Joseph Howse – författare

Winner of the 2023 Independent Press Award for Literary Fiction. "Joseph Howse evokes the literary styles of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky in THE GIRL IN THE WATER, a sprawling, complex and compelling tale of a young Ukrainian girl in the late 1980s at a personal and cultural crossroads. ... The author has composed a book like Tchaikovsky would a symphony; tight, disciplined, yet bubbling with unspoken passion and near-magical allegory." -Rob Errera, IndieReader

New Year 1988/1989: A theatre student, a taxi driver, a partisan, and a crook join a detective's family in Kiev for an ill-fated reunion. They and the Soviet nation face a violent reckoning as old secrets and fugitive hopes emerge. Winner of the 2026 Independent Press Award for Literary Fiction. Sequel to The Girl in the Water. "another testament to [Howse's] writing prowess" -BlueInk Review

About This Book

Build OpenCV apps for the desktop, the Raspberry Pi, Android, and the Unity game engineLearn real-time techniques that can be used to classify images, detecting and recognizing any person or animal, and studying motion and distance with superhuman precisionDesign hands-free interfaces that are practical in home automation, in cars, and in discrete surveillance

Who This Book Is For

This book is for programmers who want to expand their skills by building fun, smart, and useful systems with OpenCV. The projects are ideal in helping you to think creatively about the uses of computer vision, natural user interfaces, and ubiquitous computers (in your home, car, and hand).

Create four mobile apps and explore the world through photography and computer vision

About This Book

Efficiently harness iOS and OpenCV to capture and process high-quality images at high speedDevelop photographic apps and augmented reality apps quickly and easilyDetect, recognize, and morph faces and objects

Who This Book Is For

If you want to do computational photography and computer vision on Apple''s mobile devices, then this book is for you. No previous experience with app development or OpenCV is required. However, basic knowledge of C++ or Objective-C is recommended.

What You Will Learn

Use Xcode and Interface Builder to develop iOS appsObtain OpenCV''s standard modules and build extra modules from sourceControl all the parameters of the iOS device''s cameraCapture, save, and share photos and videosAnalyze colors, shapes, and textures in ordinary and specialized photographsBlend and compare images to create special photographic effects and augmented reality toolsDetect faces and morph facial featuresClassify coins and other objects

In Detail

iOS Application Development with OpenCV 3 enables you to turn your smartphone camera into an advanced tool for photography and computer vision. Using the highly optimized OpenCV library, you will process high-resolution images in real time. You will locate and classify objects, and create models of their geometry. As you develop photo and augmented reality apps, you will gain a general understanding of iOS frameworks and developer tools, plus a deeper understanding of the camera and image APIs.

After completing the book''s four projects, you will be a well-rounded iOS developer with valuable experience in OpenCV.

Style and approach

The book is practical, creative, and precise. It shows you the steps to create and customize five projects that solve important problems for beginners in mobile app development and computer vision. Complete source code and numerous visual aids are included in each chapter. Experimentation is an important part of the book. You will use computer vision to explore the real world, and then you will refine the projects based on your findings.

A pragmatic guide for developing your own games with PythonAbout This Book• Strengthen your fundamentals of game programming with Python language• Seven hands-on games to create 2D and 3D games rapidly from scratch• Illustrative guide to explore the different GUI libraries for building your gamesWho This Book Is ForIf you have ever wanted to create casual games in Python and you would like to explore various GUI technologies that this language offers, this is the book for you. This title is intended for beginners to Python with little or no knowledge of game development, and it covers step by step how to build seven different games, from the well-known Space Invaders to a classical 3D platformer.What You Will Learn• Take advantage of Python''s clean syntax to build games quickly• Discover distinct frameworks for developing graphical applications• Implement non-player characters (NPCs) with autonomous and seemingly intelligent behaviors• Design and code some popular games like Pong and tower defense• Compose maps and levels for your sprite-based games in an easy manner• Modularize and apply object-oriented principles during the design of your games• Exploit libraries like Chimpunk2D, cocos2d, and Tkinter• Create natural user interfaces (NUIs), using a camera and computer vision algorithms to interpret the player''s real-world actionsIn DetailWith a growing interest in learning to program, game development is an appealing topic for getting started with coding. From geometry to basic Artificial Intelligence algorithms, there are plenty of concepts that can be applied in almost every game. Python is a widely used general-purpose, high-level programming language. It provides constructs intended to enable clear programs on both a small and large scale. It is the third most popular language whose grammatical syntax is not predominantly based on C. Python is also very easy to code and is also highly flexible, which is exactly what is required for game development. The user-friendliness of this language allows beginners to code games without too much effort or training. Python also works with very little code and in most cases uses the “use cases” approach, reserving lengthy explicit coding for outliers and exceptions, making game development an achievable feat.Python Game Programming by Example enables readers to develop cool and popular games in Python without having in-depth programming knowledge of Python. The book includes seven hands-on projects developed with several well-known Python packages, as well as a comprehensive explanation about the theory and design of each game.It will teach readers about the techniques of game design and coding of some popular games like Pong and tower defense. Thereafter, it will allow readers to add levels of complexities to make the games more fun and realistic using 3D.At the end of the book, you will have added several GUI libraries like Chimpunk2D, cocos2d, and Tkinter in your tool belt, as well as a handful of recipes and algorithms for developing games with Python.Style and approachThis book is an example-based guide that will teach you to build games using Python. This book follows a step-by-step approach as it is aimed at beginners who would like to get started with basic game development. By the end of this book you will be competent game developers with good knowledge of programming in Python.

Create four mobile apps and explore the world through photography and computer visionKey Features[*] Efficiently harness iOS and OpenCV to capture and process high-quality images at high speed[*] Develop photographic apps and augmented reality apps quickly and easily[*] Detect, recognize, and morph faces and objectsBook DescriptioniOS Application Development with OpenCV 3 enables you to turn your smartphone camera into an advanced tool for photography and computer vision. Using the highly optimized OpenCV library, you will process high-resolution images in real time. You will locate and classify objects, and create models of their geometry. As you develop photo and augmented reality apps, you will gain a general understanding of iOS frameworks and developer tools, plus a deeper understanding of the camera and image APIs. After completing the book's four projects, you will be a well-rounded iOS developer with valuable experience in OpenCV.What you will learn[*] Use Xcode and Interface Builder to develop iOS apps[*] Obtain OpenCV s standard modules and build extra modules from source[*] Control all the parameters of the iOS device s camera[*] Capture, save, and share photos and videos[*] Analyze colors, shapes, and textures in ordinary and specialized photographs[*] Blend and compare images to create special photographic effects and augmented reality tools[*] Detect faces and morph facial features[*] Classify coins and other objectsWho this book is forIf you want to do computational photography and computer vision on Apple’s mobile devices, then this book is for you. No previous experience with app development or OpenCV is required. However, basic knowledge of C++ or Objective-C is recommended.

Unleash the power of computer vision with Python using OpenCVAbout This Book• Create impressive applications with OpenCV and Python• Familiarize yourself with advanced machine learning concepts• Harness the power of computer vision with this easy-to-follow guideWho This Book Is ForIntended for novices to the world of OpenCV and computer vision, as well as OpenCV veterans that want to learn about what''s new in OpenCV 3, this book is useful as a reference for experts and a training manual for beginners, or for anybody who wants to familiarize themselves with the concepts of object classification and detection in simple and understandable terms. Basic knowledge about Python and programming concepts is required, although the book has an easy learning curve both from a theoretical and coding point of view.What You Will Learn• Install and familiarize yourself with OpenCV 3''s Python API• Grasp the basics of image processing and video analysis• Identify and recognize objects in images and videos• Detect and recognize faces using OpenCV• Train and use your own object classifiers• Learn about machine learning concepts in a computer vision context• Work with artificial neural networks using OpenCV• Develop your own computer vision real-life applicationIn DetailOpenCV 3 is a state-of-the-art computer vision library that allows a great variety of image and video processing operations. Some of the more spectacular and futuristic features such as face recognition or object tracking are easily achievable with OpenCV 3. Learning the basic concepts behind computer vision algorithms, models, and OpenCV''s API will enable the development of all sorts of real-world applications, including security and surveillance.Starting with basic image processing operations, the book will take you through to advanced computer vision concepts. Computer vision is a rapidly evolving science whose applications in the real world are exploding, so this book will appeal to computer vision novices as well as experts of the subject wanting to learn the brand new OpenCV 3.0.0. You will build a theoretical foundation of image processing and video analysis, and progress to the concepts of classification through machine learning, acquiring the technical know-how that will allow you to create and use object detectors and classifiers, and even track objects in movies or video camera feeds. Finally, the journey will end in the world of artificial neural networks, along with the development of a hand-written digits recognition application.Style and approachThis book is a comprehensive guide to the brand new OpenCV 3 with Python to develop real-life computer vision applications.

Turn futuristic ideas about computer vision and machine learning into demonstrations that are both functional and entertainingKey FeaturesBuild OpenCV 4 apps with Python 2 and 3 on desktops and Raspberry Pi, Java on Android, and C# in UnityDetect, classify, recognize, and measure real-world objects in real-timeWork with images from diverse sources, including the web, research datasets, and various camerasBook DescriptionOpenCV 4 is a collection of image processing functions and computer vision algorithms. It is open source, supports many programming languages and platforms, and is fast enough for many real-time applications. With this handy library, you’ll be able to build a variety of impressive gadgets.OpenCV 4 for Secret Agents features a broad selection of projects based on computer vision, machine learning, and several application frameworks. To enable you to build apps for diverse desktop systems and Raspberry Pi, the book supports multiple Python versions, from 2.7 to 3.7. For Android app development, the book also supports Java in Android Studio, and C# in the Unity game engine. Taking inspiration from the world of James Bond, this book will add a touch of adventure and computer vision to your daily routine. You’ll be able to protect your home and car with intelligent camera systems that analyze obstacles, people, and even cats. In addition to this, you’ll also learn how to train a search engine to praise or criticize the images that it finds, and build a mobile app that speaks to you and responds to your body language.By the end of this book, you will be equipped with the knowledge you need to advance your skills as an app developer and a computer vision specialist.What you will learnDetect motion and recognize gestures to control a smartphone gameDetect car headlights and estimate their distanceDetect and recognize human and cat faces to trigger an alarmAmplify motion in a real-time video to show heartbeats and breathsMake a physics simulation that detects shapes in a real-world drawingBuild OpenCV 4 projects in Python 3 for desktops and Raspberry PiDevelop OpenCV 4 Android applications in Android Studio and UnityWho this book is forIf you are an experienced software developer who is new to computer vision or machine learning, and wants to study these topics through creative projects, then this book is for you. The book will also help existing OpenCV users who want upgrade their projects to OpenCV 4 and new versions of other libraries, languages, tools, and operating systems. General familiarity with object-oriented programming, application development, and usage of operating systems (OS), developer tools, and the command line is required.

Updated for OpenCV 4 and Python 3, this book covers the latest on depth cameras, 3D tracking, augmented reality, and deep neural networks, helping you solve real-world computer vision problems with practical codeKey FeaturesBuild powerful computer vision applications in concise code with OpenCV 4 and Python 3Learn the fundamental concepts of image processing, object classification, and 2D and 3D trackingTrain, use, and understand machine learning models such as Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and neural networksBook DescriptionComputer vision is a rapidly evolving science, encompassing diverse applications and techniques. This book will not only help those who are getting started with computer vision but also experts in the domain. You’ll be able to put theory into practice by building apps with OpenCV 4 and Python 3.You’ll start by understanding OpenCV 4 and how to set it up with Python 3 on various platforms. Next, you’ll learn how to perform basic operations such as reading, writing, manipulating, and displaying still images, videos, and camera feeds. From taking you through image processing, video analysis, and depth estimation and segmentation, to helping you gain practice by building a GUI app, this book ensures you’ll have opportunities for hands-on activities. Next, you’ll tackle two popular challenges: face detection and face recognition. You’ll also learn about object classification and machine learning concepts, which will enable you to create and use object detectors and classifiers, and even track objects in movies or video camera feed. Later, you’ll develop your skills in 3D tracking and augmented reality. Finally, you’ll cover ANNs and DNNs, learning how to develop apps for recognizing handwritten digits and classifying a person's gender and age.By the end of this book, you’ll have the skills you need to execute real-world computer vision projects.What you will learnInstall and familiarize yourself with OpenCV 4 s Python 3 bindingsUnderstand image processing and video analysis basicsUse a depth camera to distinguish foreground and background regionsDetect and identify objects, and track their motion in videosTrain and use your own models to match images and classify objectsDetect and recognize faces, and classify their gender and ageBuild an augmented reality application to track an image in 3DWork with machine learning models, including SVMs, artificial neural networks (ANNs), and deep neural networks (DNNs)Who this book is forIf you are interested in learning computer vision, machine learning, and OpenCV in the context of practical real-world applications, then this book is for you. This OpenCV book will also be useful for anyone getting started with computer vision as well as experts who want to stay up-to-date with OpenCV 4 and Python 3. Although no prior knowledge of image processing, computer vision or machine learning is required, familiarity with basic Python programming is a must.