Chapter 1: Introduction

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 1
 Introduction
• Image is a 2D function – f(x,y)- x & y are spatial coordinates
• Amplitude of f at (x,y) is intensity/gray level
• This 2D function is Digital Image when x & y & intensity
values of f are all finite, discrete quantities
• Digital Image Processing: It is processing of digital images
using digital computer
• Picture Elements/Image Elements/Pels/Pixels: Every (x,y)
location
• Imaging machines cover entire EM spectrum (gamma to
radio waves including visible region) – Fig 1.5
• Computer Vision: Use computers to emulate human vision
(Learning, decisions, actions based on vision)

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 2
 History
• 1920: Pictures transmitted using submarine cable
between London & NY
• Time reduced from about 8 days to 3 hours
• The pictures had 4 levels of gray (Fig 1.2)
• 1929: Gray levels increased to 15 (Fig 1.3)
• 1960: First computers appear that can process images
• Space program used the computers for DIP
• 1964: Jet Propulsion Lab California processed images,
of moon transmitted by Ranger 7, to correct image
distortion (due to camera, environment etc)
• Fig 1.7: July 31, 1964 at 9:09am

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 3
 History
• Late 60’s, Early 70’s: Medical imaging, remote
earth resources observations, astronomy
• 1901 Nobel in Physics: Wilhelm Conrad
Roentgen for discovering X-rays in 1895
• 1979 Nobel in Medicine: Sir Godfrey & Prog
Allen Cormack for invention of CT

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 4
 Applications
• Visualization: Deblur, medical imaging, remote
sensing, weather forecasting, astronomy etc
• Machine Vision Applications: Automated target
detection & tracking, fingerprint recognition,
automation of plants/factories etc
• Video Sequence Processing: Security Surveillance,
find trajectory of moving object, monitoring
movement of organ boundaries in medical
applications
• Image compression: Reduced storage, reduction
in bandwidth
Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 5
 EM Spectrum
• Gamma Ray Imaging (Fig 1.6)
• Nuclear medicine, Astronomy
• Inject radioactive isotope that emits gamma
rays as it decays
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
• Bones pathology, tumor detection, infection
detection

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 6
 EM Spectrum
• X-Ray Imaging (Fig 1.7)
• Medical, Astronomy, Non-Destructive Testing
(NDT)
• Angiography: Images of blood vessels
• Catheter which is a small flexible hollow tube is
injected into artery/vein & guided to area under
study
• When it reaches to area under study, X-ray
contrast medium is injected through tube to
enhance contrast of blood vessels

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 7
 EM Spectrum
• Ultraviolet Imaging (Fig 1.8)
• Industrial inspection, microscopy, lasers,
biological imaging, astronomy
• Fluorescence Microscopy: It is based on fact
that fluorescent object fluoresces when UV is
directed upon it
• It fluoresces in visible red region

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 8
 EM Spectrum
• Visible & IR Imaging (Fig 1.9)
• Microscopy, astronomy, remote sensing, industry, law
enforcement
• Table 1.1: Important & corresponding to fig 1.10
• Multispectral imaging, weather observation & prediction
• Example of IR (Fig 1.12, 1.13): “Night-time lights of the
world” data set provides a global inventory of human
settlements
• Automated visual inspection of goods (fig 1.14): Inspection
for missing parts/damaged/incorrect/any anomaly
• Fingerprint (Fig 1.15): Automated license plate reading,
character recognition

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 9
 EM Spectrum
• Microwave Imaging (Fig 1.16)
• Radar
• Weather & ambient lighting do not affect it
• It can penetrate through cloud, vegetation, ice,
dry sand
• Radio Imaging (Fig 1.17)
• Medicine, Astronomy
• MRI
• Fig 1.18: Example of imaging same scene with
different wavelength
Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 10
 Other Imaging Modalities
• Acoustic Imaging (Fig 1.20)
• Geological exploration, medicine, industry
• Low end of sound spectrum (hundred of Hz)
• Medical: Ultrasound (millions of Hz) – baby
(1~5MHz)
• Computer Generated (Fig 1.22)
• Fractals

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 11
 Other Imaging Modalities
• Electron Microscopy (Fig 1.21)
• Focus beam of electrons to image specimen
• Thin monochromatic beam is used
• Electrons are reflected & detected like light is reflected
& detected
• Transmission Electron Microscope: Works like projector
by projecting electron beam on phosphor screen
• Scanning Electron Microscope: cans electron beam &
records interaction of beam & sample at each location
• This produces one dot on phosphor screen
• Light Microscopy (~1000X), SEM (>10,000x)

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 12
 Two Block Diagrams
• Fig 1.23: Fundamental steps in Digital Image
Processing
• Fig 1.24: Components of general purpose
Image Processing System

Digital Image Processing, 3rd edition, by R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Prentice Hall, 2008 13