Introduction: Image Manipulation and Analysis
Why is the ability to manipulate images so important, and why
are a wide variety of options for image manipulation so desirable? The reasons
are as varied as the applications that are developed.
Sometimes, you start with an image that has some undesirable
qualities. For example, if the original image is too flat, you may want to
use one of the contrast enhancement functions to make permanent improvements.
At other times, you may need to make temporary changes for
use on a particular monitor or printer. Using the ActiveX control or DLL functions,
you can set the brightness, contrast, and gamma correction for the display
of all images, without affecting the bitmaps.
Some image manipulations, such as edge-detection
filters, are commonly used to analyze an image, rather than to improve
it. For example, in an industrial quality-assurance application, defects in
a machine part may be easier to detect if an image of the part is processed
with an edge-detection filter. Similarly, the creation of a histogram (an
array that charts the frequency of color usage in an image) can be of value
in an analytical situation.
Edge detection and histogram creation can also be used as steps
in improving an image. For example, creating a histogram is a necessary step,
internally, in some of the contrast-improvement functions. Also, an image
created with an edge detection filter can be combined with the original image
to harden or soften the original's edges.
LEADTOOLS SDKs allow developers to add an extensive
list (the widest in the industry) of image
processing filters to their applications quickly and easily. LEADTOOLS
includes functions with many options that give you the flexibility to make
your images look as good as possible or ready them for analyzing. Whether you are working with medical
images, scanned
documents or digital
, LEADTOOLS can help you display your images optimally.
