Abstract: A method for automatically processing a digital image to locate one or more windows that are substantially brighter than their surroundings begins by processing the digital image to compute a feature image identifying the location of features in the image based on a weighted contribution of edge information, brightness information, information corresponding to spatial activity and occlusion boundary information. Then the feature image is processed with one or more morphological filtering operations to provide edge smoothing and noise removal, thereby generating a filtered image. The filtered image is processed to identify zero or more regions, wherein the presence of one or more regions provides a segmented image, and the segmented image is logically combined with the occlusion boundary information to provide zero or more window candidates. Actual windows are deduced by verifying zero or more of the window candidates based on their mean intensity relative to the mean intensity of the digital image.

Abstract: An object mask and a set of control points defined for a given frame are subjected to morphological processing to remove false edge points and provide a more robust mask for use in tracking the object in a next frame. The morphological processing is performed on a frame by frame basis corresponding to object tracking so that errors added in by the object tracker do not accumulate, and instead are filtered out. Rapidly moving objects which are troublesome for edge-based object trackers are more readily tracked. Also, regions of low contrast or regions locked onto in the background when trying to identify the object are more readily distinguished and eliminated from the object mask.

Abstract: A binary morphological erosion operator image processor which operates on images of any size and dimension with a structuring element of any dimension and shape. The erosion operations are all processed in the 1D domain by first decomposing the image and structuring element into a series of 1D slices, and then further segmenting the structuring element into a plurality of shorter 1D segments. These segments are processed in parallel using an array of parallel processors. Once the erosion operations are completed, the resulting 1D slices are composed into a final eroded image.

Abstract: A method and system for segmenting textures in an image includes computing multiresolution simultaneous autoregressive (MSAR) features in the image, preparing an uncertainty map of the MSAR features (the uncertainty map including high confidence pixels and low confidence pixels), computing wavelet features in the image, preparing a classifier based on the high confidence pixels and the wavelet features, and reclassifying the low confidence pixels based on the classifier to obtain the final segmentation.

Abstract: A method for segmenting video data into foreground and background portions utilizes statistical modeling of the pixels. A statistical model of the background is built for each pixel, and each pixel in an incoming video frame is compared with the background statistical model for that pixel. Pixels are determined to be foreground or background based on the comparisons.

Abstract: A method of segmenting objects in an image is described. The method applies a Top Hat algorithm to the image then constructs inner and outer markers for application to the original image in a Watershed algorithm. The inner marker is constructed using binary erosion. The outer marker is constructed using binary dilation and perimeterisation. The method finds particular application for first level segmentation of a cell nucleus prior to detailed analysis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described that detect and correct for over-saturation lighting conditions in a CMOS Image Sensor.

Abstract: Methods, data, and systems are provided to warp an image. Input pixels associated with an input image are warped according to a provided or obtained warping function. A single weight is assigned to each input pixel. The weight represents each input pixel's horizontal and vertical dimensions within an output lattice. The single weight is combined with an intensity value associated with each input pixel to map each input pixel to the output lattice in a single processing pass.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus (106) for accessing items of information. The apparatus (106) comprises sixteen memory banks (202) and an address generator (204). Each of the sixteen memory banks (202) stores items of information associated with and corresponding to respective symbols of a sub-set of the symbols. These sub-sets of symbols are mutually exclusive and together comprise a set of symbols. The items of information of the sixteen memory banks (202) together constitute the whole of the items of information associated with and corresponding to the respective symbols of the set of symbols with no duplication of the items of information. The address generator (204) simultaneously generates sixteen addresses for the respective sixteen memory banks (202) in response to one input address, wherein the memory banks (202) output sixteen items of information associated with and corresponding to the respective symbols within a 4×4 neighbourhood of the symbol corresponding to said input address.

Abstract: A method including defining a morphological filtering operator designed to remove ringing artifacts in a decompressed image, and then applying that operator upon pixels of the decompressed image that belong to non-texture image regions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing noise in a three dimensional rectilinear parallelepiped data point array includes both erosion and dilation processes for each array point value. The erosion process includes the steps of determining gradients along all three axis which pass through a data point and modifying the point value as a function of the gradients to generate an updated point value. The dilation process includes the steps of using point values from the updated array, determining gradients along all three axis which pass through the point, and modifying the updated point value as a function of the gradients to generate a final and revised point value.

Abstract: A high speed image processing apparatus comprising a central processing unit and a memory to store images wherein a program directs the central processing unit to perform a poly-point operation on image data. Poly-point operations filter images without multiplication or division yet achieve versatile filter characteristics. Poly-point operations accomplish linear or non-linear filter operations quickly and allow complex image processing operations on general purpose computing apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for correcting a distorted image is capable of correcting an optical distortion of an image and misconvergence by prewarping an inputted image without using a convergence yoke, and an image displayer using the same. The apparatus for correcting an image distortion for an image displayer in which an image signal is inputted to display an image on a screen and an image distortion is corrected, includes: a reference image generator for generating a predetermined reference image; a camera for inputting the reference image and photographing an image outputted on the screen; and a distortion information extracting unit for comparing the photographed image outputted from the camera and the reference image outputted from the reference image generator, and generating distortion correction information to correct a distortion of the photographed image in case that the image has been distorted.

Abstract: A system capable of efficiently fusing image information from multiple sensors operating in different formats into a single composite image and simultaneously display all of the pertinent information of the original images as a single image.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing image texture information and a method therefor are provided. The apparatus for analyzing the image texture information includes a filtering unit for filtering a still image including a plurality of pixels of M rows×N columns with filters having different filtering coefficients, an X axis projector for calculating a gray level mean value of a row of N pixels, for each row, with respect to the filtered plurality of images, and a Y axis projector for calculating a gray level mean value of a column of M pixels, for each column, with respect to the filtered plurality of images. It is possible to describe the orientation and the periodicity of the texture in extracting the texture information.

Abstract: A system is provided for repairing a binary image image containing discontinuous segments of a character. The binary image comprises a two-dimensional array of pixels, and the system comprises a device for storing the binary image, and a processor for performing various steps, including (1) creating a morphological filter, (2) mapping the morphological filter onto a selected region of the binary image, wherein each element of the morphological filter corresponds to a pixel of the binary image, (3) for each of the elements of the morphological filter of the first filter type, determining whether the corresponding pixel of the binary image is set and any of the pixels of the binary image corresponding to the elements of the morphological filter of the second filter type are set, and (4) setting the pixel of the binary image corresponding to the center element of the morphological filter, responsive to the previous step.

Abstract: A method an apparatus for detecting lines in medical images is disclosed, wherein a direction image array and a line image array are formed by filtering a digital image with a single-peaked filter, convolving the resultant array with second order difference operators oriented along the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal axes, and computing the direction image arrays and line image arrays as direct scalar functions of the results of the second order difference operations. Advantageously, line detection based on the use of four line operator functions along the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions in accordance with the preferred embodiments actually results in fewer computations than line detection based on the use of three line operator functions. In particular, because of the special symmetries involved, 3×3 second order difference operators may be effectively used.

Abstract: A high speed image processing apparatus is created through the use of cascaded elongated filters. The processing speed of the filters is kernel size insensitive, enabling use of general purpose computing facilities to process high resolution, monochrome, and multi-spectrum images. Elongated filters described include both linear and non-linear filters. Very large kernel and multi-dimensional image processing is accomplished with reduced complexity and portable programming instructions.

Abstract: An image processing method using memory management and pre-computed look up tables to speed up computations. Application of filters along directions other than image rows is simplified using several structured processing approaches that improve image data cache-ability. Time consuming or repeated computations are pre-computed and stored as look up tables to reduce the time required for image processing and to remove or reduce the need for special purpose image processing hardware.

Abstract: An adaptive multiscale method approximates shapes with continuous or uniformly and densely sampled contours, with the purpose of sparsely and nonuniformly discretizing the boundaries of shapes at any prescribed resolution, while at the same time retaining the salient shape features at that resolution. In another aspect, a fundamental geometric filtering scheme using the Constrained Delaunay Triangulation (CDT) of polygonized shapes creates an efficient parsing of shapes into components that have semantic significance dependent only on the shapes' structure and not on their representations per se. A shape skeletonization process generalizes to sparsely discretized shapes, with the additional benefit of prunability to filter out irrelevant and morphologically insignificant features.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling writings and/or drawings created during or in advance of a virtual meeting or the like to be electronically delivered to an online audience or stored for subsequent on-demand viewing such that the writings and/or drawings may be replicated on an audience member's computer in a manner that makes them clearly readable. The invention is implemented via a software application that runs on a computer to which a video capture device is connected. The software application and/or computer peripheral components process captured video content to filter out data that do not pertain to the writings and/or drawings, based on the unique characteristics of writings and drawings as compared with other artifacts that may occupy the visual images. The remaining pertinent data is then transmitted to the on-line audience or saved for later on-demand viewing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processor (242) comprising a control register block (1470), a decoding block (1468), a data object processor (1462), and flow control logic. The control register block (1470) stores all the relevant information about the image processing operation. The decoding block (1468) decodes the information into configuration signals, which configure an input data object interface (1460). The input data object interface (1460) accepts and stores data objects from outside, and distributes these data objects to the data object processor (1462). For some image processing operations, the input data object interface (1460) may also generate addresses for data objects, so that the source of these data objects can provide the correct data objects. The data object processor (1462) performs arithmetic operations on the data objects received. The flow control logic controls the flow of data objects within the data object processing logic (1462).

Abstract: The invention provides machine vision systems and methods for morphological transformation of a source image, e.g., with non-uniform offsets. According to these, pixels from selected “neighborhoods,” or regions, of the source image are rearranged, or unfolded, into respective columns of an intermediate image. For each column in the intermediate image, the method identifies a pixel intensity value of selected rank. Once the pixel intensity value of selected rank is identified for each column, it is retained in a transformation image, e.g., at a location corresponding to center of the respective neighborhood. The foregoing steps are repeated, e.g., along strips or bands, for each neighborhood in the source image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for constructing a virtual microscope slide comprised of digitally scanned images from a microscope specimen. The digitally scanned images are arranged in a tiled format convenient for viewing without a microscope, and for transferring the tiled images for viewing by another at a remote location. Several original microscope views at a low magnification are digitized and stored as digitized images coherently seamed together to provide an overall virtual, macro image of the specimen at a lower resolution. Several original microscope views at higher magnifications are digitized and stored as digitized images coherently seamed together to provide virtual micro images at higher resolution. A data structure is formed with these virtual macro and micro digitized images along with their mapping coordinates. Preferably, a generic viewing program is also provided in the data structure that allows remote users to manipulate and interpret the tiled images on the user's monitor.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method generates a new view of a three-dimensional scene by receiving three or more pictures representing three or more different view points on a plane, each picture taken from a viewing direction perpendicular to the plane; selecting a new point on the plane; and generating the new view of the three dimensional scene from the new point by morphing among the three or more pictures. In another aspect, the method may also generate the new view by receiving two or more pictures from two or more view points located on a line along the direction of view; projecting the two or more pictures onto a cylinder; performing a multi-image morph on the images projected on the cylinder; and projecting the result of the multi-image morph to generate the new view of the three dimensional scene.

Abstract: Morphing is performed without self-intersection in a vector space, for the outlines for various types and shapes of figures. The morphing is performed by apparatus containing an outline extractor, for receiving two target figures for the morphing process and for extracting a set of outlines for each of the target figures; an outline tree generator and an outline tree arrangement unit, for retaining one specific outline of each of the two sets of outlines and for deleting the other outlines; an outline editor, for performing a smoothing process for the two outlines for the target figures that are retained by the outline tree arrangement unit in order to prevent self-intersection during the morphing process; and a sequence generator and a morphing viewer, for performing the morphing process in response to the progress made by the smoothing process performed by the smoothing processor.

Abstract: The invention provides machine vision systems for morphological transformation of a source image e.g., adapted for use with zero or uniform offsets. The systems have application, for example, in image erosion or dilation of images of varied image quality. Systems according to the invention compare each pixel in a first row (or line) of the image with a corresponding pixel in a second row of the image. In each comparison, the system identifies the pixel intensity of selected rank. Where the system effects a dilation-type transformation, for example, the comparison seeks a maximum of the compared pixels. For an erosion-type transformation, the comparison seeks a minimum. The pixel intensity value of selected rank (e.g., minimum or maximum) determined from each comparison is retained and, in turn, compared with the intensity values of the corresponding pixels in every other row in the image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel system and method that permits a “mask” to be directly incorporated into an image during image processing. This is accomplished by processing binary images or image data which are encoded using two bits rather than the usual one. The second bit is defined to be a “mask enable”, which directs a processor to pass the original data through to the output image regardless of the processing result for that pixel. The present invention also provides a means of automatically providing background data to the processor for pixels outside the original image so that the result image is always the same size as the original image. For binary images, the background may be defined to have a value of “0” or “1”, and this value is provided to the processing engine in place of all of the pixels which lie outside the original image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automated cell analysis of biological specimens automatically scans at a low magnification to acquire images which are analyzed to determine candidate cell objects of interest. The low magnification images are converted from a first color space to a second color space. The color space converted image is then low pass filtered and compared to a threshold to remove artifacts and background objects from the candidate object of interest pixels of the color converted image. The candidate object of interest pixels are morphologically processed to group candidate object of interest pixels together into groups which are compared to blob parameters to identify candidate objects of interest which correspond to cells or other structures relevant to medical diagnosis of the biological specimen. The location coordinates of the objects of interest are stored and additional images of the candidate cell objects are acquired at high magnification.

Abstract: A data processing system including a data processor, also called a processing accelerator, processes at least one processor word each clock cycle. Each processor word includes multiple complete data samples which are received individually as part of a sequential stream of logically adjacent or related data samples such as in image data pixels which are part of an image to be processed by a machine vision system. A predetermined number of the data samples are stored together, as a processor word, in dedicated processing accelerator memory. For example, four 8 bit data samples can be stored together as one 32 bit processor word. The system also includes a data aligner which allows the processing accelerator to process at least one processor word comprised of at least one data sample from two processor words. The aligner controls data sample alignment such as for example, pixel alignment in the case of a vision system, to facilitate image data processing.

Abstract: A hardware architecture for mathematical morphology operations such as dilation and erosion of an image signal is provided. A hardware architecture for an image dilation operation includes: a plurality of adders corresponding to the size of the structuring element for adding the image signal and a structuring element symmetrical to the image signal with respect to the origin to output the result; a plurality of stores for temporarily storing the signals output from the plural adders; a comparator for comparing data stored in the plural stores with feedback data to output the maximum data; and an outputting device for outputting the output signal of the comparator as a dilation operation value if the dilation operation with respect to all structuring elements for one image signal is completed and feeding back the output signal of the comparator as input data of the comparator if not.

Abstract: A method and system for the automated detection of lesions in medical images. Medical images, such as mammograms are segmented and optionally processing with peripheral enhancement and/or modified median filtering. A modified morphological open operation and filtering with a modified mass filter are performed for the initial detection of circumscribed lesions. Then, the lesions are matched using a deformable shape template with Fourier descriptors. Characterization of the match is done using simulated annealing, and measuring the circularity and density characteristics of the suspected lesion. The procedure is performed iteratively at different spatial resolution in which at each resolution step a specific lesion size is detected. The detection of the lesion leads to a localization of a suspicious region and thus the likelihood of cancer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the control of darkness/lightness in a digital image rendered by a printing system. The technique preferably employs templates to selectively apply different amounts of darkening (lightening) to borders of structures detected within the image dependent upon the need for darkening (lightening).

Abstract: A method and device for generating, displaying and manipulating three-dimensional images for medical applications is provided. The method creates a three-dimensional images from MRI or other similar medical imaging equipment. The medical imaging system allows a user to view the three-dimensional model at arbitrary angles, vary the light or color of different elements, and to remove confusing elements or to select particular organs for close viewing. Selection or removal of organs is accomplished using fuzzy connectivity methods to select the organ based on morphological parameters.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor &lgr;, and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: A two-dimensional PE (processing element) array that can achieve a small amount of hardware, short transfer time and high flexibility. It includes q.times.r CAMs, where q and r are any integers equal to or greater than two, and hit-flag lines. Each CAM has one-dimensionally arrayed w words, a hit-flag register capable of shift up and shift down, and an upper shift I/O port and a lower shift I/O port for inputting from and outputting to outside the contents of the hit-flag register. Each of the hit-flag lines connects the lower-shift I/O port of one of two horizontally adjacent CAMs with the upper-shift I/O port of the other of the two. The w words are arranged in m rows and n columns and are connected in a zigzag, and each word is assigned to a PE that performs various types of logical and arithmetic operations.

Abstract: A computer program product for locating first and second objects, each having substantially the same physical characteristics, and the ratio of the distance between the first and second objects and the size of each object is substantially invariant, the computer program product comprises: a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of determining potential flesh regions in an image; determining valley regions in an image; performing template matching for determining a plurality of locations that give a desirable match of the object relative to the template; and performing verification for determining the likelihood of pairs of potential eye candidates at the locations determined in the performing template matching step.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for generating an output time sequence of image frames from an input time sequence of image frames. For pairs of consecutive image frames of the input time sequence defining a frame rate less than a predetermined output frame rate, a plurality of feature points are identified and located in each of the consecutive image frames. Using the feature points, a first frame of the consecutive image frames is morphed with a second frame of the consecutive image frames to form at least one intermediate frame. The first frame, the at least one intermediate frame, and the second frame are then sequentially organized to form consecutive frames of the output time sequence having the predetermined output frame rate. Pairs of consecutive image frames of the input time sequence having at least the predetermined output frame rate are maintained as consecutive pairs in the output time sequence.

Abstract: A free-lying cell classifier. An automated microscope system comprising a computer and high speed processing field of view processors identifies free-lying cells. An image of a biological specimen is obtained and the image is segmented to create a set of binary masks. The binary masks are used by a feature calculator to compute the features that characterize objects of interest including free-lying cells, artifacts and other biological objects. The objects are classified to identify their type, their normality or abnormality or their identification as an artifact. The results are summarized and reported. A stain evaluation of the slide is performed as well as a typicality evaluation. The robustness of the measurement is also quantified as a classification confidence value. The free-lying cell evaluation is used by an automated cytology system to classify a biological specimen slide.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: Image primitive based maskless semiconductor wafer and liquid crystal display panel inspection by the characterization of wafer patterns. Potential defects are detected as exceptions to the rules of general semiconductor surface pattern structure. The wafer or liquid crystal display, lcd, structure is encoded into multiple profiles of a set of primitive characterization modules. Primitive profiles are correlated with potential defects along with aligned pattern images for surface component to surface component, lcd active matrix element to lcd active matrix element, comparison and further refines the results using data from multiple surface components or lcd active matrix elements. Multiple stage defect classification is applied to the potential defects to reject false defects. Multiple layer correlation and automatic learning enhance and tailor detection rules during a ramp-up stage. There is a dramatic reduction of false and nuisance defects and a high sensitivity to critical defects.

Abstract: A system for manipulating a computer generated animation in real time that includes a head mount configured to inhibit relative movement between the head mount and head of a wearer is provided. The head mount is coupled to a computer that processes data generated by the head mount in real time. Data generated by the facial movements of a wearer of the head mount is processed in real time so that an object, such as a cartoon in a virtual reality program, has facial expressions analogous to the facial expressions of the wearer, as the wearer is performing. A plurality of cameras monitor different localized regions of the wearer's face for sensing movements in these regions to generate data indicating movement. The cameras are attached to the head mount with flexible arms for precise positioning of the cameras. The cameras monitor each of the mouth, chin and cheek, and an eyebrow and forehead regions of the wearer's face and one of the wearer's eyes.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a bus buffer is provided. The bus buffer includes at least one buffer group having first and second groups of control input terminals. The first and second groups of control input terminals control different operational characteristics of the buffer group. The bus buffer includes first and second capture registers and first and second update registers. The data output terminals of the first update register are connected to the first group of control input terminals. The data output terminals of the second update register are coupled to the second group of control input terminals. The data input terminals of the first and second update registers are coupled to the data output terminals of the first and second capture registers, respectively. The bus buffer includes a new settings register having data output terminals coupled to the data input terminals of the capture registers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rendering pixel information from blended texture information is accomplished by generating first texture information and second texture information for a given pixel location. Having generated this information, the first and second texture information is blended, based on a blending function, to produce blended texture information. The blended texture information is then used to render the pixel information at the given pixel location. This process continues for each pixel location of an object element of an object, image, and/or scene.

Abstract: A data extraction processor receives data, such as image data, at a high rate of speed and generates processed results, generally at a much lower overall data rate. This sort of processing is particularly useful for machine vision image data, because it can reduce a large image data set to a much smaller data set that is more immediately useful for the currently running application. The data extraction processor may include a segmentation processor, a gradient processor, or other similar types of data extraction processors. The disclosed data extraction processor includes a data flow controller which provides image data to the processors and receives the results from the processors. The data flow controller includes at least one FIFO (first-in, first-out) memory, which allows for the provision of data to the data extraction processor and the receipt of result data therefrom to occur at different rates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel system and method that permits a "mask" to be directly incorporated into an image during image processing. This is accomplished by processing binary images or image data which are encoded using two bits rather than the usual one. The second bit is defined to be a "mask enable", which directs a processor to pass the original data through to the output image regardless of the processing result for that pixel. The present invention also provides a means of automatically providing background data to the processor for pixels outside the original image so that the result image is always the same size as the original image. For binary images, the background may be defined to have a value of "0" or "1", and this value is provided to the processing engine in place of all of the pixels which lie outside the original image.

Abstract: A system is provided for analysis of neoplasia in tissue at a very early stage as well as later stages of its progression and for reporting the progression or regression of the neoplasia. The system performs multi-parametric measurements of the morphological structure and texture of the tissue structure and correlates these measurements on a common morphological grading scale. The system performs certain tissue measurements which are more highly discriminating for one kind of neoplasia and performs other tissue measurement, which are more highly discriminating, for another kind of neoplasia. Diverse tissue measurements may be made on diverse tissue types such as breast, colon, or cervix tissue, etc. from animals or humans which tissue has subjected to different carcinogens or chemopreventive agents. The measurements are made in different units and on different scales; and then these measurements are combined and reported on a valid, objective, common, universal scale.

Abstract: A method for mapping a digitized image of a face to a wireframe is provided. The wireframe is composed of a plurality of nodes connected by lines. The method includes the steps of detecting a plurality of facial features from the plurality of pixels of a reference facial image. Corresponding facial landmark nodes in the wireframe topology are determined. A transform between the facial features and the landmark nodes is computed to map the wireframe topology to reference facial image. The reference facial image and a target facial image are cropped using a bounding box. The cropped reference facial image is registered with the cropped target facial image to determine a displacement field. The displacement field is applied to the mapped wireframe topology for the reference facial image to map the target facial image to the wireframe topology.