Research paths coding within an image analysis and synthesis laboratory

Introduction Emerging research and development activities aim to define integrated environments for image analysis and synthesis. From early '90, I.S.O. working groups oriented to formulate standard proposals are involved in the discussion of functional specifications for an unified area of Computer Graphics and Image Processing [ISO]. In 1994, a CNR Project named " Knowledge through Images: an Application to Cultural Heritage " [CI] was launched, covering activities in the areas of acquisition and processing of images, rendering of realistic images, mapping and manipulation of common properties in real and synthetic images, so far as coding and storing methods for multimedia databases, visual interfaces and virtual reality systems. Integrated environments including the above mentioned functionalities permit a user to solve problems requiring more than one computation procedure for their solution: for instance, the design of real-time virtual reality applications where data should be visualised in a three-dimensional space merging both real and synthetic images. In order to experiment methodologies and techniques in integrated environments, the CNR Project needed to identify an application area where methods dealing with real and synthetic images were required. The area of Cultural Heritage safeguard was individuated, considering the study and representation of degradation processes of stony materials, typical of historical buildings. In particular, main work dealt with geometric and descriptive information and images relative to pudding-stone and travertine ashlars. This paper describes some of the results obtained within the Project. We started designing a 'laboratory' for image analysis and synthesis and then we developed specific tools implementing appropriate functionalities [MMS], such as the evaluation of morphometric and densitometric properties or colour distribution in real images. A main concept is that a user can activate functions " from his point of view ". In fact, when the user utilises the functions available for solving his peculiar problem, he identifies a research path of tools. Since a tool enables the user to store his research paths, such a path set can be considered as a language. The associate grammar is, then, the knowledge of the user who can avoid wrong paths-and then wrong results. This is the meaning of the sentence " from the user point of view ". With regard to the Cultural Heritage application area, a user is allowed to extract and manipulate properties or characteristics for classifying images or structures and simulate pictorial dynamic events. As a result, the data deriving from such studies can …