Detection of object vibrations from high speed infrared images

Remote detection of vibrational features from an object is important for many short range civil applications, but it is also of interest for long range applications in the defense and security area. The well-established laser Doppler vibrometry technique is widely used as a high-sensitivity, non-contact method. The development of camera technology in recent years made image-based methods reliable passive alternatives for vibration and dynamic measurements. Very sensitive applications have been demonstrated using high speed cameras in the visual spectral range. However, for long range applications, where turbulence becomes a limiting factor, image acquisition in the short- to mid-wave IR region would be desirable, as the atmospheric effects attenuate at longer wavelength. In this paper, we investigate experimentally the vibration detection from short- and mid-wave IR image sequences using high speed imaging technique. Experiments on the extraction of vibration signature under strong local turbulence conditions are presented.