Image segmentation, Repres

entation, and Description

:

OUTLINE

Image segmentation
ex: edge-based, region-based

Image representation
ex: Chain code , polygonal approximation signatures, sk
eletons

Image description
ex: boundary-based, regional-based

Conclusion

Image segmentation
edge-based: point, line, edge detection

edge-based segmentation(1)

There are three basic types of gray-level discontinuities

in a digital image: points, lines, and edges
The most common way to look for discontinuities is to r
un a mask through the image.
We say that a point, line, and edge has been detected at
the location on which the mask is centered if
,wher
e
R T
R w1 z1 w2 z2 ...... w9 z9

edge-based segmentation(2)

Point detection

a point detection mask

Line detection

a line detection mask

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edge-based segmentation(3)

f
Edge detection:
Gradient op
G
x

f G f
eration
y
x

f mag (f ) Gx G y
2

( x, y ) tan (
1

Gy
Gx

edge-based segmentation(4)

2 f 2 f
f 2 2
x
y
2

r2

r 2 2 2 2
2
h(r )
e
4

Edge detection: Laplacian

operation
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Image segmentation
Region-base: SRG, USRG, Fast scanning

region-based segmentation
SRG(1)

Region growing: Groups pixels or sub-region into

larger regions.
step1:
Start with a set of seed points and from these g
row regions by appending to each seed those neig
hboring pixels that have properties similar to the
seed.

step2:
Region splitting and merging

region-based segmentation
SRG(2)

Advantage:
With good connectivity

Disadvantage:
Initial seed-points:
different sets of initial seed-point cause different segmente
d result

Time-consuming problem

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region-based segmentation
USRG(1)

Unseeded region growing:

no explicit seed selection is necessary, the seed
s can be generated by the segmentation proced
ure automatically.
It is similar to SRG except the choice of seed poi
nt

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region-based segmentation
USRG(2)

Advantage:
easy to use
can readily incorporate high level knowledge of the ima
ge composition through region threshold

Disadvantage:
slow speed

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning(1)

Fast scanning Algorithm:

The fast scanning algorithm
somewhat resembles unsee
ded region growing
the number of clusters of b
oth two algorithm would no
t be decided before image p
assing through them.

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning(2)

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning(3)

Last step:
merge small region to big re
gion

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning(4)

Advantage:
The speed is very fast
The result of segmentation will be intact with good conn
ectivity

Disadvantage:
The matching of physical object is not good
It can be improved by morphology and geometric mathema
tic

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning-improved by morphology

A B {c E N | c a b for some a A and b B}

dilation

A ! B {x E N x b A for every b B}

erosion

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning-improved by morphology

dilation

erosion

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning-improved by morphology

opening
Erosion=>Dilation

closing
Dilation=>Erosion
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region-based segmentation
fast scanning-improved by Geometric Math
ematic

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region-based segmentation
fast scanning-improved by Geometric Math
ematic

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region-based segmentation
application

0.6
0.5

Muscle Injury Determination

0.3

The quadratic regression equation

Image of the unhealthy muscle fiber
Image of the healthy muscle fiber

Use fast scanning algorithm to

segment it.

0.4

How to judge for using image

segmentation?

0.2
0.1
0
-0.1

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25
X

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

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Representation
chain code, polynomial approximation,
signature, skeletons

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Representation
chain code

4-direction

8-direction
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Representation
polynomial approximations

Merging Techniques

Splitting Techniques

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Representation
signature

Distance signature of circle sh

apes

Distance signature of rectang

ular shapes
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Representation
skeletons
2 N ( p1 ) 6
T ( p1 ) 1

p2 gp4 gp6 0

p4 gp6 gp8 0

Step1:

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

p2 gp4 gp8 0
p2 gp6 gp8 0

Step2:
(c)
(d)
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Descriptors
boundary descriptor: Fourier descriptor,
polynomial approximation

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Boundary Descriptors
Fourier descriptors (1)
s( k ) x(k ) jy (k )

Step1:

Step2: (DFT)
a (u )

1
K

K 1

j 2 uk / K
s
(
k
)
e
k 0

Step3: (reconstruction)
if a(u)=0 for u>P-1
P 1
s$(k ) u 0 a(u )e j 2 uk / K

Disadvantage:
Just for closed boundaries

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Boundary Descriptors
Fourier descriptors (2)

Whats the reason that p

revious Fourier descripto
rs cant be used for non-c
losed boundaries?

s1(k)
(xK1, yK1)
(x0, y0)

s2(k)
Step 2

Original segment

How can we use the met

hod to descript non-close
d boundaries?
(a)linear offset
(b)odd-symmetric
extension

(b) Linear
offset

s3(k)
Step 3
(c) Odd symmetric extension

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Boundary Descriptors
Fourier descriptors (3)

The proposed method is

used not only for non-clo
sed boundaries but also f
or closed boundaries.

Why we used proposed

method to descript close
d boundaries rather than
previous method?
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Boundary Descriptors
polynomial approximation(1)
n

P ( x) f ( x0 ) Ln ,0 ( x ) L f ( xn ) Ln, n ( x) f ( xk ) Ln ,k ( x)
k 0

Ln ,k ( x)

( x x0 )L ( x xk 1 )( x xk 1 )L ( x xn )
( xk x0 ) L ( xk xk 1 )( xk xk 1 )L ( xk xn )

f ( n 1) ( ( x))
f ( x) P ( x)
( x x0 )( x x1 ) L ( x xn )
( n 1)!

e Lagrange
f ( x ) P ( x)Polynomial

Cubic Spline Interpolation

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Boundary Descriptors
polynomial approximation(2)

Proposed method(1)
Step1: rotate the boundary an
d let two end point locate at
x-axis

4b second
a
Step2:
poly
y 2use
( x ' ) 2 order
b
a to approximate
2
nomial
the bo
undary
n 1

e y ' y
2

j 0

4b
a
y j ' 2 ( x j ' ) 2 b
a
2

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Boundary Descriptors
polynomial approximation(3)

Proposed method(2)
If the boundary is closed, h
ow can we do?
Step1: use split approach di
vide the boundary to two pa
rts.
Step2: use parabolic functio
n to fit the boundary.
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Descriptors
Regional descriptors: Topological, Texture

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Regional Descriptors
Topological

E=V-Q+F=CH
E: Euler number
V: the number of vertices
Q: the number of edges
F: the number of faces
C: the number of
connected component
H: the number of holes

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Regional Descriptors
Texture

un ( z ) i 0 ( zi m) n p( zi )
nth moment:
L 1

L 1

i 0

zi p ( z i )

2th moment:
is a measure of gray level contra
st(relative smoothness)

3th moment:
is a measure of the skewness of
the histogram

Statistical approaches
smooth, coarse, regular

4th moment:
is a measure of its relative flatne
ss

5th and higher moments:

are not so easily related to histo
gram shape
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Conclusion

Image segmentation
speed, connectivity, match physical objects or not
match physical objects:
morphological: how to choose foreground or background?
geometric mathematic: wrong connection

Representation & Description

Boundary descriptor:
rotation, translation, degree of match boundary, closed or n
on-closed boundary

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Reference

[1] R.C. Gonzalez, R.E. Woods, Digital Image Processing s

econd edition, Prentice Hall, 2002
[2] J.J. Ding, W.W. Hong, Improvement Techniques for Fa
st Segmentation and Compression
[3] J.J. Ding, Y.H. Wang, L.L. Hu, W.L. Chao, Y.W. Shau, Mu
scle Injury Determination By Image Segmentation
[4] J.J. Ding, W.L. Chao, J.D. Huang, C.J. Kuo, Asymmetric
Fourier Descriptor Of Non-Closed segments

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Thank you for listening

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