Representation
Topics
Representation
Introduction
Chain Codes
Polygonal Approximations
Signatures
Boundary Segments
Skeletons
Convex Hull
Shape Number
Fourier Descriptors
Representation
The result of segmentation should be represented and
described in a form suitable for further computer
processing.
A region can be represented in terms of its external
characteristics (boundary).
A region can be represented in terms of its internal
characteristics.
Chain Codes
Chain codes are generated by following a boundary in a
clockwise or counter-clockwise direction and assigning a
direction to the segments connecting every pair of pixels.
Disadvantage: Can be unacceptably long.
Solution: Re-sampling (down sample) the boundary
Disadvantage: Is starting point dependent
Solution: Normalize the representation string to the
smallest integer.
Chain Code Directions
Sample Chain Code
Down Sampling
Polygonal Approximation
A boundary can be represented with arbitrary accuracy
by a polygon.
The approximation is exact when the number of sides
is equal to the number of points in the boundary.
Finding a polygonal representation can be very time-
consuming.
Minimum Perimeter Polygons
Splitting Techniques
Signature
A signature is a 1D representation of a boundary.
e.g. Plotting distance to centroid as a function of angle
Invariant to translation
Disadvantages:
Rotation and scaling dependant
Defined only for convex regions
Signature Example
Boundary Segments
Decomposing a boundary into segments simplifies
representation.
Convex Hull can be used for decomposition.
A new segment can be started whenever a Convex Hull
deficiency is entered or exited.
Boundary Segments Example
Skeleton
The structural shape of a region can be represented by
a graph.
The structural graph is obtained by thinning the
region and finding the skeleton.
The Convex Hull
If S is the figure surface and H is the convex hull
surface, H-S is called the convex deficiency. The
boundary is partitioned at the points of deviation
between the boundaries of S and H.
This concept is useful to describe both an entire region
and its boundary.
Boundary Descriptors
Some Simple Descriptors:
The length of the boundary
The curvature: the rate of change of the slope.
Shape Number
Based on 4-directional-chain code, the shape number
is the difference wıth the smallest magnitude. The
number of digits in the shape number is the called the
order.
The shape number can also be defined using 8-
directional-chain code
Fourier Descriptors
Fourier Descriptors
Since the high frequency DFT components of s(k) only
account for details, the Fourier series representation of
s(k) can be truncated to M < N elements, resulting in
the approximation S’
Note that it still represents all N points of the
boundary, however, with less Fourier components.
Regional Descriptors
Some Simple Descriptors
The Area
The Perimeter
The Compactness = perimeter2/Area2
Topological Descriptors
The Number of Holes: H
The number of Connected Elements: C
Euler’s Number = C – H
Questions?
