title: Hierarchical shape description via the multiresolution symmetric axis transform.
abstract: A method is proposed that produces a shape description in the form of a hierarchy by scale of simple symmetric axis sequences. An axis segment that is a child of another has smaller scale and is seen as a branch of its parent. The scale value and parent-child relationship are induced by following the symmetric axis under successive reduction of resolution. The result, in two or three dimensions, is a figure¿rather than boundary¿oriented shape description that has natural segments and is insensitive to noise in the object description. The general approach of hierarchy production by following a feature through successive resolution reduction will be presented, as will methods of resolution reduction and computer implementation. Also, the relation of this figure-based shape description to those based on boundary curvature will be briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and the Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pizer
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bloomberg