Blob
Multiple Image Tool
This blob tool allows the user to run filters (color filters)
and set parameters to find specific sets of blobs. With the parameters
set within a specific filter tool the Blob Multiple Image tool will
find all of the blobs that fit into these categories. The tool will
also allow the user to use multiple filter tools to find multiple
categories of blobs and the tool will color coordinate them within the
viewer for the user's ease. The tool will record all of the information
about the individual blobs and it into the tools results page.
Using the
Blob Multiple Image Tool
1. Grab an image so it displays on the viewer.
2. On the blob property page set the thresholds on the blob tool either for
dark blobs or light blobs or do a manual setup. The thresholds determine which
parts of the image are determined blobs and which are not.
3. Running the
blob tool (right-click the tool and choose run) will record the results for each
blob on the blob results property page.
4. Use the up
and down arrows on the blob results property page to view the statistics for
each blob. The blobs will be highlighted on the viewer window as they are
selected on the results page.
Once the parameters have been
defined within the Color Filter tool, the user is ready to input the
tool into the Blob multiple image tool.The Input's
page:
The Inputs page is where the user will input the filter tools that will be used to find the blobs.
CIFViewer
The Viewer that displays the "Blobs"
CIF
The input image. CIF stands for "Common Image Format". This is Automation Manager's native graphics format (like .jpg or .bmp).
ROI
"Region
of Interest". By default this is the green rectangle that is placed on
the screen when the tool is selected. Supports most ROI shapes.
LUTor CIF1,2,3...
Common
Image Format, Look Up Table. These boxes are where the Color Filter
tool's that will be used need to be "dragged and dropped" in order to
be used within the tool. As little as 1 or as many as 5 of these tools
may be used at one time.
Blob Parameters:
Coordinate System: See Coordinate System Page.
Threshold Type: Three options are available for the threshold type: Off, Dark Blob, & Light Blob.
Off: The threshold parameters are
set manually. The user sets defineds light and dark using the Lower and
Upper Trheshold values.
Dark Blobs: Automatically determines the threshold
to measure dark blobs. Areas considered to be "dark" are highlighted.
Light Blobs: Automatically
determines the threshold to measure light blobs. Areas considered to be
"light" are hightlighted.
Lower Threshold/Upper Threshold:
These will either be set by the "Auto Threshold" or by the user. The
blob finder will locate any
blobs between the upper and lower
threshold.
Minimum Blob Size:
The minimum number of pixels that determine the blob. All smaller areas
are ignored. This setting is useful to
ignore
pixelation around the central image.

On the first image the Minimum Blob Size is set
too low so you end up with too many blobs to sort and too much complication. By
setting the minimum blob size to 100 you eliminate all the smaller blobs and
isolate the central blob.
Remove Background Blobs: If checked, only the specified image in the blob is the focus; all background detail is ignored.
Remove Border Blobs: If checked, any blobs touching the edge of the ROI are ignored.
Evaluate Colors: If this box is checked the tool will go back to the original image to reevaluate the colors for the set threshold.
Sort Attribute: The user may select an attribute by which to sort the information, or the "no sort" option may be selected.
Sort Descending: If checked, the blobs are sorted in descending order on the sort criteria.
Abort Maximum Count: If
this setting is set at zero it will find all the blobs. If a number is
inputed here the tool will only find that number
of blobs and no more,
(so if it is set at fifty, it will stop searching once it has found
fifty blobs).
Paint Blobs: If
this box is checked the seperate sets of blobs found will be color
coated according to the "Blob Color" that is set for each
group.
Blob Color 1,2,3,4,5: Each blobl group found can be set to appear in a different color to help the user sort them out.
Highlight Color: When the user is scrolling through the blobs, the blobs they are working with will highlight in this color.
Refresh Viewer: This indicates how the image will appear in the viewer.
Largest Area: This will give the number corresponding to the largest area of a blob found.
Total Area: The combined area of all the blobs.
Count: How many blobs were found.
Blobs: The location of the actual blobs found.
Results:
The number selection at the top will allow the user to change which blobs information they are looking at.
Number
Blobs: The number of blobs found and measured.
Total
Area: The combined area of all the blobs.
For each blob:
Area
Perimeter
Location
Number of
holes/children
Foreground or background
Moments about each
axis
Width
Height
Roundness 1 being round else < than
1
Squareness 1 being square else < than 1
Form factor Width/Height
never exceeding 1
The number selection at the bottom shows the colors of each
blob in terms of blue (1) green (2) and red (3).