Options for Counting Items in Photos
I want to count the number of items in some photos. What is my best option?
Well, it depends. Below, we have summarized various approaches and listed some pros and cons for each option. Generally, the best choice for you will depend on the volume and quality of the photos, the items you need to count, and the capabilities and priorities of your team.
Manual counting
If you need to count photos very infrequently and the photos contain relatively few items, you can choose to count them manually. Optionally, you can aid the process by using image editing software or some simple tools designed to facilitate manual counting.
This method is simple and inexpensive if the amount of counting is low. However, it is time-consuming, repetitive, and can be error-prone.
Mobile or Web App
With an existing app, you can automate your counting tasks immediately and typically conduct a free trial. Obviously, we encourage you to give our offering a try.
If you only need to submit photos from a mobile device, you can look in your app store of choice for an option that balances capabilities and price according to your needs.
This option can be tested and used immediately, removing a repetitive task. It can also be the cheapest option, but this depends on the use case and the pricing model of your app of choice.
Cloud Service
Some cloud services offer image-processing-oriented features that can be used to build a system to count items based on training data you provide. Most of these services are geared toward classification applications, which can be restrictive in other contexts.
Scale and most infrastructure considerations should be handled by your platform of choice. Operating costs can be high and difficult to estimate, and it offers much less freedom compared to a bespoke ML model.
Machine Learning Models
With a bespoke machine learning model, you gain maximal freedom of choice. A well-designed model trained on your data should be able to outperform more general solutions.
This option offers potentially the best performance, but it requires know-how and resources to design, develop, maintain, and operate. The lead time, cost, and risk associated with development and operation can be high.