Temporal Structured-Illuminated Saccade (TeSS) System

High-speed object detection and tracking have several applications, ranging from security surveillance to medical diagnosis. Rapid eye movement detection, or saccadometry, specifically, has important implications in diagnosing and studying neurological conditions in which eye movements could provide insight into brain function. However, capturing those high-speed movements with enough temporal resolution for accurate analysis has remained a challenge. Current standard video equipment typically operates at frame rates between 15 and 30 frames per second (fps). This limitation impedes capturing fast-moving objects like saccades properly, making it impossible to accurately track these movements for diagnostic or analysis purposes. High-speed cameras can offer better resolution, but these tend to be prohibitively expensive and complicated to operate.

Technology Description

This invention offers an innovative solution for the detection and tracking of fast-moving objects, including rapid eye movements termed "saccades." It operates by generating two or more images of the object in a single frame from a video camera or similar detector. This process is accomplished by illuminating the moving object using sequentially activated, or "strobed," light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Notably, these light sources activate at a rate surpassing the frame rate of the detector, yielding multiple images within one frame. What sets this technology apart is its ability to achieve significantly higher temporal resolution than standard video equipment operating between 15 to 30 frames per second (fps). It uses readily available, cost-effective components, thereby bypassing the need for expensive high-frame-rate video hardware. Particularly important is the invention's application in saccadometry, which involves the tracking and analysis of rapid eye movements.