Geometric Level Set Methods in Imaging, Vision, and Graphics

Introduction Imageprocessing,computervisionandcomputergraphicsarenowestablished - search areas. Pattern recognition and arti?cial intelligence were the origins of the explorationofthespace ofimages.Simplistic digitaltechniquesusedatthe beg- ning of 60’s for gray image processing operations have been now replaced with a complex mathematical framework that aims to exploit and understand images in two and three dimensions. Advances in computing power continue to make the use and processing of visual information an important part of our lives. The evolution of these techniques was a natural outcome of the need to p- cess an emerging informationspace, the space of natural images. Images in space and time are now a critical part of many human activities. First, pictures and now video streams were used to eternalize small and signi?cant moments of our life. Entertainment including movies, TV-programs and video games are part of our every-day life where capturing, editing, understanding and transmitting images are issues to be dealt with. The medical sector is also a major area for the use of images. The evolution of the acquisition devices led to new ways of capturing information, not visible by the human eye. Medical imaging is probably the most established market for processing visual information[405]. Visualization of c- plex structures and automated processing towards computer aided diagnosis is used more and more by the physicians in the diagnostic process. Safety and se- rity are also important areas where images and video play a signi?cant role [432].

 

Level set methods are emerging techniques for representing, deforming, and recovering structures in an arbitrary dimension across different fields (mathematics, fluid dynamics, graphics, imaging, vision, etc.). Advances in numerical analysis have led to computationally efficient tools for computing and analyzing interface motion within level set frameworks in a host of application settings.

This authoritative edited survey provides readers with the state-of-the-art in applying level set techniques in the imaging, vision, and graphics domains, presenting thematically grouped chapters contributed by leading experts from both industry and academia. The work bridges the theoretical foundations of level set methods with the latest significant applications. It will assist readers with both the technical aspects of the field as well as its practical ramifications for areas like medical imaging, computer animation, film restoration, video surveillance, visual inspection, and a range of scientific and engineering disciplines.

Topics and features:

* Covers comprehensively the applications of imaging, vision, & graphics

* Includes a helpful introductory survey chapter on level set methods

* Provides a complete overview of concepts and advanced technologies in the field

* Describes leading-edge research, providing insight into a variety of

potential avenues for problem solving

* Supplies numerous implementations, examples, and relevant and useful experimental results

This essential resource carefully integrates the theoretical foundations of level set methods with their actual performance capabilities. Its clarity of organization and approach makes the book accessible for researchers and professionals working in the areas of vision, graphics, image processing, robotics, mathematics, and computational geometry.>