Abstract: It is an object to reduce an amount of calculation for motion vector detection and to prevent degradation in image quality. A motion vector detection device (1) includes a first motion vector extraction circuit (142) to extract a predetermined reduced number of first motion vectors from multiple first motion vectors detected by a first motion vector detection circuit (141), and a selection circuit (143) to select the multiple first motion vectors or the extracted first motion vectors.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for automatic detection of the location of cell colonies on a specimen slide, in particular under the coverslip of a specimen slide. Slide scanning can be performed using an automated microscope with motorized axes. The location of the colonies can be determined by image analysis, which is followed by automatically finding metaphase cells and associating them with each colony. The invention also provides an automated, Hough-transform-based method for identifying the location of the slide coverslip and, if desired, analyzing only the image area contained within the coverslip.