Mathematical Tools For Shape Analysis And Description

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Mathematical Tools for Shape Analysis and Description

Author : Silvia Biasotti
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 303179558X
Total Pages : 124 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (317 download)

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Book Synopsis Mathematical Tools for Shape Analysis and Description by : Silvia Biasotti

Download or read book Mathematical Tools for Shape Analysis and Description written by Silvia Biasotti and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-06-01 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a guide for researchers and practitioners to the new frontiers of 3D shape analysis and the complex mathematical tools most methods rely on. The target reader includes students, researchers and professionals with an undergraduate mathematics background, who wish to understand the mathematics behind shape analysis. The authors begin with a quick review of basic concepts in geometry, topology, differential geometry, and proceed to advanced notions of algebraic topology, always keeping an eye on the application of the theory, through examples of shape analysis methods such as 3D segmentation, correspondence, and retrieval. A number of research solutions in the field come from advances in pure and applied mathematics, as well as from the re-reading of classical theories and their adaptation to the discrete setting. In a world where disciplines (fortunately) have blurred boundaries, the authors believe that this guide will help to bridge the distance between theory and practice. Table of Contents: Acknowledgments / Figure Credits / About this Book / 3D Shape Analysis in a Nutshell / Geometry, Topology, and Shape Representation / Differential Geometry and Shape Analysis / Spectral Methods for Shape Analysis / Maps and Distances between Spaces / Algebraic Topology and Topology Invariants / Differential Topology and Shape Analysis / Reeb Graphs / Morse and Morse-Smale Complexes / Topological Persistence / Beyond Geometry and Topology / Resources / Bibliography / Authors' Biographies

3D Shape Analysis

Author : Hamid Laga
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119405106
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (194 download)

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Book Synopsis 3D Shape Analysis by : Hamid Laga

Download or read book 3D Shape Analysis written by Hamid Laga and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-01-07 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An in-depth description of the state-of-the-art of 3D shape analysis techniques and their applications This book discusses the different topics that come under the title of "3D shape analysis". It covers the theoretical foundations and the major solutions that have been presented in the literature. It also establishes links between solutions proposed by different communities that studied 3D shape, such as mathematics and statistics, medical imaging, computer vision, and computer graphics. The first part of 3D Shape Analysis: Fundamentals, Theory, and Applications provides a review of the background concepts such as methods for the acquisition and representation of 3D geometries, and the fundamentals of geometry and topology. It specifically covers stereo matching, structured light, and intrinsic vs. extrinsic properties of shape. Parts 2 and 3 present a range of mathematical and algorithmic tools (which are used for e.g., global descriptors, keypoint detectors, local feature descriptors, and algorithms) that are commonly used for the detection, registration, recognition, classification, and retrieval of 3D objects. Both also place strong emphasis on recent techniques motivated by the spread of commodity devices for 3D acquisition. Part 4 demonstrates the use of these techniques in a selection of 3D shape analysis applications. It covers 3D face recognition, object recognition in 3D scenes, and 3D shape retrieval. It also discusses examples of semantic applications and cross domain 3D retrieval, i.e. how to retrieve 3D models using various types of modalities, e.g. sketches and/or images. The book concludes with a summary of the main ideas and discussions of the future trends. 3D Shape Analysis: Fundamentals, Theory, and Applications is an excellent reference for graduate students, researchers, and professionals in different fields of mathematics, computer science, and engineering. It is also ideal for courses in computer vision and computer graphics, as well as for those seeking 3D industrial/commercial solutions.

Perspectives in Shape Analysis

Author : Michael Breuß
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319247263
Total Pages : 375 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (192 download)

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Book Synopsis Perspectives in Shape Analysis by : Michael Breuß

Download or read book Perspectives in Shape Analysis written by Michael Breuß and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-09-30 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents recent advances in the field of shape analysis. Written by experts in the fields of continuous-scale shape analysis, discrete shape analysis and sparsity, and numerical computing who hail from different communities, it provides a unique view of the topic from a broad range of perspectives. Over the last decade, it has become increasingly affordable to digitize shape information at high resolution. Yet analyzing and processing this data remains challenging because of the large amount of data involved, and because modern applications such as human-computer interaction require real-time processing. Meeting these challenges requires interdisciplinary approaches that combine concepts from a variety of research areas, including numerical computing, differential geometry, deformable shape modeling, sparse data representation, and machine learning. On the algorithmic side, many shape analysis tasks are modeled using partial differential equations, which can be solved using tools from the field of numerical computing. The fields of differential geometry and deformable shape modeling have recently begun to influence shape analysis methods. Furthermore, tools from the field of sparse representations, which aim to describe input data using a compressible representation with respect to a set of carefully selected basic elements, have the potential to significantly reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed in shape analysis tasks. The related field of machine learning offers similar potential. The goal of the Dagstuhl Seminar on New Perspectives in Shape Analysis held in February 2014 was to address these challenges with the help of the latest tools related to geometric, algorithmic and numerical concepts and to bring together researchers at the forefront of shape analysis who can work together to identify open problems and novel solutions. The book resulting from this seminar will appeal to researchers in the field of shape analysis, image and vision, from those who want to become more familiar with the field, to experts interested in learning about the latest advances.

Mathematics Of Shapes And Applications

Author : Sergey Kushnarev
Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9811200149
Total Pages : 220 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (112 download)

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Book Synopsis Mathematics Of Shapes And Applications by : Sergey Kushnarev

Download or read book Mathematics Of Shapes And Applications written by Sergey Kushnarev and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2019-11-20 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding how a single shape can incur a complex range of transformations, while defining the same perceptually obvious figure, entails a rich and challenging collection of problems, at the interface between applied mathematics, statistics and computer science. The program on Mathematics of Shapes and Applications, was held at the Institute for Mathematical Sciences at the National University of Singapore in 2016. It provided discussions on theoretical developments and numerous applications in computer vision, object recognition and medical imaging.The analysis of shapes is an example of a mathematical problem directly connected with applications while offering deep open challenges to theoretical mathematicians. It has grown, over the past decades, into an interdisciplinary area in which researchers studying infinite-dimensional Riemannian manifolds (global analysis) interact with applied mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists and biomedical engineers on a variety of problems involving shapes.The volume illustrates this wealth of subjects by providing new contributions on the metric structure of diffeomorphism groups and shape spaces, recent developments on deterministic and stochastic models of shape evolution, new computational methods manipulating shapes, and new statistical tools to analyze shape datasets. In addition to these contributions, applications of shape analysis to medical imaging and computational anatomy are discussed, leading, in particular, to improved understanding of the impact of cognitive diseases on the geometry of the brain.

Statistical Shape Analysis

Author : Ian L. Dryden
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119072506
Total Pages : 496 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Statistical Shape Analysis by : Ian L. Dryden

Download or read book Statistical Shape Analysis written by Ian L. Dryden and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-06-28 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A thoroughly revised and updated edition of this introduction to modern statistical methods for shape analysis Shape analysis is an important tool in the many disciplines where objects are compared using geometrical features. Examples include comparing brain shape in schizophrenia; investigating protein molecules in bioinformatics; and describing growth of organisms in biology. This book is a significant update of the highly-regarded `Statistical Shape Analysis’ by the same authors. The new edition lays the foundations of landmark shape analysis, including geometrical concepts and statistical techniques, and extends to include analysis of curves, surfaces, images and other types of object data. Key definitions and concepts are discussed throughout, and the relative merits of different approaches are presented. The authors have included substantial new material on recent statistical developments and offer numerous examples throughout the text. Concepts are introduced in an accessible manner, while retaining sufficient detail for more specialist statisticians to appreciate the challenges and opportunities of this new field. Computer code has been included for instructional use, along with exercises to enable readers to implement the applications themselves in R and to follow the key ideas by hands-on analysis. Statistical Shape Analysis: with Applications in R will offer a valuable introduction to this fast-moving research area for statisticians and other applied scientists working in diverse areas, including archaeology, bioinformatics, biology, chemistry, computer science, medicine, morphometics and image analysis .

Moving Shape Analysis and Control

Author : Marwan Moubachir
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1420003240
Total Pages : 312 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Moving Shape Analysis and Control by : Marwan Moubachir

Download or read book Moving Shape Analysis and Control written by Marwan Moubachir and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2006-01-13 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Problems involving the evolution of two- and three-dimensional domains arise in many areas of science and engineering. Emphasizing an Eulerian approach, Moving Shape Analysis and Control: Applications to Fluid Structure Interactions presents valuable tools for the mathematical analysis of evolving domains. The book illustrates the efficie

Innovations for Shape Analysis

Author : Michael Breuß
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3642341411
Total Pages : 510 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (423 download)

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Book Synopsis Innovations for Shape Analysis by : Michael Breuß

Download or read book Innovations for Shape Analysis written by Michael Breuß and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-04 with total page 510 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The concept of 'shape' is at the heart of image processing and computer vision, yet researchers still have some way to go to replicate the human brain's ability to extrapolate meaning from the most basic of outlines. This volume reflects the advances of the last decade, which have also opened up tough new challenges in image processing. Today's applications require flexible models as well as efficient, mathematically justified algorithms that allow data processing within an acceptable timeframe. Examining important topics in continuous-scale and discrete modeling, as well as in modern algorithms, the book is the product of a key seminar focused on innovations in the field. It is a thorough introduction to the latest technology, especially given the tutorial style of a number of chapters. It also succeeds in identifying promising avenues for future research. The topics covered include mathematical morphology, skeletonization, statistical shape modeling, continuous-scale shape models such as partial differential equations and the theory of discrete shape descriptors. Some authors highlight new areas of enquiry such as partite skeletons, multi-component shapes, deformable shape models, and the use of distance fields. Combining the latest theoretical analysis with cutting-edge applications, this book will attract both academics and engineers.

Elastic Shape Analysis of Three-Dimensional Objects

Author : Ian H. Jermyn
Publisher : Morgan & Claypool Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1681730286
Total Pages : 187 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (817 download)

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Book Synopsis Elastic Shape Analysis of Three-Dimensional Objects by : Ian H. Jermyn

Download or read book Elastic Shape Analysis of Three-Dimensional Objects written by Ian H. Jermyn and published by Morgan & Claypool Publishers. This book was released on 2017-09-15 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Statistical analysis of shapes of 3D objects is an important problem with a wide range of applications. This analysis is difficult for many reasons, including the fact that objects differ in both geometry and topology. In this manuscript, we narrow the problem by focusing on objects with fixed topology, say objects that are diffeomorphic to unit spheres, and develop tools for analyzing their geometries. The main challenges in this problem are to register points across objects and to perform analysis while being invariant to certain shape-preserving transformations. We develop a comprehensive framework for analyzing shapes of spherical objects, i.e., objects that are embeddings of a unit sphere in R, including tools for: quantifying shape differences, optimally deforming shapes into each other, summarizing shape samples, extracting principal modes of shape variability, and modeling shape variability associated with populations. An important strength of this framework is that it is elastic: it performs alignment, registration, and comparison in a single unified framework, while being invariant to shape-preserving transformations. The approach is essentially Riemannian in the following sense. We specify natural mathematical representations of surfaces of interest, and impose Riemannian metrics that are invariant to the actions of the shape-preserving transformations. In particular, they are invariant to reparameterizations of surfaces. While these metrics are too complicated to allow broad usage in practical applications, we introduce a novel representation, termed square-root normal fields (SRNFs), that transform a particular invariant elastic metric into the standard L2 metric. As a result, one can use standard techniques from functional data analysis for registering, comparing, and summarizing shapes. Specifically, this results in: pairwise registration of surfaces; computation of geodesic paths encoding optimal deformations; computation of Karcher means and covariances under the shape metric; tangent Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and extraction of dominant modes of variability; and finally, modeling of shape variability using wrapped normal densities. These ideas are demonstrated using two case studies: the analysis of surfaces denoting human bodies in terms of shape and pose variability; and the clustering and classification of the shapes of subcortical brain structures for use in medical diagnosis. This book develops these ideas without assuming advanced knowledge in differential geometry and statistics. We summarize some basic tools from differential geometry in the appendices, and introduce additional concepts and terminology as needed in the individual chapters.

Functional and Shape Data Analysis

Author : Anuj Srivastava
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 1493940201
Total Pages : 454 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (939 download)

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Book Synopsis Functional and Shape Data Analysis by : Anuj Srivastava

Download or read book Functional and Shape Data Analysis written by Anuj Srivastava and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-10-03 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook for courses on function data analysis and shape data analysis describes how to define, compare, and mathematically represent shapes, with a focus on statistical modeling and inference. It is aimed at graduate students in analysis in statistics, engineering, applied mathematics, neuroscience, biology, bioinformatics, and other related areas. The interdisciplinary nature of the broad range of ideas covered—from introductory theory to algorithmic implementations and some statistical case studies—is meant to familiarize graduate students with an array of tools that are relevant in developing computational solutions for shape and related analyses. These tools, gleaned from geometry, algebra, statistics, and computational science, are traditionally scattered across different courses, departments, and disciplines; Functional and Shape Data Analysis offers a unified, comprehensive solution by integrating the registration problem into shape analysis, better preparing graduate students for handling future scientific challenges. Recently, a data-driven and application-oriented focus on shape analysis has been trending. This text offers a self-contained treatment of this new generation of methods in shape analysis of curves. Its main focus is shape analysis of functions and curves—in one, two, and higher dimensions—both closed and open. It develops elegant Riemannian frameworks that provide both quantification of shape differences and registration of curves at the same time. Additionally, these methods are used for statistically summarizing given curve data, performing dimension reduction, and modeling observed variability. It is recommended that the reader have a background in calculus, linear algebra, numerical analysis, and computation.

Shape Analysis and Structuring

Author : Leila de Floriani
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3540332650
Total Pages : 305 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (43 download)

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Book Synopsis Shape Analysis and Structuring by : Leila de Floriani

Download or read book Shape Analysis and Structuring written by Leila de Floriani and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-12-24 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With a lot of recent developments in the field, this much-needed book has come at just the right time. It covers a variety of topics related to preserving and enhancing shape information at a geometric level. The contributors also cover subjects that are relevant to effectively capturing the structure of a shape by identifying relevant shape components and their mutual relationships.

Shapes and Geometries

Author : M. C. Delfour
Publisher : SIAM
ISBN 13 : 0898719828
Total Pages : 638 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (987 download)

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Book Synopsis Shapes and Geometries by : M. C. Delfour

Download or read book Shapes and Geometries written by M. C. Delfour and published by SIAM. This book was released on 2011-01-01 with total page 638 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This considerably enriched new edition provides a self-contained presentation of the mathematical foundations, constructions, and tools necessary for studying problems where the modeling, optimization, or control variable is the shape or the structure of a geometric object.

Shape Analysis and Classification

Author : Luciano da Fontoura Costa
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 9780849334931
Total Pages : 680 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (349 download)

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Book Synopsis Shape Analysis and Classification by : Luciano da Fontoura Costa

Download or read book Shape Analysis and Classification written by Luciano da Fontoura Costa and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2000-12-20 with total page 680 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in shape analysis impact a wide range of disciplines, from mathematics and engineering to medicine, archeology, and art. Anyone just entering the field, however, may find the few existing books on shape analysis too specific or advanced, and for students interested in the specific problem of shape recognition and characterization, traditional books on computer vision are too general. Shape Analysis and Classification: Theory and Practice offers an integrated and conceptual introduction to this dynamic field and its myriad applications. Beginning with the basic mathematical concepts, it deals with shape analysis, from image capture to pattern classification, and presents many of the most advanced and powerful techniques used in practice. The authors explore the relevant aspects of both shape characterization and recognition, and give special attention to practical issues, such as guidelines for implementation, validation, and assessment. Shape Analysis and Classification provides a rich resource for the computational characterization and classification of general shapes, from characters to biological entities. Both students and researchers can directly use its state-of-the-art concepts and techniques to solve their own problems involving the characterization and classification of visual shapes.

Mathematics of Shape Description

Author : Pijush K. Ghosh
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470823089
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (78 download)

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Book Synopsis Mathematics of Shape Description by : Pijush K. Ghosh

Download or read book Mathematics of Shape Description written by Pijush K. Ghosh and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-03-04 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Image processing problems are often not well defined because real images are contaminated with noise and other uncertain factors. In Mathematics of Shape Description, the authors take a mathematical approach to address these problems using the morphological and set-theoretic approach to image processing and computer graphics by presenting a simple shape model using two basic shape operators called Minkowski addition and decomposition. This book is ideal for professional researchers and engineers in Information Processing, Image Measurement, Shape Description, Shape Representation and Computer Graphics. Post-graduate and advanced undergraduate students in pure and applied mathematics, computer sciences, robotics and engineering will also benefit from this book. Key Features Explains the fundamental and advanced relationships between algebraic system and shape description through the set-theoretic approach Promotes interaction of image processing geochronology and mathematics in the field of algebraic geometry Provides a shape description scheme that is a notational system for the shape of objects Offers a thorough and detailed discussion on the mathematical characteristics and significance of the Minkowski operators

Ricci Flow for Shape Analysis and Surface Registration

Author : Wei Zeng
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1461487811
Total Pages : 150 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (614 download)

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Book Synopsis Ricci Flow for Shape Analysis and Surface Registration by : Wei Zeng

Download or read book Ricci Flow for Shape Analysis and Surface Registration written by Wei Zeng and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-10-18 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ricci Flow for Shape Analysis and Surface Registration introduces the beautiful and profound Ricci flow theory in a discrete setting. By using basic tools in linear algebra and multivariate calculus, readers can deduce all the major theorems in surface Ricci flow by themselves. The authors adapt the Ricci flow theory to practical computational algorithms, apply Ricci flow for shape analysis and surface registration, and demonstrate the power of Ricci flow in many applications in medical imaging, computer graphics, computer vision and wireless sensor network. Due to minimal pre-requisites, this book is accessible to engineers and medical experts, including educators, researchers, students and industry engineers who have an interest in solving real problems related to shape analysis and surface registration.

Mathematical Basics of Motion and Deformation in Computer Graphics

Author : Ken Anjyo
Publisher : Morgan & Claypool Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1627059849
Total Pages : 97 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (27 download)

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Book Synopsis Mathematical Basics of Motion and Deformation in Computer Graphics by : Ken Anjyo

Download or read book Mathematical Basics of Motion and Deformation in Computer Graphics written by Ken Anjyo and published by Morgan & Claypool Publishers. This book was released on 2017-04-13 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This synthesis lecture presents an intuitive introduction to the mathematics of motion and deformation in computer graphics. Starting with familiar concepts in graphics, such as Euler angles, quaternions, and affine transformations, we illustrate that a mathematical theory behind these concepts enables us to develop the techniques for efficient/effective creation of computer animation. This book, therefore, serves as a good guidepost to mathematics (differential geometry and Lie theory) for students of geometric modeling and animation in computer graphics. Experienced developers and researchers will also benefit from this book, since it gives a comprehensive overview of mathematical approaches that are particularly useful in character modeling, deformation, and animation.

Mathematical Basics of Motion and Deformation in Computer Graphics, Second Edition

Author : Ken Anjyo
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 303102592X
Total Pages : 79 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (31 download)

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Book Synopsis Mathematical Basics of Motion and Deformation in Computer Graphics, Second Edition by : Ken Anjyo

Download or read book Mathematical Basics of Motion and Deformation in Computer Graphics, Second Edition written by Ken Anjyo and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-06-01 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This synthesis lecture presents an intuitive introduction to the mathematics of motion and deformation in computer graphics. Starting with familiar concepts in graphics, such as Euler angles, quaternions, and affine transformations, we illustrate that a mathematical theory behind these concepts enables us to develop the techniques for efficient/effective creation of computer animation. This book, therefore, serves as a good guidepost to mathematics (differential geometry and Lie theory) for students of geometric modeling and animation in computer graphics. Experienced developers and researchers will also benefit from this book, since it gives a comprehensive overview of mathematical approaches that are particularly useful in character modeling, deformation, and animation.

Heterogeneous Spatial Data

Author : Giuseppe Patanè
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 303102589X
Total Pages : 129 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (31 download)

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Book Synopsis Heterogeneous Spatial Data by : Giuseppe Patanè

Download or read book Heterogeneous Spatial Data written by Giuseppe Patanè and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-05-31 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New data acquisition techniques are emerging and are providing fast and efficient means for multidimensional spatial data collection. Airborne LIDAR surveys, SAR satellites, stereo-photogrammetry and mobile mapping systems are increasingly used for the digital reconstruction of the environment. All these systems provide extremely high volumes of raw data, often enriched with other sensor data (e.g., beam intensity). Improving methods to process and visually analyze this massive amount of geospatial and user-generated data is crucial to increase the efficiency of organizations and to better manage societal challenges. Within this context, this book proposes an up-to-date view of computational methods and tools for spatio-temporal data fusion, multivariate surface generation, and feature extraction, along with their main applications for surface approximation and rainfall analysis. The book is intended to attract interest from different fields, such as computer vision, computer graphics, geomatics, and remote sensing, working on the common goal of processing 3D data. To this end, it presents and compares methods that process and analyze the massive amount of geospatial data in order to support better management of societal challenges through more timely and better decision making, independent of a specific data modeling paradigm (e.g., 2D vector data, regular grids or 3D point clouds). We also show how current research is developing from the traditional layered approach, adopted by most GIS softwares, to intelligent methods for integrating existing data sets that might contain important information on a geographical area and environmental phenomenon. These services combine traditional map-oriented visualization with fully 3D visual decision support methods and exploit semantics-oriented information (e.g., a-priori knowledge, annotations, segmentations) when processing, merging, and integrating big pre-existing data sets.