Image segmentation with improved watershed algorithm and its FPGA implementation
Chih‐Jung Kuo, Souheil F. Odeh, Mo Chao Huang · 2002
This paper is concerned with image segmentation based on watershed transform techniques. It introduces a fast, improved watershed algorithm which processes 3/spl times/3 pixels in one process. Simulation results show that the improved watershed algorithm has a better throughput and yields comparable results to those of Vincent's immersion watershed algorithm. The improved algorithm is modified and formulated such that it is amenable to computing architecture implementation. An FPGA-based architecture that is developed to implement the proposed algorithm is presented. This architecture improves the applicability of this algorithm in real time applications. A description of the improved watershed algorithm, its extension to N/spl times/N pixels, and the architecture implementation is presented.