Image segmentation by conventional and information-integrating techniques: a synopsis

A synoptic discussion of image segmentation is presented. The aim is to provide an overall understanding of the general problems and issues associated with various segmentation techniques. The discussion has been organized in two parts: the first part is on those conventional techniques which use mainly information from one type of data; the second part is on those which try to combine data from several sources to obtain interpretations that cannot be obtained or would be hard to obtain from any single source of data. The paper stresses the importance, for segmentation, of data integration from several sensors and data integration over time, particularly the use of motion. It further emphasizes the importance of stating clearly the assumptions before developing or using a particular image segmentation algorithm.