Tracking of colloidal particles using microscopic image sequence analysis Application to particulate microelectrophoresis and particle deposition

Abstract

A method for colloidal particle tracking in microscopic video image sequences is presented, based upon minimization of a matrix containing the distances between predicted and measured particle positions within a field of view. The software required for particle tracking can be easily implemented in applications where microscopic images are recorded with an imaging system, usually consisting of a video camera, a framegrabber computer card and a personal computer. Two applications of interest in colloid and surface science are described. In particulate microelectrophoresis the method can be used to determine the particle velocity distribution in a fully observer independent fashion from microscopic images of colloidal particles moving in an applied electric field. In colloidal particle deposition to collector surfaces, the method can be used to measure resident time dependent desorption of adhering colloidal particles.