Digital Image Processing
The process of improvement of pictorial information using different algorithms and methods for different purposes is Digital Image Processing.
Digital image processing is subdivided into different steps as shown in the diagram below.
a) Image acquisition:
Here, the acquired image is already in digital form. This step also involves preprocessing, such as scaling.
b) Image enhancement:
It is the process of manipulating of an image for specific purposes(results). There are variety of image enhancement methods. We only use specific(required) methods suitable for required good result(output). It is based on human subjective preferences regarding what constitutes a good result.
c) Image restoration:
It deals with improving the appearance of an image. The restoration techniques are based on mathematical or probabilistic models of image degradation.
d) Color image processing:
It involves basic color processing in digital domain. Here, color processing is done on the basis of different colors and color models.
e) Wavelets and Multi-Resolution processing:
It is foundation of representing images in various degrees. It is also used for image data compression.
f) Image compression:
It deals with the techniques for reducing the storage required to save an image, or the bandwidth required to transmit it.
g) Morphological processing:
It deals with tools for extracting image components that are useful in the representation & description of shape.
h) Segmentation procedure:
It includes partitioning an image into its constituent parts or objects. Autonomous segmentation is the most difficult task in Image Processing.
i) Representation & Description:
It always follows output of segmentation stage, which usually is raw pixel data. Here, converting the raw data to a form suitable for computer processing is required.
Description deals with extracting attributes that result in some quantitative information of interest or are basic for differentiating one class of objects from another.
j) Object detection and recognition:
It is a process that assigns a label to an object based on its descriptors.
References:
[1] Digital Image processing 3rd edition, Rafael C. Gonzalez & Richard E. Woods
