need help with code

[sammie26]

hello all, i am having problems with a piece of software i have to create to analyse images of coins. i can produce the software in matlab, java, c, c++ but i need help with the coding. can someone help me?

[WingedPanther]

At this point you haven't given us much to go on, or indicated where you need help. What type of analysis do you need to do, for example? Are you trying to pick a language, or something else?

[sammie26]

Introduction

Your task is to write a piece of software to analyse images of coins.

Your software could be a suite of Matlab functions in an m-file, a full GUI application or something in-between.

Using Matlab is not a requirement. Feel free to use Java, C, C++, Python or whatever you’re comfortable with.

Marks

Different levels of functionality will be awarded marks in the following ranges:

Finding coins If your software can locate distinct and non-overlapping coins within the image reasonably accurately, you will receive mark of up to 50%.

Touching coins If your software can locate coins even if they are touching or overlapping slightly, you will achieve up to 60%.

Calculating value If your code can identify coins and sum their values with reasonable accuracy even if they touch, marks up to 75% will be awarded.

Up to 50% overlap If your software can identify coins that overlap by up to 50%, and sum their value, you will be awarded marks up to 100%.

Whichever level of functionality you manage to implement, you will only get the highest mark if you also include:

1. Commented code. No need to go mad and comment every line, but sensible comments make reading code easier.

2. A description of your algorithm. This should be a single side of A4 or less. The clearest description gets the highest marks. A paragraph of text, some bullet points and a flow diagram sounds about perfect.

3. Notes on accuracy. Failing some examples isn’t the end of the world, but you should find out why it fails. Knowing the limits of an algorithm is important.

4. A sensible interface/API. It should be easy to use. If it’s a function, then I should be able to pass it an image and have the result returned in pounds and pence (if that’s what your code does). If you’re finding coins only, why not make it return an image in which the coins are highlighted, rather than a list of positions?

5. A sensible way to deal with unknown coins.

[sammie26]

wingedpanther, that is what the task that was set for me.

[WingedPanther]

I guess the first question is: what languages are you familiar with?

[sammie26]

well i am sort of familiar with c++.

[WingedPanther]

OK, then I would write the program in C++. I would start by creating a recognition program for a single coin on a blank background. It has to be able to:
1) locate the circle against the background
2) compare to heads/tails of known coins
3) account for coin rotations
4) account for light angles

Having a library of hi-res images to scale/rotate for comparison would probably be helpful.

[sammie26]

can u give me a few tips on how to start it cos i have just recently started to learn c++. need to know how the code can be written.

[WingedPanther]

It's not the sort of code I've done in the past, so I'd be developing it. I'm just stating what my strategy would be. I would also be sure to learn about rotations of images.