A Parallel Thinning Algorithm for Grayscale Images

Michel Couprie (1) , Francisco Nivando Bezerra (2) , Gilles Bertrand (1)

1 LIGM - Laboratoire d'Informatique Gaspard-Monge
2 IFCE - Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation [Saumur]

Grayscale skeletonization offers an interesting alternative to traditional skeletonization following a binarization. It is well known that parallel algorithms for skeletonization outperform sequential ones in terms of quality of results, yet no general and well defined framework has been proposed until now for parallel grayscale thinning. We introduce in this paper a parallel thinning algorithm for grayscale images, and prove its topological soundness based on properties of the critical kernels framework. The algorithm and its proof, given here in the 2D case, are also valid in 3D. Some applications are sketched in conclusion.

Mots clés: thinning; parallel algorithm; digital topology; skeletonization

Domaines: Mathématique discrète [cs.DM]; Traitement des images [eess.IV]

Michel Couprie, Francisco Nivando Bezerra, Gilles Bertrand. A Parallel Thinning Algorithm for Grayscale Images. Discrete Geometry for Computer Imagery, Mar 2013, Spain. pp.71-82, ⟨10.1007/978-3-642-37067-0_7⟩. ⟨hal-00805682⟩