Sparse Representation Based Classification for Face Recognition by k-LiMapS Algorithm

In this paper, we present a new approach for face recognition that is robust against both poorly defined and poorly aligned training and testing data even with few training samples. Working in the conventional feature space yielded by the Fisher\u2019s Linear Discriminant analysis, it uses a recent algorithm for sparse representation, namely k -LiMapS, as general classification criterion. Such a technique performs a local \u21130 pseudo-norm minimization by iterating suitable parametric nonlinear mappings. Thanks to its particular search strategy, it is very fast and able to discriminate among separated classes lying in the low-dimension Fisherspace. Experiments are carried out on the FRGC version 2.0 database showing good classification capability even when compared with the state-of-the-art \u21131 norm-based sparse representation classifier (SRC)

Face recognition in uncontrolled conditions using sparse representation and local features

Face recognition in presence of either occlusions, illumination changes or large expression variations is still an open problem. This paper addresses this issue presenting a new local-based face recognition system that combines weak classifiers yielding a strong one. The method relies on sparse approximation using dictionaries built on a pool of local features extracted from automatically cropped images. Experiments on the AR database show the effectiveness of our method, which outperforms current state-of-the art techniques

Innovative local texture descriptors with application to eye detection

Local Binary Patterns (LBP), which is one of the well-known texture descriptors, has broad applications in pattern recognition and computer vision. The attractive properties of LBP are its tolerance to illumination variations and its computational simplicity. However, LBP only compares a pixel with those in its own neighborhood and encodes little information about the relationship of the local texture with the features. This dissertation introduces a new Feature Local Binary Patterns (FLBP) texture descriptor that can compare a pixel with those in its own neighborhood as well as in other neighborhoods and encodes the information of both local texture and features. The features encoded in FLBP are broadly defined, such as edges, Gabor wavelet features, and color features. Specifically, a binary image is first derived by extracting feature pixels from a given image, and then a distance vector field is obtained by computing the distance vector between each pixel and its nearest feature pixel defined in the binary image. Based on the distance vector field and the FLBP parameters, the FLBP representation of the given image is derived. The feasibility of the proposed FLBP is demonstrated on eye detection using the BioID and the FERET databases. Experimental results show that the FLBP method significantly improves upon the LBP method in terms of both the eye detection rate and the eye center localization accuracy. As LBP is sensitive to noise especially in near-uniform image regions, Local Ternary Patterns (LTP) was proposed to address this problem by extending LBP to three-valued codes. However, further research reveals that both LTP and LBP achieve similar results for face and facial expression recognition, while LTP has a higher computational cost than LBP. To improve upon LTP, this dissertation introduces another new local texture descriptor: Local Quaternary Patterns (LQP) and its extension, Feature Local Quaternary Patterns (FLQP). LQP encodes four relationships of local texture, and therefore, it includes more information of local texture than the LBP and the LTP. FLQP, which encodes both local and feature information, is expected to perform even better than LQP for texture description and pattern analysis. The LQP and FLQP are applied to eye detection on the BioID database. Experimental results show that both FLQP and LQP achieve better eye detection performance than FLTP, LTP, FLBP and LBP. The FLQP method achieves the highest eye detection rate

SPARSE RECOVERY BY NONCONVEX LIPSHITZIAN MAPPINGS

In recent years, the sparsity concept has attracted considerable attention in areas of applied mathematics and computer science, especially in signal and image processing fields. The general framework of sparse representation is now a mature concept with solid basis in relevant mathematical fields, such as probability, geometry of Banach spaces, harmonic analysis, theory of computability, and information-based complexity. Together with theoretical and practical advancements, also several numeric methods and algorithmic techniques have been developed in order to capture the complexity and the wide scope that the theory suggests. Sparse recovery relays over the fact that many signals can be represented in a sparse way, using only few nonzero coefficients in a suitable basis or overcomplete dictionary. Unfortunately, this problem, also called `0-norm minimization, is not only NP-hard, but also hard to approximate within an exponential factor of the optimal solution. Nevertheless, many heuristics for the problem has been obtained and proposed for many applications. This thesis provides new regularization methods for the sparse representation problem with application to face recognition and ECG signal compression. The proposed methods are based on fixed-point iteration scheme which combines nonconvex Lipschitzian-type mappings with canonical orthogonal projectors. The first are aimed at uniformly enhancing the sparseness level by shrinking effects, the latter to project back into the feasible space of solutions. In the second part of this thesis we study two applications in which sparseness has been successfully applied in recent areas of the signal and image processing: the face recognition problem and the ECG signal compression problem

Monokulare Blickrichtungsschätzung zur berührungslosen Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der berührungslosen Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion, welche hier als Interaktion mittels Erkennen der Blickrichtung des Nutzers unter Verwendung einfacher Hardware interpretiert wird. Die Forschungsschwerpunkte liegen in der Extraktion der zur Bestimmung der Blickrichtung benötigten Informationen aus 2D-Bilddaten, bestehend aus der präzisen Position der Iriden und der dreidimensionalen Position des Kopfes, mittels derer die Blickrichtung bestimmt wird

Monokulare Blickrichtungsschätzung zur berührungslosen Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der berührungslosen Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion, welche hier als Interaktion mittels Erkennen der Blickrichtung des Nutzers unter Verwendung einfacher Hardware interpretiert wird. Die Forschungsschwerpunkte liegen in der Extraktion der zur Bestimmung der Blickrichtung benötigten Informationen aus 2D-Bilddaten, bestehend aus der präzisen Position der Iriden und der dreidimensionalen Position des Kopfes, mittels derer die Blickrichtung bestimmt wird

Precise eye and mouth localization

The literature on the topic has shown a strong correlation between the degree of precision of face localization and the face recognition performance. Hence, there is a need for precise facial feature detectors, as well as objective measures for their evaluation and comparison. In this paper, we will present significant improvements to a previous method for precise eye center localization, by integrating a module for mouth localization. The technique is based on Support Vector Machines trained on optimally chosen Haar wavelet coefficients. The method has been tested on several public databases; the results are reported and compared according to a standard error measure. The tests show that the algorithm achieves high precision of localization