Statistical region snake-based segmentation adapted to differentphysical noise models

Algorithms for object segmentation are crucial in many image processing applications. During past years, active contour models (snakes) have been widely used for finding the contours of objects. This segmentation strategy is classically edge-based in the sense that the snake is driven to fit the maximum of an edge map of the scene. We propose a region snake approach and we determine fast algorithms for the segmentation of an object in an image. The algorithms developed in a maximum likelihood approach are based on the calculation of the statistics of the inner and the outer regions (defined by the snake). It has thus been possible to develop optimal algorithms adapted to the random fields which describe the gray levels in the input image if we assume that their probability density function family are known. We demonstrate that this approach is still efficient when no boundary's edge exists in the image. We also show that one can obtain fast algorithms by transforming the summations over a region, for the calculation of the statistics, into summations along the boundary of the region. Finally, we will provide numerical simulation results for different physical situations in order to illustrate the efficiency of this approach     

Locating object contours in complex background using improved snakes

An active contour model, called snake, can adapt to object boundary in an image. A snake is defined as an energy minimizing spline guided by external constraint forces and influenced by image forces that pull it toward features such as lines or edges. The traditional snake model fails to locate object contours that appear in complex background. In this paper, we present an improved snake model associated with new regional similarity energy and a gravitation force field to attract the snake approaching the object contours efficiently. Experiment results show that our snake model works successfully for convex and concave objects in a variety of complex backgrounds.     

SimLocator: robust locator of similar objects in images

Similar objects commonly appear in natural images, and locating and cutting out these objects can be tedious when using classical interactive image segmentation methods. In this paper, we propose SimLocator, a robust method oriented to locate and cut out similar objects with minimum user interaction. After extracting an arbitrary object template from the input image, candidate locations of similar objects are roughly detected by distinguishing the shape and color features of each image. A novel optimization method is then introduced to select accurate locations from the two sets of candidates. Additionally, a matting-based method is used to improve the results and to ensure that all similar objects are located in the image. Finally, a method based on alpha matting is utilized to extract the precise object contours. To ensure the performance of the matting operation, this work has developed a new method for foreground extraction. Experiments show that SimLocator is more robust and more convenient to use compared to other more advanced repetition detection and interactive image segmentation methods, in terms of locating similar objects in images.     

基于活动轮廓的多分辨率自适应图像分割

本文在活动轮廓模型的基础上,提出了一种自适应图像分割方法,引入了新的图象统计信息、梯度信息有关的加权外部能量,使得分割结果与模型的初始位置无关,不受噪声影响;利用ACD方法使模型自适应地改变其拓扑结构;为了提高图象分的速度和鲁棒性,提出了多分辨率图象分割算法,利用该方法对一些形状、拓扑结构复杂的物体进行了分割实验,结果验证了该方法有效性。     

基于snake模型的IVUS图像序列三维分割方法

针对血管内超声（Intravascular Ultrasound,IVUS）图像序列中血管壁内外膜轮廓的提取问题,提出一种基于snake模型的三维并行分割方法。首先,对原始图像进行滤除噪声和抑制环晕伪像等预处理。然后,获取IVUS图像序列的四个纵向视图,并从中提取出内腔边界和中-外膜边界。通过将这些边界曲线映射到各帧IVUS图像中,得到横向视图中的初始轮廓。最后,将该初始轮廓作为snake模型的初始形状,通过使snake能量函数最小,模型不断变形,最终得到各帧IVUS图像中的内腔和中-外膜边界。该方法可实现对IVUS图像序列的并行分割,与二维串行分割方法相比,可大大提高处理效率。采用大量临床图像数据的实验结果证明该方法可自动、快速、可靠的完成IVUS图像序列的分割。     

A multiple object geometric deformable model for image segmentation

Deformable models are widely used for image segmentation, most commonly to find single objects within an image. Although several methods have been proposed to segment multiple objects using deformable models, substantial limitations in their utility remain. This paper presents a multiple object segmentation method using a novel and efficient object representation for both two and three dimensions. The new framework guarantees object relationships and topology, prevents overlaps and gaps, enables boundary-specific speeds, and has a computationally efficient evolution scheme that is largely independent of the number of objects. Maintaining object relationships and straightforward use of object-specific and boundary-specific smoothing and advection forces enables the segmentation of objects with multiple compartments, a critical capability in the parcellation of organs in medical imaging. Comparing the new framework with previous approaches shows its superior performance and scalability.     

Elastic shapes models for improving segmentation of object boundaries in synthetic aperture sonar images

We present a variational framework for naturally incorporating prior shape knowledge in guidance of active contours for boundary extraction in images. This framework is especially suitable for images collected outside the visible spectrum, where boundary estimation is difficult due to low contrast, low resolution, and presence of noise and clutter. Accordingly, we illustrate this approach using the segmentation of various objects in synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) images of underwater terrains. We use elastic shape analysis of planar curves in which the shapes are considered as elements of a quotient space of an infinite dimensional, non-linear Riemannian manifold. Using geodesic paths under the elastic Riemannian metric, one computes sample mean and covariances of training shapes in each classes and derives statistical models for capturing class-specific shape variability. These models are then used as shape priors in a variational setting to solve for Bayesian estimation of desired contours as follows. In traditional active contour models curves are driven towards minimum of an energy composed of image and smoothing terms. We introduce an additional shape term based on shape models of relevant shape classes. The minimization of this total energy, using iterated gradient-based updates of curves, leads to an improved segmentation of object boundaries. This is demonstrated using a number of shape classes in two large SAS image datasets.     

Genetic approaches for topological active nets optimization

The topological active nets (TANs) model is a deformable model used for image segmentation. It integrates features of region-based and edge-based segmentation techniques so it is able to fit the contours of the objects and model their inner topology. Also, topological changes in its structure allow the detection of concave and convex contours, holes, and several objects in the scene. Since the model deformation is based on the minimization of an energy functional, the adjustment depends on the minimization algorithm. This paper presents two evolutionary approaches to the energy minimization problem in the TAN model. The first proposal is a genetic algorithm with ad hoc operators whereas the second approach is a hybrid model that combines genetic and greedy algorithms. Both evolutionary approaches improve the accuracy of the segmentation even though only the hybrid model allows topological changes in the model structure.     

Fast Global Minimization of the Active Contour/Snake Model

The active contour/snake model is one of the most successful variational models in image segmentation. It consists of evolving a contour in images toward the boundaries of objects. Its success is based on strong mathematical properties and efficient numerical schemes based on the level set method. The only drawback of this model is the existence of local minima in the active contour energy, which makes the initial guess critical to get satisfactory results. In this paper, we propose to solve this problem by determining a global minimum of the active contour model. Our approach is based on the unification of image segmentation and image denoising tasks into a global minimization framework. More precisely, we propose to unify three well-known image variational models, namely the snake model, the Rudin–Osher–Fatemi denoising model and the Mumford–Shah segmentation model. We will establish theorems with proofs to determine the existence of a global minimum of the active contour model. From a numerical point of view, we propose a new practical way to solve the active contour propagation problem toward object boundaries through a dual formulation of the minimization problem. The dual formulation, easy to implement, allows us a fast global minimization of the snake energy. It avoids the usual drawback in the level set approach that consists of initializing the active contour in a distance function and re-initializing it periodically during the evolution, which is time-consuming. We apply our segmentation algorithms on synthetic and real-world images, such as texture images and medical images, to emphasize the performances of our model compared with other segmentation models. Research supported by NIH U54RR021813, NSF DMS-0312222, NSF ACI-0321917 and NSF DMI-0327077.     

Isophotes Selection and Reaction-Diffusion Model for Object Boundaries Estimation

This paper investigates generic region-based segmentation schemes using area-minimization constraint and background modeling, and develops a computationally efficient framework based on level lines selection coupled with biased anisotropic diffusion. A common approach to image segmentation is to construct a cost function whose minima yield the segmented image. This is generally achieved by competition of two terms in the cost function, one that punishes deviations from the original image and another that acts as a regularization term. We propose a variational framework for characterizing global minimizers of a particular segmentation energy that can generates irregular object boundaries in image segmentation. Our motivation comes from the observation that energy functionals are traditionally complex, for which it is usually difficult to precise global minimizers corresponding to best segmentations. In this paper, we prove that the set of curves that minimizes the basic energy model under concern is a subset of level lines or isophotes, i.e. the boundaries of image level sets. The connections of our approach with region-growing techniques, snakes and geodesic active contours are also discussed. Moreover, it is absolutely necessary to regularize isophotes delimiting object boundaries and to determine piecewise smooth or constant approximations of the image data inside the objects boundaries for vizualization and pattern recognition purposes. Thus, we have constructed a reaction-diffusion process based on the Perona-Malik anisotropic diffusion equation. In particular, a reaction term has been added to force the solution to remain close to the data inside object boundaries and to be constant in non-informative regions, that is the background region. In the overall approach, diffusion requires the design of the background and foreground regions obtained by segmentation, and segmentation of the adaptively smoothed image is performed after each iteration of the diffusion process. From an application point of view, the sound initialization-free algorithm is shown to perform well in a variety of imaging contexts with variable texture, noise and lighting conditions, including optical imaging, medical imaging and meteorological imaging. Depending on the context, it yields either a reliable segmentation or a good pre-segmentation that can be used as initialization for more sophisticated, application-dependent segmentation models.     

Object segmentation in hyperspectral images using active contours and graph cuts

The interest in object segmentation on hyperspectral images is increasing and many approaches have been proposed to deal with this area. In this project, we developed an algorithm that combines both the active contours and the graph cut approaches for object segmentation in hyperspectral images. The active contours approach has the advantage of producing subregions with continuous boundaries. The graph cut approach has emerged as a technique for minimizing energy functions while avoiding the problems of local minima. Additionally, it guarantees continuity and produces smooth contours, free of self-crossing and uneven spacing problems. The algorithm uses the complete spectral signature of a pixel and also considers spatial neighbourhood for graph construction, thereby combining both spectral and spatial information present in the image. The algorithm is tested using real hyperspectral images taken from a variety of sensors, such as Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and Hyperspectral Data Imagery Collection Experiment (HYDICE), and also taken by the SOC hyperspectral camera. This approach can segment different objects in an image. This algorithm can be applied in many fields and it should represent an important advance in the field of object segmentation.     

多先验形状的图割分割方法*

为了分割图像中的多个目标,提出多先验形状约束的多目标图割分割方法。首先,使用离散水平集框架的形状距离定义先验形状模型,并将这一模型合并到图割框架的区域项中,同时通过加入多类形状先验扩展形状先验能量。然后,通过自适应调节形状先验项的权重系数,实现自适应控制形状项在能量函数中所占的比重,克服人工选择参数的困难,提高分割效率。最后,为使方法对于形状仿射变换具有不变性,使用尺度不变特征变换和随机抽样一致结合的方法进行对准。实验表明,文中方法能够较好分割图像中的多个目标,且能较好克服图像的噪声污染、目标被遮挡等信息缺失问题。     

Nonlocal variational image segmentation models on graphs using the Split Bregman

Variational functionals such as Mumford-Shah and Chan-Vese methods have a major impact on various areas of image processing. After over 10 years of investigation, they are still in widespread use today. These formulations optimize contours by evolution through gradient descent, which is known for its overdependence on initialization and the tendency to produce undesirable local minima. In this paper, we propose an image segmentation model in a variational nonlocal means framework based on a weighted graph. The advantages of this model are twofold. First, the convexity global minimum (optimum) information is taken into account to achieve better segmentation results. Second, the proposed global convex energy functionals combine nonlocal regularization and local intensity fitting terms. The nonlocal total variational regularization term based on the graph is able to preserve the detailed structure of target objects. At the same time, the modified local binary fitting term introduced in the model as the local fitting term can efficiently deal with intensity inhomogeneity in images. Finally, we apply the Split Bregman method to minimize the proposed energy functional efficiently. The proposed model has been applied to segmentation of real medical and remote sensing images. Compared with other methods, the proposed model is superior in terms of both accuracy and efficient.     

Generating discriminating cartoon faces using interacting snakes

As a computational bridge between the high-level a priori knowledge of object shape and the low-level image data, active contours (or snakes) are useful models for the extraction of deformable objects. We propose an approach for manipulating multiple snakes iteratively, called interacting snakes, that minimizes the attraction energy functionals on both contours and enclosed regions of individual snakes and the repulsion energy functionals among multiple snakes that interact with each other. We implement the interacting snakes through explicit curve (parametric active contours) representation in the domain of face recognition. We represent human faces semantically via facial components such as eyes, mouth, face outline, and the hair outline. Each facial component is encoded by a closed (or open) snake that is drawn from a 3D generic face model. A collection of semantic facial components form a hypergraph, called semantic face graph, which employs interacting snakes to align the general facial topology onto the sensed face images. Experimental results show that a successful interaction among multiple snakes associated with facial components makes the semantic face graph a useful model for face representation, including cartoon faces and caricatures, and recognition.     

A Particle System Model for Combining Edge Information from Multiple Segmentation Modules

A model for fusing the output of multiple segmentation modules is presented. The model is based on the particle system approach to modeling dynamic objects from computer graphics. The model also has built-in capabilities to extract regions, thin the edge image, remove "twigs," and close gaps in the contours. The model functions both as an effective data fusion technique and as a model of an important human visual process.     

基于模拟退火的简化Snake弱边界医学图像分割

弱边界医学图像的分割一直是图像分割技术中的一个难点，为了有效地对弱边界医学图像进行分割，提出了一种简化的Snake图像分割算法，该算法对传统Snake模型进行了改进，即运用简化Snake的思想，特别是在内能表达式中添加了系数可变的面积项，并且引入了模拟退火算法与已改进的简化Snake模型相结合的方法，使得图像的分割效果有了较好的改进。另外，还讨论了模拟退火算法中邻域的选取、随机变量的产生机制以及接受准则等对搜索到理想的最优解所起的作用。该算法运用到医学图像分析中的实验证明，该算法对弱边界信息图像的分割能取得较好的效果，而且运算的时间复杂度低。     

Segmentation of external force field for automatic initialization and splitting of snakes

Active contours or snakes have been extensively utilized in handling image segmentation and classification problems. In traditional active contour models, snake initialization is performed manually by users, and topological changes, such as splitting of the snake, cannot be automatically handled.In this paper, we introduce a new method to solve the snake initialization and splitting problem, based on an area segmentation approach: the external force field is segmented first, and then the snake initialization and splitting can be automatically performed by using the segmented external force field. Such initialization and splitting produces multiple snakes, each of which is within the capture range associated to an object and will be evolved to the object boundary.The external force used in this paper is a gradient vector flow with an edge-preserving property (EPGVF), which can prevent the snakes from passing over weak boundaries. To segment the external force field, we represent it with a graph, and a graph-theory approach can be taken to determine the membership of each pixel. Experimental results establish the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

一种鲁棒的视频分割算法

无论是在图象识别，还是在基于MPEG－4的图象压缩编码等应用领域，视频对象分割取是其中一个很重要的技术环节，为了在静止背景的情况下，能很好地解决多目标分割的问题，同时能进行单目标的分割，提出了一种鲁棒性较好的视频分割算法，该算法通过对图象序列中每连续3 帧图象进行对称差分，首先检测出目标的运动范围，然后通过对差分结构进行聚类分析来确定该帧图象中视频对象的个数，接着再利用在二值差分图象上收缩的活动轮廓，把视频对象的轮廓精确地包围起来，即得到该帧分割结果；最后利用光流法来对视频对象进行投注跟踪，修正，另外还利用多个图象序列对该方法进行了试验，实验结果表明，在静止背景下，该算法无论是对运动的单目标，还是对运动的多目标，均能较好地从静止背景中分离出来，即能得到理想的分割结果，故具有一定的鲁棒性和实用性。     

Use of Spectral Clustering Combined with Normalized Cuts (N-Cuts) in an Iterative k-Means Clustering Framework (NKSC) for Superpixel Segmentation with Contour Adherence

Superpixel segmentation methods are generally used as a pre-processing step to speed up image processing tasks. They group the pixels of an image into homogeneous regions while trying to respect existing contours. In this paper, we propose a fast Superpixels segmentation algorithm with Contour Adherence using spectral clustering, combined with normalized cuts in an iterative k-means clustering framework. It produces compact and uniform superpixels with low computational costs. Normalized cut is adapted to measure the color similarity and space proximity between image pixels. We have used a kernel function to estimate the similarity metric. Kernel function maps the pixel values and coordinates into a high dimensional feature space. The objective functions of weighted K-means and normalized cuts share the same optimum point in this feature space. So it is possible to optimize the cost function of normalized cuts by iteratively applying simple K-means clustering algorithm. The proposed framework produces regular and compact superpixels that adhere to the image contours. On segmentation comparison benchmarks it proves to be equally well or better than the state-of-the-art super pixel segmentation algorithms in terms of several commonly used evaluation metrics in image segmentation. In addition, our method is computationally very efficient and its computational complexity is linear.