Best way to approximate for non vector input?

[megonemad1]

I'm hoping to find a way to create multi channel distance vector maps for non vector inputs. Eg the image or font being input is a raster/bitmap style image. I get that there's not really going to be a perfect way to create such a map since the bitmap won't have the curve data to go off of. At extremes I'm sure any such approximations would break.

That said if the attempt was made to create an approximation based on a reasonably sized raster image what would you say the most promising method be?

Would the best path be around attempting to create a vector image from the raster to then make the distance vectors from or would there be shortcuts that could be used to get 80% there based on the raster image alone?