title: A multistage, optimal active contour model.
abstract: Energy-minimizing active contour models or snakes can be used in many applications such as edge detection, motion tracking, image matching, computer vision, and three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction. We present a novel snake that is superior both in accuracy and convergence speed over previous snake algorithms. High performance is achieved by using spline representation and dividing the energy-minimization process into multiple stages. The first stage is designed to optimize the convergence speed in order to allow the snake to quickly approach the minimum-energy state. The second stage is devoted to snake refinement and to local minimization of energy, thereby driving the snake to a quasiminimum-energy state. The third stage uses the Bellman (1957) optimality principle to fine-tune the snake to the global minimum-energy state. This three-stage scheme is optimized for both accuracy and speed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomed. Eng., Kentucky Univ., Lexington, KY.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hassebrook
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knapp