Optimal Subpattern Assignment Metric for Multiple Tracks (OSPAMT Metric)

Abstract: In this paper, we propose a new metric which measures the distance between two finite sets of tracks (a track is a path of either a real or estimated target). This metric is based on the same principle as the Optimal Subpattern Assignment (OSPA) metric devised by Schuhmacher et al. Importantly however, the new metric measures the distance between two finite sets of tracks whereas the OSPA metric measures the distance between two finite sets of target states. By also considering the properties of false tracks, missed tracks and many tracks assigned to one track situations caused by missed detections and false alarms, the minimization of all distances between tracks across two finite sets of tracks employed by the new OSPAMT metric enables performance evaluation of multi-target tracking (MTT) algorithms in a more comprehensive and accurate manner than existing metrics such as the OSPA metric and the enhanced OSPAT metric introduced by Ristic et al which measures the distance between two finite sets of labeled target states.