Course Website: http://www.comp.dit.

ie/bmacnamee
Digital Image Processing
Unit 3 Module 2
Morphological Image Processing
2
of
39
Contents
Once segmentation is complete,
morphological operations can be used to
remove imperfections in the segmented
image and provide information on the form
and structure of the image
In this lecture we will consider
What is morphology?
Simple morphological operations
Compound operations
Morphological algorithms
3
of
39
1, 0, Black, White?
Throughout all of the following slides
whether 0 and 1 refer to white or black is a
little interchangeable
All of the discussion that follows assumes
segmentation has already taken place and
that images are made up of 0s for
background pixels and 1s for object pixels
After this it doesnt matter if 0 is black, white,
yellow, green.
4
of
39
What Is Morphology?
Morphological image processing (or
morphology) describes a range of image
processing techniques that deal with the
shape (or morphology) of features in an
image
Morphological operations are typically
applied to remove imperfections introduced
during segmentation, and so typically
operate on bi-level images
5
of
39
Quick Example
Image after segmentation Image after segmentation and
morphological processing
6
of
39
Structuring Elements, Hits & Fits
B
A
C
Structuring Element
Fit: All on pixels in the
structuring element cover
on pixels in the image
Hit: Any on pixel in the
structuring element covers
an on pixel in the image
All morphological processing operations are based
on these simple ideas
7
of
39
Structuring Elements
Structuring elements can be any size and
make any shape
However, for simplicity we will use
rectangular structuring elements with their
origin at the middle pixel
1 1 1
1 1 1
1 1 1
0 0 1 0 0
0 1 1 1 0
1 1 1 1 1
0 1 1 1 0
0 0 1 0 0
0 1 0
1 1 1
0 1 0
8
of
39
Fitting & Hitting
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B C
A
1 1 1
1 1 1
1 1 1
Structuring
Element 1
0 1 0
1 1 1
0 1 0
Structuring
Element 2
9
of
39
Fundamental Operations
Fundamentally morphological image
processing is very like spatial filtering
The structuring element is moved across
every pixel in the original image to give a
pixel in a new processed image
The value of this new pixel depends on the
operation performed
There are two basic morphological
operations: erosion and dilation
10
of
39
Erosion
Erosion of image f by structuring element s
is given by f s
The structuring element s is positioned with
its origin at (x, y) and the new pixel value is
determined using the rule:

=
otherwise 0
fits if 1
) , (
f s
y x g
11
of
39
Erosion Example
Structuring Element
Original Image
Processed Image With Eroded Pixels
12
of
39
Erosion Example
Structuring Element
Original Image
Processed Image
13
of
39
Erosion Example 1
Watch out: In these examples a 1 refers to a black pixel!
Original image Erosion by 3*3
square structuring
element
Erosion by 5*5
square structuring
element
14
of
39
Erosion Example 2
Original
image
After erosion
with a disc of
radius 10
After erosion
with a disc of
radius 20
After erosion
with a disc of
radius 5
15
of
39
What Is Erosion For?
Erosion can split apart joined objects




Erosion can strip away extrusions



Watch out: Erosion shrinks objects
Erosion can split apart
16
of
39
Dilation
Dilation of image f by structuring element s is
given by f s
The structuring element s is positioned with
its origin at (x, y) and the new pixel value is
determined using the rule:

=
otherwise 0
hits if 1
) , (
f s
y x g
17
of
39
Dilation Example
Structuring Element
Original Image
Processed Image
18
of
39
Dilation Example
Structuring Element
Original Image
Processed Image With Dilated Pixels
19
of
39
Dilation Example 1
Original image
Dilation by 3*3
square structuring
element
Dilation by 5*5
square structuring
element
Watch out: In these examples a 1 refers to a black pixel!
20
of
39
Dilation Example 2
Structuring element
Original image
After dilation
21
of
39
What Is Dilation For?
Dilation can repair breaks



Dilation can repair intrusions



Watch out: Dilation enlarges objects
22
of
39
Compound Operations
More interesting morphological operations
can be performed by performing
combinations of erosions and dilations
The most widely used of these compound
operations are:
Opening
Closing
23
of
39
Opening
The opening of image f by structuring
element s, denoted f s is simply an erosion
followed by a dilation
f s = (f s) s

Original shape After erosion After dilation

(opening)
Note a disc shaped structuring element is used
24
of
39
Opening Example
Original
Image
Image
After
Opening
25
of
39
Opening Example
Structuring Element
Original Image Processed Image
26
of
39
Opening Example
Structuring Element
Original Image Processed Image
27
of
39
Closing
The closing of image f by structuring
element s, denoted f s is simply a dilation
followed by an erosion
f s = (f s)s

Original shape
After dilation After erosion
(closing)
Note a disc shaped structuring element is used
28
of
39
Closing Example
Original
Image
Image
After
Closing
29
of
39
Closing Example
Structuring Element
Original Image
Processed Image
30
of
39
Closing Example
Structuring Element
Original Image Processed Image
31
of
39
Morphological Processing Example
32
of
39
Morphological Algorithms
Using the simple technique we have looked
at so far we can begin to consider some
more interesting morphological algorithms
We will look at:
Boundary extraction
Region filling
There are lots of others as well though:
Extraction of connected components
Thinning/thickening
Skeletonisation
33
of
39
Boundary Extraction
Extracting the boundary (or outline) of an
object is often extremely useful
The boundary can be given simply as
(A) = A (AB)
34
of
39
Boundary Extraction Example
A simple image and the result of performing
boundary extraction using a square 3*3
structuring element
Original Image Extracted Boundary
35
of
39
Region Filling
Given a pixel inside a boundary, region
filling attempts to fill that boundary with
object pixels (1s)



Given a point inside
here, can we fill the
whole circle?
36
of
39
Region Filling (cont)
The key equation for region filling is

Where X
0
is simply the starting point inside
the boundary, B is a simple structuring
element and A
c
is the complement of A
This equation is applied repeatedly until X
k

is equal to X
k-1

Finally the result is unioned with the original
boundary
..... 3 , 2 , 1 ) (
1
= =

k A B X X
c
k k
37
of
39
Region Filling Step By Step



I
m
a
g
e
s

t
a
k
e
n

f
r
o
m

G
o
n
z
a
l
e
z

&

W
o
o
d
s
,

D
i
g
i
t
a
l

I
m
a
g
e

P
r
o
c
e
s
s
i
n
g

(
2
0
0
2
)

38
of
39
Region Filling Example
Original Image One Region
Filled
All Regions
Filled
39
of
39
39
Extraction of connected components
40
of
39
40
Example
41
of
39
Convex hull
A set A is
said to be
convex if the
straight line
segment
joining any
two points in
A lies
entirely
within A.
i
i
D A C
4
1
) (
=
=
,... 3 , 2 , 1 and 4 , 3 , 2 , 1 ) ( = = - = k i A B X X
i i
k
i
k
41
42
of
39
42
43
of
39
43
Thinning
c
B A A
B A A B A
) (
) (
- =
- =
44
of
39
44
Thickening
) ( B A A B A - = -
45
of
39
45
Skeletons
K
k
k
A S A S
0
) ( ) (
=
= B kB A kB A A S
k
) ( ) ( ) ( =
} ) ( | max{ u = = kB A k K
) ) ( (
0
kB A S A
k
K
k
=
=
46
of
39
46
47
of
39
47
Pruning
} {
1
B A X =
A H X X = ) (
2 3
3 1 4
X X X =
H = 3x3 structuring element of 1s
) (
1
8
1
2
k
k
B X X - =
=
48
of
39
48
49
of
39
49
50
of
39
50
51
of
39
51
52
of
39
52
5 basic structuring elements
53
of
39
Summary
The purpose of morphological processing is
primarily to remove imperfections added during
segmentation
The basic operations are erosion and dilation
Using the basic operations we can perform
opening and closing
More advanced morphological operation can
then be implemented using combinations of all
of these
54
of
39
Structuring Elements, Hits & Fits
55
of
39
H
I
T
!

F
I
T
!

56
of
39
M
I
S
S
!

M
I
S
S
!

57
of
39
Erosion Example
Structuring Element
58
of
39
Dilation Example
Structuring Element
59
of
39
Opening Example
Structuring Element
Original Image Processed Image
60
of
39
Closing Example
Structuring Element
Original Image Processed Image
61
of
39
Region Filling Step By Step



62
of
39
Region Filling Step By Step