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Computer Vision for Immersion of Foils

    Within EPFL-Hydros project, development of a computer vision for foil immersion measurement

    Within EPFL-Hydros project, development of a computer vision for foil immersion measurement.

    EPFL's Computer Vision Laboratory (CVLAB) has developed an incredible measurement tool. It is capable of establishing the three-dimensional form and position of an object using a sequence of images taken by a single camera. Potential applications include measurements of the immersion of the foils during sailing, measurements of the deformation of the sailboat's structures and the form of the sails. 

    Data important for the Design Team to make adjustments, and to better understand the behavior of the platform and its deformation while the boat is sailing at high speed. The CVLAB is currently working on a simplified interface for this video sequence analysis software that would make it possible to analyze the data more quickly.

    The foils are the only parts of the boat that come into contact with the water when l'Hydroptère is sailing at high speeds. Several questions come up; for example, what is the interaction between the foils and the water, and how far are the foils immersed? The answers are all the more difficult to obtain because the foils generate spray as they travel through the water, blurring the images. In order to get reliable information, scientists have had to come up with state-of-the-art computer techniques. 

    The image analysis is done using variations in contrast and distortion caused by refraction (the effect one sees when a pencil is placed in a glass of water). Tested successfully on l'Hydroptère during winter 2009, such a system can provide valuable information on improvements that can be made to future versions of these kinds of sailboats.

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