Gradient Pile up Algorithm for Edge Enhancement and Detection

Abstract

Edge detection plays a fundamental role on image processing. The detected edges describe an object contour that greatly improves the pattern recognition process. Many edge detectors have been proposed. Most of them apply smooth filters to minimize the noise and the image derivative or gradient to enhance the edges. However, smooth filters produce ramp edges with the same gradient magnitude as those produced by noise. This work presents an algorithm that enhances the gradient correspondent to ramp edges without amplifying the noisy ones. Moreover, an efficient method for edge detection without set a threshold value is proposed. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm enhances the gradient of ramp edges, improving the gradient magnitude without shifting the edge location. Further, we are testing the implementation of the proposed algorithm in hardware for real time vision applications.