In computer graphics, vectorization refers to the process of converting raster graphics into vector graphics.
Contents |
Unlike the opposite process rasterization, vectorization is not well defined, meaning there is not a single correct method. Many different algorithms exist, and each gives different results, as vector representations are more abstract than pixels.
One algorithm of vectorizing edges is described in the open-source project Outliner[1]. This algorithms uses the small vector-described rectangular shapes called the contour dots that hover above the pixels. The statistics of the underlying pixels is used for positionning and orienting the contour dot at the centerline of the edge. This algorithm can be used in the computer vision for the replacement of such classic edge detection methods as Canny and Sobel.