SIFT was first available for download in 2007 and has been enhanced several times since then. It was originally hard-coded and only worked on Ubuntu. Today, it is available as a workstation version for Linux. Newer versions have more features and allow for leveraging data from other sources. The software includes more than 200 third-party tools that are used by SIFT. The package manager also makes it easier to install and configure SIFT.
The SIFT descriptor is computed for each point of interest in the image. It describes the local gradient directions in a grid of uniform size and is orientated to its dominant orientation. The resulting image is then scaled to achieve rotational invariance. Further refinements are made in order to reduce the number of potential keypoints. It is important to note that SIFT can be used for a wide range of image processing problems.
Because SIFT is highly customizable, it can be used for various applications. You can choose which features are relevant for your project or system. The software should support custom visualization, be flexible and provide system-wide customization. The user should not have to worry about SIFT displaying errors. It should be stable, support multi-core systems and be unobtrusive. Its advanced functions can be customized to meet your needs. The software must be easy to use and customize.
