On the optimality of image processing pipeline

The optimisation of image processing steps such as segmentation and feature extraction individually in an application does not yield an optimal pipeline. In this paper we demonstrate how the use of different image segmentation algorithms directly impacts upon the quality of texture measures extracted from segmented regions and final classification ability. The difference between the best and the worst possible performances by choosing different algorithms is found to be significant. We then develop the methodology for determining the optimal pipeline for scene analysis and show our experimental results on the publicly available benchmark "MINERVA". (C) 2003 Pattern Recognition Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.