This book discusses the computational geometry, topology and physics of digital images and video frame sequences. This trio of computational approaches encompasses the study of shape complexes, optical vortex nerves and proximities embedded in triangulated video frames and single images, while computational geometry focuses on the geometric structures that infuse triangulated visual scenes. The book first addresses the topology of cellular complexes to provide a basis for an introductory study of the computational topology of visual scenes, exploring the fabric, shapes and structures typically found in visual scenes. The book then examines the inherent geometry and topology of visual scenes, and the fine structure of light and light caustics of visual scenes, which bring into play catastrophe theory and the appearance of light caustic folds and cusps. Following on from this, the book introduces optical vortex nerves in triangulated digital images. In this context, computational physics is synonymous with the study of the fine structure of light choreographed in video frames. This choreography appears as a sequence of snapshots of light reflected and refracted from surface shapes, providing a solid foundation for detecting, analyzing and classifying visual scene shapes.

This book introduces the fundamentals of computer vision (CV), with a focus on extracting useful information from digital images and videos. Including a wealth of methods used in detecting and classifying image objects and their shapes, it is the first book to apply a trio of tools (computational geometry, topology and algorithms) in solving CV problems, shape tracking in image object recognition and detecting the repetition of shapes in single images and video frames. Computational geometry provides a visualization of topological structures such as neighborhoods of points embedded in images, while image topology supplies us with structures useful in the analysis and classification of image regions. Algorithms provide a practical, step-by-step means of viewing image structures. The implementations of CV methods in Matlab and Mathematica, classification of chapter problems with the symbols (easily solved) and (challenging) and its extensive glossary of key words, examples and connections with the fabric of CV make the book an invaluable resource for advanced undergraduate and first year graduate students in Engineering, Computer Science or Applied Mathematics. It offers insights into the design of CV experiments, inclusion of image processing methods in CV projects, as well as the reconstruction and interpretation of recorded natural scenes.

This book introduces computational proximity (CP) as an algorithmic approach to finding nonempty sets of points that are either close to each other or far apart. Typically in computational proximity, the book starts with some form of proximity space (topological space equipped with a proximity relation) that has an inherent geometry. In CP, two types of near sets are considered, namely, spatially near sets and descriptivelynear sets. It is shown that connectedness, boundedness, mesh nerves, convexity, shapes and shape theory are principal topics in the study of nearness and separation of physical aswell as abstract sets. CP has a hefty visual content. Applications of CP in computer vision, multimedia, brain activity, biology, social networks, and cosmology are included. The book has been derived from the lectures of the author in a graduate course on the topology of digital images taught over the past several years. Many of the students have provided important insights and valuable suggestions. The topics in this monograph introduce many forms of proximities with a computational flavour (especially, what has become known as the strong contact relation), many nuances of topological spaces, and point-free geometry.

This book carries forward recent work on visual patterns and structures in digital images and introduces a near set-based a topology of digital images. Visual patterns arise naturally in digital images viewed as sets of non-abstract points endowed with some form of proximity (nearness) relation. Proximity relations make it possible to construct uniform topologies on the sets of points that constitute a digital image. In keeping with an interest in gaining an understanding of digital images themselves as a rich source of patterns, this book introduces the basics of digital images from a computer vision perspective. In parallel with a computer vision perspective on digital images, this book also introduces the basics of proximity spaces. Not only the traditional view of spatial proximity relations but also the more recent descriptive proximity relations are considered. The beauty of the descriptive proximity approach is that it is possible to discover visual set patterns among sets that are non-overlapping and non-adjacent spatially. By combining the spatial proximity and descriptive proximity approaches, the search for salient visual patterns in digital images is enriched, deepened and broadened. A generous provision of Matlab and Mathematica scripts are used in this book to lay bare the fabric and essential features of digital images for those who are interested in finding visual patterns in images. The combination of computer vision techniques and topological methods lead to a deep understanding of images.

This book addresses key aspects of recent developments in applied mathematical analysis and its use. It also highlights a broad range of applications from science, engineering, technology and social perspectives. Each chapter investigates selected research problems and presents a balanced mix of theory, methods and applications for the chosen topics. Special emphasis is placed on presenting basic developments in applied mathematical analysis, and on highlighting the latest advances in this research area. The book is presented in a self-contained manner as far as possible, and includes sufficient references to allow the interested reader to pursue further research in this still-developing field. The primary audience for this book includes graduate students, researchers and educators; however, it will also be useful for general readers with an interest in recent developments in applied mathematical analysis and applications.

The principal aim of this book is to introduce topology and its many applications viewed within a framework that includes a consideration of compactness, completeness, continuity, filters, function spaces, grills, clusters and bunches, hyperspace topologies, initial and final structures, metric spaces, metrization, nets, proximal continuity, proximity spaces, separation axioms, and uniform spaces. This book provides a complete framework for the study of topology with a variety of applications in science and engineering that include camouflage filters, classification, digital image processing, forgery detection, Hausdorff raster spaces, image analysis, microscopy, paleontology, pattern recognition, population dynamics, stem cell biology, topological psychology, and visual merchandising. It is the first complete presentation on topology with applications considered in the context of proximity spaces, and the nearness and remoteness of sets of objects. A novel feature throughout this book is the use of near and far, discovered by F Riesz over 100 years ago. In addition, it is the first time that this form of topology is presented in the context of a number of new applications.

Fuzzy sets, near sets, and rough sets are useful and important stepping stones in a variety of approaches to image analysis. These three types of sets and their various hybridizations provide powerful frameworks for image analysis. Emphasizing the utility of fuzzy, near, and rough sets in image analysis, Rough Fuzzy Image Analysis: Foundations and Methodologies introduces the fundamentals and applications in the state of the art of rough fuzzy image analysis. In the first chapter, the distinguished editors explain how fuzzy, near, and rough sets provide the basis for the stages of pictorial pattern recognition: image transformation, feature extraction, and classification. The text then discusses hybrid approaches that combine fuzzy sets and rough sets in image analysis, illustrates how to perform image analysis using only rough sets, and describes tolerance spaces and a perceptual systems approach to image analysis. It also presents a free, downloadable implementation of near sets using the Near Set Evaluation and Recognition (NEAR) system, which visualizes concepts from near set theory. In addition, the book covers an array of applications, particularly in medical imaging involving breast cancer diagnosis, laryngeal pathology diagnosis, and brain MR segmentation. Edited by two leading researchers and with contributions from some of the best in the field, this volume fully reflects the diversity and richness of rough fuzzy image analysis. It deftly examines the underlying set theories as well as the diverse methods and applications.

This book discusses the computational geometry, topology and physics of digital images and video frame sequences. This trio of computational approaches encompasses the study of shape complexes, optical vortex nerves and proximities embedded in triangulated video frames and single images, while computational geometry focuses on the geometric structures that infuse triangulated visual scenes. The book first addresses the topology of cellular complexes to provide a basis for an introductory study of the computational topology of visual scenes, exploring the fabric, shapes and structures typically found in visual scenes. The book then examines the inherent geometry and topology of visual scenes, and the fine structure of light and light caustics of visual scenes, which bring into play catastrophe theory and the appearance of light caustic folds and cusps. Following on from this, the book introduces optical vortex nerves in triangulated digital images. In this context, computational physics is synonymous with the study of the fine structure of light choreographed in video frames. This choreography appears as a sequence of snapshots of light reflected and refracted from surface shapes, providing a solid foundation for detecting, analyzing and classifying visual scene shapes.

This book introduces the fundamentals of computer vision (CV), with a focus on extracting useful information from digital images and videos. Including a wealth of methods used in detecting and classifying image objects and their shapes, it is the first book to apply a trio of tools (computational geometry, topology and algorithms) in solving CV problems, shape tracking in image object recognition and detecting the repetition of shapes in single images and video frames. Computational geometry provides a visualization of topological structures such as neighborhoods of points embedded in images, while image topology supplies us with structures useful in the analysis and classification of image regions. Algorithms provide a practical, step-by-step means of viewing image structures. The implementations of CV methods in Matlab and Mathematica, classification of chapter problems with the symbols (easily solved) and (challenging) and its extensive glossary of key words, examples and connections with the fabric of CV make the book an invaluable resource for advanced undergraduate and first year graduate students in Engineering, Computer Science or Applied Mathematics. It offers insights into the design of CV experiments, inclusion of image processing methods in CV projects, as well as the reconstruction and interpretation of recorded natural scenes.

This book introduces computational proximity (CP) as an algorithmic approach to finding nonempty sets of points that are either close to each other or far apart. Typically in computational proximity, the book starts with some form of proximity space (topological space equipped with a proximity relation) that has an inherent geometry. In CP, two types of near sets are considered, namely, spatially near sets and descriptivelynear sets. It is shown that connectedness, boundedness, mesh nerves, convexity, shapes and shape theory are principal topics in the study of nearness and separation of physical aswell as abstract sets. CP has a hefty visual content. Applications of CP in computer vision, multimedia, brain activity, biology, social networks, and cosmology are included. The book has been derived from the lectures of the author in a graduate course on the topology of digital images taught over the past several years. Many of the students have provided important insights and valuable suggestions. The topics in this monograph introduce many forms of proximities with a computational flavour (especially, what has become known as the strong contact relation), many nuances of topological spaces, and point-free geometry.

This book carries forward recent work on visual patterns and structures in digital images and introduces a near set-based a topology of digital images. Visual patterns arise naturally in digital images viewed as sets of non-abstract points endowed with some form of proximity (nearness) relation. Proximity relations make it possible to construct uniform topologies on the sets of points that constitute a digital image. In keeping with an interest in gaining an understanding of digital images themselves as a rich source of patterns, this book introduces the basics of digital images from a computer vision perspective. In parallel with a computer vision perspective on digital images, this book also introduces the basics of proximity spaces. Not only the traditional view of spatial proximity relations but also the more recent descriptive proximity relations are considered. The beauty of the descriptive proximity approach is that it is possible to discover visual set patterns among sets that are non-overlapping and non-adjacent spatially. By combining the spatial proximity and descriptive proximity approaches, the search for salient visual patterns in digital images is enriched, deepened and broadened. A generous provision of Matlab and Mathematica scripts are used in this book to lay bare the fabric and essential features of digital images for those who are interested in finding visual patterns in images. The combination of computer vision techniques and topological methods lead to a deep understanding of images.

The LNCS journal Transactions on Rough Sets is devoted to the entire spectrum of rough sets related issues, from logical and mathematical foundations, through all aspects of rough set theory and its applications, such as data mining, knowledge discovery, and intelligent information processing, to relations between rough sets and other approaches to uncertainty, vagueness, and incompleteness, such as fuzzy sets and theory of evidence. Volume XIX in the series focuses on the current trends and advances in both the foundations and practical applications of rough sets. It contains 7 extended and revised papers originally presented at the Workshop on Rough Set Applications, RSA 2012, held in Wroclaw, Poland, in September 2012. In addition, the book features 3 contributions in the category of short surveys and monographs on the topic.

The LNCS journal Transactions on Rough Sets is devoted to the entire spectrum of rough sets related issues, from logical and mathematical foundations, through all aspects of rough set theory and its applications, such as data mining, knowledge discovery, and intelligent information processing, to relations between rough sets and other approaches to uncertainty, vagueness, and incompleteness, such as fuzzy sets and theory of evidence. Volume XVIII includes extensions of papers from the Joint Rough Set Symposium (JRS 2012), which was held in Chengdu, China, in August 2012. The seven papers that constitute this volume deal with topics such as: rough fuzzy sets, intuitionistic fuzzy sets, multi-granulation rough sets, decision-theoretic rough sets, three-way decisions and their applications in attribute reduction, feature selection, overlapping clustering, data mining, cost-sensitive learning, face recognition, and spam filtering.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the International Conference on Brain Informatics and Health, BIH 2014, held in Warsaw, Poland, in August 2014, as part of 2014 Web Intelligence Congress, WIC 2014. The 29 full papers presented together with 23 special session papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 101 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on brain understanding; cognitive modelling; brain data analytics; health data analytics; brain informatics and data management; semantic aspects of biomedical analytics; healthcare technologies and systems; analysis of complex medical data; understanding of information processing in brain; neuroimaging data processing strategies; advanced methods of interactive data mining for personalized medicine.

The LNCS journal Transactions on Rough Sets is devoted to the entire spectrum of rough sets related issues, from logical and mathematical foundations, through all aspects of rough set theory and its applications, such as data mining, knowledge discovery and intelligent information processing, to relations between rough sets and other approaches to uncertainty, vagueness, and incompleteness, such as fuzzy sets and theory of evidence. Volume XVII is a continuation of a number of research streams which have grown out of the seminal work by Zdzislaw Pawlak during the first decade of the 21st century. The research streams represented in the papers cover both theory and applications of rough, fuzzy and near sets as well as their combinations.

The LNCS journal Transactions on Rough Sets is devoted to the entire spectrum of rough sets related issues, from logical and mathematical foundations, through all aspects of rough set theory and its applications, such as data mining, knowledge discovery, and intelligent information processing, to relations between rough sets and other approaches to uncertainty, vagueness, and incompleteness, such as fuzzy sets and theory of evidence. Volume XVI includes extensions of papers from the Rough Sets and Knowledge Technology Conference which was held in Banff, Canada, in October 2011. In addition this book contains a long paper based on a PhD thesis. The papers cover both theory and applications of rough, fuzzy and near sets. They offer a continuation of a number of research streams which have grown out of the seminal work by Zdzislaw Pawlak during the first decade of the 21st century.

The LNCS journal Transactions on Rough Sets is devoted to the entire spectrum of rough sets related issues, from logical and mathematical foundations, through all aspects of rough set theory and its applications, such as data mining, knowledge discovery, and intelligent information processing, to relations between rough sets and other approaches to uncertainty, vagueness, and incompleteness, such as fuzzy sets and theory of evidence. Volume XV offers a number of research streams that have grown out of the seminal work by Zdzislaw Pawlak. The 4 contributions included in this volume presents a rough set approach in machine learning; the introduction of multi-valued near set theory; the advent of a complete system that supports a rough-near set approach to digital image analysis; and an exhaustive study of the mathematics of vagueness.

Volume X of the Transactions on Rough Sets (TRS) provides evidence of further growth in the rough set landscape, both in terms of its foundations and its applications. This volume of the TRS re?ects a number of research streams that were eitherdirectly orindirectly begunbytheseminalworkonroughsetsbyZdzis law 1 Pawlak (1926-2006) . This seminal work started with Zdzis law Pawlak's early 1970s work on knowledge description systems prior to his discovery of rough sets during the early 1980s. Evidence of the growth of various rough set-based 2 research streams can be found in the rough set database . This volume includes articles that are part of a special issue on "Foundations ofRoughSets"originallyproposedbyMihirChakraborty.Inadditiontoresearch on the foundations of rough sets, this volume of the TRS also presents papers that re?ect the profound in?uence of a number of other research initiatives by Zdzis law Pawlak. In particular, this volume introduces a number of new advances in the fo- dations of rough sets. These advances have signi?cant implications in a number of research areas such as entailment and approximation operators, extensions of informationsystems, informationentropyand granulation, lattices, multicriteria attractiveness evaluation of decision and association rules, ontological systems, rough approximation, and rough geometry in image analysis. ThisvolumeoftheTRShasbeenmadepossiblethankstothelaudablee?orts ofagreatmanygenerouspersonsandorganizations.Weextendourthankstothe following reviewers: Cheng Ching-Hsue, MartineDeCock, IvoDun ] tsch, Jianwen Fang, Anna Gomolin ska, Salvatore Greco, Jerzy W. Grzyma la-Busse, Masahiro Inuiguchi, Szymon Jaroszewicz, Jouni Ja ]rvinen, Piero Pagliani, Sankar Kumar Pal, Lech Polkowski, Yuhua Qian, Jaros law Stepaniuk, Wojciech Ziarko and Yiyu Yao."

Volume IX of the Transactions on Rough Sets (TRS) provides evidence of the continuing growth of a number of research streams that were either directly or indirectly begun by the seminal work on rough sets by Zdzis law Pawlak (1926- 1 2006) .OneoftheseresearchstreamsinspiredbyProf.Pawlakisroughset-based intelligent systems, a topic that was an important part of his early 1970s work on knowledge description systems prior to his discovery of rough sets during the early 1980s. Evidence of intelligent systems as a recurring motif over the past twodecadescanbefoundintherough-setliteraturethatnowincludesover4,000 2 publications by more than 1,600 authors in the rough set database . This volume of the TRS includes articles that are extensions of papers in- 3 cludedinthe?rstconferenceonRoughSetsandIntelligentSystemsParadigms . In addition to research on intelligent systems, this volume also presents papers that re?ect the profound in?uence of a number of other research initiatives by Zdzis law Pawlak. In particular, this volume introduces a number of new advances in the fo- dations and applications of arti?cial intelligence, engineering, image processing, logic, mathematics, medicine, music, and science. These advances have sign- icant implications in a number of research areas such as attribute reduction, approximation schemes, category-based inductive reasoning, classi?ers, classi- ing mappings, context algebras, data mining, decision attributes, decision rules, decision support, diagnostic feature analysis, EEG classi?cation, feature ana- sis, granular computing, hierarchical classi?ers, indiscernibility relations, inf- mationgranulation, informationsystems, musicalrhythm retrieval, probabilistic dependencies, reducts, rough-fuzzy C-means, rough inclusion functions, rou- ness, singing voice recognition, and vagueness. A total of 47 researchers are represented in this volu

VolumeVIIIoftheTransactions on Rough Sets (TRS)containsa widespectrum of contributions to the theory and applications of rough sets. The pioneering work by Prof. Zdzis law Pawlak led to the introduction of knowledge representation systems during the early 1970s and the discovery of rough sets during the early 1980s. During his lifetime, he nurtured worldwide interest in approximation, approximate reasoning, and rough set theory and its 1 applications . Evidence of the in?uence of Prof. Pawlak's work can be seen in the growth in the rough-set literature that now includes over 4000 publications 2 by more than 1900 authors in the rough set database as well as the growth and 3 maturity of the International Rough Set Society . This volume of TRS presents papers that introduce a number of new - vances in the foundations and applications of arti?cial intelligence, engineering, logic, mathematics, and science. These advances have signi?cant implications in a number of researchareas.In addition, it is evident from the papers included in this volume that roughset theoryand its application forma veryactiveresearch area worldwide. A total of 58 researchers from 11 countries are represented in this volume, namely, Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany, India, Poland, P.R. China, Oman, Spain, Sweden, and the USA. Evidence of the vigor, breadth, and depth of research in the theory and applications rough sets can be found in the articles in this volume. This volume contains 17 papers that explore a number of research streams.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Conference on Rough Sets and Emerging Intelligent Systems Paradigms, RSEISP 2007, held in Warsaw, Poland in June 2007 - dedicated to the memory of Professor Zdzislaw Pawlak.

The 73 revised full papers papers presented together with 2 keynote lectures and 11 invited papers were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on foundations of rough sets, foundations and applications of fuzzy sets, granular computing, algorithmic aspects of rough sets, rough set applications, rough/fuzzy approach, information systems and rough sets, data and text mining, machine learning, hybrid methods and applications, multiagent systems, applications in bioinformatics and medicine, multimedia applications, as well as web reasoning and human problem solving.

This volume of the Transactions on Rough Sets commemorates the life and work of Zdzislaw Pawlak (1926-2006), whose legacy is rich and varied. It presents papers that reflect the profound influence of a number of research initiatives by Professor Pawlak, introducing a number of new advances in the foundations and applications of artificial intelligence, engineering, logic, mathematics, and science.

Together with volume VI of the Transactions on Rough Sets series, this book commemorates the life and work of Zdzislaw Pawlak (1926-2006). It presents papers that reflect the profound influence of a number of research initiatives by Professor Pawlak, introducing a number of advances in the foundations and applications of AI, engineering, logic, mathematics, and science, which have had significant implications in a number of research areas.

This book is dedicated to the monumental life, work and creative genius of Zdzislaw Pawlak, the originator of rough sets, who passed away in April 2006. It opens with a commemorative article that gives a brief coverage of Pawlak's works in rough set theory, molecular computing, philosophy, painting and poetry. Fifteen papers explore the theory of rough sets in various domains as well as new applications of rough sets.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the First International Conference on Rough Sets and Knowledge Technology, RSKT 2006, held in Chongqing, China in July 2006.

The 43 revised full papers and 58 revised short papers presented together with 15 commemorative and invited papers were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 503 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on rough computing, evolutionary computing, fuzzy sets, granular computing, neural computing, machine learning and KDD, logics and reasoning, multiagent systems and Web intelligence, pattern recognition, system engineering and description, and real-life applications based on knowledge technology.