3th3r: maybe theres another way. But you wouldnt be able to use a broad -spectrum source because you cant isolate the interference pattern from scattering off the wire from its own interference with itself and off the winder and what not. Directed monochromatic light source is where its at. Or maybe extreme ultrasound echo-location. You need something with a very high frequency anyway because the wires so thin.
Or a method to map the surface: easier, but still tricky. You could get away with lower resolution, and it would be harder but still possible to do away with a coherent source. Your software has to be far batter though, because it needs to identify the wind in an image and then map it. Effortless for a human, much harder for a computer.
Beyond that, which is possible but difficult, its all in making software clever enough to adapt to the wind thats on the coil already. The tension thing is childsplay: its the angle it comes in at, the lateral location of the point the wire connects with the winder.
It can be done, I've no doubt about it. Its not even that hard, but like I said: ££$$££$$££$$££$$£. Its not worth it: there isnt enough comeback to pay for the R&D and gear.
THough maybe seymour duncan can look into it and charge £1000 per auto-scatter wound pickup :lol:
