Re: software for measurements from video images?

[gastineau@mindspring.com (John Gastineau)]

On Fri, 24 Oct 1997 00:25:26 +0100, Mark wrote:

> I want to be able to record events with a video camera, then digitise the
> images and analyse the motion by following the movement of selected points
> from frame to frame. What software do I need to buy?

Ludwik was right in that VideoPoint is available from PASCO for
Mac and Windows. It's an outgrowth of Workshop Physics at
Dickinson, with Priscilla Laws behind it. It comes with a large
collection of videos on CD, so you can put it to use right away
with no video equipment. I've taught with it, and like it a lot. 
Check out http://www.pasco.com/html-bin/computer/vidpoint.htm for
info. 

VideoGraph is Mac only at the moment, is written by Bob Beichner
at NCSU, and is available from Physics Academic Software. It
comes with VideoGrab, a utility for digitizing videos. It is very
simple to use, and almost has an MBL-like feel. If the last
classroom I'd been in had macs, I would have used it. Check it
out at http://www.aip.org/pas/videograph.html

There's a free package available for download from Kenyon
College. I haven't used it, but plan to check it out soon.
There's a journal article and download directions available at
http://www.kenyon.edu/depts/physics/research/addeyes.htm. It
comes with a simple curve-fitting tool. 

There is also World In Motion, by Bob Carlson, for Windows. It
also comes with a large selection of videos, and is web-based in
its new release 3.0. It is very simple to use, and some of the
more advanced features can be hidden to simplify things for
beginners. More info from http://members.aol.com/raacc/wim.html

JEG



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John E. Gastineau      gastineau@mindspring.com               KC8IEW
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