flash@BRL-LVAX.ARPA.UUCP (03/25/87)
It is time for me to set aside tweeking SYSGEN and reformatting RA81s to enter the relm of image processing. I decided that the collective conscious of INFO-VAX would be a good place to probe for initial answers. I am involved in starting the development of a system that will analyze a 4"x5" black and white negative using Pan 400 film. We are looking at using a standard video camera and 512x512 frame grabbers. The catch is that we will be trying to see survey wires in the picture that are only one pixal wide if we use 512x512. We can see them with the naked eye but I am concerned these lines will be lost when we trying to apply picture enhancement techniques to the digitized picture. The negative is not very sharp and is 'grainy' so we need the enhancements to help define the edges of other objects in the picture. We are stuck with the film type being used and the overall quality of the picture. Now the question...In your opinion, will we be able to 'detect' these one pixal wide lines as straight lines after we are done enhancing the 512x512 picture? I realize that this is a VERY open ended question. I am merely looking for people who have had first hand experience with this type of problem and what software techniques were used to keep very fine features in a digitized picture. One solution would be to use better cameras and larger frame grabbers but we are trying to keep costs down. Please be patient with me since I am new to this type of hardware and software techniques. I do need anybody jumping on my case about trying to do the impossible with cheap 512x512 frame grabbers. - Andy Grigor <flash@brl.arpa> ------