Compound-Eye Imaging Imitation-Based Whole-Field Flow Measurement

Large-scale particle image velocimetry (LSPIV) has been increasingly applied in whole-field flow measurement for its non-contact operation mode. However, due to the complicated flow conditions and optical disturbances on the water-air interface, commonly-used imaging technologies are degenerated by the low visibility and image distortion. There are also increased challenges for control point calibration. This paper proposes an imaging measurement method that imitates the imaging computation mechanism in compound eyes. The method is independent of ground control points and can achieve flow measurement with natural patterns, which can solve the problem caused by the lack of visible tracers. Field evaluation results demonstrate that this is the first method to achieve real-world whole-field flow measurement in challenging conditions. Specifically, the velocimetry error is less than 5%, while ranging from 5% to 15% for other LSPIV systems. The method meets current hydrological standards and acquires flow data in wild rivers, performance that is realized with difficulty by other methods.