About the project

GOTCHA (Gooiers van Objecten automatisch Traceren en Clubs Helpen bij de Aanpak ervan) is a collaborative project together with Securitas NV and the Pro League. It aims to enhance safety in football stadiums by automating the detection and tracking of thrown objects during matches. Through camera footage analysis and image-processing techniques, the project intends to localize where an object was thrown from quickly, compile relevant video streams into a concise summary of each incident, and generate heatmaps for data-driven decision-making.

IDLab role

IDLab has the following tasks during the GOTCHA project:

• Automated detection and tracking: Developing algorithms that identify thrown objects (Objects of Interest) in real-time and trace their trajectories across multiple cameras, to support rapid suspect identification.
• Incident mapping and visualization: Creating a dashboard to provide heatmaps, incident statistics, and summarized camera footage. These insights help clubs optimize the deployment of security personnel and run awareness campaigns.
• Integration and testing: Collaborating with project partners—Securitas, the Pro League, local police units, and the federal evidence team—to evaluate and refine the system in realistic stadium environments, ensuring accuracy and a clear user experience for security operators.