Improv is a software tool that facilitates real-time image processing at low resolution, making it an ideal solution for use in mobile robots.
The software has a modular design, which makes the integration of new functionality into the system very easy. Also, image processing operations are contained within plugins that are compiled as statically linked files (.so). These plugins can be loaded and unloaded at any point during runtime. This feature enhances the flexibility of the software.
Improv has improved support for still image sequences, which makes it more useful for analyzing images that are captured over a period. Additionally, there is an abstract Camera class that simplifies the creation of new camera drivers, making it possible to integrate new cameras into the system without much difficulty.
One of the exceptional features of Improv is its customizable interface, which allows for complex image processing sequences. The software is written using the QT Windowing library and has portable autoconf/automake build scripts.
Improv supports various low-cost digital cameras, including Quickcam grayscale camera (parallel port), Quickcam Color V2 camera (parallel port), and various web cameras with cpia driver, e.g., ZoomCam. It also has preliminary support for Video 4 Linux 2 cameras.
The software displays the source image from either a still image or a live camera in the first window. Further image operations can be applied to this image in up to five more windows. For each sub-window, a sequence of image processing routines may be tailored.
In conclusion, Improv presents a valuable image processing solution with its modular design, customizable interface, and support for low-cost digital cameras. Users can quickly integrate new features while being able to process and analyze images from various sources.
Version 5.1: N/A