In this paper we present a new methodology for edge detection in digital
images. The first originality of the proposed method is to consider image
content as a parametric surface. Then, an original parametric local model of
this surface representing image content is proposed. The few parameters
involved in the proposed model are shown to be very sensitive to
discontinuities in surface which correspond to edges in image content. This
naturally leads to the design of an efficient edge detector. Moreover, a
thorough analysis of the proposed model also allows us to explain how these
parameters can be used to obtain edge descriptors such as orientations and
curvatures.
In practice, the proposed methodology offers two main advantages. First, it
has high customization possibilities in order to be adjusted to a wide range of
different problems, from coarse to fine scale edge detection. Second, it is
very robust to blurring process and additive noise. Numerical results are
presented to emphasis these properties and to confirm efficiency of the
proposed method through a comparative study with other edge detectors.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figures and 2 table