Implicit Snakes: Active Constrained Implicit Models

Extended Abstract: We are exploring new techniques for active contour models (popularly known as “snakes”[1]) by combining active segmentation models with the constrained implicit surface model introduced by Savchenko, et al.[4] and reintroduced under the name of variational implicit surfaces as a modeling and shape morphing tool by Turk and O’Brien[5]. In related work, we pursued more efficient numerical methods for these techniques. For a more complete description of our modeling methods, see Morse[2]. Here we show that an active surface model can be created by combining constrained implicit surfaces with a solver that minimizes an appropriate functional. In these examples, our energy minimization techniques are relatively simple; new work in combing the active implicit modeling techniques with aggressive energy functionals is in progress. By extracting implicit models from discrete volume data, we are diverging from similar modeling methods described by Yngve and Turk[6].