A combined Markov random field and wave-packet transform-basedapproach for image segmentation

The author formulates a novel segmentation algorithm which combines the use of Markov random field models for image-modeling with the use of the discrete wavepacket transform for image analysis. Image segmentations are derived and refined at a sequence of resolution levels, using as data selected wave-packet transform images or "channels". The segmentation algorithm is compared with nonmultiresolution Markov random field-based image segmentation algorithms in the context of synthetic image example problems, and found to be both significantly more efficient and effective.