I have an image file that's has a white background with a non-white object.
I want to find the center of the object using python (Pillow).
I have found a similar question in c++ but no acceptable answer - How can I find center of object?
Similar question, but with broken links in answer - What is the fastest way to find the center of an irregularly shaped polygon? (broken links in answer)
I also read this page but it doesn't give me a useful recipe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallest-circle_problem
Here's an example image:
Edit:
The current solution I'm using is this:
def find_center(image_file):
img = Image.open(image_file)
img_mtx = img.load()
top = bottom = 0
first_row = True
# First we find the top and bottom border of the object
for row in range(img.size[0]):
for col in range(img.size[1]):
if img_mtx[row, col][0:3] != (255, 255, 255):
bottom = row
if first_row:
top = row
first_row = False
middle_row = (top + bottom) / 2 # Calculate the middle row of the object
left = right = 0
first_col = True
# Scan through the middle row and find the left and right border
for col in range(img.size[1]):
if img_mtx[middle_row, col][0:3] != (255, 255, 255):
left = col
if first_col:
right = col
first_col = False
middle_col = (left + right) / 2 # Calculate the middle col of the object
return (middle_row, middle_col)
If you define center as Center of Mass, then it is not difficult, although the CoM can be outside of your shape. You can interpret your image as a 2D distribution, and you can find its expected value (CoM) using integration (summation).
If you have numpy it is quite simple. First create a numpy array containing 1 where your image is non-white, then to make it a probability distribution divide it by the total number of ones.
from PIL import Image
import numpy as np
im = Image.open('image.bmp')
immat = im.load()
(X, Y) = im.size
m = np.zeros((X, Y))
for x in range(X):
for y in range(Y):
m[x, y] = immat[(x, y)] != (255, 255, 255)
m = m / np.sum(np.sum(m))
From this point on it turns into basic probability theory. You find the marginal distributions, then you calculate the expected values as if it was a discrete probability distribution.
# marginal distributions
dx = np.sum(m, 1)
dy = np.sum(m, 0)
# expected values
cx = np.sum(dx * np.arange(X))
cy = np.sum(dy * np.arange(Y))
(cx, cy)
is the CoM you are looking for.
Remarks:
- If you do not have numpy, you can still do it. It is just a bit more tedious as you have to do the summations by loops / comprehensions.
- This method can easily be extended if you want to assign a 'mass' based on color. You just have to change
m[x, y] = immat[(x, y)] != (255, 255, 255)
to m[x, y] = f(immat[(x, y)])
where f
is an arbitary (non-negative valued) function.
- If you want to avoid the double loop, you can us
np.asarray(im)
, but then be careful with the indices
No loops:
m = np.sum(np.asarray(im), -1) < 255*3
m = m / np.sum(np.sum(m))
dx = np.sum(m, 0) # there is a 0 here instead of the 1
dy = np.sum(m, 1) # as np.asarray switches the axes, because
# in matrices the vertical axis is the main
# one, while in images the horizontal one is
# the first
I would try and find a way to draw a triangle around it, with one point of the triangle at the farthest "points" on the object, and then find the center of that triangle.