Design And Implementation Of A Real Time Morphological Image Processor Prototype

"Morphology, the study of form and structure, is also a method used for processing images. Morphological image processing can be used for many purposes, including edge detection, shape recognition, smoothing, and enhancement of images. A prototype for a real-time Morphological Image Processor has been developed to process 512 x 512 extended 8-bit gray scale images, using a 7 x 7 extended 8-bit gray scale mask. This prototype processor was developed jointly with another M.S. thesis candidate, Jeffrey Hanzlik. Software was also developed to allow the user to conveniently use a personal computer to transfer images to and from the Morphological Image Processor prototype and to perform a variety of image processing operations. Field programmable gate arrays have been used for the prototype, and implementing the same architecture in VLSI will allow for real-time processing of images."--Abstract.