A topology preserving level set method for geometric deformable models

Active contour and surface models, also known as deformable models, are powerful image segmentation techniques. Geometric deformable models implemented using level set methods have advantages over parametric models due to their intrinsic behavior, parameterization independence, and ease of implementation. However, a long claimed advantage of geometric deformable models-the ability to automatically handle topology changes-turns out to be a liability in applications where the object to be segmented has a known topology that must be preserved. We present a new class of geometric deformable models designed using a novel topology-preserving level set method, which achieves topology preservation by applying the simple point concept from digital topology. These new models maintain the other advantages of standard geometric deformable models including subpixel accuracy and production of nonintersecting curves or surfaces. Moreover, since the topology-preserving constraint is enforced efficiently through local computations, the resulting algorithm incurs only nominal computational overhead over standard geometric deformable models. Several experiments on simulated and real data are provided to demonstrate the performance of this new deformable model algorithm.     

Sub-Voxel Topology Control for Level-Set Surfaces

Active contour models are an efficient, accurate, and robust tool for the segmentation of 2D and 3D image data.In particular, geometric deformable models (GDM) that represent an active contour as the level set of an implicitfunction have proven to be very effective. GDMs, however, do not provide any topology control, i.e. contours maymerge or split arbitrarily and hence change the genus of the reconstructed surface. This behavior is inadequate insettings like the segmentation of organic tissue or other objects whose genus is known beforehand. In this paperwe describe a novel method to overcome this limitation while still preserving the favorable properties of the GDMsetup. We achieve this by adding (sparse) topological information to the volume representation at locations whereit is necessary to locally resolve topological ambiguities. Since the sparse topology information is attached to theedges of the voxel grid, we can reconstruct the interfaces where the deformable surface touches itself at sub-voxelaccuracy. We also demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of our method.     

A simple error indicator for meshfree methods based on natural neighbors

The main aim of this paper is the development of a refinement procedure able to operate in the context of the constrained natural element method (C-NEM). The C-NEM was proposed by the authors in a former work [Yvonnet J, Ryckelynck D, Lorong P, Chinesta F. A new extension of the natural element method for non-convex and discontinuous domains: the constrained natural element method (C-NEM). Int J Numer Methods Eng 2004;60:1451-1474] and its main meshless features, that allow to describe large domain changes as well as to handle fixed or moving discontinuities, were analyzed in [Yvonnet J, Chinesta F, Lorong P, Rynckelynck D. The constrained natural element method (C-NEM) for treating thermal models involving moving interfaces. Int J Thermal Sci 2005;44:559-569; Yvonnet J, Lorong P, Ryckelynck D, Chinesta F. Simulating dynamic thermo-elastoplasticity in large transformations with adaptive refinement in the natural element method: application to shear banding. Int J Forming Process 2005;8:347-363]. Sometimes, in order to improve the interpolation accuracy for describing boundary layers or an anisotropic behavior, new nodes must be added, removed or repositioned. The interpolation in the vast majority of meshless techniques is free of mesh quality requirement. Thus, introduction, elimination or repositioning of nodes is a trivial task, because no geometrical restrictions exist. In this way, nodes can be added without geometrical checks in the regions where the solution must be improved (identified by using an appropriate error indicator). For this purpose, in this paper an a posteriori error indicator will be proposed and tested in some linear elastostatic problems benchmarks involving different levels of difficulty (stress concentration, solution singularities, …) all of them with a known exact solution. The computational implementation of this error indicator is very simple, and when it is used in tandem with an efficient refinement procedure, which makes use of the meshless features of the C-NEM, provides an accurate adaptation procedure, specially appropriate in the C-NEM framework.     

可变半径Alpha Shapes提取机载LiDAR点云建筑物轮廓

目的 机载激光雷达（light detection and ranging,LiDAR）能够快速获取建筑物表面的3维点云,为提取建筑物轮廓提供重要的数据支撑,但由于激光脚点的随机性和点云自身的离散性,常规固定半径Alpha Shapes（A-Shapes）算法难以兼顾轮廓提取的精细度和完整度,且在点数量较大情况下计算效率较低。因此,提出一种基于网格的可变半径Alpha Shapes方法用于提取机载LiDAR点云建筑物轮廓。方法 对3维点云进行投影降维,对投影后2维离散点的范围构建规则格网,接着根据网格内点云填充情况筛选出边界网格,计算边界网格的平滑度并加权不同的滚动圆半径,再以边界网格为中心生成3×3邻域网格检测窗口,利用滚动圆原理提取窗口内点集的边界点,迭代检测直到所有边界网格遍历完成,最后获取点云的完整轮廓。结果 在精度评价实验中,与固定半径A-Shapes方法和可变半径Alpha Shapes（variable radius Alpha Shapes,VA-Shapes）方法相比,若建筑物以直线特征为主且边缘点云参差不齐,则本文方法的提取效果不理想;若建筑物含有较多拐角特征,则本文方法的提取效果较好。在效率评价实验中,与A-Shapes方法、VA-Shapse方法以及包裹圆方法相比,若点云数据量较小,则4种方法的耗时差距不大;若数据量较大,则本文方法和包裹圆方法的耗时远小于固定半径A-Shapes方法。实验结果表明,本文提出的轮廓提取方法适用于多种形状的建筑物点云。从轮廓完整性、几何精度以及计算效率等几方面综合考虑,本文方法提取建筑物点云轮廓效果较好。结论 本文提出的基于网格的可变半径Alpha Shapes建筑物点云轮廓提取方法结合了网格划分和滚动圆检测的优点,能够有效提取机载LiDAR建筑物点云顶部轮廓,具有较高的提取效率和良好的鲁棒性,提取的轮廓精度较高。     

一种基于网格延展法的等值线生成算法

已有等值线生成算法研究存在算法复杂、不健壮,实现难度大,或与应用系统集成难度大,应用不灵活等问题,以雨量等值线生成算法为例,介绍一种基于网格延展法的等值线生成算法。基于网格延展法的等值线生成算法,通过网格延展法实现等值面的提取,并使用一种简单的方法实现等值线平滑计算,整体等值线生成算法简单、易于实现;基于规则网格进行空间插值计算,对研究区域数据点分布具有很强的适应性,算法表现出较好的健壮性;无须进行等值线边界裁剪计算,也无须考虑等值线追踪时出现的分叉、连通域等问题,可大大减少等值线生成的计算量,降低等值线算法的实现难度;同时计算过程多数是对二维数组的操作,可以使用多种计算机语言实现,具有较好的生产应用价值。     

基于主动轮廓模型的交通场景运动目标提取算法

在交通监控中,从复杂的交通场景中精确地分割出运动目标是至关重要的。目前,经典的运动目标检测算法有背景差法和帧差法。当场景中存在阴影时,这两种方法都不能够精确地提取运动目标。提出了一种基于主动轮廓模型的运动目标提取算法。通过阴影检测,从运动目标中获得消除阴影的初始轮廓,然后通过主动轮廓模型逼近运动目标真实轮廓。实验表明,该算法既可以消除阴影和噪声的影响,又可以保持运动目标完整。     

Adaptive locally affine-invariant shape matching

Matching deformable objects using their shapes are an important problem in computer vision since shape is perhaps the most distinguishable characteristic of an object. The problem is difficult due to many factors such as intra-class variations, local deformations, articulations, viewpoint changes and missed and extraneous contour portions due to errors in shape extraction. While small local deformations have been handled in the literature by allowing some leeway in the matching of individual contour points via methods such as Chamfer distance and Hausdorff distance, handling more severe deformations and articulations has been done by applying local geometric corrections such as similarity or affine. However, determining which portions of the shape should be used for the geometric corrections is very hard, although some methods have been tried. In this paper, we address this problem by an efficient search for the group of contour segments to be clustered together for a geometric correction using dynamic programming by essentially searching for the segmentations of two shapes that lead to the best matching between them. At the same time, we allow portions of the contours to remain unmatched to handle missing and extraneous contour portions. Experiments indicate that our method outperforms other algorithms, especially when the shapes to be matched are more complex.     

卫星导航多干扰源直接定位方法

卫星导航信号到达地面时非常微弱,容易受到各种干扰,给用户带来一定的影响;针对此种情况,面向卫星导航系统多干扰源定位场景,传统两步定位算法受参数估计精度影响较大, DPD_MVDR算法虽然改进了MUSIC算法需要估计目标数这一缺点,但由于使用固定网格分辨率,定位精度与计算复杂度二者无法兼得;针对上述问题,提出一种改进DPD_MVDR的直接定位方法,在直接定位这一关键技术上运用自适应网格细化,其最大优势在于只对干扰源位置附近的网格实现多级细化,能很好地兼顾定位精度与计算复杂度,避免了传统穷举搜索带来的巨大计算复杂度。首先使用DPD_MVDR算法在粗网格下进行位置初始估计,然后在估计位置处进行迭代自适应网格细化,在降低计算复杂度的同时,提高定位精度。仿真表明,改进算法在100 m网格分辨率下计算复杂度明显降低且较DPD_MVDR算法定位精度得到明显提高;适用于对定位精度和定位实时性均有一定要求的场景。     

Radial basis function based level set interpolation and evolution for deformable modelling

We present a study in level set representation and evolution using radial basis functions (RBFs) for active contour and active surface models. It builds on recent works by others who introduced RBFs into level sets for structural topology optimisation. Here, we introduce the concept into deformable models and present a new level set formulation able to handle more complex topological changes, in particular perturbation away from the evolving front. In the conventional level set technique, the initial active contour/surface is implicitly represented by a signed distance function and periodically re-initialised to maintain numerical stability. We interpolate the initial distance function using RBFs on a much coarser grid, which provides great potential in modelling in high dimensional space. Its deformation is considered as an updating of the RBF interpolants, an ordinary differential equation (ODE) problem, instead of a partial differential equation (PDE) problem, and hence it becomes much easier to solve. Re-initialisation is found no longer necessary, in contrast to conventional finite difference method (FDM) based level set approaches. The proposed level set updating scheme is efficient and does not suffer from self-flattening while evolving, hence it avoids large numerical errors. Further, more complex topological changes are readily achievable and the initial contour or surface can be placed arbitrarily in the image. These properties are extensively demonstrated on both synthetic and real 2D and 3D data. We also present a novel active contour model, implemented with this level set scheme, based on multiscale learning and fusion of image primitives from vector-valued data, e.g. colour images, without channel separation or decomposition.     

Adaptive physics based tetrahedral mesh generation using level sets

We present a tetrahedral mesh generation algorithm designed for the Lagrangian simulation of deformable bodies. The algorithm’s input is a level set (i.e., a signed distance function on a Cartesian grid or octree). First a bounding box of the object is covered with a uniform lattice of subdivision-invariant tetrahedra. The level set is then used to guide a red green adaptive subdivision procedure that is based on both the local curvature and the proximity to the object boundary. The final topology is carefully chosen so that the connectivity is suitable for large deformation and the mesh approximates the desired shape. Finally, this candidate mesh is compressed to match the object boundary. To maintain element quality during this compression phase we relax the positions of the nodes using finite elements, masses and springs, or an optimization procedure. The resulting mesh is well suited for simulation since it is highly structured, has topology chosen specifically for large deformations, and is readily refined if required during subsequent simulation. We then use this algorithm to generate meshes for the simulation of skeletal muscle from level set representations of the anatomy. The geometric complexity of biological materials makes it very difficult to generate these models procedurally and as a result we obtain most if not all data from an actual human subject. Our current method involves using voxelized data from the Visible Male [1] to create level set representations of muscle and bone geometries. Given this representation, we use simple level set operations to rebuild and repair errors in the segmented data as well as to smooth aliasing inherent in the voxelized data.     

Deformable model retrieval based on topological and geometric signatures

With the increasing popularity of 3D applications such as computer games, a lot of 3D geometry models are being created. To encourage sharing and reuse, techniques that support matching and retrieval of these models are emerging. However, only a few of them can handle deformable models, that is, models of different poses, and these methods are generally very slow. In this paper, we present a novel method for efficient matching and retrieval of 3D deformable models. Our research idea stresses using both topological and geometric features at the same time. First, we propose topological point ring (TPR) analysis to locate reliable topological points and rings. Second, we capture both local and global geometric information to characterize each of these topological features. To compare the similarity of two models, we adapt the earth mover distance (EMD) as the distance function and construct an indexing tree to accelerate the retrieval process. We demonstrate the performance of the new method, both in terms of accuracy and speed, through a large number of experiments     

ISENGARD: an infrastructure for supporting e‐science and grid application development

Grid computing facilitates the aggregation and coordination of resources that are distributed across multiple administrative domains for large‐scale and complex e‐Science experiments. Writing, deploying, and testing grid applications over highly heterogeneous and distributed resources are complex and challenging. The process requires grid‐enabled programming tools that can handle the complexity and scale of the infrastructure. However, while a large amount of research has been undertaken into grid middleware, little work has been directed specifically at the area of grid application development tools. This paper presents the design and implementation of ISENGARD, an infrastructure for supporting e‐Science and grid application development. ISENGARD provides services, tools, and APIs that simplify grid software development. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A solution-adaptive central-constraint transport scheme for magnetohydrodynamics

The central-constraint transport scheme for magnetohydrodynamics in Ziegler [J. Comput. Phys. 196 (2004) 393] is made adaptive employing a block-structured mesh refinement method. Based on the guidelines in Berger and Collela [J. Comput. Phys. 82 (1989) 64] a mesh refinement variant has been developed which combines a flexible grid adaptation by using small blocks as refinement elements with integration speed by reducing the inherent overhead via block clustering techniques. The algorithms are discussed in detail and the efficiency of the implementation is benchmarked in terms of an efficiency parameter which takes into account both the obtained speedup factor and an error estimate. The three-dimensional benchmark problems are a spherical implosion problem and a shock-cloud collision problem in a magnetic medium. Further examples of astrophysical interest are presented which demonstrate the robustness and versatility of the new adaptive grid code.     

基于特征识别的多尺度构件网格自动生成算法

随着结构力学领域待解决问题复杂程度不断提高,多尺度构件的高质量网格生成对于其数值模拟的计算精度起着至关重要的作用。本文提出一种基于特征识别的网格自动生成技术方法,该方法将多尺度构件的不同量级尺度几何特征识别出来,根据其不同尺度尺寸设置相关区域的网格尺寸值,利用Delaunay三角化算法和前沿推进法生成能够反映不同尺度几何特征的网格单元,再对小尺度区域周围进行加密处理,最后通过几何指数控制函数将不同尺度网格过渡连接起来,形成多尺度构件的整体网格划分模型。通过2个几何模型的测试表明该方法生成的整体网格质量好,不同尺度区域网格过渡合理,自动化程度较高。     

结合网格密度聚类的行人检测候选域生成

目的 行人检测是计算机视觉领域中的重点研究问题。经典的可变形部件模型（DPM）算法在行人检测领域素有高检测精度的优点,但由于在构建特征金字塔前处理过多召回率低的候选区域,导致计算速度偏慢,严重影响系统的实时性。针对该问题,本文对模型中选取候选检测区域的流程进行了改进,提出一种结合网格密度聚类算法和选择性搜索算法的行人检测候选对象生成方法来改进DPM模型。方法 首先使用三帧差法和高斯混合模型收集固定数量的运动物体坐标点,然后结合基于网格密度的聚类算法构建网格坐标模型,生成目标频繁运动区域,同时进行动态掩层处理。随后引入改进的选择性搜索算法,结合支持向量机（SVM）训练得到的行人轮廓宽高比,提取该区域中高置信度的行人候选检测窗口,从而排除大量冗余的区域假设,完成对候选行人检测区域的精筛选,最后融合至DPM算法进行行人检测。结果 所提方法在PETS 2009 Bench-mark数据集上进行检测,实验结果表明,该方法对复杂背景下的检测有较强的稳定性,与传统DPM模型相比,精度提高了1.71%、平均对数漏检率降低2.2%、检测速度提高为3.7倍左右。结论 本文提出一种基于网格密度聚类的行人检测候选域生成算法,能够有效表达行人信息,与其他行人检测算法相比,有更好的精度和更快的速度,在检测率、检测时间方面均有提高,能够实现有效、快速的行人检测,具有实际意义。     

Image-based collision detection for deformable cloth models

Modeling the natural interaction of cloth and garments with objects in a 3D environment is currently one of the most computationally demanding tasks. These highly deformable materials are subject to a very large number of contact points in the proximity of other moving objects. Furthermore, cloth objects often fold, roll, and drape within themselves, generating a large number of self-collision areas. The interactive requirements of 3D games and physically driven virtual environments make the cloth collisions and self-collision computations more challenging. By exploiting mathematically well-defined smoothness conditions over smaller patches of deformable surfaces and resorting to image-based collision detection tests, we developed an efficient collision detection method that achieves interactive rates while tracking self-interactions in highly deformable surfaces consisting of a large number of elements. The method makes use of a novel technique for dynamically generating a hierarchy of cloth bounding boxes in order to perform object-level culling and image-based intersection tests using conventional graphics hardware support. An efficient backward voxel-based AABB hierarchy method is proposed to handle deformable surfaces which are highly compressed.     

An unfitted hp-adaptive finite element method based on hierarchical B-splines for interface problems of complex geometry

Generating finite element discretizations with direct interface parameterizations constitutes a considerable computational expense in case of complex interface geometries. The paper at hand introduces a B-spline finite element method, which circumvents parameterization of interfaces and offers fast and easy meshing irrespective of the geometric complexity involved. Its core idea is the adaptive approximation of discontinuities by hierarchical grid refinement, which adds several levels of local basis functions in the close vicinity of interfaces, but unfitted to their exact location, so that a simple regular grid of knot span elements can be maintained. Numerical experiments show that an hp-refinement strategy, which simultaneously increases the polynomial degree of the B-spline basis and the levels of refinement around interfaces, achieves exponential rates of convergence despite the presence of discontinuities. It is also demonstrated that the hierarchical B-spline FEM can be used to transfer the recently introduced Finite Cell concept to geometrically nonlinear problems. Its computational performance, imposition of unfitted boundary conditions and fast hierarchical grid generation are illustrated for a set of benchmark problems in one, two and three dimensions, and the advantages of the regular grid approach for complex geometries are demonstrated by the geometrically nonlinear simulation of a voxel based foam composite.