Image Processing
Adaptive Shape Contour Tracing Algorithm by Emad Attalla, Ph.D.
ABSTRACT
In this paper we are going to present a new shape contour tracing algorithm called ¡§Adaptive Contour Tracing Algorithm¡¨. The algorithm can trace open and closed discontinuous digital shapes and return an ordered set of boundary points that represent the contour of the shape. Unlike other algorithms that return boundary points that are part of the traced shape, our algorithm returns background points that are adjacent to the shape¡¦s contour. Furthermore, the algorithm is not hindered by shapes that are noisy and ill-defined as it can adapt to interruptions in the shape¡¦s contour using a pre-set tolerance and is able to scan multiple neighbors of a given point. The algorithm has a low complexity and no restrictions on the type or size of the traced shape. The extracted ordered set of boundary points represents the contour of a given shape and is important for curvature-based shape descriptors.
Categories and Subject Descriptors
I.4.6 [Image Processing and Computer Vision]: Segmentation ¡V Edge and feature detection, Pixel classification
General Terms
Algorithms.
Keywords
Image Processing; Contour Tracing; Shape Boundary Extraction.
1. INTRODUCTION
Contour tracing is an important process in boundary-based shape matching. All shapes are represented by a pattern of pixels and the contour pixels are usually a small subset of that pattern. Curvature-based shape matching methods rely on the contour pixels to describe the irregularities in shapes and a reliable contour-tracing algorithm is needed to extract the boundary of shapes. If the shape has holes then another hole search algorithm need to be applied to extract the hole pattern and such an algorithm is not part of this article.
We developed a sequential contour-tracing algorithm denoted the ¡§Adaptive Contour Tracing Algorithm¡¨. The algorithm computes the surrounding contour of any shape and adapts to all types of closed
ABSTRACT
In this paper we are going to present a new shape contour tracing algorithm called ¡§Adaptive Contour Tracing Algorithm¡¨. The algorithm can trace open and closed discontinuous digital shapes and return an ordered set of boundary points that represent the contour of the shape. Unlike other algorithms that return boundary points that are part of the traced shape, our algorithm returns background points that are adjacent to the shape¡¦s contour. Furthermore, the algorithm is not hindered by shapes that are noisy and ill-defined as it can adapt to interruptions in the shape¡¦s contour using a pre-set tolerance and is able to scan multiple neighbors of a given point. The algorithm has a low complexity and no restrictions on the type or size of the traced shape. The extracted ordered set of boundary points represents the contour of a given shape and is important for curvature-based shape descriptors.
Categories and Subject Descriptors
I.4.6 [Image Processing and Computer Vision]: Segmentation ¡V Edge and feature detection, Pixel classification
General Terms
Algorithms.
Keywords
Image Processing; Contour Tracing; Shape Boundary Extraction.
1. INTRODUCTION
Contour tracing is an important process in boundary-based shape matching. All shapes are represented by a pattern of pixels and the contour pixels are usually a small subset of that pattern. Curvature-based shape matching methods rely on the contour pixels to describe the irregularities in shapes and a reliable contour-tracing algorithm is needed to extract the boundary of shapes. If the shape has holes then another hole search algorithm need to be applied to extract the hole pattern and such an algorithm is not part of this article.
We developed a sequential contour-tracing algorithm denoted the ¡§Adaptive Contour Tracing Algorithm¡¨. The algorithm computes the surrounding contour of any shape and adapts to all types of closed
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