is real time image processing faster in matlab or labview?

[kupikupi]

hi .. im new with labview .... im doing a project called the sign language translator using IMAQ... since before me .. someone has done the sign language translator using MATLAB... i am now going to do it using labview which should improve the MATLAB  version. the problem with MATLAB was that parallel processing could not be done with MATLAB... i've got a few questions.
1. will LabVIEW be able to solve the parallel processing faced by MATLAB?
2. if i do everything in labview except the recognition part where i interface MATLAB with LabVIEW .. will the parallel processing problem be solved??
3. is it better to to the whole image processing and recognition using LabVIEW?
4. since im new with labview . is there any step by step guide on how to use IMAQ?? or must i learn the basics of Labview 1st ??

thanx ... i hope someone can answer my questions...

[DJ_L.]

Hey kupikupi,

To answer you questions:

Q1) Will LabVIEW be able to solve the parallel processing faced by MATLAB?

A) LabVIEW can perform parallel processing.

Q2) If I do everything in labview except the recognition part where i interface MATLAB with LabVIEW, will the parallel processing problem be solved?

A) If you perform your image acquisition in LabVIEW, but then interface with MATLAB, you will have to deal with passing pointers to images, or 2D arrays, or however you want to pass the images from one environment to the other. This is not going to be really easy, but it is possible. But if you do the acquisition in LabVIEW, and the processing in MATLAB, you will have partial parallel performance, but it will not solve any parallel processing on the part of MATLAB. It will still only be able to do that as it did before. The only thing I can think that can run in parallel would be acquiring in one part, and then process in another. But I think your real parallel processing issue will not be resolved. 

Q3) Is it better to do the whole image processing and recognition using LabVIEW? A) I would recommend performing your image acquisition and your processing all using LabVIEW so you don't have to worry about the passing data back and forth between environments. If you are going to be doing image processing in LabVIEW, then you will need the Vision Development Module, which gives you the image processing VI's (functions).

Q4) Since Im new with labview, is there any step by step guide on how to use IMAQ? or must i learn the basics of Labview 1st?

A) I would recommend that you learn the basics of LabVIEW before you jump into using the Image Acquisition or Image Processing VI's. There is a great resource on NI's website called Learn LabVIEW in 3 Hours that I think you should go through if you are new to LabVIEW. Then, after you think you are comfortable with LabVIEW in general, you can take a look at the IMAQ Example programs to get you started with IMAQ. Also, there is a lot of helpful information with the NI-IMAQ for LabVIEW Help documentation. There is another great document called Getting Started with NI-IMAQ that should also be helpful. If you need more information about IMAQ, you can check out the resources available at www.ni.com/vision.

I hope this answers your questions, and helps get you started. Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns. Thanks, and have a great day.

Regards,

DJ L.

[kupikupi]

hi DJ L. .. thank you very much for the reply ... at least now i know how to start .... i'll be back later for more Qs .. thanx ..   

[kupikupi]

hi DJ  L .. i can't  download the slides for learning labview in 3 hours.. it says non existing link .. and i've got questions here

for labview is it better to use a high resolution camera? the one i have now is the Logitech webcam which is 640x480 ? is it adviceable to use a better one or will a better resolution cam slow down the process??  do i need any other things besides the webcam, labview software and vision developement module?? i read that there's a hardware for frame grabbing ??

and i need some opinion bout my project ...

im planning to use colored gloves for the sign language just as it was previously done with MATLAB.. so i think that i will use colored pattern matching to translate the sign language ..

should i use neural network in labview to train the images or is there a better way ??
is the VI IMAQ learn pattern 2 related to the neural network ?? how is neural network actually applied in labview?

is there any image processing samples that i can refer to ??

i hope u dont mind answering my questions.. thanx ....



 

[amit_shachaf]

Hi kupikupi

Your project looks very interesting. I am using Matlab Imag processing tools and The LabVIEW vision Builder for few years so I might be able to help.

On general LabVIEW is much faster then Matlab if you have the algorithm written in both lang. LabVIEW is compiler so it is faster. The issue is that matlab toolboxs include more algorithms then LabVIEW. And some of them very sophisticated.

There is no problem transfering the image to the matlab environment. There is vi called MathScript Node. that will run the matlab code for you. You need to write small script that will call your main function.

About a camera. Using USB camera is taking a lot of your processing power. USB communication is processor intensive. You much better off with a frame grabber or with Fire Wire camera.

If you need more help. I will be glade to send you some example program.

Regards,

Amit

[kupikupi]

thanx amit...

i would like ur help very much ... and also those example programs u mentioned ..

about using MATLAB with LABVIEW, i had some people suggesting that if i use MATLAB, it wont improve the parallel processing .. 

so im still confused if i should use it with MATLAB or just do the whole thing in LABVIEW. the main purpose of my project is to improve the work done by those who used MATLAB and faced the parallel processing problem.

can u tell me more about frame grabber ? is it cheap ? becauce i also have to consider the cost of the project. i now have a USB webcam .

i've just learnt the basics of labview.. so now i planning to go into image processing with IMAQ ..  i need some guidance ..

do i need the IMAQ !EEE 1394 card to start processing image ?

i now have LABVIEW 7.1, vision developement module and a logitech USB webcam .. what else do i need to do the whole thing,

really appreciate u helping me out here amit .. thanx.. 

Message Edited by kupikupi on 05-08-2006 10:29 PM

[deepz]

Hi.i would like to have my thesis on image processing in Labview.i need help from you guys so that i can keep goin.. wat if we use a webcam instead of a frame grabber or fire wire camera.as i am a student i can't afford those as they are pretty expensive.can we upload pictures to labview form system inspite of using these cameras.is the vision development module goin to support it??.can anyone give me examples of these image processing..

hope to have answers from anyone..thanxx

[aftabahmad]

@ Amit

Hi,

I just want to know how can i bring image acquired in labview to MATLAB envirnoment.

since no image data type appears on MATLAB node.

Thanks in Advance

Aftab 

[Majidbme]

thanks a lot.

[jj1899]

Hi Amit,

Thank you for posting this great information. I am trying to  use Labview and Matlab for AOI in real time application. I would need your advice at some piont. Thank you in advance!

John