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Signal Processing

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  • $\begingroup$ Here's a real-world (if a bit dated) application: use the FFT to efficiently compute compute the normalized cross-correlation between a pattern and an image, used in tracking (or, how they got Tom Hanks to chat with LBJ in "Forrest Gump"): idiom.com/~zilla/Papers/nvisionInterface/nip.html $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 25, 2013 at 18:20
  • $\begingroup$ Mhh, sorry, could you elaborate? I don't fully understand :) $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 25, 2013 at 18:51
  • $\begingroup$ You asked: "Why would I use the Fourier Transform?", I gave you a real-word example where the Fast Fourier Transform is used to accelerate the computation of the normalized cross-correlation for feature tracking in a movie sequence. That algorithm was first used in the production of "Forrest Gump", read the paper for details. $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 25, 2013 at 19:25
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    $\begingroup$ This might be of use to you. $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 26, 2013 at 13:47
  • $\begingroup$ Really, the Fourier transform breaks a signal up into complex exponentials, so it can measure the magnitude and phase at each point, but maybe this is more confusing than helpful. :D dsp.stackexchange.com/a/449/29 $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 26, 2013 at 15:35