P 3E: New life for projection-based image processing

Abstract

This paper deals with a novel architecture that makes real-time projection-based image processing a reality. The design is founded on raster-mode processing, which is exploited in a powerful and flexible pipeline. This architecture, dubbed “P 3E” (Parallel Pipeline Projection Engine), supports a large variety of image processing and image analysis applications. In the present paper, we concern ourselves with several image processing tasks, such as discrete approximations of the Radon and inverse Radon transform, among other projection operators; CT reconstructions; 2-D convolutions; rotations and translations; etc. However, there is also an extensive list of key image analysis algorithms that are supported by P 3E, thus making it a profound and versatile tool for projection-based computer vision. Recently, several image analysis operators were mapped onto this architecture to solve some important automated inspection problems. We have yet to apply P 3E to many other unexplored image processing and image analysis tasks. Examples of these are object recognition, motion parameter computations, approximation of the Fourier transform on polar rasters, etc.