SIR Computer Science Investigation Abstract
BEYOND VISION: AN INVESTIGATION IN HIGH-SPEED AND STROBOSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Presenter:
Quinn F. Burke-Anderson, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Advisors:
Dr. John Eggebrecht, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Mr. Clay Sewell, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Abstract:
Fifty years ago, Dr. Harold Edgerton of MIT revolutionized the photo industry through his developments in stroboscopic and high-speed photography. These methods are scientifically significant as a result of their distinct abilities to record motion and “freeze” time, respectively. Through the lens of a high-speed camera, previously uneventful phenomena (such as a water droplet colliding with a solid surface) become almost explosive. What can we learn about the physical world around us through the use of these photographic methods? This is what I’m trying to figure out.
Stroboscopic photography is incredibly useful in recording motion over a time interval. As a result, this method is ideal for creating visual evidence to support many different subjects in physics (gravity and ballistics). High-speed photography, on the other hand, is useful for recording events that happen too quickly for our eyes to detect. What exactly happens at the instant when a tennis racket contacts a ball? Through the use of laser and audio triggering systems I have produced images that are both scientifically meaningful as well as aesthetically pleasing.