Modelling human shape with articulated shape mixtures

Abstract

This paper describes a statistical framework for recognising 2D shapes with articulated components. The shapes are represented using both geometrical and a symbolic primitives, that are encapsulated in a two layer hierarchical architecture. Each primitive is modelled so as to allow a degree of articulated freedom using a polar point distribution model that captures how the primitive movement varies over a training set. Each segment is assigned a symbolic label to distinguish its identity, and the overall shape is represented by a configuration of labels. We demonstrate how both the point-distribution model and the symbolic labels can be combined to perform recognition using a probabilistic hierarchical algorithm. This involves recovering the parameters of the point distribution model that minimise an alignment error, and recovering symbol configurations that minimise a structural error. We apply the recognition method to human moving skeleton. © Springer-Verlag 2004.