Manual Timestamps Guide

Version 1.1

Introduction

While ALAS excels at automatic activity detection through Regions of Interest (ROIs), certain scenarios require more precise human intervention. The Manual Timestamps feature allows you to supplement or override automatic detection with user-defined time segments. This guide explains when and how to use manual timestamps effectively.

Understanding Manual Timestamps

What Are Manual Timestamps?

Manual timestamps are user-defined time markers that indicate the exact beginning and end of activities within a video. They:

• Provide precise control over activity timing
• Can override or supplement automatic ROI-based detection
• Allow for tracking activities that are difficult to define with ROIs
• Enable marking of activities that may be visually subtle or ambiguous for AI

When to Use Manual Timestamps

Consider using manual timestamps in these scenarios:

• Complex activities that cannot be adequately captured by ROIs alone
• Activities with subtle visual cues that the AI might miss
• Instances where body points are occluded or not clearly visible
• Edge cases where multiple operators work in close proximity
• When you need to ensure precise timing of critical activities
• Situations requiring extreme accuracy for compliance or validation

Accessing the Manual Timestamp Interface

1. Navigate to the Videos section in the main menu
2. Select your video from the Unprocessed Videos list
3. In the video configuration screen, navigate to the Activities tab
4. Select an activity from the list
5. Click on the Manual Timestamps tab in the activity properties panel

Creating Basic Timestamps

Adding Your First Timestamp

To add a simple timestamp segment:

1. Navigate to the Manual Timestamps section for an activity
2. Click Add Timestamp to create a new entry
3. Use the video player to locate the start of the activity
4. Click Mark Start to record the current video position
5. Use the video player to locate the end of the activity
6. Click Mark End to complete the timestamp
7. Click Save to confirm the timestamp

Managing Multiple Timestamps

An activity can have multiple timestamp segments:

1. Add timestamps as described above for each occurrence of the activity
2. View all timestamps in the list below the video player
3. Use the toggle switches to enable/disable individual timestamps
4. Click the delete icon to remove incorrect timestamps

Advanced Timestamp Features

Fine-Tuning Timestamps

For precise control:

1. Select an existing timestamp from the list
2. Click Edit to modify it
3. Use the timecode input fields to manually enter exact start/end times
4. Alternatively, use the frame-by-frame navigation buttons for precise positioning
5. Click Update to save your changes

Batch Timestamp Creation

For repetitive activities:

1. Click Batch Mode in the timestamps panel
2. Set the expected duration for the activity
3. Navigate through the video and click Mark Start each time the activity begins
4. The system will automatically create timestamps with the specified duration
5. Review and adjust individual timestamps as needed

Importing and Exporting Timestamps

To reuse timestamp data:

1. Click Export Timestamps to download the current timestamp data
2. Use Import Timestamps to load previously saved timestamp data
3. Adjust imported timestamps as needed for the current video

Time Attribution with Manual Timestamps

How Manual Timestamps Affect Analysis

When manual timestamps are defined:

• They take precedence over automatic ROI detection within their timeframes
• Time is attributed exactly as defined by the manual timestamps
• Automatic detection still applies outside manually timestamped periods
• The analysis results will clearly indicate which activities used manual timestamps

Partial vs. Complete Manual Timestamping

You can use timestamps in two ways:

1. Partial Timestamping: Define timestamps only for specific activities or segments that need manual intervention, letting automatic detection handle the rest
2. Complete Timestamping: Manually define all activities throughout the entire video, essentially overriding automatic detection

Timestamp Visualization and Validation

Previewing Timestamp Effects

To understand how timestamps will affect your analysis:

1. Configure all your timestamps
2. Click the Preview Analysis button
3. The timeline visualization will show:
   • Manually defined timestamps in solid colors
   • Automatically detected segments in lighter, patterned colors
   • Potential conflicts or gaps in coverage

Validating Timestamp Accuracy

For quality assurance:

1. Create all necessary timestamps
2. Use the Timeline Check feature to analyze your manual timestamps
3. The system will highlight:
   • Overlapping timestamps that may cause conflicts
   • Significant gaps between timestamps that might indicate missing activities
   • Unusually short or long timestamp durations that could indicate errors

Combining Manual Timestamps with ROIs and Rules

Hybrid Approach Strategy

For optimal results, use a strategic combination of detection methods:

1. Use ROIs and activity rules for standard, consistent activities
2. Add manual timestamps for:
   • Exception cases
   • Activities difficult to detect automatically
   • Critical transitions that need precise timing
3. Enable the Hybrid Analysis option to smartly merge automatic and manual results

Using Manual Timestamps as Verification

Manual timestamps can serve as ground truth for validating ROI configuration:

1. Process a sample video using only ROI-based detection
2. Add manual timestamps for the same video as a reference standard
3. Use the Detection Comparison feature to analyze differences
4. Use the findings to refine your ROI placement and rules

Best Practices for Manual Timestamps

Timestamp Creation Guidelines

• Be Consistent: Apply the same start/end criteria across all instances of an activity
• Use Visual Cues: Mark transitions based on clear visual indicators in the video
• Consider Precision Needs: Only use frame-by-frame precision when genuinely necessary
• Document Criteria: Record your decision-making process for timestamp boundaries
• Validate Occasionally: Periodically check timestamps against activity definitions

Video Navigation Tips for Efficient Timestamping

• Use keyboard shortcuts to streamline navigation:
  • Space: Play/Pause
  • Left/Right Arrows: Move back/forward 1 second
  • Shift+Left/Right: Move back/forward 0.1 seconds
  • Up/Down Arrows: Increase/decrease playback speed
• Use the waveform visualization to identify activity transitions
• Set playback speed to 0.5x for complex or fast activities

Troubleshooting Manual Timestamps

Common Timestamp Issues

Getting Timestamp Support

If you encounter issues with manual timestamps:

1. Use the Timestamp Validation tool to check for technical problems
2. Review the timestamp format requirements in the system documentation
3. Contact support through the in-app form with specific examples
4. Consider scheduling training for complex timestamping projects

Advanced Manual Analysis Techniques

Activity Subcategorization

For detailed analysis:

1. Create multiple similar activities with specific qualifiers (e.g., "Assembly - Normal," "Assembly - Rework")
2. Use manual timestamps to precisely assign time to these subcategories
3. Generate comparative reports across subcategories to identify efficiency differences

Multi-operator Timestamping

When analyzing videos with multiple operators:

1. Create separate activities for each operator (e.g., "Operator 1 - Assembly," "Operator 2 - Assembly")
2. Use manual timestamps to track each operator independently
3. Generate individual and comparative time studies

Sequential Process Analysis

For analyzing process steps:

1. Create activities for each process step
2. Use manual timestamps to mark the exact transitions between steps
3. Generate Gantt charts and critical path analyses from the timestamp data

Conclusion

Manual timestamps are a powerful tool for ensuring analysis accuracy, particularly in complex scenarios. While they require more time investment than purely automated analysis, the increased precision can be invaluable for critical processes, training materials, or benchmark development.

For additional assistance with manual timestamps, contact our support team through the in-app support feature.

Remember: Manual timestamping should be used strategically to complement automatic detection, not replace it entirely unless necessary. The ideal approach balances the efficiency of automation with the precision of manual intervention.