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Image Processing

Webopedia Staff
Last Updated May 24, 2021 7:45 am

Analyzing and manipulating images with a computer. Image processing generally involves three steps:

  • 1. Import an image with an optical scanner or directly through digital photography.
  • 2. Manipulate or analyze the image in some way. This stage can include image enhancement and data compression, or the image may be analyzed to find patterns that aren’t visible by the human eye. For example, meteorologists use image processing to analyze satellite photographs.
  • 3. Output the result. The result might be the image altered in some way or it might be a report based on analysis of the image.