Automatic Color Image Segmentation Using Deformable Net

Abstract

This paper proposes the use of deformation as a foundation for color image segmentation. Instead of deforming a single contour, typically used with other deformable contour methods, the proposed technique deforms a planner net. This net consists of a group of vertices connected by edges without crossing each other. The connected edges form polygons that represent the segmented regions boundaries. During the deformation process, the algorithm changes the location and the number of vertices as well as the number of polygons to enhance the segmentation fit. The deformation forces are generated based upon the homogeneity of the color distribution within the regions. The algorithm is completely autonomous and does not require any training or pre-knowledge about the image contents. The experimental results demonstrated the capability of the algorithm to segment color images from arbitrary sources within reasonable time. Furthermore, the compact mathematical representation of the resulting boundaries could be of value for further image analysis.