Abstract
This study introduces a new technique to estimate modal parameters of a vibrating string using motion pictures. The approach requires two motion pictures for a vibrating string captured simultaneously by typical potable digital cameras or camcorders. Applying the space intersection theory and the space resection theory in photogrammetry, the steroscopic images for the string are constructed from two flat plane pictures. Then the three dimensional displacement components of the string are extracted by a multiple template matching technique. Finally the modal parameters of the string are estimated from the resulting displacement time histories. The accuracy of the approach has been examined through a small-scale mock-up of a string.