Invariant methods for real-time object recognition and image understanding

Abstract

In this paper we discuss certain recently developed invariant geometric techniques that can be used for fast object recognition or fast image understanding. The results make use of techniques from algebraic geometry that allow one to relate the geometric invariants of a feature set in 3D to similar invariants in 2D or 1D. The methods apply equally well to optical images or radar images. In addition to the "object/image" equations relating these invariants, we also discuss certain invariant metrics and show why they provide a more natural and robust test for matching object features to image features. Additional aspects of the work as it applies to shape reconstruction and shape statistics will also be explored.