Riemannian Structure and Flows for Smooth Geometric Image Labeling

Abstract

AbstractThe image labeling problem can be described as assigning to each pixel a single element from a finite set of predefined labels. Recently, a smooth geometric approach for inferring such label assignments was proposed by following the Riemannian gradient flow of a given objective function on the so‐called assignment manifold. Due to the specific Riemannian structure, this results in a coupled replicator dynamic incorporating local spatial geometric averages of lifted data‐dependent distances. However, in this framework an approximation of the flow is necessary in order to arrive at explicit formulas. We discuss preliminary results of an alternative model where lifting and averaging is decoupled in the objective function so as to stay closer to established approaches and at the same time preserve the ingredients of the original approach. As a consequence the resulting flow is explicitly given, without the need for any approximation, while still exploiting the underlying Riemannian structure.