Everything you ever want to know about edge detection (but were afraid to ask)

Edge detection is one of the fundamental tools in machine vision. In fact it’s difficult to build an application with out it. Even if you’re not gauging, you’ll probably use an edge tool just to locate the target in the image before applying fixturing tools or a coordinate system. So wouldn’t it be interesting to know something about the underlying science?

Well thanks to The Royal Society, you can now read the scientific paper from 1980 that set out the fundamental theory of edge detection. This is part of their program, in celebration of their 350th anniversary, of making available the original papers on some of the most important scientific advances in the last three centuries. If you want to see what else is available, use this link to The Royal Society’s Trailblazing web site.

If you find yourself with some free time over the holiday season, I would strongly encourage you to check this out. You’ll get an expert’s view on what the most important advances have been, and it’s interesting to note how many of the papers relate to light and optics, starting with Newton’s 1672 theory on light and colours.