Development of an Image Processing Data Collection and Simulation Model

Abstract

This dissertation has benefited from the comments and suggestions of many people. Thanks to Mr. Jin Nai and his foundation for the financial support. I am indebted to Prof. Hajime Inamura and Dr. Yasushi Takeyama who gave many useful improvements during the research and the reports. Their influence through useful discussions is immeasurable. I would like to express my gratitude to those who reviewed the manuscript and made useful comments and suggestions: Prof. Hisa Morisugi, Prof. Kazuaki Miyamoto and Dr. Takashi Akamatsu. I am very grateful to Prof. Kochiro Deguchi who also made valuable suggestions especially on a part of chapter 3. I am also grateful to Dr. Katsuya Hirano for his comments on Chapter 4. Thanks to Mr. Tetsuro Harayama who helped to collect the manual data. Finally, thanks to my wife, Gloria P. Gerilla who caught misprints and mistakes in the earlier draft of this manuscript and for her love and encouragement. ii