logs for per-bird count timestamps. 3. Add a controller-signal adapter so encoder direction can override vision when available. Recent work includes daily 4-camera batch processing, JSON count reports, post-run compression under 200 MB, GStreamer hardware encoding, overlay buffer reuse, duplicate optical-flow removal (`gmc_method: none`), long-run ETA logging, mortality 2-pass detection with feature similarity search, and a REST API via `dashboard.py`.