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Learning OpenCV--New from O'Reilly: Computer Vision with the OpenCV Library

October 1, 2008

Learning OpenCV Sebastopol, CALearning OpenCV (O'Reilly Media, $49.99) puts you in the middle of the rapidly expanding field of computer vision. Written by the creators of the free open source OpenCV library, this book introduces you to computer vision and demonstrates how you can quickly build applications that enable computers to "see" and make decisions based on that data.

Computer vision is everywhere-in security systems, manufacturing inspection systems, medical image analysis, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and more. It ties Google Maps and Google Earth together, checks the pixels on LCD screens, and makes sure the stitches in your shirt are sewn properly. OpenCV provides an easy-to-use computer vision framework and a comprehensive library with more than 500 functions that can run vision code in real time.

Learning OpenCV will teach any developer or hobbyist to use the framework quickly whether it's to build simple or sophisticated vision applications.

This book includes:

  • A thorough introduction to OpenCV
  • Getting input from cameras
  • Transforming images
  • Segmenting images and shape matching
  • Pattern recognition, including face detection
  • Tracking and motion in 2 and 3 dimensions
  • 3D reconstruction from stereo vision
  • Machine learning algorithms

Hands-on exercises at the end of each chapter help you absorb the concepts, and an appendix explains how to set up an OpenCV project in Visual Studio. OpenCV is written in performance optimized C/C++ code, runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X, and is free for commercial and research use under a BSD license.

Getting machines to see is a challenging but entertaining goal. If you're intrigued by the possibilities, Learning OpenCV gets you started on building computer vision applications of your own.

Advance Praise:
"This library is useful for practitioners, and is an excellent tool for those entering the field; it is a set of computer vision algorithms that work as advertised."
-William T. Freeman, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Learning OpenCV will likely occupy a prominent spot on the bookshelf of almost anyone working in computer vision."
-David Lowe, Professor of Computer Science, University of British Columbia

For a review copy or more information please email maryr@oreilly.com. Please include your delivery address and contact information.

Dr. Gary Rost Bradski is a consulting professor in the CS department at Stanford University AI Lab where he mentors robotics, machine learning and computer vision research. He is also Senior Scientist at Willow Garage, a recently founded robotics research institute/incubator. Gary started the Open Source Computer Vision Library (OpenCV http://sourceforge.net/projects/opencvlibrary), the statistical Machine Learning Library (MLL comes with OpenCV), and the Probabilistic Network Library (PNL). OpenCV is used around the world in research, government and commercially. Gary also organized the vision team for Stanley, the Stanford robot that won the DARPA Grand Challenge autonomous race across the desert for a $2M team prize.

Adrian Kaehler is a senior scientist at Applied Minds Corporation. His current research includes topics in machine learning, statistical modeling, and computer vision. Adrian received his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Columbia university in 1998. Adrian has since held positions at Intel Corporation and the Stanford University AI Lab, and was a member of the winning Stanley race team in the DARPA Grand Challenge. He has a variety of published papers and patents in physics, electrical engineering, computer science, and robotics.

Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bios, and cover graphic, see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596516130

Learning OpenCV
Dr. Gary Rost Bradski, Adrian Kaehler
ISBN: 9780596516130, 575 pages, Book Price: $49.99 USD, £30.99 GBP
PDF Price: $39.99 USD

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