Lecture 1

Digital Image Processing
Lecture one
Contents
•This lecture will cover:
–Image Processing Fields
– origin of image processing
–Computerized Processes Types
–Digital Image Definition
–Fundamental steps in Digital Image
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 Processing Computer Vision
Description Computer AI
Graphics
•Image – A two-dimensional signal that can be observed by human visual

system
•Digital image – Representation of images by sampling in time and space.
•Digital image processing – perform digital signal processing operations on
digital images
•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
• Mid-Level Processes:
– Inputs, generally, are images. Outputs are
attributes extracted from those images (edges,
contours, identity of individual objects)
– Tasks:
• Segmentation (partitioning/dividing/ an image into
regions or objects)
• Description of those objects to reduce them to a
form suitable for computer processing
• Classifications (recognition) of objects
• 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.
1.2 The origins of digital image processing
Newspaper industry
• Pictures were sent by submarine cable between London and
New York.
•Bartlane cable picture transmission system (1920s)
Transport a picture : a week < 3 hours
•Reproduced by a telegraph printer with a special typeface
•This printing method was abandoned toward the end of
1921.
Cont…
•Based on photographic reproduction – 1922 5 levels of gray
with better tonal quality and resolution than Figure 1.1
Computer Advances
• the invention of the transistor by Bell Labs. in 1948
•the development of the high-level programming languages
•the invention of the IC at Texas Instruments in 1958
•the development of operation systems in the early 1960s
•the development of microprocessor by Intel in the early
1970s
• introduction by IBM of the personal computer in 1981
•Large Scale IC in the late 1970s
•VLSI in the 1980s, ULSI present
• IC Technology, Mass storage and display systems
•Computers have powerful processing capability to process
images
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
Image Knowledge Base

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
(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.
(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.
(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/reduction in volume/.
Step 6: Compression
Techniques for reducing the storage required
to save an image or the bandwidth required to
transmit it.
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.
(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.
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
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.
Step 9: Recognition and Interpretation

Recognition: the process that assigns label to
an object based on the information provided
by its 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 Image
Image processing
processing
Hardcopy
Hardcopy 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
6. Image Displays
• The displays in use today are mainly colour
(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.
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.
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.
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Digital Image Processing

• Image Processing: Enhancement or

• Computer Vision: Analysis of the image

•Image – A two-dimensional signal that can be observed by human visual

But, according to this classification, trivial tasks of computing the average

Outputs of these processes generally are image attributes

Image Knowledge Base

The idea behind enhancement techniques is

- Tend to be mathematical or probabilistic

Step 7: Morphological Processing

In this step, there would be a transition from

Important Tip: The more accurate the segmentation, the more

Step 9: Representation and Description

Step 9: Representation and Description

- Description: also called, feature selection, deals with

Step 9: Recognition and Interpretation

Step 10: Knowledge Base

4. Image Processing Software

Digital storage for image processing applications falls

In dedicated networks, this typically is not a problem, but

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