OpenCV  3.2.0
Open Source Computer Vision
Thresholding Operations using inRange

Goal

In this tutorial you will learn how to:

Theory

Code

The tutorial code's is shown lines below. You can also download it from here

#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
using namespace std;
using namespace cv;
void on_low_r_thresh_trackbar(int, void *);
void on_high_r_thresh_trackbar(int, void *);
void on_low_g_thresh_trackbar(int, void *);
void on_high_g_thresh_trackbar(int, void *);
void on_low_b_thresh_trackbar(int, void *);
void on_high_b_thresh_trackbar(int, void *);
int low_r=30, low_g=30, low_b=30;
int high_r=100, high_g=100, high_b=100;
int main()
{
Mat frame, frame_threshold;
VideoCapture cap(0);
namedWindow("Video Capture", WINDOW_NORMAL);
namedWindow("Object Detection", WINDOW_NORMAL);
//-- Trackbars to set thresholds for RGB values
createTrackbar("Low R","Object Detection", &low_r, 255, on_low_r_thresh_trackbar);
createTrackbar("High R","Object Detection", &high_r, 255, on_high_r_thresh_trackbar);
createTrackbar("Low G","Object Detection", &low_g, 255, on_low_g_thresh_trackbar);
createTrackbar("High G","Object Detection", &high_g, 255, on_high_g_thresh_trackbar);
createTrackbar("Low B","Object Detection", &low_b, 255, on_low_b_thresh_trackbar);
createTrackbar("High B","Object Detection", &high_b, 255, on_high_b_thresh_trackbar);
while((char)waitKey(1)!='q'){
cap>>frame;
if(frame.empty())
break;
//-- Detect the object based on RGB Range Values
inRange(frame,Scalar(low_b,low_g,low_r), Scalar(high_b,high_g,high_r),frame_threshold);
//-- Show the frames
imshow("Video Capture",frame);
imshow("Object Detection",frame_threshold);
}
return 0;
}
void on_low_r_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
{
low_r = min(high_r-1, low_r);
setTrackbarPos("Low R","Object Detection", low_r);
}
void on_high_r_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
{
high_r = max(high_r, low_r+1);
setTrackbarPos("High R", "Object Detection", high_r);
}
void on_low_g_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
{
low_g = min(high_g-1, low_g);
setTrackbarPos("Low G","Object Detection", low_g);
}
void on_high_g_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
{
high_g = max(high_g, low_g+1);
setTrackbarPos("High G", "Object Detection", high_g);
}
void on_low_b_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
{
low_b= min(high_b-1, low_b);
setTrackbarPos("Low B","Object Detection", low_b);
}
void on_high_b_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
{
high_b = max(high_b, low_b+1);
setTrackbarPos("High B", "Object Detection", high_b);
}

Explanation

  1. Let's check the general structure of the program:
    • Create two Matrix elements to store the frames
      Mat frame, frame_threshold;
    • Capture the video stream from default capturing device.
      VideoCapture cap(0);
    • Create a window to display the default frame and the threshold frame.
      namedWindow("Video Capture", WINDOW_NORMAL);
      namedWindow("Object Detection", WINDOW_NORMAL);
    • Create trackbars to set the range of RGB values
      //-- Trackbars to set thresholds for RGB values
      createTrackbar("Low R","Object Detection", &low_r, 255, on_low_r_thresh_trackbar);
      createTrackbar("High R","Object Detection", &high_r, 255, on_high_r_thresh_trackbar);
      createTrackbar("Low G","Object Detection", &low_g, 255, on_low_g_thresh_trackbar);
      createTrackbar("High G","Object Detection", &high_g, 255, on_high_g_thresh_trackbar);
      createTrackbar("Low B","Object Detection", &low_b, 255, on_low_b_thresh_trackbar);
      createTrackbar("High B","Object Detection", &high_b, 255, on_high_b_thresh_trackbar);
    • Until the user want the program to exit do the following
      cap>>frame;
      if(frame.empty())
      break;
      //-- Detect the object based on RGB Range Values
      inRange(frame,Scalar(low_b,low_g,low_r), Scalar(high_b,high_g,high_r),frame_threshold);
    • Show the images
      //-- Show the frames
      imshow("Video Capture",frame);
      imshow("Object Detection",frame_threshold);
    • For a trackbar which controls the lower range, say for example Red value:
      void on_low_r_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
      {
      low_r = min(high_r-1, low_r);
      setTrackbarPos("Low R","Object Detection", low_r);
      }
    • For a trackbar which controls the upper range, say for example Red value:
      void on_high_r_thresh_trackbar(int, void *)
      {
      high_r = max(high_r, low_r+1);
      setTrackbarPos("High R", "Object Detection", high_r);
      }
    • It is necessary to find the maximum and minimum value to avoid discrepancies such as the high value of threshold becoming less the low value.

Results

  1. After compiling this program, run it. The program will open two windows
  2. As you set the RGB range values from the trackbar, the resulting frame will be visible in the other window.

    Threshold_inRange_Tutorial_Result_input.jpeg
    Threshold_inRange_Tutorial_Result_output.jpeg