The third volume of the Handbook on Computer Vision and Applications
is centered on system aspects and applications. The system
aspect actually has two meanings. First, there is the question of how
all components that make up a computer vision system and that have
been discussed in the rst two volumes of the handbook are put together
as a system in an optimal way. Second, in real applications, a
visual task is only part of a larger system. Thus, there is the question
of how it is integrated in the best way.
This introduction covers some basic questions of the architecture
of computer vision systems in Section 1.1. Is it dierent from generalpurpose
computer systems? What are its basic function modules and
what are the critical performance parameters?
Parts II and III of this volume are devoted to industrial, technical,
and scientic applications of computer vision. This collection of application
reports raises some important questions for theoreticians and
practitioners alike. A theoretician may ask himself why his technique
has not found its way into real-word applications. Or he may nd out
that his research tackles problems no one is interested in. Conversely,
the practitioner may ask himself why he is still sticking with his inef-
cient and old-fashioned techniques when there are much better available.
This volume creates an opportunity for the necessary dialogue between
basic research and applications. It is also the hope that the solutions
presented in the application reports turn out to be useful in other
application areas.