Region based segmentation

i. The segmentation which is carried out based on similarities in the given image is known as
region based segmentation.
ii. The regions that are formed using this method have the following properties
a. The sum of all the regions is equal to the whole image.
b. Each region is contiguous and connected
c. A pixel belongs to a single region only, hence there is no overlap of pixels.
d. Each region must satisfy some uniformity condition
e. Two adjacent regions do not have anything in common.
iii. Region based segmentation can be carried out in four different ways :
(I) Region Growing
(II) Region Splitting
(III) Region merging
(IV) Split and merge
Each of them is explained below
(I) Region Growing
i. The procedure in which pixels are grouped into larger regions based on some
predefined conditions is known as region growing
ii. The basic approach is to pick a seed point (Starting pixel) and grow regions from this
seed pixel
iii. Let us pick up a random pixel (x1,y1) from the image that needs to be segmented.
This pixel is called the seed pixel. The nearest neighbors of (x1,y1) are examined
depending on the type of connectivity assumed (4 connectivity or 8 connectivity)
iv. The neighboring pixel is accepted in the same region as (x1,y1) if they together satisfy
the homogeneity property of a region. That is, both of them satisfy a predefined condition
of the region.
v. Once a new pixel say (x2,y2) is accepted as a member of the current region, the
neighbors of this new pixel are examined to increase the region further.
vi. This procedure goes on until no new pixel is accepted. All the pixels of the current
region are given a unique label. Now a new seed is chosen and the same procedure is
repeated. This procedure is repeated till the time all the pixels are assigned to some group
or the other.
(II) Region Splitting
. In region splitting, we try to satisfy the homogeneity property where pixels that are
similar are grouped together.
ii. If the grey levels present in the region do not satisfy the property, we divide the region
into four equal quadrants. If the property is satisfied, we leave the region as it is.
iii. This is done repeatedly, until all the regions satisfy the given property.
iv. The splitting technique is shown below

v. In the above example, the entire image will be represented by R, this R is the parent
node, it is split into four leaf nodes R1, R2, R3 and R4. Of these leaf nodes only R4 does
not contain pixels which satisfy some common property, hence R4 is split into four
regions R41, R42, R43 andR44.
vi. Now if all the pixels in a particular region are satisfying some common property in
that region, then splitting is stopped. This is how region splitting works.

(III) Region Merging

i. The region merging method, is exactly opposite to the region splitting method
ii. In this method, we start from the pixel level and consider each of them as a
homogeneous region. At any level of merging we check if four adjacent homogeneous
regions arranged in a 2 x 2 manner, together satisfy the homogeneity property.
iii. If the property is satisfied, then the pixels are merged to form a bigger region,
otherwise the regions are left as they are.

(IV) Split and Merge

i. Region splitting and region merging were explained above, in region splitting we start
with the whole image and split the image into four quadrants. We continue splitting each
quadrant further, until all the sub-regions satisfy the predefined homogeneity property.
ii. In Region merging each pixel is taken as a small region, we merge small regions into
larger regions if they satisfy the homogeneity property.
iii. If the homogeneous regions are small, region merging technique is superior and if the
regions are large, region splitting is preferred.
iv. Now, in most applications a combination of both, region splitting and region merging is
used.
v. Such a technique where the above combination is used is known as Split and Merge
technique.
Edge linking using Hough transform.

Hough transform can be used for pixel linking and curve detection. The straight line
represented by y=mx+c can be expressed in polar coordinate system as,

ρ = xcos(θ)+ ysin(θ) …………………..(i)

Where ρ,θ defines a vector from the origin to the nearest pointon the straight line
y=mx+c. this vector will be perpendicular from the origin to the nearest point to the line
as shown in the below figure.

Any line in the x, y plane corresponds to the point in the 2D space defined by the
parameter and θ. This the Hough transform of a straight line in the x,y plane is a single
point in the ρ, θ space and these points should satisfy the given equation with x1,y1 as
constants. Thus the locus of all such lines in the x, y plane corresponds to the particular
sinusoidal curve in the ρ, θ space.

Suppose we have the edge points xi,yi that lie along the straight line having parameters
ρ0,θ0. Each edge point plots to a sinusoidal curve in the ρ,θ space, but these curves
must intersect at a point ρ0,θ0. Since this is a line they all have in common.

For example considering the equation of a line: y1= ax1+b

Using this equation and varying the values of a and b, infinite lines can pass through
this point (x1,y1).
However, if we write the equation as

B= -ax1+y1

And then consider the ab plane instead of xy plane, we get a straight line for a point
(xi,yi). This entire line in the ab plane is due to a single point in the xy plane and
different values of and b. Now consider another point (x2, y2) in the xy plane. The slope
intercept equation of this line is,

Y2= ax2+ b………………….(1)

Writing the equation in terms of the ab plane we get,

B= -ax2+y2………………..(2)

This is another line in the ab plane. These two line will intersect each other somewhere
in the ab plane only if they are part of a straight line in the xy plane. The point of
intersection in the ab plane is noted as (a’,b’). using this (a’,b’) in the standard slope-
intercept form i.e. y=a’x+b’, we get a line that passes through the points (x1 , y1) and
(x2, y2) in the xy plane.
HOUGH TRANSFORM
Segment the following image using region split and
merge technique. Draw quad tree representation for the
corresponding segmentation.
Segmentation techniques: Region growing and split and
merge