.. _canny_detector: Canny Edge Detector ******************** Goal ===== In this tutorial you will learn how to: .. container:: enumeratevisibleitemswithsquare * Use the OpenCV function :canny:`Canny <>` to implement the Canny Edge Detector. Theory ======= #. The *Canny Edge detector* was developed by John F. Canny in 1986. Also known to many as the *optimal detector*, Canny algorithm aims to satisfy three main criteria: * **Low error rate:** Meaning a good detection of only existent edges. * **Good localization:** The distance between edge pixels detected and real edge pixels have to be minimized. * **Minimal response:** Only one detector response per edge. Steps ------ #. Filter out any noise. The Gaussian filter is used for this purpose. An example of a Gaussian kernel of :math:`size = 5` that might be used is shown below: .. math:: K = \dfrac{1}{159}\begin{bmatrix} 2 & 4 & 5 & 4 & 2 \\ 4 & 9 & 12 & 9 & 4 \\ 5 & 12 & 15 & 12 & 5 \\ 4 & 9 & 12 & 9 & 4 \\ 2 & 4 & 5 & 4 & 2 \end{bmatrix} #. Find the intensity gradient of the image. For this, we follow a procedure analogous to Sobel: a. Apply a pair of convolution masks (in :math:`x` and :math:`y` directions: .. math:: G_{x} = \begin{bmatrix} -1 & 0 & +1 \\ -2 & 0 & +2 \\ -1 & 0 & +1 \end{bmatrix} G_{y} = \begin{bmatrix} -1 & -2 & -1 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 \\ +1 & +2 & +1 \end{bmatrix} b. Find the gradient strength and direction with: .. math:: \begin{array}{l} G = \sqrt{ G_{x}^{2} + G_{y}^{2} } \\ \theta = \arctan(\dfrac{ G_{y} }{ G_{x} }) \end{array} The direction is rounded to one of four possible angles (namely 0, 45, 90 or 135) #. *Non-maximum* suppression is applied. This removes pixels that are not considered to be part of an edge. Hence, only thin lines (candidate edges) will remain. #. *Hysteresis*: The final step. Canny does use two thresholds (upper and lower): a. If a pixel gradient is higher than the *upper* threshold, the pixel is accepted as an edge b. If a pixel gradient value is below the *lower* threshold, then it is rejected. c. If the pixel gradient is between the two thresholds, then it will be accepted only if it is connected to a pixel that is above the *upper* threshold. Canny recommended a *upper*:*lower* ratio between 2:1 and 3:1. #. For more details, you can always consult your favorite Computer Vision book. Code ===== #. **What does this program do?** * Asks the user to enter a numerical value to set the lower threshold for our *Canny Edge Detector* (by means of a Trackbar) * Applies the *Canny Detector* and generates a **mask** (bright lines representing the edges on a black background). * Applies the mask obtained on the original image and display it in a window. #. The tutorial code's is shown lines below. You can also download it from `here `_ .. code-block:: cpp #include "opencv2/imgproc/imgproc.hpp" #include "opencv2/highgui/highgui.hpp" #include #include using namespace cv; /// Global variables Mat src, src_gray; Mat dst, detected_edges; int edgeThresh = 1; int lowThreshold; int const max_lowThreshold = 100; int ratio = 3; int kernel_size = 3; char* window_name = "Edge Map"; /** * @function CannyThreshold * @brief Trackbar callback - Canny thresholds input with a ratio 1:3 */ void CannyThreshold(int, void*) { /// Reduce noise with a kernel 3x3 blur( src_gray, detected_edges, Size(3,3) ); /// Canny detector Canny( detected_edges, detected_edges, lowThreshold, lowThreshold*ratio, kernel_size ); /// Using Canny's output as a mask, we display our result dst = Scalar::all(0); src.copyTo( dst, detected_edges); imshow( window_name, dst ); } /** @function main */ int main( int argc, char** argv ) { /// Load an image src = imread( argv[1] ); if( !src.data ) { return -1; } /// Create a matrix of the same type and size as src (for dst) dst.create( src.size(), src.type() ); /// Convert the image to grayscale cvtColor( src, src_gray, CV_BGR2GRAY ); /// Create a window namedWindow( window_name, CV_WINDOW_AUTOSIZE ); /// Create a Trackbar for user to enter threshold createTrackbar( "Min Threshold:", window_name, &lowThreshold, max_lowThreshold, CannyThreshold ); /// Show the image CannyThreshold(0, 0); /// Wait until user exit program by pressing a key waitKey(0); return 0; } Explanation ============ #. Create some needed variables: .. code-block:: cpp Mat src, src_gray; Mat dst, detected_edges; int edgeThresh = 1; int lowThreshold; int const max_lowThreshold = 100; int ratio = 3; int kernel_size = 3; char* window_name = "Edge Map"; Note the following: a. We establish a ratio of lower:upper threshold of 3:1 (with the variable *ratio*) b. We set the kernel size of :math:`3` (for the Sobel operations to be performed internally by the Canny function) c. We set a maximum value for the lower Threshold of :math:`100`. #. Loads the source image: .. code-block:: cpp /// Load an image src = imread( argv[1] ); if( !src.data ) { return -1; } #. Create a matrix of the same type and size of *src* (to be *dst*) .. code-block:: cpp dst.create( src.size(), src.type() ); #. Convert the image to grayscale (using the function :cvt_color:`cvtColor <>`: .. code-block:: cpp cvtColor( src, src_gray, CV_BGR2GRAY ); #. Create a window to display the results .. code-block:: cpp namedWindow( window_name, CV_WINDOW_AUTOSIZE ); #. Create a Trackbar for the user to enter the lower threshold for our Canny detector: .. code-block:: cpp createTrackbar( "Min Threshold:", window_name, &lowThreshold, max_lowThreshold, CannyThreshold ); Observe the following: a. The variable to be controlled by the Trackbar is *lowThreshold* with a limit of *max_lowThreshold* (which we set to 100 previously) b. Each time the Trackbar registers an action, the callback function *CannyThreshold* will be invoked. #. Let's check the *CannyThreshold* function, step by step: a. First, we blur the image with a filter of kernel size 3: .. code-block:: cpp blur( src_gray, detected_edges, Size(3,3) ); b. Second, we apply the OpenCV function :canny:`Canny <>`: .. code-block:: cpp Canny( detected_edges, detected_edges, lowThreshold, lowThreshold*ratio, kernel_size ); where the arguments are: * *detected_edges*: Source image, grayscale * *detected_edges*: Output of the detector (can be the same as the input) * *lowThreshold*: The value entered by the user moving the Trackbar * *highThreshold*: Set in the program as three times the lower threshold (following Canny's recommendation) * *kernel_size*: We defined it to be 3 (the size of the Sobel kernel to be used internally) #. We fill a *dst* image with zeros (meaning the image is completely black). .. code-block:: cpp dst = Scalar::all(0); #. Finally, we will use the function :copy_to:`copyTo <>` to map only the areas of the image that are identified as edges (on a black background). .. code-block:: cpp src.copyTo( dst, detected_edges); :copy_to:`copyTo <>` copy the *src* image onto *dst*. However, it will only copy the pixels in the locations where they have non-zero values. Since the output of the Canny detector is the edge contours on a black background, the resulting *dst* will be black in all the area but the detected edges. #. We display our result: .. code-block:: cpp imshow( window_name, dst ); Result ======= * After compiling the code above, we can run it giving as argument the path to an image. For example, using as an input the following image: .. image:: images/Canny_Detector_Tutorial_Original_Image.jpg :alt: Original test image :width: 200pt :align: center * Moving the slider, trying different threshold, we obtain the following result: .. image:: images/Canny_Detector_Tutorial_Result.jpg :alt: Result after running Canny :width: 200pt :align: center * Notice how the image is superposed to the black background on the edge regions.