8216383
Locating object contours in complex background using improved snakes
An active contour model, called snake, can adapt to object boundary in an image. A snake is defined as an energy minimizing spline guided by external constraint forces and influenced by image forces that pull it toward features such as lines or edges. The traditional snake model fails to locate object contours that appear in complex background. In this paper, we present an improved snake model associated with new regional similarity energy and a gravitation force field to attract the snake approaching the object contours efficiently. Experiment results show that our snake model works successfully for convex and concave objects in a variety of complex backgrounds.
44494763
Inter-Frame Interpolation By Snake Model And Greedy Algorithm
In this paper, we present a novel method to solve the inter-frame interpolation problem in image morphing. We use our improved snake model that is associated with the gravitational force field to locate control points in the object contours. Afterwards, we apply the greedy algorithm in free-form deformations to achieve optimal warps among feature point pairs in starting and ending frames. The new method uses an energy-minimization function under the influence of inter-frames. The energy serves to impose frame-wise and curve-wise constraints among the interpolated frames.
15545048
ELB-Q: A New Method for Improving the Robustness in DNA Microarray Image Quantification
Reliable and robust quantification of signal intensities is a critical step in microarray-based biomedical studies. However, traditional techniques for microarray image processing would face significant challenges if the number of pixels used for the quantification of the local background and the foreground decreases dramatically. We have developed a new method, ELB-Q, which, by design, is well suited for the image quantification of microarrays with very high density of spot layout (large number of spots arranged in unit area). In ELB-Q, a large extended local background (ELB) inter spot region excluding those ldquonoise of the backgroundrdquo pixels is used for estimating the local background, and the quantification of spot intensities (mean and median) in the putative target spot regions is performed after further excluding background pixels in these areas based on the cutoff values established during the ELB calculation. ELB-Q takes advantage of the abundant spatial information around each spot of interest, makes no assumption of the shape and size of the spots, and needs no sophisticated adjustment. We show results of image processing using ELB-Q on both the simulated data and real DNA microarrays, which compare favorably in robustness and accuracy against those obtained with Gene Pix Pro 6.0 (Axon Instruments, 1999) and the Markov random field (MRF) modeling approach (O. Demirkaya , Bioinformatics, vol. 21, pp. 2994-3000, 2005). The ELB-Q software is developed in Matlab, and is available upon request.
38952395
Efficient Contour Detection Based On Improved Snake Model
Active contour model, also called snake, adapts to edges in an image. A snake is defined as an energy minimizing spline – the snake's energy depends on its shape and location within the image. Problems associated with initialization and poor convergence to boundary concavities, however, have limited its utility. In this paper, we present a new external force field, named gravitation force field, for the snake model. We associate this force field with edge preserving smoothing to drive the snake for solving the problems. Our gravitation force field uses gradient values as particles to construct force field in the whole image. This force field will attract the active contour toward the edge boundary. The locations of the initial contour are very flexible, such that they can be very far away from the objects and can be inside, outside, or the mixture. The improved snake can converge toward the object boundary in a fast pace.
6920854
Chaos inducement and Enhancement in Two Particular Nonlinear Maps Using Weak Periodic/quasiperiodic Perturbations
Weak periodic perturbation has long been used to suppress chaos in dynamical systems. In this paper, however, we demonstrate that weak periodic or quasiperiodic perturbation can also be used to induce chaos in nonchaotic parameter ranges of chaotic maps, or to enhance the already existing chaotic state. Two kinds of chaotic maps, the period doubling system and the Hopf bifurcation system, are employed as basic models to analyze and compare in detail the different mechanisms of inducing and enhancing chaos in them. In addition, a special kind of intermittency characterized by its periodicity is found for the first time in periodically perturbed Henon map, and reasonable speculations are presented to explain its complicated dynamics.
31414473
Improved Learning Algorithm Based on Generalized SOM for Dynamic Non-linear System
This paper proposes an improved learning algorithm based on generalized SOM for dynamical non-linear system identification. To improve the convergent speed and the accuracy of SOM algorithm, we propose the improved self-organizing algorithm, which, at first, applies the multiple local models instead of the global model, and secondly, adjusts the weights of the computing output layers along with the weights of the competing neurons layer during the training process. We prove that the improved algorithm is convergent if the network has suitable initial weights and small positive real parameters. The simulation results using our improved generalized SOM show an improvement for non-linear system compared to traditional neural network control systems.
7470395
A Simulation-Based 3D Axon Axis Extraction in Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy Images
Neuron axon analysis is a fundamental mean to investigate nervous system in neurobiology and often requires collecting a great amount of statistical information. Automated extraction of axons axis in 3D microscopic images posts a key problem in the field of neuron axon analysis. To address tortuous axons with several touchings in 3D volumes, a novel simulation based approach with regard to volume modeling and scenario mapping is presented. Given the simulation model, the properties of dataset and the nature of axon (e.g., continuity) are converted to physics laws including the principle of minimum potential energy, law of buoyancy, and law of inertia. Experimental results on axon volumes show the proposed algorithm can effectively handle axon touching problem and actually extract multiple axon axes.
7532408
Simplifying Mixture Models Through Function Approximation
The finite mixture model is widely used in various statistical learning problems. However, the model obtained may contain a large number of components, making it inefficient in practical applications. In this paper, we propose to simplify the mixture model by minimizing an upper bound of the approximation error between the original and the simplified model, under the use of the L 2 distance measure. This is achieved by first grouping similar components together and then performing local fitting through function approximation. The simplified model obtained can then be used as a replacement of the original model to speed up various algorithms involving mixture models during training (e.g., Bayesian filtering, belief propagation) and testing [e.g., kernel density estimation, support vector machine (SVM) testing]. Encouraging results are observed in the experiments on density estimation, clustering-based image segmentation, and simplification of SVM decision functions.
15937167
High-throughput layered decoder implementation for quasi-cyclic LDPC codes
This paper presents a high-throughput decoder design for the Quasi-Cyclic (QC) Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes. Two new techniques are proposed, including parallel layered decoding architecture (PLDA) and critical path splitting. PLDA enables parallel processing for all layers by establishing dedicated message passing paths among them. The decoder avoids crossbar-based large interconnect network. Critical path splitting technique is based on articulate adjustment of the starting point of each layer to maximize the time intervals between adjacent layers, such that the critical path delay can be split into pipeline stages. Furthermore, min-sum and loosely coupled algorithms are employed for area efficiency. As a case study, a rate-1/2 2304-bit irregular LDPC decoder is implemented using ASIC design in 90 nm CMOS process. The decoder can achieve the maximum decoding throughput of 2.2 Gbps at 10 iterations. The operating frequency is 950 MHz after synthesis and the chip area is 2.9 mm2.