OpenCV Computer Vision with Python

by Joseph Howse

Computer Vision can reach consumers in various contexts via webcams, camera phones and gaming sensors like Kinect. OpenCV's Python bindings can help developers meet these consumer demands for applications that capture images, change their appearance and extract information from them, in a high-level language and in a standardized data format that is interoperable with scientific libraries such as NumPy and SciPy.

"OpenCV Computer Vision with Python" is a practical, hands-on guide that covers the fundamental tasks of computer vision-capturing, filtering and analyzing images-with step-by-step instructions for writing both an application and reusable library classes.

"OpenCV Computer Vision with Python" shows you how to use the Python bindings for OpenCV. By following clear and concise examples you will develop a computer vision application that tracks faces in live video and applies special effects to them. If you have always wanted to learn which version of these bindings to use, how to integrate with cross-platform Kinect drivers and and how to efficiently process image data with NumPy and SciPy then this book is for you.

Approach
A practical, project-based tutorial for Python developers and hobbyists who want to get started with computer vision with OpenCV and Python.

Who this book is for
OpenCV Computer Vision with Python is written for Python developers who are new to computer vision and want a practical guide to teach them the essentials. Some understanding of image data (for example, pixels and color channels) would be beneficial. At a minimum you will need access to at least one webcam. Certain exercises require additional hardware like a second webcam, a Microsoft Kinect or an OpenNI-compliant depth sensor such as the Asus Xtion PRO.

Genres: Technical

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Joseph Howse writes fiction, as well as technical books on computer programming and image analysis. He lives in a Nova Scotian fishing village, where he chats with his cats and nurtures an orchard of hardy fruit trees. His debut novel, The Girl in the Water, has won the 2023 Independent Press Award for Literary Fiction, the 2023 IAN Awards for Outstanding Multicultural Fiction, and the 2023 IPPY Awards Bronze Medal for Best Regional Ebook (Fiction). He is currently working on a sequel.

Reviews

[Taimour Mourad · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good book, but it needs to get mathematical equations and operations into play, and I wish if i had a main list of subjects in the Computer vision field even if it doesn't go through it

[Pranay Kothapalli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the flags, methods and classes seem to have been renamed/removed from the updated version of OpenCV. Had to refer to the official documentation every time the interpreter threw an error. I suggest you to get an updated version of the book. Overall, a good book to get you started, but not entirely beginner friendly. Doesn't dwell deep into the basics of computer vision stuff, just a scratch on the surface. Wasn't entirely satisfied, but a good read overall.

[James Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book for beginners but sometimes I wish the author went a little further and deeper. The book doesn't cover anything that you couldn't find online, and although the book is relatively short, a lot of time is spent on installation instructions.