Hardware for image processing and analysis: The PICAP approach

In image processing and analysis new parallel computer architectures have proved necessary since the classical sequential general propose computer often is to slow. The very large data volumes and the complexity of the processing make great demands on storage capability as well as processing power. The PICAP system of Linkoping University has been designed to meet the demands in an interactive image processing environment. Being a multi-processor system it achieves its speed through global but also local parallelism. A virtual image memory alleviates the problem of storage space. An extensive menu-based command language makes interaction with the system a simple matter also for the less experienced user.