cv::Mat smallerImage;
resize(imageMatrix, smallerImage, smallerImageSize);

cv::Mat cvGreyScaledImage = smallerImage.clone();
cv::cvtColor(smallerImage, cvGreyScaledImage, CV_BGR2GRAY);

cv::Mat blurredGreyScaleImage = cvGreyScaledImage.clone();
cv::GaussianBlur(cvGreyScaledImage, blurredGreyScaleImage, Size(11,11), 0);

// filter out pixels with values between 240 & 255
cv::Mat thresholdOriginal = blurredGreyScaleImage.clone();
cv::threshold(blurredGreyScaleImage, thresholdOriginal, 240, 255, THRESH_BINARY);

// Remove noise from area of interest
// Erode (make smaller) area of interest - reduce noise
cv::Mat errodedImage = thresholdOriginal.clone();
int errosionIterations = 1;
cv::erode(thresholdOriginal, errodedImage, NULL, cv::Point(-1,-1), errosionIterations);

// Dilate (make bigger) area of interest - noise removed
cv::Mat dilatedImage = errodedImage.clone();
int dilationIterations = 16;
cv::dilate(errodedImage, dilatedImage, NULL, cv::Point(-1,-1), dilationIterations);

// Connected Component Analysis
cv::Mat labeledImage = dilatedImage.clone();
cv::connectedComponents(dilatedImage, labeledImage);

// Glare score
int nonZeroPixelsCount = countNonZero(labeledImage);
float glareScore = float(nonZeroPixelsCount)/float(cellWidth * cellHeight);