Unsupervised

Supervised




One might question what the difference is between these images and why the color
schemes are important. To put it simply, the difference between unsupervised classification
and supervised is the human level of interaction involved.
With an image that is unsupervised, computer software does all of the work. The
software is able to determine which parts of an image share similar or common characteristics
and groups them together. When the computer sorts these images into groups, it gives them
color classifications which show the different types of geography on the ground, such as trees,
grass, water, buildings, etc. These are all based off of an algorithm within the software. The
image on the first page of this document demonstrates what this type of classification looks
like. This type of classification can be extremely useful for agriculture, industry, and even
military by making it easier to distinguish what is really in the image. It is easier for the human
eye to see these basic groups.
The other type of classification is supervised, and it is created by a person interacting
with the software to create their own groups of classification. In the software we used,
multispec, we were able to select a group of pixels and give it a grouping. The computer then
takes these selected groups and is able to process the image based on the inputs that a person
provides. This is shown on the second page of this document. This can be extremely useful
because the user can select the number of groups or classes they want the image classified to,
instead of having the computer decide like on an unsupervised image.
So why is this useful in the real world? Largely these types of images make it easier to
distinguish major vegetation types, invasive species, condition of the ground or vegetation, fire
dangers and other types of geography. This makes it easier to make informed decisions on how
best to grow crops, or even lay grounds for development.