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Segmentation of complex objects’ sonar images using parameter-fixed MRF model

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Abstract

The effective method of the recognition of underwater complex objects in sonar image is to segment sonar image into target, shadow and sea-bottom reverberation regions and then extract the edge of the object. Because of the time-varying and space-varying characters of underwater acoustics environment, the sonar images have poor quality and serious speckle noise, so traditional image segmentation is unable to achieve precise segmentation. In the paper, the image segmentation process based on MRF (Markov random field) model is studied, and a practical method of estimating model parameters is proposed. Through analyzing the impact of chosen model parameters, a sonar imagery segmentation algorithm based on fixed parameters’ MRF model is proposed. Both of the segmentation effect and the low computing load are gained. By applying the algorithm to the synthesized texture image and actual side-scan sonar image, the algorithm can be achieved with precise segmentation result.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, 150001, China

    Yao Bin, Li Hai-sen & Zhou Tian

  2. Post-Doctor Workstation of Instrument Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China

    Li Hai-sen & Sun Sheng-he

Authors
  1. Yao Bin
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  2. Li Hai-sen
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  3. Zhou Tian
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  4. Sun Sheng-he
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Additional information

Foundation item: Supported by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. LRB00025), Research Fund for Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20050217010) and Foundation under the Underwater Acoustic Technology National Key Lab (Grant No. 9140C200501060C20).

YAO Bin was born in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China in 1980. He received the bachelor and master degree in Harbin Engineering University. Recently he is studying for his doctor degree in Harbin Engineering University. His research interests are sonar image analysis and recognition.

LI Hai-sen was born in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China in 1962. He received the doctor’s degree in Harbin Engineering University in 1999. He is a fellow of Acoustic Society of China. His research interests are underwater acoustic engineering and signal processing.

ZHOU Tian was born in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, China in 1980. In 2005, he received his doctor’s degree in Harbin Engineering University. His research interests are in the general area of underwater acoustics.

S un sheng-he was born in Rongcheng, Shandong Province. He was graduated from the Specialty of Electromagnetism Survey, Harbin Institute of Technology in 1961 and postgraduate class with the same specialty in 1962. His research interests mainly include automatic test, signal and information processing and technology of optical fibre sensor.

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Yao, B., Li, Hs., Zhou, T. et al. Segmentation of complex objects’ sonar images using parameter-fixed MRF model. J Mar. Sc. Appl. 5, 42–47 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11804-006-6032-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11804-006-6032-y

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