If I want to train keypoint detection to recognize different body behaviors and I have more than 1,000 images, do I need to rely only on people to help with the training, or can I use AI to assist with the training instead?
Hi @jao_ICE,
Good news on the training side: once your images are annotated, Roboflow handles the model training automatically. You upload your annotated dataset, click Train, pick a model (like YOLOv8 Pose or YOLO11 Pose), and Roboflow does the rest. So you don’t need anyone’s help for the actual training step.
The part that does take manual effort is the annotation, i.e. placing the keypoints on each image. Right now, Roboflow’s AI-powered labeling tools (Label Assist, Smart Polygon, Auto Label) are designed for object detection and segmentation projects and don’t support keypoint detection projects yet. That means you’ll need to annotate the keypoints yourself.
That said, 1,000 images is very doable, and here’s a practical approach to speed things up:
- Set up your keypoint skeleton first. Define your skeleton template (which body parts, how they connect) before you start annotating. The Set Keypoint Skeletons doc walks through this.
- Annotate in batches. Start with a smaller batch (100-200 images), train an initial model, and use those results to sanity-check your annotations. This catches labeling mistakes early.
- Use Roboflow’s annotation tools efficiently. The keypoint annotation interface lets you draw a bounding box and then position the keypoints within it. You can mark keypoints as not visible when they’re occluded. The Annotate Keypoints guide covers the full workflow.
- Consider starting from a checkpoint. If there’s a public keypoint model on Roboflow Universe similar to your use case, you can fine-tune from that checkpoint instead of training from scratch. This often gives better results with less data. See Train from a Universe Checkpoint.
For recognizing different body behaviors specifically, you’ll want enough variety in your training images to capture the different poses and behaviors you care about. 1,000 images is a solid starting point, especially if you’re fine-tuning from a pre-trained pose model.
Relevant Resources:
- Annotate Keypoints - Step-by-step guide for annotating keypoints in Roboflow
- Set Keypoint Skeletons - How to define your skeleton template
- Train a Model - Overview of Roboflow’s training process
- Train a Custom YOLOv8 Pose Estimation Model - End-to-end tutorial for custom pose models
- What is Keypoint Detection? - Background on how keypoint detection works
Let us know if you run into anything during annotation or training.
Best,
Ford