Questions on the inner workings of IMAQ Particle Analysis

[Cres2608]

Hi all,

Just wondering how the IMAQ labels each of the particle? Will Particle 1 remain Particle 1 during the next cycle? Will new particles added to the next image will cause Particle 1 to become Particle 3 for example. Because I have to draw a trace line that follows the moving particles. To do this, I need store the particle's previous coordinates and read them at the next cycle so that the program can draw the tracing line. However, I'm not sure how does the IMAQ gives the numbering to these particles and I'm planning to use the Center of Mass in the IMAQ Particle Analysis to get these coordinates. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks 🙂 If my question somehow is vague to you, please tell me and I will try to explain my situation in a more detailed way.

[BruceAmmons · Accepted solution]

IMAQ particle numbering goes from left to right, starting with the top row and going down to the bottom.  If you add particles near the top, all the particles below them will be renumbered.  To track particles, you would be better off monitoring the center X and Y coordinates, and matching them with the previous iteration using shortest distance.  You also might be able to use the particle tracking routines provided by LabVIEW and skip the hard work.

Bruce