areaofinterest

Area of interest (AOI) is a term used across several disciplines to denote a user-defined subset or region within a larger space that is the focus of analysis, processing, or monitoring. The concept is closely related to the idea of a region of interest (ROI) and is often used to optimize resources by concentrating efforts where they matter most.

In computer vision and image processing, AOI or ROI refers to a specific portion of an image or video frame selected for analysis. AOIs can be defined by coordinates, bounding boxes, or irregular polygon masks. Processing is then applied only to the AOI, which reduces computational load and can improve accuracy in tasks such as object detection, tracking, or feature extraction. AOIs may be static or dynamically adjusted as the scene changes.

In geographic information systems (GIS) and mapping, an AOI represents a user-specified geographic area used to constrain data retrieval, analysis, or visualization. AOIs are typically defined as polygons or bounding boxes in a chosen coordinate reference system. They allow analysts to focus on a particular region, extract relevant layers, and perform computations such as terrain analysis or spatial statistics within that boundary.

In surveillance, robotics, and industrial monitoring, AOIs designate zones of interest where events are monitored or actions are triggered. For example, a motion detector might alert when movement occurs within a defined AOI, or a robot may prioritize planning and sensing within a designated area.

Implementation considerations include accurate boundary definition, coordinate system alignment, and the need to update AOIs as tasks evolve. The term AOI is often used interchangeably with ROI, though the preferred wording may vary by field.