Introduction to Computer Vision and Image Processing
1. Introduction to Computer Vision
Computer Vision is a field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer science that enables computers to interpret
and understand visual information from the world, such as images and videos. It involves techniques that allow
machines to analyze, process, and make decisions based on visual data, mimicking the human visual perception
system.
Key Objectives of Computer Vision:
• Detect and recognize objects, faces, or patterns.
• Track motion in videos.
• Understand scene context and spatial relationships.
• Automate tasks that require visual analysis.
Applications:
• Facial recognition systems
• Autonomous vehicles
• Medical diagnosis (X-ray, MRI analysis)
• Industrial automation
• Augmented reality and robotics
2. Introduction to Images
An image is a two-dimensional representation of visual information. In computer vision and image processing, an
image is typically represented as a matrix of pixels, where each pixel contains intensity or color information.
Types of Images:
• Grayscale Image: Contains shades of gray; each pixel has a single intensity value (0–255).
• Color Image: Composed of three channels — Red, Green, and Blue (RGB).
• Binary Image: Contains only two values (0 and 1), representing black and white regions.
Image Representation:
A digital image of size M × N has M rows and N columns of pixels. Each pixel value corresponds to brightness or
color intensity at that point.
3. Image Processing vs Computer Vision
Image Processing focuses on manipulating and enhancing images, whereas Computer Vision focuses on
understanding and interpreting them.
| Aspect | Image Processing | Computer Vision |
|---------|------------------|-----------------|
| Definition | Manipulates and enhances images | Interprets and understands images |
| Goal | Improve image quality or extract features | Enable decision-making from visual input |
| Examples | Noise reduction, sharpening | Object detection, face recognition |
| Output | Processed image | High-level information |
| Dependency | Pixel-level transformations | Image processing + AI/ML |
In short, image processing is the first step, and computer vision builds upon it to achieve intelligent understanding.
4. Problems in Computer Vision
Common challenges in computer vision include:
• Lighting Variations – same object looks different under various lighting.
• Occlusion – objects may be partially hidden by others.
• Viewpoint Variation – appearance changes with camera angle.
• Scale Variation – object size changes with distance.
• Background Clutter – complex backgrounds confuse recognition.
• Noise and Image Quality – poor quality affects feature detection.
5. Basic Image Operations
Basic operations manipulate or analyze images before advanced processing.
Common Operations:
• Reading and Displaying Images
• Resizing and Cropping
• Rotation and Flipping
• Color Conversion (RGB ↔ Grayscale ↔ HSV)
These operations prepare images for further stages like feature extraction and object detection.
6. Mathematical Operations on Images
Images can be treated as matrices, allowing mathematical manipulation to enhance or modify them.
6.1 Datatype Conversion:
Converting image data types (e.g., uint8 → float32) ensures compatibility with operations.
6.2 Contrast Enhancement:
Improves visibility of features.
Formula: I_new = ((I - I_min) × 255) / (I_max - I_min)
6.3 Brightness Enhancement:
Brightness adjusted by adding/subtracting constant value.
Formula: I_bright = I + c
7. Bitwise Operations on Images
Bitwise operations treat pixels as binary values and apply logical operations.
Types:
• Bitwise AND – Keeps overlapping white regions.
• Bitwise OR – Combines white regions from both images.
• Bitwise NOT – Inverts image colors.
• Bitwise XOR – Highlights differing regions.
Applications:
• Masking and segmentation
• Background removal
• Region extraction
Conclusion
Computer Vision integrates image processing, mathematical transformations, and AI to interpret visual information
effectively. A strong understanding of image fundamentals and basic operations forms the foundation for
advanced topics like object recognition, image segmentation, and machine learning-based vision systems.
