WO2021246957A1

WO2021246957A1 - Multi-channel monitoring system

Info

Publication number: WO2021246957A1
Application number: PCT/SG2021/050296
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yan Zhou; Minghui Hong
Original assignee: National University Of Singapore
Priority date: 2020-06-03
Filing date: 2021-05-27
Publication date: 2021-12-09

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for remote monitoring of a user of a computing device, comprising a plurality of cameras configured to communicate with the computing device; and a remote monitoring computer configured to receive image data from the plurality of cameras; wherein each of the plurality of cameras is configured to focus on a different region of interest of the user and/or the computing device.

Description

MULTI-CHANNEL MONITORING SYSTEM

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a multi-channel system for remote monitoring.

Background

With the increasing popularity and usage of computers, and the advent of the Internet, educational institutions are now able to provide educational content directly to students' personal computers in electronic form. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in profound changes to daily lives of people around the world, and its effects will last long even after the pandemic ends. One important change is that students may need to stay at home to study and take online examinations.

It is critical to ensure the integrity of online examinations, and thus some form of proctoring is required. Due to the number of schools and students, the demand for products for proctored online exams can be tremendous. In existing proctoring systems, a camera is usually installed on the laptop used by the student, focusing on the student's face. The captured pictures are transmitted to a remote monitoring computer. An operator of the remote monitoring computer monitors the facial expressions of the student to detect suspicious activity, and thus ensure the fairness of the test.

However, current methods relying on the camera of a laptop or computer are constrained by a limited field of view, and the camera mostly focuses on the student's face, leaving a substantial unmonitored space that can be used for potential cheating behaviours. Some other proposed schemes focus on the screen or display to identify suspicious behaviours on the screen, with automated detection enabled by specifically developed programmes and algorithms. But these schemes ignore the possibility of using external devices, like mobile phones, for improper communications. It would be desirable to address or alleviate at least one of the above difficulties.

Summary

Each camera may have a field of view sufficient to cover a respective region of interest of the user or the computing device, and may have a field of view of at least 60 degrees.

Each camera may be configured to auto-focus on a respective region of interest of the user and/or the computing device. Respective cameras can be configured to focus on one of: a face of the user; a hand of the user; an input device of the computing device; and a screen of the computing device.

The plurality of cameras may be mounted to a mounting support. The plurality of cameras may be connected to a communications interface for communicating with the remote monitoring computer, and the communications interface may be not part of the computing device, such that the remote monitoring computer receives at least part of said image data directly from the plurality of cameras.

The remote monitoring computer may receive at least part of said image data via a video conferencing application executing on the computing device. The remote monitoring computer may be configured to control the viewing angle and/or focus of one or more of the plurality of cameras. At least one camera may be rotatably mounted to a support that is remotely controllable by the remote monitoring computer to change the viewing angle. The remote monitoring computer may be configured to switch between respective views of the plurality of cameras. At least one camera may be mountable to the user and/or the computing device.

Also disclosed herein is an imaging system for remote monitoring of a user of a computing device, comprising a plurality of cameras configured to communicate with the computing device; wherein each of the plurality of cameras is configured to focus on a different region of interest of the user and/or the computing device; and at least one communications interface for transmitting image data from the plurality of cameras to a remote monitoring computer.

Description of Figures

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an example system for remote monitoring;

Figure 2 illustrates an example imaging system for remote monitoring; and Figure 3 shows imaging results during an online examination conducted in conjunction with an example of a portable multi-channel imaging system.

Detailed Description

The invention provides a multi-channel system for remote monitoring. Compared with conventional imaging-based monitoring systems, the proposed system is superior due to its large freedom to image a large field of view from multiple angles flexibly. The system comprises two or more cameras implemented to focus on key regions of concern. To reduce the burden of data transmission, one can choose to use one camera each time and to switch to another whenever needed. Such design provides enhanced performance due to comprehensive monitoring with flexibility of operations, and also makes a versatile and flexible approach feasible to benefit most of online monitoring.

In the example shown in Figure 1, a system (100) consistent with embodiments of the invention comprises a plurality of cameras (104) configured to communicate with a computing device 102. Said cameras 104 may be concurrently connected to the computing device 102, which is typically a desktop or a laptop (but could be another kind of computing device, such as a tablet). Connection of the cameras 104 to the computing device 102 may be wired, wireless, or a mixture of both, as long as real time access to each of the cameras 102 can be ensured. The computing device 102 may access the cameras 104 either concurrently or individually.

The system 100 also comprises a remote monitoring computer (106) configured to receive image data from the plurality of cameras 104. Said remote monitoring computer is used for remote monitoring of the user of the computing device based on the image data received from the cameras 104. The user's suspicious behaviours may be identified manually or automatically. Preferably, the cameras are adjusted to focus on the user's face, and an operator of the remote monitoring computer can rely on the image data received from the cameras to identify suspicious facial expressions of the user. The user's suspicious behaviours may also be identified automatically with automated detection mechanisms enabled by specifically developed programmes and algorithms.

Each of the plurality of cameras 104 is configured to focus on a different region of interest of the user and/or the computing device 102. Typically, a region of interest refers to samples within a data set identified for a particular purpose, and is a specific region that someone may find useful or interesting. Compared to a single-channel monitoring system which focuses on only one region of interest, the proposed multi-channel system 100 offers a broad range of monitoring by looking at different regions of interest simultaneously. In one embodiment, the cameras 104 comprise a first camera (108) and a second camera (110), wherein the first camera 108 is adapted to focus on the screen of the computing device 102, and the second camera 110 is adapted to focus on an input device (such as a keyboard) of the device 102. In such case, the user's behaviours on the screen and the input device can be simultaneously monitored by the remote monitoring computer 106. In video surveillance, operators of the remote monitoring computer 106 may concentrate on some specific monitored subjects. Respective cameras can be configured to focus on (for example, but not limited to): a face of the user, a hand of the user, an input device of the computing device, and a screen of the computing device. However, regions such as the sky, lawn, or other external environment in the monitored area may not be focused on by the cameras 104 if they are not relevant to the user's behaviours.

Each of the cameras 104 may have a field of view sufficient to cover a respective region of interest of the user or the computing device. In the present disclosure, the field of view refers to the area of the inspection captured on each camera's imager. In the present disclosure, the field of view is represented by a solid angle (i.e., angle of view) through which each camera is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation. Said angle of view is used to describe the angular extent of a given scene that is imaged by a camera, and can be used interchangeably with the term field of view. To ensure effective field of view, all cameras 104 should possess an angle of view of at least 60 degrees. The distance from the front lens of each camera to the region of interest should also be set large enough, say more than 10 cm, to cover a respective region of interest.

Each of the cameras 104 may be configured to auto-focus on a respective region of interest of the user and/or the computing device. In the present disclosure, the cameras 104 are used to automatically focus on one or more automatically or manually selected regions of interest. Said auto-focusing cameras may rely on a plurality of sensors to determine correct focus. For example, single-lens reflex cameras with through-the-lens optical sensors can be used to auto-focus on regions of interest such as a face of the user, a hand of the user, an input device of the computing device, and a screen of the computing device. The auto-focusing cameras are also able to detect whether the monitored user or the computing device 102 is moving towards or away from the cameras 104, and at the same time keep focus on the selected regions of interest, for example in accordance with techniques used in action photography.

It will be appreciated that both manual and automatic focusing schemes can be considered for the cameras 104 simultaneously as they both have their own advantages. Manual-focusing refers to the process of adjusting the depth of field of the camera lens to bring an image into focus without relying on auto-focus. In one example, the cameras 104 further comprise a third camera (112). In this example, the second camera 110 may be adapted to auto-focus on a region of interest with high contrast, and the third camera 112 may be adapted to manual-focus on another region of interest having a low level of contrast. The reason for such a design is that said auto-focusing is less likely to produce a sharp image for the region of interest with low contrast than manual focusing. Moreover, compared to auto-focusing, manual-focusing may perform better at picking up focus in low light conditions. Last but not least, for cameras with wide angle lenses, manual-focusing may be more advantageous than auto-focusing, because a wide angle lens can skew the size of objects to be much smaller than they are in real life.

The plurality of cameras may be mounted to mounting supports. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the front end of the system 100 may comprise a plurality of cameras 104 with an external mounting support 114. The proposed external mounting scheme is flexible for different conditions. In some embodiments, said external mounting support 114 is a fixed device such as an external tripod stand. In such case, the cameras 104 can be mounted together on the external tripod stand, and each of them can face to different angles to focus on the respective region of interest of the user and/or the computing device relative to the horizontal plane of a table. In another embodiment, some of the cameras 104 are mountable to the external mounting support 114 fixed on the computing device to focus on the user's face. Alternatively, the external mounting support may be wearable. It will be appreciated that at least one camera may be mountable to the user of the computing device. In one embodiment, the first and second camera (i.e., 108 and 110) adapted to focus on the screen and input device of the computing device 102 respectively can be mounted on a headset, and the user of the computing device 102 can wear said headset so as to allow the cameras 108 and 110 to monitor the user's behaviours on the screen and input device of the computing device. It will be appreciated that the system 100 can be adapted to be feasibly implemented and compatible with different types of external mounting scheme, as long as fields and/or angles of view can be satisfied for all cameras to see all regions of interest.

The plurality of cameras 104 may be connected to a communications interface (not shown in Figure 1) for communicating with the remote monitoring computer 106. The communications interface is a networking component designed to meet a specific standard to allow communication between the cameras and the remote monitoring computer. Connection of the cameras 104 to the communications interface can be wired, wireless, or a mixture of both, as long as real-time access to the cameras can be ensured. In one embodiment, the cameras 104 are connected to serial ports involving cables for communicating with the computer 106. In another example, the cameras 104 communicate with the computer 106 over an IP network. In particular, video-over-IP can be used to deliver video content from the cameras 104 to the remote computer 106 over a local or wide area network where the video is deconstructed into streams and then sent over an IP network. In such case, operators of the remote computer 106 can watch real-time video captured by the cameras 104 similar to watching a television broadcast. Bluetooth as a standard wire-replacement communications protocol may also be considered for transmitting video data from the cameras to the remote computer near the cameras.

In some embodiments, the communications interface is coupled to the computing device 102. The video/image captured by the cameras 104 are first transmitted to the computing device 102, which then shares the video/image content with the remote monitoring computer 106. In such case, the remote monitoring computer 106 indirectly receives said video/image data, and the computing device may not share some part of the video/image data with the remote computer if the user of the computing device 102 seeks to avoid the disclosure of his private information. In another embodiment, the communications interface is not part of the computing device 102, such that the remote monitoring computer 106 receives at least part of said video/image data directly from the plurality of cameras 104. A central server (116) may be added in between the connection of the computing device and the remote monitoring computer if extra security and operation requirements are needed. Said central server may also be used to store recordings if needed for later investigation. The cameras 104 may be remotely controlled through the central server 116, to focus on regions of interest of the user and/or the computing device 102.

The remote monitoring computer 106 may receive at least part of said video/image data via a video conferencing application executing on the computing device 102. The video conferencing application is a virtual meeting solution that allows multidirectional video communication. In one embodiment, the computing device 102 and the remote monitoring computer 106 are connected by said video conferencing application. The computing device 102 first receives video/image captured by the cameras 104 and displays the captured video/image on its screen. Said video conferencing application enables the user of the computing device 102 to share the screen of the computing device with the operator of the remote monitoring computer 106 so as to transmit the received video/image to the computer 106. In one embodiment, the camera feeds go to a feed management application that executes on the computing device 102. The feed management application may choose which feed to send. The output from the feed management application is then sent to the video conferencing application. The user of the computing device 102 may also use a video streaming platform to distribute live video over the Internet. Streaming media refers to multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end while being delivered by a provider. Through streaming, the operator of the computer 106 can watch the captured video/image before the entire file has been transmitted by the user of the device 102.

The remote monitoring computer 106 may be configured to control the viewing angle and/or focus of one or more of the plurality of cameras 104. In one embodiment, to ensure effective field of view, the computer 106 controls each of the cameras 104 to enable each camera to possess a different angle of view. In particular, at least one camera is rotatably mounted to the support 114 that is remotely controllable by the remote monitoring computer 106 to change the viewing angle. The remote monitoring computer 106 may adjust the height of the support and camera rotation relative to the support 114 so as to allow the cameras 104 to focus on different regions of interest. The remote monitoring computer 106 may also adjust the distance from the front lens of each camera to the region of interest to be large enough, say more than 10 cm, to cover a respective region of interest. The remote monitoring computer 106 may control each of the plurality of cameras 104 to focus on a particular region of interest determined by the operator of the remote monitoring computer 106. The cameras 104 may be remotely controlled by the remote monitoring computer 106 through the server 116 to focus on regions of interest of the user and/or the computing device 102. In one embodiment, the video conferencing application executing on the computing device 102 is hosted by the operator of the remote monitoring computer 106. The operator sends a command through the video conferencing application to adjust the depth of field of the camera lens to bring an image into focus.

The remote monitoring computer 106 may be configured to switch between respective views of the plurality of cameras 104. In particular, the remote monitoring computer 106 may access the cameras either concurrently or one-by-one. This enables switching between cameras as well as multi region mode to concurrently monitor all regions of interest. To reduce the burden of data transmission, the operator of the remote monitoring computer 106 can choose to use one camera each time and to switch to another camera whenever needed. Where data transmission bandwidth is large enough, the operator can switch to any of the channels at each time, such that all regions of interest can be seen by the operator for a comprehensive monitoring of the user's behaviours.

Alternatively, when network bandwidth is not sufficient for all images, or to ensure streaming stability, the operator of the remote monitoring computer 106 can freely and silently switch among all channels to see any one of the regions of interest that might be of concern. In one embodiment, selection of the view is automatic and based on random switching at certain intervals, which could be random or fixed in length, or according to a schedule (e.g. cycling through each of the cameras 104 periodically). Timing can also be controlled by developed programmes and algorithms. For example, artificial intelligence algorithms can be used to allow the remote monitoring computer 106 to determine a specific camera to access. Automatic view switching may also be based on object detection, movement detection and facial detection, etc. Figure 2 is a photograph that shows components of an example imaging system 200 for remote monitoring of a user of a computing device (202). The imaging system 200 may be used as part of remote monitoring system 100, for example. The imaging system 200 comprises a plurality of cameras (204) configured to communicate with the computing device 202. The cameras 204 may be concurrently connected to the computing device 202. Connection of the cameras 204 to the computing device 202 may be wired, wireless, or a mixture of both, as long as real-time access to each of the cameras 202 can be ensured. The computing device 202 may access each of the cameras 204 either concurrently or individually.

Each of the plurality of cameras 204 is configured to focus on a different region of interest of the user and/or the computing device 202. Respective cameras can be configured to focus on (for example, but not limited to) one or more of: a face of the user, a hand of the user, an input device of the computing device, and a screen of the computing device. Other subjects such as the sky, lawn in the monitored area may not be focused on by the cameras 204 if they are not relevant to the user's behaviours. In one example, the cameras 204 comprise a first camera (208) and a second camera (210), wherein the first camera 208 is adapted to focus on the screen of the computing device 202, and the second camera 210 is adapted to focus on the input device of the computing device 202. Such a design enables the user's behaviours on the screen and the input device to be simultaneously monitored.

The imaging system 200 comprises at least one communications interface 206 for transmitting image data from the cameras 204 to an external remote monitoring computer (such as the remote monitoring computer 106 of Figure 1). Connection of the communications interface 206 to the cameras 204 and the external remote monitoring computer can be wired, wireless, or a mixture of both, as long as real-time access to the cameras can be ensured. As shown in Figure 2, the cameras 204 can be connected to serial ports involving cables for communicating with the remote monitoring computer. The cameras 204 may communicate with the remote monitoring computer over an IP network by using Video-over-IP. Bluetooth may also (or alternatively) be used for transmitting video data from the cameras 204 to a remote monitoring computer (e.g., remote monitoring computer 106) located within transmitting range of the cameras 204.

Each of the cameras 204 may have a field of view sufficient to cover a respective region of interest of the user or the computing device 202. In one embodiment, to ensure effective field of view, all cameras 204 should possess a field of view of at least 60 degrees. The distance from the front lens of each camera to the region of interest should also be set large enough, say more than 10 cm, to cover a respective region of interest.

Each camera may be configured to auto-focus on a respective region of interest of the user and/or the computing device. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the cameras 204 are used to automatically focus on predetermined regions of interest. Said auto-focusing cameras may rely on a plurality of sensors to determine correct focus. Both manual and automatic focusing schemes may be considered for the cameras 204 simultaneously. As shown in Figure 2, the cameras 204 may further comprise a third camera (212). The first camera 208 and second camera 210 are adapted to auto-focus on a region of interest with high contrast, and the third and fourth camera 212 are adapted to manual-focus on another region of interest having a low level of contrast.

The plurality of cameras 204 may be mounted to a mounting support 216. The system 200 may be adapted to be feasibly implemented and compatible with different types of external mounting scheme, as long as fields of view can be satisfied for all cameras to see all regions of interest. As shown in the example of Figure 2, said external mounting support 216 may be a fixed device such as an external tripod stand. All cameras may be mounted together on the external tripod stand, and each of them are facing to different angles to focus on the respective region of interest relative to the horizontal plane of a table. The external mounting support 216 may be fixed on the computing device. Alternatively, the external mounting support 216 may be mountable to the user of the computing device 202 and movable. In one example, the first and second camera (i.e., 208 and 210) adapted to focus on the screen and input device of the computing device 202 respectively are mounted on a pair of glasses, and the user of the computing device 202 can wear said glasses so as to allow the cameras 208 and 210 to monitor the user's behaviours on the screen and input device of the computing device.

In one embodiment, the communications interface 206 is coupled to the computing device 202. The video/image captured by the cameras 204 are first transmitted to the computing device 202, which then shares the video/image content with the remote monitoring computer 206. The remote monitoring computer indirectly receives said video/image data, and the computing device 202 may not share some part of the video/image data with the remote computer if the user of the computing device 202 seeks to avoid the disclosure of his private information. In another embodiment as shown in Figure 2, the communications interface 202 is not part of the computing device 202, such that the remote monitoring computer 206 receives at least part of said video/image data directly from the plurality of cameras 204. A central server (such as the central server 116 of Figure 1) may be added in between the connection of the computing device and the remote monitoring computer. The cameras 204 may be remotely controlled through said central server, to focus on different regions of interest.

The external remote monitoring computer may receive at least part of said video/image data via a video conferencing application executing on the computing device 202. The computing device 202 and the remote monitoring computer 206 may be connected by the video conferencing application. The computing device 202 first receives video/image captured by the cameras 204 and displays the captured video/image on its screen. Said video conferencing application enables the user of the computing device 202 to share the screen of the computing device with the operator of the remote monitoring computer so as to transmit the received video/image to the remote monitoring computer. The user of the computing device 202 may also use a video streaming platform to distribute live video over the Internet. Through streaming, the operator of the computer 206 is able to watch the captured video/image before the entire video/image file has been transmitted by the user of the device 202.

At least one camera may be rotatably mounted to the support 214 that is remotely controllable by the remote monitoring computer 206 to change the viewing angle. To ensure effective field of view, the remote monitoring computer may control each of the cameras 204 to enable each camera to possess a different angle of view. The remote monitoring computer 206 may adjust the height of the support 216 and camera rotation relative to the support 216 so as to allow the cameras 204 to focus on different regions of interest. The cameras 204 may be remotely controlled by the remote monitoring computer through the central server to focus on regions of interest of the user and/or the computing device 202. The video conferencing application executing on the computing device 202 may be hosted by the operator of the external remote monitoring computer. The operator may send a command through the video conferencing application to adjust the viewing angle.

Example: Inviailation System

In one embodiment, the proposed system can be used to ensure the integrity of an online examination. In particular, the system is for remote monitoring of a candidate who uses his computing device to take an online exam. The system aims to help monitor the candidate's behaviours by looking at key regions of interest including but not limited to the candidate's face, hands, the keyboard and the screen, offers a broad range of monitoring and significantly reduces the risk of cheating. Such system may be distributed to all candidates with registered IDs, so as to facilitate centralized proctors for all kinds of exams.

After mounting and tuning based on general instructions given by the invigilator prior to the exam, all of the cameras are facing at different angles relative to the horizontal plane of the table, and each of the cameras is focusing on a specific region of interest. All cameras may be concurrently connected to the candidate's exam-taking computing device. A multi-input extension port may be added in the system if the computing device does not have enough ports to connect to all cameras at the same time. Both manual and automatic focusing schemes can be considered for all cameras. The general purpose is to align the field of view from each channel to directly see the corresponding region of interest of the candidate and his exam-taking device. The cameras are mounted to external mounting supports. The external mounting scheme can be flexible for different conditions. An online video meeting may be hosted by the invigilator during the exam, and both the invigilator's computer and the candidate's computing device are connected by an online meeting software. A central server can be added in between the connection if extra security and operation requirements are needed by the invigilator.

When all of the cameras are on and active, all images can be seen by the invigilator for comprehensive proctoring during the exam, where data transmission bandwidth is large enough. Alternatively, when network bandwidth is not sufficient for all images, or to ensure streaming stability, the invigilator can switch to any of the channels at each time, and can freely and silently switch among all channels to see any one of the regions that might be concerned. Figure 3 shows example imaging results during an online examination using an example of a multi-channel imaging system (e.g., the system 200). As shown in Figure 3, when the candidate displays no problem when only looking at his face expression (panel 3A), and the screen (panel 3B), he might be using an online chat software to improperly communicate with a third-party to look for answers (panel 3C). In summary, the system can overcome the conventional visual-based online examination proctoring system to provide a larger effective field of view, with flexible operation schemes at affordable data transmission costs. It preserves the enhanced performance in the exam proctoring process. It is also a versatile and flexible approach to benefit most of online examinations, when preserving integrity of the testing process is a matter of concern.

Example: Driver Assistant System

In one embodiment, the proposed system can be used for remote monitoring of a car driver who uses his computing device (where in this example, the "computing device" is the car). Respective cameras are configured to focus on one of: the driver's face, hands, chest, the car's dashboard and brake. The proposed system offers a broad range of monitoring and reduces the risk of car accidents.

A traffic policeman may instruct the driver to mount and tune the cameras to face at different angles. Each camera focuses on a specific region of interest. The system comprises a remote monitoring computer controlled by the policeman for receiving image data from the plurality of cameras. The plurality of cameras may be mounted to a mounting support. The plurality of cameras may be connected to a communications interface for communicating with the remote monitoring computer. The communications interface may be not part of the computing device, such that the policeman can see at least part of said image data directly from the plurality of cameras. The policeman can control the viewing angle and/or focus of one or more of the plurality of cameras. When all of the cameras are on and active, all images can be seen by the policeman for a comprehensive thorough inspection of the driving process, where data transmission bandwidth is large enough. Alternatively, when network bandwidth is not sufficient for all images, or to ensure streaming stability, the policeman can switch to any of the channels at each time, and can freely and silently switch among all channels to see any one of the regions that might be concerned. When the driver displays no problem when only looking at his face expression, he might not be wearing his seat belt, and this can only be directly seen on his chest. The system can provide an improvement over conventional driver assistant systems to provide a larger effective field of view, and thus provide enhanced performance in the car driving monitoring process.

It will be appreciated that many further modifications and permutations of various aspects of the described embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the described aspects are intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavor to which this specification relates.

Claims

1. A system for remote monitoring of a user of a computing device, comprising: a plurality of cameras configured to communicate with the computing device; and a remote monitoring computer configured to receive image data from the plurality of cameras; wherein each of the plurality of cameras is configured to focus on a different region of interest of the user and/or the computing device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein each camera has a field of view sufficient to cover a respective region of interest of the user or the computing device.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein each camera has a field of view of at least 60 degrees.

4. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each camera is configured to auto-focus on a respective region of interest of the user and/or the computing device.

5. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein respective cameras are configured to focus on one of: a face of the user; a hand of the user; an input device of the computing device; and a screen of the computing device.

6. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of cameras are mounted to a mounting support.

7. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plurality of cameras are connected to a communications interface for communicating with the remote monitoring computer, and wherein the communications interface is not part of the computing device, such that the remote monitoring computer receives at least part of said image data directly from the plurality of cameras.

8. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the remote monitoring computer receives at least part of said image data via a video conferencing application executing on the computing device.

9. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the remote monitoring computer is configured to control the viewing angle and/or focus of one or more of the plurality of cameras.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein at least one camera is rotatably mounted to a support that is remotely controllable by the remote monitoring computer to change the viewing angle.

11. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the remote monitoring computer is configured to switch between respective views of the plurality of cameras.

12. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least one camera is mountable to the user and/or the computing device.

13. An imaging system for remote monitoring of a user of a computing device, comprising: a plurality of cameras configured to communicate with the computing device; wherein each of the plurality of cameras is configured to focus on a different region of interest of the user and/or the computing device; and at least one communications interface for transmitting image data from the plurality of cameras to a remote monitoring computer.

14. An imaging system according to claim 13, wherein each camera has a field of view sufficient to cover a respective region of interest of the user or the computing device.

15. An imaging system according to claim 14, wherein each camera has a field of view of at least 60 degrees.

16. An imaging system according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein each camera is configured to auto-focus on a respective region of interest of the user and/or the computing device.

17. An imaging system according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein respective cameras are configured to focus on one of: a face of the user; a hand of the user; an input device of the computing device; and a screen of the computing device.

18. An imaging system according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the plurality of cameras are mounted to a mounting support.

19. An imaging system according to any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein at least one communications interface is not part of the computing device, such that the remote monitoring computer receives at least part of said image data directly from the plurality of cameras.

20. An imaging system according to any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the at least one communications interface is part of the computing device, and the remote monitoring computer receives at least part of said image data via a video conferencing application executing on the computing device.

21. An imaging system according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein at least one camera is rotatably mounted to a support that is remotely controllable by the remote monitoring computer to change the viewing angle.

22. An imaging system according to any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein at least one camera is mountable to the user and/or the computing device.