Semi-Supervised Hyperspectral Image Segmentation Using Regionalized Stochastic Watershed

International audienceStochastic watershed is a robust method to estimate the probability density function (pdf) of contours of a multi-variate image using MonteCarlo simulations of watersheds from random markers. The aim of this paper is to propose a stochastic watershed-based algorithm for segmenting hyperspectral images using a semi-supervised approach. Starting from a training dataset consisting in a selection of representative pixel vectors of each spectral class of the image, the algorithm calculate for each class a membership probability map (MPM). Then, the MPM of class k is considered as a regionalized density function which is used to simulate the random markers for the MonteCarlo estimation of the pdf of contours of the corresponding class k. This pdf favours the spatial regions of the image spectrally close to the class k. After applying the same technique to each class, a series of pdf are obtained for a single image. Finally, the pdf's can be segmented hierarchically either separately for each class or after combination, as a single pdf function. In the results, besides the generic spatial-spectral segmentation of hyperspectral images, the interest of the approach is also illustrated for target segmentation

Two and three dimensional segmentation of multimodal imagery

The role of segmentation in the realms of image understanding/analysis, computer vision, pattern recognition, remote sensing and medical imaging in recent years has been significantly augmented due to accelerated scientific advances made in the acquisition of image data. This low-level analysis protocol is critical to numerous applications, with the primary goal of expediting and improving the effectiveness of subsequent high-level operations by providing a condensed and pertinent representation of image information. In this research, we propose a novel unsupervised segmentation framework for facilitating meaningful segregation of 2-D/3-D image data across multiple modalities (color, remote-sensing and biomedical imaging) into non-overlapping partitions using several spatial-spectral attributes. Initially, our framework exploits the information obtained from detecting edges inherent in the data. To this effect, by using a vector gradient detection technique, pixels without edges are grouped and individually labeled to partition some initial portion of the input image content. Pixels that contain higher gradient densities are included by the dynamic generation of segments as the algorithm progresses to generate an initial region map. Subsequently, texture modeling is performed and the obtained gradient, texture and intensity information along with the aforementioned initial partition map are used to perform a multivariate refinement procedure, to fuse groups with similar characteristics yielding the final output segmentation. Experimental results obtained in comparison to published/state-of the-art segmentation techniques for color as well as multi/hyperspectral imagery, demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method. Furthermore, for the purpose of achieving improved computational efficiency we propose an extension of the aforestated methodology in a multi-resolution framework, demonstrated on color images. Finally, this research also encompasses a 3-D extension of the aforementioned algorithm demonstrated on medical (Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Computed Tomography) volumes

Spectral-Spatial Classification of Hyperspectral Data based on a Stochastic Minimum Spanning Forest Approach

International audienceIn this paper, a new method for supervised hyperspectral data classification is proposed. In particular, the notion of stochastic Minimum Spanning Forest (MSF) is introduced. For a given hyperspectral image, a pixelwise classification is first performed. From this classification map, M marker maps are generated by randomly selecting pixels and labeling them as markers for the construction of Minimum Spanning Forests. The next step consists in building an MSF from each of the M marker maps. Finally, all the M realizations are aggregated with a maximum vote decision rule, in order to build the final classification map. The proposed method is tested on three different data sets of hyperspectral airborne images with different resolutions and contexts. The influence of the number of markers and of the number of realizations M on the results are investigated in experiments. The performance of the proposed method is compared to several classification techniques (both pixelwise and spectral-spatial) using standard quantitative criteria and visual qualitative evaluation

Hyperspectral image representation and processing with binary partition trees

The optimal exploitation of the information provided by hyperspectral images requires the development of advanced image processing tools. Therefore, under the title Hyperspectral image representation and Processing with Binary Partition Trees, this PhD thesis proposes the construction and the processing of a new region-based hierarchical hyperspectral image representation: the Binary Partition Tree (BPT). This hierarchical region-based representation can be interpreted as a set of hierarchical regions stored in a tree structure. Hence, the Binary Partition Tree succeeds in presenting: (i) the decomposition of the image in terms of coherent regions and (ii) the inclusion relations of the regions in the scene. Based on region-merging techniques, the construction of BPT is investigated in this work by studying hyperspectral region models and the associated similarity metrics. As a matter of fact, the very high dimensionality and the complexity of the data require the definition of specific region models and similarity measures. Once the BPT is constructed, the fixed tree structure allows implementing efficient and advanced application-dependent techniques on it. The application-dependent processing of BPT is generally implemented through a specific pruning of the tree. Accordingly, some pruning techniques are proposed and discussed according to different applications. This Ph.D is focused in particular on segmentation, object detection and classification of hyperspectral imagery. Experimental results on various hyperspectral data sets demonstrate the interest and the good performances of the BPT representatio

A Multimodal Feature Selection Method for Remote Sensing Data Analysis Based on Double Graph Laplacian Diagonalization

When dealing with multivariate remotely sensed records collected by multiple sensors, an accurate selection of information at the data, feature, or decision level is instrumental in improving the scenes’ characterization. This will also enhance the system’s efficiency and provide more details on modeling the physical phenomena occurring on the Earth’s surface. In this article, we introduce a flexible and efficient method based on graph Laplacians for information selection at different levels of data fusion. The proposed approach combines data structure and information content to address the limitations of existing graph-Laplacian-based methods in dealing with heterogeneous datasets. Moreover, it adapts the selection to each homogenous area of the considered images according to their underlying properties. Experimental tests carried out on several multivariate remote sensing datasets show the consistency of the proposed approach

Novel pattern recognition methods for classification and detection in remote sensing and power generation applications

Novel pattern recognition methods for classification and detection in remote sensing and power generation application