A higher-order active contour model of a `gas of circles' and its application to tree crown extraction

Many image processing problems involve identifying the region in the image domain occupied by a given entity in the scene. Automatic solution of these problems requires models that incorporate significant prior knowledge about the shape of the region. Many methods for including such knowledge run into difficulties when the topology of the region is unknown a priori, for example when the entity is composed of an unknown number of similar objects. Higher-order active contours (HOACs) represent one method for the modelling of non-trivial prior knowledge about shape without necessarily constraining region topology, via the inclusion of non-local interactions between region boundary points in the energy defining the model. The case of an unknown number of circular objects arises in a number of domains, e.g. medical, biological, nanotechnological, and remote sensing imagery. Regions composed of an a priori unknown number of circles may be referred to as a `gas of circles'. In this report, we present a HOAC model of a `gas of circles'. In order to guarantee stable circles, we conduct a stability analysis via a functional Taylor expansion of the HOAC energy around a circular shape. This analysis fixes one of the model parameters in terms of the others and constrains the rest. In conjunction with a suitable likelihood energy, we apply the model to the extraction of tree crowns from aerial imagery, and show that the new model outperforms other techniques

Markov mezők a képmodellezésben, alkalmazásuk az automatikus képszegmentálás területén = Markovian Image Models: Applications in Unsupervised Image Segmentation

1) Kifejlesztettünk egy olyan szín és textúra alapú szegmentáló MRF algoritmust, amely alkalmas egy kép automatikus szegmentálását elvégezni. Az eredményeinket az Image and Vision Computing folyóiratban publikáltuk. 2) Kifejlesztettünk egy Reversible Jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo technikán alapuló automatikus képszegmentáló eljárást, melyet sikeresen alkalmaztunk színes képek teljesen automatikus szegmentálására. Az eredményeinket a BMVC 2004 konferencián és az Image and Vision Computing folyóiratban publikáltuk. 3) A modell többrétegű továbbfejlesztését alkalmaztuk video objektumok szín és mozgás alapú szegmentálására, melynek eredményeit a HACIPPR 2005 illetve az ACCV 2006 nemzetközi konferenciákon publikáltuk. Szintén ehhez az alapproblémához kapcsolódik Horváth Péter hallgatómmal az optic flow szamításával illetve szín, textúra és mozgás alapú GVF aktív kontúrral kapcsoltos munkáink. TDK dolgozata első helyezést ért el a 2004-es helyi versenyen, az eredményeinket pedig a KEPAF 2004 konferencián publikáltuk. 4) Horváth Péter PhD hallgatómmal illetve az franciaországi INRIA Ariana csoportjával, kidolgoztunk egy olyan képszegmentáló eljárást, amely a szegmentálandó objektum alakját is figyelembe veszi. Az eredményeinket az ICPR 2006 illetve az ICCVGIP 2006 konferencián foglaltuk össze. A modell előzményeként kidolgoztunk továbbá egy alakzat-momemntumokon alapuló aktív kontúr modellt, amelyet a HACIPPR 2005 konferencián publikáltunk. | 1) We have proposed a monogrid MRF model which is able to combine color and texture features in order to improve the quality of segmentation results. We have also solved the estimation of model parameters. This work has been published in the Image and Vision Computing journal. 2) We have proposed an RJMCMC sampling method which is able to identify multi-dimensional Gaussian mixtures. Using this technique, we have developed a fully automatic color image segmentation algorithm. Our results have been published at BMVC 2004 international conference and in the Image and Vision Computing journal. 3) A new multilayer MRF model has been proposed which is able to segment an image based on multiple cues (such as color, texture, or motion). This work has been published at HACIPPR 2005 and ACCV 2006 international conferences. The work on optic flow computation and color-, texture-, and motion-based GVF active contours doen with my student, Mr. Peter Horvath, won a first price at the local Student Research Competition in 2004. Results have been presented at KEPAF 2004 conference. 4) A new shape prior, called 'gas of circles' has been introduced using active contour models. This work is done in collaboration with the Ariana group of INRIA, France and my PhD student, Mr. Peter Horvath. Results are published at the ICPR 2006 and ICCVGIP 2006 conferences. A preliminary study on active contour models using shape-moments has also been done, these results are published at HACIPPR 2005

DoctorEye: A clinically driven multifunctional platform, for accurate processing of tumors in medical images

Copyright @ Skounakis et al.This paper presents a novel, open access interactive platform for 3D medical image analysis, simulation and visualization, focusing in oncology images. The platform was developed through constant interaction and feedback from expert clinicians integrating a thorough analysis of their requirements while having an ultimate goal of assisting in accurately delineating tumors. It allows clinicians not only to work with a large number of 3D tomographic datasets but also to efficiently annotate multiple regions of interest in the same session. Manual and semi-automatic segmentation techniques combined with integrated correction tools assist in the quick and refined delineation of tumors while different users can add different components related to oncology such as tumor growth and simulation algorithms for improving therapy planning. The platform has been tested by different users and over large number of heterogeneous tomographic datasets to ensure stability, usability, extensibility and robustness with promising results. AVAILABILITY: THE PLATFORM, A MANUAL AND TUTORIAL VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE AT: http://biomodeling.ics.forth.gr. It is free to use under the GNU General Public License

Segmentation of articular cartilage and early osteoarthritis based on the fuzzy soft thresholding approach driven by modified evolutionary ABC optimization and local statistical aggregation

Articular cartilage assessment, with the aim of the cartilage loss identification, is a crucial task for the clinical practice of orthopedics. Conventional software (SW) instruments allow for just a visualization of the knee structure, without post processing, offering objective cartilage modeling. In this paper, we propose the multiregional segmentation method, having ambitions to bring a mathematical model reflecting the physiological cartilage morphological structure and spots, corresponding with the early cartilage loss, which is poorly recognizable by the naked eye from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The proposed segmentation model is composed from two pixel's classification parts. Firstly, the image histogram is decomposed by using a sequence of the triangular fuzzy membership functions, when their localization is driven by the modified artificial bee colony (ABC) optimization algorithm, utilizing a random sequence of considered solutions based on the real cartilage features. In the second part of the segmentation model, the original pixel's membership in a respective segmentation class may be modified by using the local statistical aggregation, taking into account the spatial relationships regarding adjacent pixels. By this way, the image noise and artefacts, which are commonly presented in the MR images, may be identified and eliminated. This fact makes the model robust and sensitive with regards to distorting signals. We analyzed the proposed model on the 2D spatial MR image records. We show different MR clinical cases for the articular cartilage segmentation, with identification of the cartilage loss. In the final part of the analysis, we compared our model performance against the selected conventional methods in application on the MR image records being corrupted by additive image noise.Web of Science117art. no. 86

On Using Physical Analogies for Feature and Shape Extraction in Computer Vision

There is a rich literature of approaches to image feature extraction in computer vision. Many sophisticated approaches exist for low- and high-level feature extraction but can be complex to implement with parameter choice guided by experimentation, but impeded by speed of computation. We have developed new ways to extract features based on notional use of physical paradigms, with parameterisation that is more familiar to a scientifically-trained user, aiming to make best use of computational resource. We describe how analogies based on gravitational force can be used for low-level analysis, whilst analogies of water flow and heat can be deployed to achieve high-level smooth shape detection. These new approaches to arbitrary shape extraction are compared with standard state-of-art approaches by curve evolution. There is no comparator operator to our use of gravitational force. We also aim to show that the implementation is consistent with the original motivations for these techniques and so contend that the exploration of physical paradigms offers a promising new avenue for new approaches to feature extraction in computer vision

Medical Image Segmentation by Water Flow

We present a new image segmentation technique based on the paradigm of water flow and apply it to medical images. The force field analogy is used to implement the major water flow attributes like water pressure, surface tension and adhesion so that the model achieves topological adaptability and geometrical flexibility. A new snake-like force functional combining edge- and region-based forces is introduced to produce capability for both range and accuracy. The method has been assessed qualitatively and quantitatively, and shows decent detection performance as well as ability to handle noise