Advanced Imaging Methods

Abstract

The growth and development of imaging technology, coupled with extraordinary advances in computational and image processing technology, are culminating in a wide range of vision-based, non-contacting measurement methods. For components undergoing both quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions, imaging methods have been developed to make accurate measurements for (a) two-dimensional motion in nominally planar surfaces, (b) three-dimensional shape and motion measurements for curved or planar specimens and (c) volumetric measurements of shape and motion for specimens with sufficient image features. Even more remarkably, the measurements are being made over spatial domains ranging from meters in size to microns, and with temporal resolution that range from a few hours to nanoseconds. The broad range of instrumentation being employed to make these measurements is breathtaking; Atomic Force Microscopes, Scanning Electron Microscopes, Confocal Imaging Microscopes, Optical Microscopes, Computed Tomography Systems, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Sytems, Mega-pixel Digital Cameras, Ultra-High Speed Optical Cameras, Optical Coherence Tomographic Systems and Photo-Interferometric Systems are a few of the instruments being employed. In recognition of the burgeoning growth of noncontacting measurement methods, nearly 100 scientists and engineers from Asia, the EU, North America and Mexico attended an international Workshop and Symposium on Advanced Imaging Methods to present their recent developments and discuss future trends. The Workshop and Symposium was held in Columbia, South Carolina from October 5-7, 2008, and was sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the State of South Carolina, the University of South Carolina and industrial partners including Correlated Solutions, Inc., DRS-Hadland and Trilion. An outcome of this meeting was the development of this special issue, comprised of many of the high quality scientific studies presented at the conference. Contributors to this special issue include individuals from national laboratories, universities and industries in the US, UK, France and Asia. The articles in the special issue are arranged so that similar aspects are together.