Machines get introduced to analyze images the exact way human brains do and explore those images much more positively than a human can. Therefore, image processing with AI can power face recognition and authentication functionality. Thus, it guarantees safety in public places catch and identify objects and designs in images and videos.
Presently, image processing is a beneficial technology, and the demand from the industry appears to be growing every year. Therefore, image processing that uses ML appeared in the 1960s as a shot to mimic the human vision system and automate the image research process. Thus, as the technology evolved and enhanced, answers for exact tasks appeared.
Therefore, the fast acceleration of computer vision in 2010, appreciations to deep learning, and the emergence of open-source projects and large image databases only raised the market for image processing tools. Thus, many valuable libraries and projects help crack image processing concerns with machine learning or enhance the processing pipelines in computer vision projects.
Best AI tools for Image Processing
What is Image Processing?
Typically, image processing exploits an image to enhance or extract details. Thus, there are two ways of image processing:
Analog image processing
It is for processing material photographs, printouts, and additional hard copies of images.
Digital image processing
It is for manipulating digital photos with the support of computer algorithms.
However, the input is always an image. Therefore, for analog image processing, the result is always an image. Nonetheless, for digital image processing, the outcome may be an image or data associated with that image, such as attributes, traits, bounding boxes, or masks.
Thus, image processing is widely utilized in medical visualization, biometrics, self-driving cars, etc.
Hence, here are some of the primary objectives of image processing:
- Visualization — Describes processed data, giving seeable form to objects that aren’t visible.
- Image sharpening and restoration — Enhances the quality of processed images.
- Image recovery — Helps with image search.
- Object measurement — Measures objects in an image.
- Pattern recognition — Determines objects in an image, identifies their positions, and understands the scene.
Key Phases of Image Processing
Image Acquisition
It captures an image with a sensor and transforms it into an effortless entity. Therefore, one famous image acquisition process is scraping.
Image Enhancement
It enhances the quality of an image. Thus, this is to remove confidential information from it for additional processing.
Image Restoration
It also enhances the quality of an image, primarily by releasing viable corruptions to obtain a purer version. Thus, this approach is based chiefly on probabilistic and mathematical models.
Color Image Processing
It contains the processing of magnified images and various color spaces.
Image Compression and Decompression
It permits for adjusting the size and resolution of an image. Thus, compression is liable for decreasing the size and resolution, while decompression is fixing an image to its actual size and resolution.
Morphological Processing
It defines the shapes and designs of the objects in an image. However, morphological processing techniques create datasets for training AI models.
Image Recognition
It identifies distinctive characteristics of specific objects in an image. Therefore, AI-based image recognition usually employs object detection, object recognition, and segmentation strategies.
Representation and Description
It is the method of imagining and defining processed data. Thus, AI systems work as efficiently as feasible.
TensorFlow
Google’s TensorFlow is a famous open-source framework for machine learning and deep learning. Thus, using TensorFlow, one can build and prepare custom deep learning models. Therefore, the framework also contains a set of libraries, which can be used in image processing assignments and computer concept applications.
However, it was created to unravel issues of constructing and familiarizing a neural network to automatically discover and categorize images, comparing the quality of human perception.
Functionality:
- Work on numerous parallel processors
- Analysis through multidimensional data arrays – tensors
- Optimization for tensor processors
- Rapid model iteration
- Uncomplicated debugging
- Own logging system
- Interactive log visualizer
PyTorch
PyTorch is an open-source ML and deep learning framework formed by the Facebook AI Research lab (FAIR). Thus, this Torch-based framework includes Python, C++, and Java interfaces.
Also, one can use PyTorch for producing computer vision and NLP applications. Therefore, it also speeds up the development process from research prototyping to industrial development.
Functionality:
- Effortless transition to production
- Distributed learning and execution optimization
- A rich ecosystem of tools and libraries
- Adequate support for major cloud platforms
- Optimization and automated differentiation modules
OpenCV
It is an open-source library that involves machine learning and image processing algorithms. Also, it is an open-source computer vision library. Thus, it is developed and nicely optimized for real-time computer vision applications. Also, it creates an open infrastructure.
Functionality:
- Fundamental data structures
- Image processing algorithms
- Primary algorithms for computer vision
- Input and output of images and videos
- Human face detection
- Search for stereo matches
- Optical flow
- Continued integration system
- CUDA-optimized architecture
- Android version
- Java API
- Built-in performance testing system
- Cross-platform
Caffe
A deep learning framework concentrated on cracking the image type and segmentation concern.
Functionality:
- Analysis using blobs – multidimensional data arrays operated in parallel computing
- Model definition and design optimization, no hard coding
- Comfortable switching between CPU and GPU
- High speed of work
MATLAB Image Processing Toolbox
MATLAB stands for matrix laboratory. Hence, it’s the name of both a famous platform for decoding scientific and mathematical situations and a programming language. Thus, this medium delivers an Image Processing Toolbox (IPT) that contains numerous algorithms. Hence, it also contains workflow applications for AI-based image analysis, processing, and devising algorithms. MATLAB IPT isn’t an open-source platform. Hence, it has a free trial.
Functionality:
- Automates familiar image processing workflows
- Used for noise reduction, image enhancement, and image segmentation
- 3D images processing
- IPT functions support C/C++ code generation and are for deploying embedded vision systems and desktop prototyping
Microsoft Computer Vision
Computer Vision is a cloud-based service delivered by Microsoft. Therefore, it gives access to evolved algorithms for image processing and information extraction.
Functionality:
- Analyzes visual features and characteristics of an image
- Allows to moderate image content
- Extract text from images
Google Colaboratory (Colab)
Google Colaboratory (Colab) is a free cloud service. Therefore, it improves coding skills and develops deep learning applications from scratch.
Accordingly, it also uses popular libraries such as Keras and TensorFlow while designing an AI-based application. Thus, this service is based on Jupyter Notebooks, letting AI developers share their wisdom and expertise.
Functionality:
- Colab delivers free GPU resources
- Allows to transfer, comment, and collaborate on the same document with multiple people
Conclusion
With deep learning algorithms, machines can see and analyze images in the manner needed for a specific task. Therefore, advancement in executing AI algorithms for image processing is unique. Hence, it also extends a wide range of options from medicine and agriculture to retail and law enforcement.
Accordingly, ML prototypes and algorithms enable developers to implement specific image processing functionalities into their products quickly and efficiently. Nevertheless, a custom machine learning model demands much help and high technical expertise. Thus, with detailed open-source tools and libraries, one can ease leveraging AI technologies to the advantage.