Digital Image

Processing
What is a digital image?
A digital image is a representation of a
two-dimensional image as a finite set of
digital values, called picture elements or
pixels
What is a digital image?
(Cont.)
 Pixel values typically represent gray levels,
colours, heights, opacities etc
 Remember digitization implies that a digital
image is an approximation of a real scene

1 pixel
What is Digital Image
Processing?
 Digital image processing focuses on two major
tasks
 Improvement of pictorial information for human
interpretation
 Processing of image data for storage,
transmission and representation for autonomous
machine perception
Uses of DIP

 Image enhancement/restoration
 Artistic effects
 Medical visualisation
 Law enforcement
 Human computer interfaces
Examples: Image Enhancement
 One of the most common uses of DIP techniques:
improve quality, remove noise etc
Examples: The Hubble
Telescope
Launched in 1990 the Hubble
telescope can take images of
very distant objects
However, an incorrect mirror
made many of Hubble’s
images useless
Image processing
techniques were
used to fix this
Examples: Artistic Effects
 Artistic effects are used to make images more visually
appealing, to add special effects and to make composite
images
Examples: Medicine
Take slice from MRI (Magnetic Resounance
Imaging) scan of a heart, and find boundaries
between types of tissue
 Image with gray levels representing tissue
density
 Use a suitable filter to highlight edges
Examples: GIS
Geographic Information Systems
 Digital image processing techniques are used
extensively to manipulate satellite imagery
 Terrain classification
 Meteorology
Examples: Law Enforcement
Image processing techniques are used extensively
by law enforcers
 Number plate recognition for speed
cameras/automated toll systems
 Fingerprint recognition
Examples: HCI
Try to make human computer interfaces more
natural
 Face recognition
 Gesture recognition
Does anyone remember the
user interface from “Minority Report”?
These tasks can be extremely difficult
Image Processing Fields

 Computer Graphics: The creation of images

 Image Processing: Enhancement or other

manipulation of the image

 Computer Vision: Analysis of the image

content
Image Processing Fields
Input / Output Image Description
Image Image Computer
Processing Vision
Description Computer AI
Graphics

Sometimes, Image Processing is defined as “a

discipline in which both the input and output of a
process are images

But, according to this classification, trivial tasks of

computing the average intensity of an image would not
be considered an image processing operation
Computerized Processes
Types
 Low-Level Processes:
 Input and output are images
 Tasks: Primitive operations, such
as, image processing to reduce
noise, contrast enhancement and
image sharpening
Computerized Processes
Types
 Mid-Level Processes:
 Inputs, generally, are images.
Outputs are attributes extracted
from those images (edges, contours,
identity of individual objects)
 Tasks:
 Segmentation (partitioning an image into regions or
objects)
 Description of those objects to reduce them to a
form suitable for computer processing
 Classifications (recognition) of objects
Computerized Processes
Types
 High-Level Processes:
 Image analysis and computer vision
Digital Image Definition

 An image can be defined as a two-dimensional

function f(x,y)
 x,y: Spatial coordinate
 F: the amplitude of any pair of coordinate x,y,
which is called the intensity or gray level of the
image at that point.
 X,y and f, are all finite and discrete quantities.
 Fundamental Steps in Digital Image
Processing:

Outputs of these processes generally are image attributes

Outputs of these processes generally are images

Wavelets &
Colour Image Image Morphological
Multiresolution
Processing Compression Processing
processing

Image
Restoration
Segmentation

Knowledge Base
Image
Enhancement Representation
& Description

Image
Acquisition Object
Recognition

Problem Domain
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 1: Image Acquisition
The image is captured by a sensor (eg.
Camera), and digitized if the output of the
camera or sensor is not already in digital form,
using analogue-to-digital convertor
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 2: Image Enhancement

The process of manipulating an

image so that the result is more
suitable than the original for specific
applications.

The idea behind enhancement

techniques is to bring out details that
are hidden, or simple to highlight
certain features of interest in an
image.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 3: Image Restoration

- Improving the appearance of an

image

- Tend to be mathematical or
probabilistic models. Enhancement,
on the other hand, is based on
human subjective preferences
regarding what constitutes a
“good” enhancement result.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 4: Colour Image Processing
Use the colour of the image to extract features
of interest in an image
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 5: Wavelets
Are the foundation of representing images in
various degrees of resolution. It is used for
image data compression.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 6: Compression
Techniques for reducing the storage required to
save an image or the bandwidth required to
transmit it.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 7: Morphological Processing
Tools for extracting image components that are
useful in the representation and description of
shape.

In this step, there would be a transition from

processes that output images, to processes that
output image attributes.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 8: Image Segmentation
Segmentation procedures partition an image
into its constituent parts or objects.

Important Tip: The more accurate the

segmentation, the more likely recognition
is to succeed.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 9: Representation and Description
- Representation: Make a decision
whether the data should be represented
as a boundary or as a complete region. It
is almost always follows the output of a
segmentation stage.
- Boundary Representation: Focus on
external shape characteristics, such as
corners and inflections
- Region Representation: Focus on
internal properties, such as texture or
skeleton shape
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 9: Representation and Description
- Choosing a representation is only part
of the solution for transforming raw
data into a form suitable for
subsequent computer processing
(mainly recognition)

- Description: also called, feature selection,

deals with extracting attributes that result in
some information of interest.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 9: Recognition and Interpretation
Recognition: the process that assigns label to
an object based on the information provided by
its description.
Fundamental Steps in
DIP: (Description)
Step 10: Knowledge Base
Knowledge about a problem domain is coded
into an image processing system in the form of
a knowledge database.
Components of an Image
Processing System
Network

Image
Image displays
displays Computer
Computer Mass
Mass storage
storage

Specialized
Specialized Image
Image processing
processing
Hardcopy
Hardcopy image
image processing
processing software
software
hardware
hardware

Typical general-
Image
Image sensors
sensors purpose DIP
Problem Domain system
Components of an Image
Processing System
1. Image Sensors
Two elements are required to acquire digital
images. The first is the physical device that is
sensitive to the energy radiated by the object
we wish to image (Sensor). The second, called
a digitizer, is a device for converting the
output of the physical sensing device into
digital form.
Components of an Image
Processing System
2. Specialized Image Processing Hardware
Usually consists of the digitizer, mentioned
before, plus hardware that performs other
primitive operations, such as an arithmetic
logic unit (ALU), which performs arithmetic
and logical operations in parallel on entire
images.

This type of hardware sometimes is called a

front-end subsystem, and its most
distinguishing characteristic is speed. In
other words, this unit performs functions
that require fast data throughputs that the
typical main computer cannot handle.
Components of an Image
Processing System
3. Computer
The computer in an image processing
system is a general-purpose computer
and can range from a PC to a
supercomputer. In dedicated
applications, sometimes specially
designed computers are used to achieve
a required level of performance.
Components of an Image
Processing System
4. Image Processing Software
Software for image processing consists
of specialized modules that perform
specific tasks. A well-designed package
also includes the capability for the user
to write code that, as a minimum,
utilizes the specialized modules.
Components of an Image
Processing System
5. Mass Storage Capability
Mass storage capability is a must in a image
processing applications. And image of sized 1024
* 1024 pixels requires one megabyte of storage
space if the image is not compressed.

Digital storage for image processing applications

falls into three principal categories:
1. Short-term storage for use during processing.
2. on line storage for relatively fast recall
3. Archival storage, characterized by infrequent
access
Components of an Image
Processing System
5. Mass Storage Capability
One method of providing short-term storage is
computer memory. Another is by specialized boards,
called frame buffers, that store one or more images
and can be accessed rapidly.

The on-line storage method, allows virtually

instantaneous image zoom, as well as scroll (vertical
shifts) and pan (horizontal shifts). On-line storage
generally takes the form of magnetic disks and optical-
media storage. The key factor characterizing on-line
storage is frequent access to the stored data.

Finally, archival storage is characterized by massive

storage requirements but infrequent need for access.
Components of an Image
Processing System
6. Image Displays
The displays in use today are mainly color
(preferably flat screen) TV monitors. Monitors
are driven by the outputs of the image and
graphics display cards that are an integral part
of a computer system.
Components of an Image
Processing System
7. Hardcopy devices
Used for recording images, include laser
printers, film cameras, heat-sensitive devices,
inkjet units and digital units, such as optical
and CD-Rom disks.
Components of an Image
Processing System
8. Networking
Is almost a default function in any
computer system, in use today.
Because of the large amount of data
inherent in image processing
applications the key consideration in
image transmission is bandwidth.

In dedicated networks, this typically is

not a problem, but communications
with remote sites via the internet are
not always as efficient.
THANK YOU