Abstract: A system and a method for directing a camera based on time-series data are disclosed, wherein the time-series data represent atomic activities sensed by sensors in an environment, and wherein each atomic activity includes a time and a location at which the each atomic activity is sensed, comprising: providing a spatio-temporal pattern of the specified atomic activity, wherein the spatio-temporal pattern is based only on the time and the location of the atomic activities, such that a spatio-temporal sequence of the atomic activities forms the specified primitive activity; detecting, in the time-series data, a sensed primitive activity corresponding to the spatio-temporal pattern to produce a result, wherein the detecting is performed by a processor; and directing the camera based on the result.