Characterizing the ambiguity of event-based pixel temporal contrast encoding

The basis of data transmission for an event-based pixel is a pulse-density modulated stream of unary information whose frequency is proportional to intensity gradients. While this temporal contrast encoding scheme largely reduces low frequency background information, radiometric coherence is not embedded in this native representation. This work investigates if this behavior is a result of the fundamental conflation of target flow and contrast. Rudimentary modeling is leveraged to observe this phenomenon. Experimental methodology was then devised to leverage dynamic contrast targets to stimulate COTS EBS arrays over a family of velocity and contrast profiles. Preliminary results provide insight into the breadth of the phenomenology and where coherent target signatures can be continuously mapped through the EBS output.