Multiple active contour models with application to region extraction

For interactive image manipulation, a new region extraction method using active contour model (ACM) is proposed. In this method, to the region of a single object, multiple ACMs controlled by the statistical characteristics of image data are applied. These ACMs compete with each other, and each ACM extracts a subregion of uniform image properties. The entire region of the object is extracted as a set of several subregions. This method requires multiple initial ACMs set suitably. To lighten this initial setting, a procedure for making initial ACMs from a few initial curves is also proposed. In this procedure, a few initial curves are set in an image, each initial curve is divided into appropriate number segments at the optimal loci, and multiple initial ACMs are made by dilating these segments.