The Image Processing Tool Kit

Complete Tools for Processing and Measuring Images

The Image Processing Tool Kit (NEW version 4.0, ISBN 1-928808-26-3) offers a comprehensive set of functions for the computer-based image processing and measurement of images.

Taking advantage of the power of modern desktop computers, the Tool Kit comprises an indispensable set of Photoshop-compatible plug-ins that deliver an impressive array of tools to help you process and measure your images. Within the familiar environment of Photoshop (running on either the Mac or Windows computers), you will have access to analytical power and functionality that exceeds many "professional" dedicated image analysis programs that cost ten times more!

In addition, the Tool Kit CD includes a complete hands-on course in image analysis that guides you through the use of the various functions, illustrates them with images that are supplied on the disk, and in effect provides a college-level course in image analysis that you can follow at your own pace, or dip into when you need the answer to a particular problem. The tutorial is a 500 page lavishly illustrated book in pdf (Acrobat) format on the CD, along with more than 300 test images that you can use for practice.

The Tool Kit requires only a modest technical background in imaging and computers, but the routines are professionally written to the highest standards and correspond exactly to the methods described in 'The Image Processing Handbook,' 3rd edition, by John C. Russ (CRC Press, 1998).

The plug-ins on the disk (more than 175 in all) provide comprehensive tools for processing and measuring 8 bit grey scale and 24 bit RGB images:

• Image Adjustment - leveling contrast and brightness, removing background, performing rotational alignment, histogram equalization and other modifications
  
• Color Manipulation - working in various color spaces, correcting color shifts, extracting and inserting color planes, processing images in HSI space
  
• Image Math - add, subtract, multiply, divide, brightest, darkest, etc.
  
• Boolean Operations - and, or, ex-or, not, masking, plus a unique feature-and that operates on features rather than just pixels
  
• Fourier Processing - forward and inverse transforms, filtering, cross-correlation, deconvolution
  
• Morphological Operations - erosion, dilation, opening, closing, skeletonization, hit-or-miss, top-hat and rolling ball filters, in user-adjustable neighborhoods
  
• Neighborhood Processing - an extensive variety of state-of-the-art edge extraction, noise reduction, texture isolation, contrast enhancement, and orientation finding algorithms, many rarely found on small computer systems
  
• Distance-Map Operations - erosion and dilation, openings and closing with isotropic results, and without a doubt the best watershed segmentation routine around, eliminating the subdivision of lines and other common defects
  
• Thresholding - manual and automatic routines, working directly in HSI space for color images, with a selection of algorithms to select optimum threshold levels or draw contour maps
  
• Feature Measurement - an extensive list of size, shape, position and pixel value (brightness and color) parameters, with built-in graphic displays as well as saving of all data in disk files for spreadsheet analysis
  
• Calibration - distance and density calibrations can be stored and recalled for use; histograms and line profiles are displayed and also stored in disk files for subsequent analysis
  
• Stereology - a comprehensive set of grids of points and lines - random, oriented, radial, square, circle, cycloid, etc. - are available for microstructural measurement either manually or automatically
  
• Surface Rendering - isometric views, Phong shading, pseudo-color presentations enhance the visualization of surface images
  

New in version 4.0 are expanded measurements, improved existing measurements for both precision and isotropy, 5x-10x faster for many operations on the PC, new operations for color, grayscale, and binary images, a revised 500 page electronic tutorial by John C. Russ, and much more.

The Tool Kit CD also includes a tryout version of Photoshop 6.0 image editing host program for Mac and Windows that can be used to run the plug-ins. They are also compatible with many other programs for Mac and Windows computers that support the plug-in interface, such as Paint Shop Pro, NIH-Image, Canvas, Image-Pro Plus, and many more.