Image resolution limits resulting from mechanical vibrations

Abstract

A theoretical model, developed by Wulich and Kopeika that gives the MTF for flow vibration frequency sinusoidal image motion applicable to reconnaissance, robotics, and computer vision, is evaluated experimentally to determine (1) accuracy of the MTF model and the validity of assumptions upon which it is based, (2) accuracy of "lucky shot" theoretical analysis to determine the number of independent images required to obtain at least one good quality image, and (3) accuracy of prediction for average blur radius. In most cases agreement between theory and experiment is quite good. Discrepancies are not too great and are attributed to problems with underlying theoretical assumptions where uniform linear motion cannot be assumed. The theory and experiment here are confined to low-frequency sinusoidal vibration where blur radius and spatial frequency content are random processes.