Recognize text from image with Python + OpenCV + OCR

Requires

• Python 2.7
• Pillow (3.4.2)
• pytesseract (0.1.6) => OCR
• numpy (1.11.2)
• Opencv-2.4.13 (cv2)=> OpenCV

Note: library version above while writing this blog.

You may need How to install OpenCV to work with Python?

We use OpenCV before recognize text from image to increase accuracy.
Video: https://youtu.be/83vFL6d57OI

Source code:

import cv2
import numpy as np
import pytesseract
from PIL import Image

# Path of working folder on Disk
src_path = "E:/Lab/Python/Project/OCR/"

def get_string(img_path):
    # Read image with opencv
    img = cv2.imread(img_path)

    # Convert to gray
    img = cv2.cvtColor(img, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)

    # Apply dilation and erosion to remove some noise
    kernel = np.ones((1, 1), np.uint8)
    img = cv2.dilate(img, kernel, iterations=1)
    img = cv2.erode(img, kernel, iterations=1)

    # Write image after removed noise
    cv2.imwrite(src_path + "removed_noise.png", img)

    #  Apply threshold to get image with only black and white
    #img = cv2.adaptiveThreshold(img, 255, cv2.ADAPTIVE_THRESH_GAUSSIAN_C, cv2.THRESH_BINARY, 31, 2)

    # Write the image after apply opencv to do some ...
    cv2.imwrite(src_path + "thres.png", img)

    # Recognize text with tesseract for python
    result = pytesseract.image_to_string(Image.open(src_path + "thres.png"))

    # Remove template file
    #os.remove(temp)

    return result


print '--- Start recognize text from image ---'
print get_string(src_path + "2.png")

print "------ Done -------"

Sample image:
Image 1:

Image 2:

Related video: recognize object on android:
https://youtu.be/82FlPaQ92OU