Color plane slicing and its applications to motion characterization for machine vision

In this paper we propose the color plane slicing method, a technique to achieve a higher temporal resolution of a phenomena of interest than what is typically achievable by cameras. This is done by using a color camera and strobe lights of different colors at small intervals of time apart. The method, although simple, poses several advantages and applications to machine vision sensors which currently only inspect objects but do not characterize their motion in the context of automation and inspection. Although, the color information is traded for temporal information, we show that the framework is not restrictive for objects with or without colors. Also, the system can continue to be used as a traditional camera for quality inspection with a local translation applied to the formed composite image. Further, potential applications are discussed wherein the system is appended to an industrial grade Smart camera for ease of use. The applicability of the technique is also shown for motion characterization and vibration measurement.