Simplified Three-Dimensional Protogrammetric Analysis of Moving Bodies

Accurate values of velocity and acceleration of a point on an impacting vehicle are determined by Wayne State University (WSU) personnel using a simple but flexible three-dimensional photogrammetric technique requiring little site preparation and no knowledge of the quantitative optical properties of the cameras. A computer program was developed to locate the point in space as it moves and to calculate its position, velocity and acceleration vectors as functions of time. Curve smoothing is accomplished in the computer program by means of a special algorithm designed to reduce the effects of random measurement errors, which are greatly magnified in the calculation of velocity and acceleration.