Iterative generalization of morphological skeleton

Abstract

This paper addresses the representation of binary images using mathematical morphology, a nonlinear theory for image processing, based on set theory. The new image representation, called “five-step” skeleton representation, is an extension of the morphological binary skeleton. It consists of calculating the morphological digital binary skeleton using squares or crosses and then reiterating the above procedure for skeleton subsets using lines (horizontal, vertical, 45° and 135°). The theoretical background of the new morphological iterative image representation is presented. Applications and results are illustrated by computer simulations.