Novel zero-contact edge detection method for estimation of real-time angular positions and angular velocities of a rotating structure with application to rotating structure vibration measurement

A method for estimating angular positions and/or angular velocities of a rotating structure (RS) using edge detection, the method comprising:

• detecting edges of the RS by tracking a location of an identified point;
• transforming the location of the identified point into polar coordinates to determine angular positions;
• and
• using the angular positions to calculate real-time angular velocities,
• wherein the method is performed without attaching any mark or encoder to the RS.

A method of detecting and identifying edges of a rotating structure (RS), the method comprising:

• reducing the size of an image processing region to generate a sub-frame;
• detecting a rotation center of the RS;
• generating an annular region around the rotation center;
• and
• using a virtual reference point to detect a plurality of single identified points on the edge of the RS within the annular region, wherein when the edges enter the region around the virtual reference position, the average location of the edges is calculated.