Journal Article

Modelling Convex Shape Priors and Matching Based on the Gromov-Wasserstein Distance

Schmitzer, Bernhard, Schnörr, Christoph

2013

Overview

We present a novel convex shape prior functional with potential for application in variational image segmentation. Starting point is the Gromov-Wasserstein Distance which is successfully applied in shape recognition and classification tasks but involves solving a non-convex optimization problem and which is non-convex as a function of the involved shape representations. In two steps we derive a convex approximation which takes the form of a modified transport problem and inherits the ability to incorporate vast classes of geometric invariances beyond rigid isometries. We propose ways to counterbalance the loss of descriptiveness induced by the required approximations and to process additional (non-geometric) feature information. We demonstrate combination with a linear appearance term and show that the resulting functional can be minimized by standard linear programming methods and yields a bijective registration between a given template shape and the segmented foreground image region. Key aspects of the approach are illustrated by numerical experiments.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Applications of Mathematics / Applied sciences / Approximation / Artificial intelligence / Assignment problem / Classification / Computer Science / Computer science; control theory; systems / Convexity / Euclidean space / Exact sciences and technology / Image Processing and Computer Vision / Image segmentation / Linear programming / Mathematical Methods in Physics / Pattern recognition. Digital image processing. Computational geometry / Shape recognition / Signal,Image and Speech Processing