title: Morse operators for digital planar surfaces and their application to image segmentation.
abstract: This paper introduces the concept of digital planar surfaces and corresponding Morse operators. These operators offer a novel and powerful method for construction and de-construction of such surfaces in a way that global topological control of the resulting object is always maintained. In that respect, this paper offers a complete pixel characterization tool. Image handling is a natural application for such approach. We present a novel fast algorithm for image segmentation using Morse operators for digital planar surfaces. It classifies as a region growing technique with added topological control and is extremely useful for applications that need proper object description. Results from real data are stimulating, and show that the segmentation algorithm compares very well with other methods. The topological approach also forms a base for future expansion to applications such as volume segmentation.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências da Computação e Estatística, ICMC, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Gustavo
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Nonato
authors.forename: Antônio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castelo Filho
authors.forename: Rosane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Minghim
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Batista
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted