711 
in Appen- 
future. 
Image P ocessing 
The aims of image processing within the field of photo-interpre 
tation are /6/, /7/: 
ation" of 
mmetry 
- Transformation of the geometry of the existing image 
(geometric transformation) 
- Improvement of the "recognizability" of the image content, above 
tion 
all improvement of the recognizability of details 
and accentuation of image parts 
(structural image transformation). 
n methods 
introduc- 
The essential thing is to process the image in such a manner that its 
evaluation performed by a human being or a technical system, is facil 
itated if not only made possible by it. Although the special interest 
is presently concentrated on digital image processing, phototechnical 
image processing should not be neglected too much. 
ms neces- 
tation 
single 
ns as to 
d by the 
e data 
tion. 
Automated Photo-Interpretation 
The ability of the human being to recognize forms and the meaning of 
these forms, is the basis of nearly all methods of photo-interpreta 
tion commonly in use. The aim of nowadays research is to develop 
technical systems which are able (as is the biological system human 
being) to recognize and process the content of a photographic image 
automated 
of which 
recording. But the distance to be covered to reach this aim is still 
far /8/. The present state of research is approximately marked by the 
concept automated character recognition or pattern recognition. It 
implies that a character (or pattern) is "recognized" by a technical 
system. Here, recognition comprises, as a rule, only the recognition 
er of areas 
we do not 
/5/. In 
etween the 
r parameters 
cation of 
influence 
ce the 
undamental 
at a still 
of forms as mentioned in par. and a classification of the single 
characters apperceived. When digitizing the image, scanning can be 
performed either serially (i.e. one after another, e.g. line for line, 
in any sequence...) or parallelly. In case of parallel scanning, each 
scanning element is provided with a light-sensitive component such as 
a photo diode. These two methods of scanning (serial and parallel) 
indicate at the same time the two directions of instrument develop 
ment /6/. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the Research Institute 
for Information Processing and Pattern Recognition at the university 
of Karlsruhe has performed numerous tests with an aerial photograph 
scanning system working in series. The Physiological Institute at the 
recorded 
appercep- 
e of an 
Free University of Berlin has developed a system by means of which 
the parallel scanning (or interrogation) method is realized. The 
neurophysiological research results available so far show that here 
an electronic analogue model of the retina and the visual system has 
been developed and realized by technical means. It seems that in the 
evidently 
considered 
:ation. 
an impor*- 
etation 
ted here 
hitherto 
ormation 
near future the development of the available technical systems can be 
considerably intensified as yet, thereby possibly proceeding from a 
model of the brain and an approximation equation for the mode of 
behaviour /9/, /10/. Some modest results on this subject are also 
expected from the experimental work mentioned in par. 2. The test on 
integral interpretation proves, e.g. which and how much information 
a certain group of interpreters can derive from the aerial photograph. 
If we also examine from which image gestalten has been started and 
which correlations have been used, then we approximately know the