TESTING LIGHT TRANSMITTING ARTICLES

A disclosed canopy testing using an area imaging device, e.g. a T.V. camera, to view a scene, a cross-hatch pattern say, through the canopy. The viewed image is digitized and stored and a computer evaluates the target image by comparing the apparent positions of its features with their real positions and/or by sensing deviations from straightness of the pattern lines. In a development, a polarimeter or polarization sensitive camera is used to test for hazing and curvature defects.