invention of the Von Neumann architecture modern computer in the 1940s, the
computer was gradually becoming the major tool for digital image processing. In the
1960s, the computer was applied in processing space image for the first time when
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(NASA JPL) initiated the task of the restoration of the moon image captured by
Ranger 7 using computer technology. In the following decades, the digital image
processing technology was rapidly developed and widely applied not only in space
probe and Earth observation but also in civil uses.
Today, digital images are everywhere around us. To further explore digital image
processing and its application, we have to understand what is a digital image in the
first place. Basically, a digital image could be described as a two-dimensional matrix
of pixels. Each pixel in the image matrix is represented by a numerical value. The
goal of digital image processing is using some specific methods to extract useful
information from digital images based on the requirement of the users.
A lot of definitions of digital image processing have been proposed. In Wikipedia
(2017), digital image processing is defined as “the use of computer algorithms to
perform image processing on digital images.” Gonzalez and Woods (2008) describe
digital image processing as “processing digital images by means of digital computer.” Agricultural image processing mainly focuses on the collection, processing,
and understanding of image data acquired by imaging sensors of the agricultural
observation system. These images are usually acquired by in situ, airborne, or spaceborne sensors, then need to be processed to extract agricultural related information
with specific image processing methods and tools.
Color Image
Processing
Image
Restoration
Image
Enhancement
Image
Acquisition
Knowledge Base
Representation
& Description
Segmentation
Morphological
Processing
Object
Recognition
Outputs of these steps are generally image
attributes
Problem
Domain
Wavelets &
Multiresolution
Processing
Compression
Outputs of these steps are generally images
Fig. 6.1 The fundamental steps in digital image processing. (Figure from Gonzalez and
Woods 2008)
6 Image Processing Methods in Agricultural Observation Systems
83
computer was gradually becoming the major tool for digital image processing. In the
1960s, the computer was applied in processing space image for the first time when
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(NASA JPL) initiated the task of the restoration of the moon image captured by
Ranger 7 using computer technology. In the following decades, the digital image
processing technology was rapidly developed and widely applied not only in space
probe and Earth observation but also in civil uses.
Today, digital images are everywhere around us. To further explore digital image
processing and its application, we have to understand what is a digital image in the
first place. Basically, a digital image could be described as a two-dimensional matrix
of pixels. Each pixel in the image matrix is represented by a numerical value. The
goal of digital image processing is using some specific methods to extract useful
information from digital images based on the requirement of the users.
A lot of definitions of digital image processing have been proposed. In Wikipedia
(2017), digital image processing is defined as “the use of computer algorithms to
perform image processing on digital images.” Gonzalez and Woods (2008) describe
digital image processing as “processing digital images by means of digital computer.” Agricultural image processing mainly focuses on the collection, processing,
and understanding of image data acquired by imaging sensors of the agricultural
observation system. These images are usually acquired by in situ, airborne, or spaceborne sensors, then need to be processed to extract agricultural related information
with specific image processing methods and tools.
Color Image
Processing
Image
Restoration
Image
Enhancement
Image
Acquisition
Knowledge Base
Representation
& Description
Segmentation
Morphological
Processing
Object
Recognition
Outputs of these steps are generally image
attributes
Problem
Domain
Wavelets &
Multiresolution
Processing
Compression
Outputs of these steps are generally images
Fig. 6.1 The fundamental steps in digital image processing. (Figure from Gonzalez and
Woods 2008)
6 Image Processing Methods in Agricultural Observation Systems
83