User Story: Frankfurt Christmas Market Crowd Monitoring
- ida004
- för 8 timmar sedan
- 2 min läsning
Large public events like Christmas markets, festivals, and concerts bring people together, but they also bring complex safety challenges. At the Frankfurt Christmas Market, Innoviz, Urban Lighting Innovations, and Flasheye demonstrated how LiDAR can support safer, smarter cities without compromising privacy or trust. It’s not about watching people. It’s about understanding space.
3 Problems LiDAR Solves in Large Events
1: Overcrowding is Monitored With Real-Time Visibility
In large events, overcrowding can form quickly and unexpectedly. Relying on manual counting or sporadic patrols means decisions are often reactive rather than preventive. Without technology at all, dangerous crowd density may only be noticed after people feel uncomfortable, or worse, when movement becomes restricted. Urban Lighting Innovations deployed three Innoviz LiDAR sensors to continuously monitor crowd density in real time. Instead of estimates or delayed reports, organizers receive live, centimeter-accurate data on how full each area of the market is, this was then communicated to the citizens.
2: Privacy Concerns with Camera-Based Monitoring
Traditional camera systems can provide visibility, but they come at a cost. Video footage raises immediate concerns around GDPR compliance, surveillance, and public trust. It perceives shapes, distances, and movement, but never identities. Even when zooming in, there are no faces, no personal features, and no recognition. Flasheye’s perception software processes the data so that people become anonymous objects, categorized only by geometry and movemen, not by who they are. Privacy isn’t an afterthought; it’s built into the system.
3: Lack of Transparent Information for Visitors
Visitors often arrive at events without knowing how crowded it is. This uncertainty can lead to peak-time congestion, a poor visitor experience, and increased safety risks. Without accessible information, people can’t make informed decisions. The processed LiDAR data flows directly into Frankfurt’s Urban Data Platform, where both city authorities and the public can see crowd density live. Anyone can check how full the Christmas Market is before visiting, empowering people to choose the right time to attend, while helping security teams plan proactively.
Flasheye
Flasheye provides LiDAR-based perception software that turns 3D sensor data into real-time insights while preserving privacy. Its technology enables safe and anonymous monitoring for smart cities, traffic monitoring, and infrastructure applications.
Innoviz
Innoviz is a leading LiDAR technology company delivering high-resolution 3D sensing solutions that enable vehicles and infrastructure systems to accurately perceive their surroundings in real time. Their sensors are designed for automotive-grade reliability, long-range detection, and seamless integration into advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), supporting safer, more efficient transportation, and smarter cities worldwide.
[ui!] Urban Lighting Innovations
[ui!] Urban Lighting Innovations specializes in smart city infrastructure, transforming street lighting into digital platforms for data, sensors, and urban services. The company supports cities in improving safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
