channel_experiments.py

"""
This Python script shows why we need to convert the image to grayscale 
and why other single channel values like R, G, and B, do not work well for
contour detection.
"""

import cv2

# read the image
image = cv2.imread('../../input/image_1.jpg')

# B, G, R channel splitting
blue, green, red = cv2.split(image)

# detect contours using blue channel and without thresholding
contours1, hierarchy1 = cv2.findContours(image=blue, mode=cv2.RETR_TREE, 
                                       method=cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_NONE)

# draw contours on the original image
image_contour_blue = image.copy()
cv2.drawContours(image=image_contour_blue, contours=contours1, contourIdx=-1, 
                 color=(0, 255, 0), thickness=2, lineType=cv2.LINE_AA)
# see the results
cv2.imshow('Contour detection using blue channels only', image_contour_blue)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.imwrite('blue_channel.jpg', image_contour_blue)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()

# detect contours using green channel and without thresholding
contours2, hierarchy2 = cv2.findContours(image=green, mode=cv2.RETR_TREE, 
                                       method=cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_NONE)
# draw contours on the original image
image_contour_green = image.copy()
cv2.drawContours(image=image_contour_green, contours=contours2, contourIdx=-1, 
                 color=(0, 255, 0), thickness=2, lineType=cv2.LINE_AA)
# see the results
cv2.imshow('Contour detection using green channels only', image_contour_green)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.imwrite('green_channel.jpg', image_contour_green)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()

# detect contours using red channel and without thresholding
contours3, hierarchy3 = cv2.findContours(image=red, mode=cv2.RETR_TREE, 
                                       method=cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_NONE)
# draw contours on the original image
image_contour_red = image.copy()
cv2.drawContours(image=image_contour_red, contours=contours3, contourIdx=-1, 
                 color=(0, 255, 0), thickness=2, lineType=cv2.LINE_AA)
# see the results
cv2.imshow('Contour detection using red channels only', image_contour_red)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.imwrite('red_channel.jpg', image_contour_red)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()