Label images with a custom model on iOS

Page Summary

outlined_flag

• ML Kit can be used to recognize and label entities in images using custom models.

• You can bundle the model with your app or host it on Firebase, with trade-offs in app size, availability, and update flexibility.

• Before using the model, you need to load it either locally or from Firebase, configure an image labeler, and prepare the input image.

• After processing the image with the labeler, you can retrieve information about the identified entities and their confidence scores.

• For real-time performance, use the synchronous API and render results in a single step.

You can use ML Kit to recognize entities in an image and label them. This API supports a wide range of custom image classification models. Refer to Custom models with ML Kit for guidance on model compatibility requirements, where to find pre-trained models, and how to train your own models.

There are two ways to integrate a custom model. You can bundle the model by putting it inside your app’s asset folder, or you can dynamically download it from Cloud Storage. The following table compares the two options.

Try it out

• See the vision quickstart app for an example usage of the bundled model and the automl quickstart app for an example usage of the hosted model.

Before you begin

1. Include the ML Kit libraries in your Podfile:

   pod 'GoogleMLKit/ImageLabelingCustom', '8.0.0'
   

2. After you install or update your project's Pods, open your Xcode project using its .xcworkspace. ML Kit is supported in Xcode version 13.2.1 or higher.

3. If you want to download a model using Cloud Storage for Firebase, make sure you add Firebase to your iOS project, if you have not already done so. This is not required when you bundle the model.

1. Load the model

Configure a local model source

To bundle the model with your app:

1. Copy the model file (usually ending in .tflite or .lite) to your Xcode project, taking care to select Copy bundle resources when you do so. The model file will be included in the app bundle and available to ML Kit.

2. Create LocalModel object, specifying the path to the model file:

   Swift

   let localModel = LocalModel(path: localModelFilePath)

   Objective-C

   MLKLocalModel *localModel =
       [[MLKLocalModel alloc] initWithPath:localModelFilePath];

Configure a remotely-hosted model source

To use the remotely-hosted model, you must download the model file to the device's local storage using your own app logic, and then load it as a local model. We recommend using Cloud Storage for Firebase to host a model. For implementation details, see the Firebase ML to Cloud Storage migration guide.

Configure the image labeler

After you configure your model sources, create an ImageLabeler object from one of them.

The following options are available:

If you only have a locally-bundled model, just create a labeler from your LocalModel object:

let options = CustomImageLabelerOptions(localModel: localModel)
options.confidenceThreshold = NSNumber(value: 0.0)
let imageLabeler = ImageLabeler.imageLabeler(options: options)

MLKCustomImageLabelerOptions *options =
    [[MLKCustomImageLabelerOptions alloc] initWithLocalModel:localModel];
options.confidenceThreshold = @(0.0);
MLKImageLabeler *imageLabeler =
    [MLKImageLabeler imageLabelerWithOptions:options];

If you have a remotely-hosted model, you will have to check that it has been downloaded before you run it.

Although you only have to confirm this before running the labeler, if you have both a remotely-hosted model and a locally-bundled model, it might make sense to perform this check when instantiating the ImageLabeler: create a labeler from the remote model if it's been downloaded, and from the local model otherwise.

// Path where your download logic saves the model
let documentDirectory = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let localModelURL = documentDirectory.appendingPathComponent("my_remote_model.tflite")

let model: LocalModel
if FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: localModelURL.path) {
  // Use the downloaded model
  model = LocalModel(path: localModelURL.path)
} else {
  // Fall back to bundled model
  guard let bundledModelPath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "model", ofType: "tflite") else { return }
  model = LocalModel(path: bundledModelPath)
}

let options = CustomImageLabelerOptions(localModel: model)
let imageLabeler = ImageLabeler.imageLabeler(options: options)

NSString *documentsDirectory = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) firstObject];
NSString *localModelPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"my_remote_model.tflite"];

MLKLocalModel *model;
if ([NSFileManager.defaultManager fileExistsAtPath:localModelPath]) {
  // Use the downloaded model
  model = [[MLKLocalModel alloc] initWithPath:localModelPath];
} else {
  // Fall back to bundled model
  NSString *bundledModelPath = [NSBundle.mainBundle pathForResource:@"model" ofType:@"tflite"];
  model = [[MLKLocalModel alloc] initWithPath:bundledModelPath];
}

MLKCustomImageLabelerOptions *options = [[MLKCustomImageLabelerOptions alloc] initWithLocalModel:model];
MLKImageLabeler *imageLabeler = [MLKImageLabeler imageLabelerWithOptions:options];

If you only have a remotely-hosted model, you should disable model-related functionality—for example, gray-out or hide part of your UI—until you confirm the model has been downloaded.

let documentDirectory = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let localModelURL = documentDirectory.appendingPathComponent("my_remote_model.tflite")
if FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: localModelURL.path) {
  // Model is already cached, initialize immediately
  self.initializeLabeler(with: localModelURL)
} else {
  // Model is not yet available, show loading UI and start download
  self.showLoadingUI()
  let storage = Storage.storage()
  let modelRef = storage.reference(forURL: "gs://YOUR_BUCKET/path/to/model.tflite")
  modelRef.write(toFile: localModelURL) { url, error in
    self.hideLoadingUI()
    if let error = error {
      // Handle download error
      self.showErrorUI()
    } else if let modelURL = url {
      // Download success, initialize labeler
      self.initializeLabeler(with: modelURL)
    }
  }
}

func initializeLabeler(with modelURL: URL) {
  let localModel = LocalModel(path: modelURL.path)
  let options = CustomImageLabelerOptions(localModel: localModel)
  self.imageLabeler = ImageLabeler.imageLabeler(options: options)
  // Enable ML-related UI features here
  self.enableMLFeatures()
}

NSString *documentsDirectory = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) firstObject];
NSString *localModelPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"my_remote_model.tflite"];
NSURL *localModelURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:localModelPath];

if ([NSFileManager.defaultManager fileExistsAtPath:localModelPath]) {
  // Model is already cached, initialize immediately
  [self initializeLabelerWithURL:localModelURL];
} else {
  // Model is not yet available, show loading UI and start download
  [self showLoadingUI];

  FIRStorage *storage = [FIRStorage storage];
  FIRStorageReference *modelRef = [storage referenceForURL:@"gs://YOUR_BUCKET/path/to/model.tflite"];

  [modelRef writeToFile:localModelURL
             completion:^(NSURL * _Nullable URL, NSError * _Nullable error) {
               [self hideLoadingUI];
               if (error != nil) {
                 // Handle download error
                 [self showErrorUI];
               } else {
                 // Download success, initialize labeler
                 [self initializeLabelerWithURL:URL];
               }
             }];
}

- (void)initializeLabelerWithURL:(NSURL *)modelURL {
  MLKLocalModel *localModel = [[MLKLocalModel alloc] initWithPath:modelURL.path];
  MLKCustomImageLabelerOptions *options = [[MLKCustomImageLabelerOptions alloc] initWithLocalModel:localModel];
  self.imageLabeler = [MLKImageLabeler imageLabelerWithOptions:options];

  // Enable ML-related UI features here
  [self enableMLFeatures];
}

2. Prepare the input image

Create a VisionImage object using a UIImage or a CMSampleBuffer.

If you use a UIImage, follow these steps:

• Create a VisionImage object with the UIImage. Make sure to specify the correct .orientation.

  Swift

  let image = VisionImage(image: UIImage)
  visionImage.orientation = image.imageOrientation

  Objective-C

  MLKVisionImage *visionImage = [[MLKVisionImage alloc] initWithImage:image];
  visionImage.orientation = image.imageOrientation;

If you use a CMSampleBuffer, follow these steps:

• Specify the orientation of the image data contained in the CMSampleBuffer.

  To get the image orientation:

  Swift

  func imageOrientation(
    deviceOrientation: UIDeviceOrientation,
    cameraPosition: AVCaptureDevice.Position
  ) -> UIImage.Orientation {
    switch deviceOrientation {
    case .portrait:
      return cameraPosition == .front ? .leftMirrored : .right
    case .landscapeLeft:
      return cameraPosition == .front ? .downMirrored : .up
    case .portraitUpsideDown:
      return cameraPosition == .front ? .rightMirrored : .left
    case .landscapeRight:
      return cameraPosition == .front ? .upMirrored : .down
    case .faceDown, .faceUp, .unknown:
      return .up
    }
  }
        

  Objective-C

  - (UIImageOrientation)
    imageOrientationFromDeviceOrientation:(UIDeviceOrientation)deviceOrientation
                           cameraPosition:(AVCaptureDevicePosition)cameraPosition {
    switch (deviceOrientation) {
      case UIDeviceOrientationPortrait:
        return cameraPosition == AVCaptureDevicePositionFront ? UIImageOrientationLeftMirrored
                                                              : UIImageOrientationRight;
  
      case UIDeviceOrientationLandscapeLeft:
        return cameraPosition == AVCaptureDevicePositionFront ? UIImageOrientationDownMirrored
                                                              : UIImageOrientationUp;
      case UIDeviceOrientationPortraitUpsideDown:
        return cameraPosition == AVCaptureDevicePositionFront ? UIImageOrientationRightMirrored
                                                              : UIImageOrientationLeft;
      case UIDeviceOrientationLandscapeRight:
        return cameraPosition == AVCaptureDevicePositionFront ? UIImageOrientationUpMirrored
                                                              : UIImageOrientationDown;
      case UIDeviceOrientationUnknown:
      case UIDeviceOrientationFaceUp:
      case UIDeviceOrientationFaceDown:
        return UIImageOrientationUp;
    }
  }
        

• Create a VisionImage object using the CMSampleBuffer object and orientation:

  Swift

  let image = VisionImage(buffer: sampleBuffer)
  image.orientation = imageOrientation(
    deviceOrientation: UIDevice.current.orientation,
    cameraPosition: cameraPosition)

  Objective-C

   MLKVisionImage *image = [[MLKVisionImage alloc] initWithBuffer:sampleBuffer];
   image.orientation =
     [self imageOrientationFromDeviceOrientation:UIDevice.currentDevice.orientation
                                  cameraPosition:cameraPosition];

3. Run the image labeler

To label objects in an image, pass the image object to the ImageLabeler's process() method.

Asynchronously:

imageLabeler.process(image) { labels, error in
    guard error == nil, let labels = labels, !labels.isEmpty else {
        // Handle the error.
        return
    }
    // Show results.
}

[imageLabeler
    processImage:image
      completion:^(NSArray *_Nullable labels,
                   NSError *_Nullable error) {
        if (label.count == 0) {
            // Handle the error.
            return;
        }
        // Show results.
     }];

Synchronously:

var labels: [ImageLabel]
do {
    labels = try imageLabeler.results(in: image)
} catch let error {
    // Handle the error.
    return
}
// Show results.

NSError *error;
NSArray *labels =
    [imageLabeler resultsInImage:image error:&error];
// Show results or handle the error.

4. Get information about labeled entities

for label in labels {
  let labelText = label.text
  let confidence = label.confidence
  let index = label.index
}

for (MLKImageLabel *label in labels) {
  NSString *labelText = label.text;
  float confidence = label.confidence;
  NSInteger index = label.index;
}

Tips to improve real-time performance

If you want to label images in a real-time application, follow these guidelines to achieve the best framerates:

• For processing video frames, use the results(in:) synchronous API of the detector. Call this method from the AVCaptureVideoDataOutputSampleBufferDelegate's captureOutput(_, didOutput:from:) function to synchronously get results from the given video frame. Keep AVCaptureVideoDataOutput's alwaysDiscardsLateVideoFrames as true to throttle calls to the detector. If a new video frame becomes available while the detector is running, it will be dropped.
• If you use the output of the detector to overlay graphics on the input image, first get the result from ML Kit, then render the image and overlay in a single step. By doing so, you render to the display surface only once for each processed input frame. See the updatePreviewOverlayViewWithLastFrame in the ML Kit quickstart sample for an example.