Photo instrumentation
Encyclopedia
Photo instrumentation refers to recording information of a diagnostic nature via a photographic process. The information recorded is usually used to determine the motion of a particular object through the camera's field of view. The camera is typically a high-speed still camera, or motion picture and video camera
s, or other specialized devices.
. Measurements of the object's position in successive pictures provide the object's motion. The time interval between the pictures is also known, and so the object's speed and direction can be determined. Information on the object's motion, combined with its known physical characteristics, such as size and weight
, allows calculation of many parameters including velocity and force for any desired points within the image. The motion of individual elements of an object can also be determined. The "photo instrumentation" provides both quantitative (numeric) and qualitative (descriptive) information that helps the observer understand the event.
Similar techniques have been used to study how hummingbird
s hover.
Video camera
A video camera is a camera used for electronic motion picture acquisition, initially developed by the television industry but now common in other applications as well. The earliest video cameras were those of John Logie Baird, based on the electromechanical Nipkow disk and used by the BBC in...
s, or other specialized devices.
Applications
One of today's most common applications is the car crash testCrash test
A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation or related systems and components.- Types :...
. Measurements of the object's position in successive pictures provide the object's motion. The time interval between the pictures is also known, and so the object's speed and direction can be determined. Information on the object's motion, combined with its known physical characteristics, such as size and weight
Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:...
, allows calculation of many parameters including velocity and force for any desired points within the image. The motion of individual elements of an object can also be determined. The "photo instrumentation" provides both quantitative (numeric) and qualitative (descriptive) information that helps the observer understand the event.
Similar techniques have been used to study how hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s hover.