A Quality and Time Assessment of Binarization Algorithms

Abstract

Binarization algorithms are an important step in most document analysis and recognition applications. Many aspects of the document affect the performance of binarization algorithms, such as paper texture and color, noises such as the back-to-front interference, stains, and even the type and color of the ink. This work focuses on determining how each document characteristic impacts the time to process and the quality of the binarized image. This paper assesses thirty of the most widely used document binarization algorithms.