Abstract: A device for determining objects in a color recording has an identifier, a feature extractor and a classifier. The identifier is implemented to identify the connected regions whose size or shape correspond to a predetermined condition from a plurality of connected regions existing in a binary image derived from a color recording based on a size or a shape of these connected regions. The feature extractor is implemented, for each of the identified connected regions, to extract a feature set from the color recording. The classifier is implemented to classify the identified connected regions into at least two disjunct groups based on the extracted feature sets for the identified connected regions.

Abstract: A color value for an optical fiber of a fiberscope can be generated on the basis of the intensity values of a plurality of sensor elements of a sensor element arrangement that are sensitive to one spectral region each from a set of sensor spectral regions, if calibration values are provided for each of the spectral regions associated with the optical fiber. The intensity values of all sensor elements of the respective spectral region that are illuminated by the light guide can be combined with the provided calibration values, in order to obtain the color value associated with the optical fiber, which reproduces the color of the light transported by the optical fiber.

Abstract: A method of segmenting biological cells in a picture so that the biological cells represent a foreground of the picture includes a step of applying a first fast marching algorithm to the picture or to a pre-processed version of same in order to obtain a first fast marching image. In addition, the method includes a step of segmenting the first fast marching image or a further-processed version of same into a plurality of homogeneous regions. Furthermore, the method includes a step of mapping each of the homogeneous regions to one node of a graph, respectively. In addition, the method includes a step of classifying each homogeneous region either as background or foreground on the basis of the graph. Moreover, the method includes a step of applying a second fast marching algorithm within the homogeneous regions classified as foreground so as to segment the foreground into individual biological cells.

Abstract: A device for determining objects in a color recording has an identifier, a feature extractor and a classifier. The identifier is implemented to identify the connected regions whose size or shape correspond to a predetermined condition from a plurality of connected regions existing in a binary image derived from a color recording based on a size or a shape of these connected regions. The feature extractor is implemented, for each of the identified connected regions, to extract a feature set from the color recording. The classifier is implemented to classify the identified connected regions into at least two disjunct groups based on the extracted feature sets for the identified connected regions.

Abstract: Automated localization of a valid area of a blood smear and, thus, localization requiring less effort and being more objective is enabled in that a picture of the blood smear pixels are classified at least into first pixels, which represent blood cells, and second pixels, which do not represent the blood cells, and the valid area is then found on the basis of a local frequency of pixel clusters of at least Amin first pixels, Amin being a minimum threshold for a number of first pixels of a pixel cluster, and a local average size of the pixel clusters for laterally distributed areas of the blood smear.

Abstract: In a method for calibrating a stage-camera system, a travel distance of a stage is determined in a first coordinate system and an object displacement distance of at least one object is determined in a second coordinate system. A calibration measure for calibrating the coordinate systems is computed from the travel distance and the object displacement distance. The object displacement distance is determined by registering a calibration image with a reference image based on the at least one object. The method enables an automatic and accurate calibration of the stage-camera system.

Abstract: A method for determining a contour of an object in a digital image includes determining a preliminary object center and determining contour candidate image points. The contour candidate image points are determined as image points on a plurality of paths leading away from a preliminary object center by detecting a change from a first section to a second section on a feature space based on the image point value range of the digital image or by detecting the exceeding of a predetermined strength of a feature change in the feature space, wherein the contour candidate image points have a distance to the preliminary or to an improved object center and are ordered according to a polar angle. Further, the method includes determining zones of neighboring contour candidate image points within which a change of the distance of the contour candidate image points lies above a threshold value and an elimination of contour candidate image points which lie between the zones of neighboring contour candidate image points.

Abstract: Automated localization of a valid area of a blood smear and, thus, localization requiring less effort and being more objective is enabled in that a picture of the blood smear pixels are classified at least into first pixels, which represent blood cells, and second pixels, which do not represent the blood cells, and the valid area is then found on the basis of a local frequency of pixel clusters of at least Amin first pixels, Amin being a minimum threshold for a number of first pixels of a pixel cluster, and a local average size of the pixel clusters for laterally distributed areas of the blood smear.

Abstract: A method of segmenting biological cells in a picture so that the biological cells represent a foreground of the picture includes a step of applying a first fast marching algorithm to the picture or to a pre-processed version of same in order to obtain a first fast marching image. In addition, the method includes a step of segmenting the first fast marching image or a further-processed version of same into a plurality of homogeneous regions. Furthermore, the method includes a step of mapping each of the homogeneous regions to one node of a graph, respectively. In addition, the method includes a step of classifying each homogeneous region either as background or foreground on the basis of the graph. Moreover, the method includes a step of applying a second fast marching algorithm within the homogeneous regions classified as foreground so as to segment the foreground into individual biological cells.

Abstract: A method for determining a contour of an object in a digital image includes determining a preliminary object center and determining contour candidate image points. The contour candidate image points are determined as image points on a plurality of paths leading away from a preliminary object center by detecting a change from a first section to a second section on a feature space based on the image point value range of the digital image or by detecting the exceeding of a predetermined strength of a feature change in the feature space, wherein the contour candidate image points have a distance to the preliminary or to an improved object center and are ordered according to a polar angle. Further, the method includes determining zones of neighboring contour candidate image points within which a change of the distance of the contour candidate image points lies above a threshold value and an elimination of contour candidate image points which lie between the zones of neighboring contour candidate image points.

Abstract: A color value for an optical fiber of a fiberscope can be generated on the basis of the intensity values of a plurality of sensor elements of a sensor element arrangement that are sensitive to one spectral region each from a set of sensor spectral regions, if calibration values are provided for each of the spectral regions associated with the optical fiber. The intensity values of all sensor elements of the respective spectral region that are illuminated by the light guide can be combined with the provided calibration values, in order to obtain the color value associated with the optical fiber, which correctly reproduces the color of the light transported by the optical fiber.

Abstract: In a method for calibrating a stage-camera system, a travel distance of a stage is determined in a first coordinate system and an object displacement distance of at least one object is determined in a second coordinate system. A calibration measure for calibrating the coordinate systems is computed from the travel distance and the object displacement distance. The object displacement distance is determined by registering a calibration image with a reference image based on the at least one object. The method enables an automatic and accurate calibration of the stage-camera system.

Abstract: A method for determining a cell contour of a cell having a cell nucleus and a cytoplasm in an image of the cell includes determining nucleus candidate pixels belonging to the nucleus. Further, the method comprises determining a pixel within the area formed by the nucleus candidate pixels for obtaining a central nucleus candidate pixel, determining a first edge candidate pixel as a pixel on a predetermined path leading away from the central nucleus candidate pixel by determining a change from a first section to a second section of a color space, and finding edge candidate pixels leading away from the first edge candidate pixel forming a boundary surrounding the cell, via a path-finding algorithm tending to prefer smaller path lengths and paths through pixels in the second section of the color space.