How to track the center point of the moving feature in the given picture (preferably using MATLAB)?

Question

Suggest a method/algorithm to track the center point of the feature,

the features is part of a video. As the video is played, the feature keeps moving around but never goes out of the rectangle of size shown in figure.

I wish to track the center point over the duration of the video.

*the red point is not part of the image. I have overlaid it to show the center point I wish to track.

Answer 1

A very simple way:

1. create an image with the pattern to recognize
2. do cross-correlation along X and Y with your frames
3. select the peaks of the X and Y correlation signals to identify position

There must be a lot of material around .. start here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_tracking

Answer 2

Try using vision.PointTracker in the Computer Vision System Toolbox.