Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing a raster scan video signal representing an image and detecting the outline of one or more objects in the image represented by the video signal. The steps of the method include encoding the raster scan video signal as a sequence of binary pixel values. For each of a plurality of the pixels the following steps are performed. It is detected when the binary pixel values representing the pixel and a horizontally adjacent pixel are distinct. It is also detected when both (a) the binary pixel values representing the pixel and a vertically adjacent pixel are distinct, and (b) the binary pixel values representing a pixel horizontally adjacent to said pixel and a pixel vertically adjacent thereto are distinct. The position of the pixel is reported when either of the detecting steps detects distinct binary pixel values. The second detecting step automatically eliminates redundant pixel reporting by eliminating the reporting of double diagonal pixels.

Abstract: A water quality monitoring system for detecting sublethal degradations in environmental quality. The system continuously or periodically monitors the movements of a plurality of living organisms which are exposed to water from one or more selected sources. A computer controls and coordinates the tasks performed by the system. A video camera is used to visually monitor the movements of the organisms. Sensors measure other selected characteristics of the organisms' environment, including the temperature of the water. The computer includes software, responsive to the measurements by the sensors, for deriving a set of prediction parameters corresponding to the statistical distribution of expected movement patterns of the organisms. Other software is used for analyzing the organisms' movements and for comparing the observed movements with the set of prediction parameters, and for initiating the generation of a warning message when the organisms' observed movements do not correspond to the prediction parameters.