This chapter serves as your starting point into computer vision. We will begin by defining computer vision, explaining its objectives, and discussing how machines process visual data differently from humans. A brief look at the historical context will provide background, followed by an overview of standard computer vision tasks such as image classification and object detection, defining what these terms mean.

You will also learn about the typical software and hardware components that make up a computer vision system. The primary practical goal of this chapter is to guide you through setting up a Python development environment using common libraries, specifically OpenCV. We will conclude with a hands-on section where you'll load and display your first digital image using the tools you've just set up. By the end of this chapter, you'll have a foundational understanding of the field and a working environment for the exercises ahead.