Preface

OpenCV is a native, cross-platform C++ library for computer vision, machine learning, and image processing. It is increasingly being adopted in Python for development. OpenCV has C++/C, Python, and Java interfaces, with support for Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android. Developers who use OpenCV build applications to process visual data; this can include live streaming data such as photographs or videos from a device such as a camera. However, as developers move beyond their first computer vision applications, they might find it difficult to come up with solutions that are well-optimized, robust, and scalable for real-world scenarios.

This book demonstrates how to develop a series of intermediate to advanced projects using OpenCV and Python, rather than teaching the core concepts of OpenCV in theoretical lessons. The working projects developed in this book teach you how to apply your theoretical knowledge to topics such as image manipulation, augmented reality, object tracking, 3D scene reconstruction, statistical learning, and object categorization.

By the end of this book, you will be an OpenCV expert, and your newly gained experience will allow you to develop your own advanced computer vision applications.