What Is Computer Vision?

An
Introduction

 What Is Computer Vision?

 History of Computer Vision
 How Does Computer Vision Work?
 Computer Vision at Work
 Examples of Computer Vision
 The Challenges of Computer
Vision
  Computer vision is currently being
used for a variety of applications,
such as self-driving cars, facial
recognition technology and
medical image analysis.
 The broad implications of this
technology are significant, as it
has the potential to revolutionize
the way we interact with the
world and each other.
What Is Computer Vision?
 Computer vision is the ability of
computers to understand and
analyze visual content in the
same way humans do.
 This includes tasks such as
recognizing objects and faces,
reading text and understanding
the context of an image or video.
Computer vision is closely related to
artificial intelligence (AI) and often
uses AI techniques such as machine
learning to analyze and understand
visual data.
Machine learning algorithms are
used to “train” a computer to
recognize patterns and features in
visual data, such as edges, shapes
and colors.
Once trained, the computer can use
this knowledge to identify and
classify objects in new images and
videos.
The accuracy of these classifications
can be improved over time through
further training and exposure to
more data.
In addition to machine learning,
computer vision may also use
techniques such as deep learning,
which involves training artificial
neural networks on large amounts of
data to recognize patterns and
features in a way that is similar to
how the human brain works.
History of Computer Vision
 The history of computer
vision dates back over 60 years,
with early attempts to understand
how the human brain processes
visual information leading to the
development of image-scanning
technology in 1959.
 In the 1960s, artificial intelligence
emerged as an academic field of
study, and computers began
transforming two-dimensional
images into three-dimensional
forms.
 In the 1970s, optical character
recognition technology was
developed, allowing computers to
recognize text printed in any font
or typeface.
 This was followed by the
development of intelligent
character recognition, which
could decipher hand-written text
using neural networks.
 Real-world applications of these
technologies include document
and invoice processing, vehicle
plate recognition, mobile
payments and machine
translation.

 In the 1980s, neuroscientist David

Marr established that vision works
hierarchically and introduced
algorithms for machines to detect
edges, corners, curves and other
basic shapes.

 At the same time, computer

scientist Kunihiko Fukushima
developed a network of cells
called the Neocognitron that
 could recognize patterns,
including convolutional layers in a
neural network.

 In the 1990s and 2000s, real-time

face recognition apps appeared,
and there was a standardization
of visual data set tagging and
annotating. In 2010,
the ImageNet data set became
available, containing millions of
tagged images across a thousand
object classes and providing a
foundation for convolutional
neural networks (CNNs) and deep
learning models used today.

 In 2012, the AlexNet model made

a breakthrough in image
recognition, reducing the error
rate to just a few percent.
  These developments have paved
the way for the widespread use of
computer vision in a variety of
applications today.
How Does Computer Vision
Work?
 The computer vision system
consists of two main components:
a sensory device, such as a
camera, and an interpreting
device, such as a computer.
 The sensory device captures
visual data from the environment
and the interpreting device
processes this data to extract
meaning.
Computer vision algorithms are
based on the hypothesis that “our
brains rely on patterns to decode
individual objects.” Just as our brains
process visual data by looking for
patterns in the shapes, colors and
textures of objects, computer vision
algorithms process images by
looking for patterns in the pixels that
make up the image.
These patterns can be used to
identify and classify different objects
in the image.
To analyze an image, a computer
vision algorithm first converts the
image into a set of numerical data
that can be processed by the
computer.
This is typically done by dividing the
image into a grid of small units
called pixels and representing each
pixel with a set of numerical values
that describe its color and
brightness. These values can be
used to create a digital
representation of the image that can
be analyzed by the computer.
Once the image has been converted
into numerical data, the computer
vision algorithm can begin to analyze
it. This generally involves using
techniques from machine learning
and artificial intelligence to
recognize patterns in the data and
make decisions based on those
patterns.
For example, an algorithm might
analyze the pixel values in an image
to identify the edges of objects or to
recognize specific patterns or
textures that are characteristic of
certain types of objects.
Overall, the goal of computer vision
is to enable computers to analyze
and understand visual data in much
the same way that human brains and
eyes do, and to use this
understanding to make intelligent
decisions based on that data.
Computer Vision at Work
Computer vision has provided
numerous technological benefits in
various industries and applications.
One example is IBM’s use of
computer vision to create “My
Moments” for the 2018 Masters golf
tournament.
This application used computer
vision to analyze live video footage
of the tournament and identify key
moments, such as successful shots
or notable events.
These moments were then curated
and delivered to fans as personalized
highlight reels, allowing them to
easily keep track of the tournament
and stay engaged with the event.
Disney theme parks have also made
use of computer vision and AI
predictive technology to improve
their operations. The technology
works with high-tech sensors to help
keep attractions running smoothly,
with minimal disruptions. For
example, if an attraction is
experiencing technical issues, the
system can predict the problem and
automatically dispatch maintenance
staff to fix it, helping to keep the
attraction running smoothly and
preventing disruptions for guests.
Google Translate is another example
of the use of computer vision in
technology.
This application uses a smartphone
camera and computer vision
algorithms to analyze and translate
text in images, such as signs or
documents in foreign languages. This
allows users to easily translate text
on the go, making it easier to
communicate and navigate in
unfamiliar environments.
Finally, IBM and Verizon have been
working together to help automotive
companies identify vehicle
defects before they depart the
factory. Using computer vision and
other advanced technologies, they
are developing systems that can
analyze the quality of vehicle
components and identify defects in
real time, allowing companies to
catch and fix problems before they
become larger issues. This can help
improve the quality and safety of
vehicles, as well as reduce
production costs by catching
problems early on in the
manufacturing process.

Examples of Computer Vision

Computer vision has a wide range of
capabilities and applications in
various industries. Here are some
examples of computer vision
capabilities, along with brief
explanations of each:
Optical character recognition
(OCR): the ability to recognize and
extract text from images or scanned
documents
Machine inspection: the use of
computer vision to inspect and
evaluate the quality or condition of
various components or products
Retail: the use of computer vision in
automated checkout systems and
other retail applications, such as
inventory management and
customer tracking
3D model building: the use of
computer vision to analyze multiple
images of an object or environment
and construct a 3D model of it
Medical imaging: the use of
computer vision to analyze medical
images, such as X-rays or CT scans,
to aid in the diagnosis and treatment
of patients
Automotive safety: the use of
computer vision in driver assistance
systems and autonomous vehicles to
detect and respond to obstacles and
other hazards on the road
Match move: the use of computer
vision to align and merge CGI
elements with live-action footage in
movies and other visual effects
Motion capture: the use of
computer vision to capture and
analyze the movement of actors or
other objects, typically for use in
animation or virtual reality
applications
Surveillance: the use of computer
vision to analyze video footage for
security and monitoring purposes
Fingerprint recognition and
biometrics: the use of computer
vision to analyze and recognize
unique physical characteristics, such
as fingerprints, for identity
verification and other applications
The Challenges of Computer
Vision
Computer vision is a complex field
that involves many challenges and
difficulties. Some of these challenges
include:
1. Data limitations
Computer vision requires large
amounts of data to train and test
algorithms. This can be
problematic in situations where
data is limited or sensitive, and
may not be suitable for
 processing in the cloud.
Additionally, scaling up data
processing can be expensive and
may be constrained by hardware
and other resources.
2. Learning rate
Another challenge in computer
vision is the time and resources
required to train algorithms. While
error rates have decreased over
time, they still occur, and it takes
time for the computer to be
trained to recognize and classify
objects and patterns in images.
This process typically involves
providing sets of labeled images
and comparing them to the
predicted output label or
recognition measurements and
then modifying the algorithm to
correct any errors.
3. Hardware requirements
Computer vision algorithms are
computationally demanding,
requiring fast processing and
optimized memory architecture
for quicker memory
access. Properly configured
hardware systems and software
algorithms are also necessary to
ensure that image-processing
applications can run smoothly
and efficiently.
4. Inherent complexity in the
visual world
In the real world, subjects may be
seen from various orientations
and in myriad lighting conditions,
and there are an infinite number
of possible scenes in a true vision
system. This inherent complexity
makes it difficult to build
a general-purpose “seeing
 machine” that can handle all
possible visual scenarios.
Overall, these challenges highlight
the fact that computer vision is a
difficult and complex field, and that
there is still much work to be done in
order to build machines that can see
and understand the world in the
same way humans do.