Intended as a practical guide, the book takes the reader from basic concepts to up-to-date research topics in digital image processing. Only little special knowledge in computer sciences is required since many principles and mathematical tools widely used in natural sciences are also applied in digital image processing thus the reader with a general background in natural science gets an easy access to the material presented. The book discusses the following topics: image acquisition and digitization; linear and nonlinear filter operations; edge detection; local orientation and texture; fast algorithms on pyramidal and multigrid data structures; morphological operations to detect the shape of objects; segmentation and classification. Further chapters deal with the reconstruction of three-dimensional objects from projections and the analysis of stereo images and image sequences with differential, correlation, and filter algorithms. Many examples from different areas show how the reader can use digital image processing as an experimental tool for image data acquisition and evaluation in his or her research area. Since the first edition of this book was published in 1986 computers have become more powerful and at the same time less expensive, so that widespread applications for digital image processing emerge. The presentation and the selection of materials is guided by the needs of a researcher who wants to apply image processing techniques in his or her field. In this sense the book offers an integral view of image processing from image acquisition to the extraction of of the data of interest. The discussion of the general concepts is supplemented with examples from applications on PC-based image processing systems and ready-to-use implementations of important algorithms. These examples, images as well as exercises for selfstudy along with a hands-on version of the image processing software "heurisko" can be found on the enclosed CD-ROM. The fourth edition of this book has been revised and expanded to reflect the development of the field. The presentation and the selection of materials is guided by the needs of a researcher who wants to apply image processing techniques in his or her field. In this sense the book offers an integral view of image processing from image acquisition to the extraction of the data interest. The discussion of the general concepts is supplemented with examples from applications on PC-based image processing systems and ready-to-use implementations of important algorithms. The CD-ROM contains examples and images as well as exercises for self-study along with a hands-on version of the image processing software Heurisko. Front Matter....Pages I-XIII Introduction....Pages 1-18 Image Formation and Digitization....Pages 19-52 Space and Wave Number Domain....Pages 53-76 Pixels....Pages 77-99 Neighborhoods....Pages 100-116 Mean and Edges....Pages 117-156 Local Orientation....Pages 157-172 Scales....Pages 173-184 Texture....Pages 185-192 Segmentation....Pages 193-199 Shape....Pages 200-218 Classification....Pages 219-230 Reconstruction from Projections....Pages 231-252 Motion....Pages 253-274 Displacement Vectors....Pages 275-296 Displacement Vector Fields....Pages 297-317 Space-Time Images....Pages 318-340 Back Matter....Pages 341-402 Intended as a practical guide, this study takes the reader from basic concepts to contemporary research topics such as image reconstruction from projections and the analysis of stereo images. The text explains how digital image processing can be used for data acquisition and evaluation. A systematic approach to digital image processing which uses examples and images to illustrate basic concepts. The CD-ROM contains all the images and artwork shown in the book, and a run-time version of the image software Heurisko.
