Resources for image distortion algorithms - algorithm

Where can I find algorithms for image distortions? There are so much info of Blur and other classic algorithms but so little of more complex ones. In particular, I am interested in swirl effect image distortion algorithm.

I can't find any references, but I can give a basic idea of how distortion effects work.
The key to the distortion is a function which takes two coordinates (x,y) in the distorted image, and transforms them to coordinates (u,v) in the original image. This specifies the inverse function of the distortion, since it takes the distorted image back to the original image
To generate the distorted image, one loops over x and y, calculates the point (u,v) from (x,y) using the inverse distortion function, and sets the colour components at (x,y) to be the same as those at (u,v) in the original image. One ususally uses interpolation (e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilinear_interpolation ) to determine the colour at (u,v), since (u,v) usually does not lie exactly on the centre of a pixel, but rather at some fractional point between pixels.
A swirl is essentially a rotation, where the angle of rotation is dependent on the distance from the centre of the image. An example would be:
a = amount of rotation
b = size of effect
angle = a*exp(-(x*x+y*y)/(b*b))
u = cos(angle)*x + sin(angle)*y
v = -sin(angle)*x + cos(angle)*y
Here, I assume for simplicity that the centre of the swirl is at (0,0). The swirl can be put anywhere by subtracting the swirl position coordinates from x and y before the distortion function, and adding them to u and v after it.
There are various swirl effects around: some (like the above) swirl only a localised area, and have the amount of swirl decreasing towards the edge of the image. Others increase the swirling towards the edge of the image. This sort of thing can be done by playing about with the angle= line, e.g.
angle = a*(x*x+y*y)

There is a Java implementation of lot of image filters/effects at Jerry's Java Image Filters. Maybe you can take inspiration from there.

The swirl and others like it are a matrix transformation on the pixel locations. You make a new image and get the color from a position on the image that you get from multiplying the current position by a matrix.
The matrix is dependent on the current position.
here is a good CodeProject showing how to do it
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/GDI-plus/displacementfilters.aspx

there has a new graphic library have many feature
http://code.google.com/p/picasso-graphic/

Take a look at ImageMagick. It's a image conversion and editing toolkit and has interfaces for all popular languages.
The -displace operator can create swirls with the correct displacement map.
If you are for some reason not satisfied with the ImageMagick interface, you can always take a look at the source code of the filters and go from there.

Related

Algorithms: Ellipse matching

I have many images like the following (only white and black):
My final problem is to find well matching ellipses. Unfortunately the real used images are not always that nice like this. They could be deformed a bit, which makes ellipse matching probably harder.
My idea is to find "break points". I markes them in the following picture:
Maybe these points could help to make a matching for the ellipses. The end result should be something like this:
Has someone an idea what algorithm may be used to find these break points? Or even better to make good ellipse matching?
Thank you very much
Sample the circumference points
Just scan your image and select All Black pixels with any White neighbor. You can do this by recoloring the remaining black pixels to any unused color (Blue).
After whole image is done you can recolor the inside back from unused color (Blue) to white.
form a list of ordered circumference points per cluster/ellipse
Just scan your image and find first black pixel. Then use A* to order the circumference points and store the path in some array or list pnt[] and handle it as circular array.
Find the "break points"
They can be detect by peak in the angle between neighbors of found points. something like
float a0=atan2(pnt[i].y-pnt[i-1].y,pnt[i].x-pnt[i-1].x);
float a1=atan2(pnt[i+1].y-pnt[i].y,pnt[i+1].x-pnt[i].x);
float da=fabs(a0-a1); if (da>M_PI) da=2.0*M_PI-da;
if (da>treshold) pnt[i] is break point;
or use the fact that on break point the slope angle delta change sign:
float a1=atan2(pnt[i-1].y-pnt[i-2].y,pnt[i-1].x-pnt[i-2].x);
float a1=atan2(pnt[i ].y-pnt[i-1].y,pnt[i ].x-pnt[i-1].x);
float a2=atan2(pnt[i+1].y-pnt[i ].y,pnt[i+1].x-pnt[i ].x);
float da0=a1-a0; if (da0>M_PI) da0=2.0*M_PI-da0; if (da0<-M_PI) da0=2.0*M_PI+da0;
float da1=a2-a1; if (da1>M_PI) da1=2.0*M_PI-da1; if (da1<-M_PI) da1=2.0*M_PI+da1;
if (da0*da1<0.0) pnt[i] is break point;
fit ellipses
so if no break points found you can fit the entire pnt[] as single ellipse. For example Find bounding box. It's center is center of ellipse and its size gives you semi-axises.
If break points found then first find the bounding box of whole pnt[] to obtain limits for semi-axises and center position area search. Then divide the pnt[] to parts between break points. Handle each part as separate part of ellipse and fit.
After all the pnt[] parts are fitted check if some ellipses are not the same for example if they are overlapped by another ellipse the they would be divided... So merge the identical ones (or average to enhance precision). Then recolor all pnt[i] points to white, clear the pnt[] list and loop #2 until no more black pixel is found.
how to fit ellipse from selection of points?
algebraically
use ellipse equation with "evenly" dispersed known points to form system of equations to compute ellipse parameters (x0,y0,rx,ry,angle).
geometrically
for example if you detect slope 0,90,180 or 270 degrees then you are at semi-axis intersection with circumference. So if you got two such points (one for each semi-axis) that is all you need for fitting (if it is axis-aligned ellipse).
for non-axis-aligned ellipses you need to have big enough portion of the circumference available. You can exploit the fact that center of bounding box is also the center of ellipse. So if you got the whole ellipse you know also the center. The semi-axises intersections with circumference can be detected with biggest and smallest tangent change. If you got center and two points its all you need. In case you got only partial center (only x, or y coordinate) you can combine with more axis points (find 3 or 4)... or approximate the missing info.
Also the half H,V lines axis is intersecting ellipse center so it can be used to detect it if not whole ellipse in the pnt[] list.
approximation search
You can loop through "all" possible combination of ellipse parameters within limits found in #4 and select the one that is closest to your points. That would be insanely slow of coarse so use binary search like approach something like mine approx class. Also see
Curve fitting with y points on repeated x positions (Galaxy Spiral arms)
on how it is used for similar fit to yours.
hybrid
You can combine geometrical and approximation approach. First compute what you can by geometrical approach. And then compute the rest with approximation search. you can also increase precision of the found values.
In rare case when two ellipses are merged without break point the fitted ellipse will not match your points. So if such case detected you have to subdivide the used points into groups until their fits matches ...
This is what I have in mind with this:
You probably need something like this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_Hough_Transform
Your edge points are simply black pixels with at least one white 4-neighbor.
Unfortunately, though, you say that your ellipses may be “tilted”. Generic ellipses are described by quadratic equations like
x² + Ay² + Bxy + Cx + Dy + E = 0
with B² < 4A (⇒ A > 0). This means that, compared to the circle problem, you don't have 3 dimensions but 5. This causes the Hough transform to be considerably harder. Luckily, your example suggests that you don't need a high resolution.
See also: algorithm for detecting a circle in an image
EDIT
The above idea for an algorithm was too optimistic, at least if applied in a straightforward way. The good news is that it seems that two smart guys (Yonghong Xie and Qiang Ji) have already done the homework for us:
https://www.ecse.rpi.edu/~cvrl/Publication/pdf/Xie2002.pdf
I'm not sure I would create my own algorithm. Why not leverage the work other teams have done to figure out all that curve fitting of bitmaps?
INKSCAPE (App Link)
Inkscape is an open source tool which specializes in vector graphics editing with some ability to work with raster (bitmap) parts too.
Here is a link to a starting point for Inkscape's API:
http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Script_extensions
It looks like you can script within Inkscape, or access Inkscape via external scripts.
You also may be able to do something with zero scripting, from the inkscape command line interface:
http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Frequently_asked_questions#Can_Inkscape_be_used_from_the_command_line.3F
COREL DRAW (App Link)
Corel Draw is recognized as the premier industry solution for vector graphics, and has some great tools for converting rasterized images into vector images.
Here's a link to their API:
https://community.coreldraw.com/sdk/api
Here's a link to Corel Draw batch image processing (non-script solution):
http://howto.corel.com/en/c/Automating_tasks_and_batch-processing_images_in_Corel_PHOTO-PAINT

Algorithm to compute set of bins bounded by a discrete contour

On a discrete grid-based plane (think: pixels of an image), I have a closed contour that can be expressed either by:
a set of 2D points (x1,y1);(x2,y2);(x3,y3);...
or a 4-connected Freeman code, with a starting point: (x1,y1) + 00001112...
I know how to switch from one to the other of these representations. This will be the input data.
I want to get the set of grid coordinates that are bounded by the contour.
Consider this example, where the red coordinates are the contour, and the gray one the starting point:
If the gray coordinate is, say, at (0,0), then I want a vector holding:
(1,1),(2,1),(3,1),(3,2)
Order is not important, and the output vector can also hold the contour itself.
Language of choice is C++, but I'm open to any existing code, algorithm, library, pointer, whatever...
I though that maybe CGAL would have something like this, but I am unfamiliar with it and couldn't find my way through the manual, so I'm not even sure.
I also looked toward Opencv but I think it does not provide this algorithm (but I can be wrong?).
I was thinking about finding the bounding rectangle, then checking each of the points in the rectangle to see if they are inside/outside, but this seems suboptimal. Any idea ?
One way to solve this is drawContours, and you have contours points with you.
Create blank Mat and draw contour with thickness = 1(boundary).
Create another blank Mat and draw contour with thickness = CV_FILLED(whole area including boundary).
Now bitwise_and between above two(you got filled area excluding boundary).
Finally check for non-zero pixel.

Captured image viewpoint changing

i have a picture that captured from a fixed position [X Y Z] and angle [Pitch Yaw Roll] and a focal length of F (i think this information is called camera matrix)
i want to change the captured picture to a different position like it was taken in up position
the result image should be like:
in fact i have picture taken from this position:
and i want to change my picture in a way that it was taken in this position:
i hope that i could express my problem.
thnx in advance
It can be done accurately only for the (green) plane itself. The 3D objects standing onto the plane will be deformed after remapping, but the deformation may be acceptable if their height is small relative to the camera distance.
If the camera is never moving, all you need to do is identify on the perspective image four points that are the four vertices of a rectangle of known size (e.g. the soccer field itself), then compute the homography that maps those four points to that rectangle, and apply it to the whole image.
For details and code, see the OpenCV links at the bottom of that Wikipedia article.

How to get the histogram orientation of a 'one' cell according to Dalal and Triggs?

I am trying to implement the method of Dalal and Triggs. I could implement the first stage compute gradients on an image, and I could create the code who walk across the image in cells, but I don't understand the logic behind this stage.
I know is necessary identify first between a signed (0-360 degrees) or unsigned (0-180 degrees) gradients.
I know I must create a data structure to store each cell histogram, whit n bins. I know what is a histogram, hence I understand I must visit each pixel, but I I don't fully understand about the method for classify each pixel, get the gradient orientation of this pixel and build the histogram with this data.
In short HOG is nothing but a dense representation of gradient orientations weighted by their strengths over a overlapped local neighbourhoods.
You asked what is the significance of finding each pixel gradient orientation. In an image the gradient orientation at each pixel indicates the direction of the boundary(edge between two textures) of the object at that location with respect to X and Y axis. So if you group the orientations of a patch or block or part of an object it represents the distribution of edge directions of object at that region in a very strong way or unique way... Now let us take a simple example, a circle if you plot the gradient orientations of a circle as a histogram you will get a straight line (Don't imagine HOG just a simple plot of gradient orientations) because the orientations of edges of circle ranges from 0 degrees to 360 degrees if u sampled at 360 consecutive locations, For a different object it is different, HOG also do the same thing but in a more sophisticated manner by dividing image into overlapping blocks and dividing each block into cells and making the histogram weighted by the strengths of the local gradients...
Hope it is useful ...

Determine transformation matrix

As a followup to my previous question about determining camera parameters I have formulated a new problem.
I have two pictures of the same rectangle:
The first is an image without any transformations and shows the rectangle as it is.
The second image shows the rectangle after some 3d transformation (XYZ-rotation, scaling, XY-translation) is applied. This has caused the rectangle to look a trapezoid.
I hope the following picture describes my problem:
alt text http://wilco.menge.nl/application.data/cms/upload/transformation%20matrix.png
How do determine what transformations (more specifically: what transformation matrix) have caused this tranformation?
I know the pixel locations of the corners in both images, hence i also know the distances between the corners.
I'm confused. Is this a 2d or a 3d problem?
The way I understand it, you have a flat rectangle embedded in 3d space, and you're looking at two 2d "pictures" of it - one of the original version and one based on the transformed version. Is this correct?
If this is correct, then there is not enough information to solve the problem. For example, suppose the two pictures look exactly the same. This could be because the translation is the identity, or it could be because the translation moves the rectangle twice as far away from the camera and doubles its size (thus making it look exactly the same).
This is a math problem, not programming ..
you need to define a set of equations (your transformation matrix, my guess is 3 equations) and then solve it for the 4 transformations of the corner-points.
I've only ever described this using German words ... so the above will sound strange ..
Based on the information you have, this is not that easy. I will give you some ideas to play with, however. If you had the 3D coordinates of the corners, you'd have an easier time. Here's the basic idea.
Move a corner to the origin. Thereafter, rotations will take place about the origin.
Determine vectors of the axes. Do this by subtracting the adjacent corners from the origin point. These will be a local x and y axis for your world.
Determine angles using the vectors. You can use the dot and cross products to determine the angle between the local x axis and the global x axis (1, 0, 0).
Rotate by the angle in step 3. This will give you a new x axis which should match the global x axis and a new local y axis. You can then determine another rotation about the x axis which will bring the y axis into alignment with the global y axis.
Without the z coordinates, you can see that this will be difficult, but this is the general process. I hope this helps.
The solution will not be unique, as Alex319 points out.
If the second image is really a trapezoid as you say, then this won't be too hard. It is a trapezoid (not a parallelogram) because of perspective, so it must be an isosceles trapezoid.
Draw the two diagonals. They intersect at the center of the rectangle, so that takes care of the translation.
Rotate the trapezoid until its parallel sides are parallel to two sides of the original rectangle. (Which two? It doesn't matter.)
Draw a third parallel through the center. Scale this to the sides of the rectangle you chose.
Now for the rotation out of the plane. Measure the distance from the center to one of the parallel sides and use the law of sines.
If it's not a trapezoid, just a quadralateral, then it'll be harder, you'll have to use the angles between the diagonals to find the axis of rotation.

Resources