Introduction to High Speed Video What does HSV do? Why use video for motion problems? What's so fast about HSV? Why the need for speed? How does HSV help? Who needs HSV? Where is it used? Do really I gotta have HSV? Where do I get it? What does HSV do? The world keeps moving. And it keeps moving faster. A high speed video system can help you understand motion problems. Whether your work involves product design, research, machinery maintenance, or biomechanical motion, high speed video (HSV) equipment could become the most important tool in your arsenal. The world moves too fast to catch it all with our human eyes. Why use video for motion problems? Although we can perceive a large number of colors and a great deal of detail in a still image, our eyes are not "fast" enough to closely and accurately capture many particulars in moving images. In fact, while movies and television appear to us to be continuously moving images, they are actually a series of still pictures presented at 24 or 30 frames per second. We can obviously learn more about motion sequences if we record them with video equipment and then study the recordings in slow motion -- or even as individual frames. We have all seen the slow motion instant replays in sports and the frame-by-frame viewing of the famous 8 mm film from the 1963 Kennedy assassination. What's so fast about HSV? HSV equipment runs at much higher speeds than television and movies. It can capture hundreds -- or even thousands -- of frames per second. We can then view the recorded sequence forward or backward at a variety of speeds down to 1 frame per second. We can even stop and view any frame in still mode. Why the need for speed? It is possible to use standard video equipment to record and analyze motion, but we then have two very serious limitations: The sampling rate of 30 frames per second (for NTSC video) is too slow for most motion problems. We only get one image every 33 milliseconds. When critical events are recorded, they often occur between frames. If a shutter rate of 1/1000 of a second is used, image capture occurs for only 1 millisecond out of every 33 -- only 3% of the time. This is like trying to keep track of a three year old in a china shop by glancing down once every few minutes. You're not likely to see the event that causes the crash. If we record a motion sequence at 30 frames per second and then slow it down by a factor of ten, we are watching it at only 3 frames per second. Although we can't perceive the discrete nature of still images at the normal 30 frame per second speed, we can certainly see it at 3 frames per second! The resulting image is VERY jerky -- and this is where we run into another human limitation. Although we "know" the actual motion we are watching is continuous, it is very difficult to perceive this when we are watching the jerky images. This is a subtle limitation, but it is incredibly important when a critical understanding of motion is crucial to mission success. How does HSV help? If we use HSV equipment instead of standard video equipment to capture motion sequences at hundreds or thousands of frames per second, we can see much more detail. At 300 frames per second, we get ten separate pictures for every one that would be captured by standard (30 frames per second) video. And at 3000 frames per second, we have 100 images for each standard video frame. We are much more likely to see the toddler heading toward trouble and be able to intervene to prevent the crash. And if we capture a motion sequence at 300 fps and slow it down by a factor of ten to view it, we will see smooth, continuous motion at 30 frames per second. This will give us a much better intuitive understanding of the actual motion we are studying. With HSV, problems that were tough or even nearly unsolvable become simple and easy to solve! Who needs HSV? Almost anyone who works with things that move-- especially when the motion is important. Consider a HSV system as an oscilloscope for mechanical applications. No electrical engineer or technician would design or repair electronic circuitry -- nor would a researcher studying systems involving electrical signals -- try to work without an oscilloscope. Similarly, no one designing, maintaining, or studying equipment or systems with moving parts should have to do it without access to HSV. Unless you are studying the motion of molasses in Antarctica, working without HSV is like working in the dark. Turn on the lights! Where is it used? HSV systems have been used for many purposes, and the possibilities are endless! Practically anywhere there is motion -- especially when the motion is important -- there is a need for high speed video. Functions greatly aided by HSV include: Machine Troubleshooting Biomechanical Study Product Design Machine Setup Single Event Capture Machine Speedup QA & Other Testing Baseline Characterization Do I really gotta have HSV? Competitive pressures demand that we continue to make advances, and we must have more sophisticated tools to do so. In all areas of knowledge, the easy gains have already been made. Back in the fifties, if a car designer was directed to decrease aerodynamic drag, all he or she would have to do is chop off the tail fins. But cars have gotten a lot more aerodynamic since the. Now, given this same directive, the designer has to book weeks or months in a $30 million wind tunnel and budget for a staff of fifteen to gather and analyze the data. As time goes on, it takes more sophistication -- and much better tools -- to build a better mousetrap. Better communications and market globalization bring increased competition and make it harder and harder to stay on top. We must constantly learn more just to stay even with our competitors. And wherever motion is involved, whether in manufacturing, design, biomechanics, or other areas, it is absolutely critical to understand the true nature of the motion. Don't be left behind! Call now! Where do I get it? Time Machines can provide the equipment and the guidance you need to get and stay ahead. We sell the latest and best in HSV equipment and accessories. We rent HSV systems at monthly or weekly rates. Renting is ideal for occasional problems or when budgets are tight, and it can justify a later purchase. We also provide video capture services and consulting on issues related to HSV. We would love to hear from you.

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