FPGA based real-time object detection approach with validation of precision and performance

This paper presents the implementation and evaluation of a computer vision problem on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This work is based upon previous work where the feasibility of application specific image processing algorithms on a FPGA platform have been evaluated by experimental approaches. This work coveres the development of a BLOB detection system on an Altera Development and Education II (DE2) board with a Cyclone II FPGA in Verilog. It detects binary spatially extended objects in image material and computes their center points. Bounding Box and Center-of-Mass have been applied for estimating center points of the BLOBs. The results are transmitted via a serial interface to the PC for validation of their ground truth and further processing. The evaluation compares precision and performance gains dependent on the applied computation methods.