This monograph reports a thought experiment with a mathematical structure intended to illustrate the workings of a mind. It presents a mathematical theory of human thought based on pattern theory with a graph-based approach to thinking. The method illustrated and produced by extensive computer simulations is related to neural networks. Based mainly on introspection, it is speculative rather than empirical such that it differs radically in attitude from the conventional wisdom of current cognitive science.

In this book a global shape model is developed and applied to the analysis of real pictures acquired with a visible light camera under varying conditions of optical degradation. Computational feasibility of the algorithms derived from this model is achieved by analytical means. The aim is to develop methods for image understanding based on structured restoration, for example automatic detection of abnormalities. We also want to find the limits of applicability of the algorithms. This is done by making the optical degradations more and more severe until the algorithms no longer succeed in their task. This computer experiment in pattern theory is one of several. The others, LEAVES, X-RAYS, and RANGE are described elsewhere. This book is suitable for an advanced undergraduate or graduate seminar in pattern theory, or as an accompanying book for applied probability, computer vision, or pattern recognition.

This book arose out of a number of different contexts, and numerous persons have contributed to its conception and development. It had its origin in a project initiated jointly with the IBM Cambridge Scien tific Center, particularly with Dr. Rhett Tsao, then of that Center. We are grateful to Mr. Norman Rasmussen, Manager of the IBM Scientific Center Complex, for his initial support. The work is being carried on at Brown University with generous support from the Office of Computing Activities of the National Science Foundation (grants GJ-174 and GJ-7l0); we are grateful to Dr. John Lehmann of this Office for his interest and encouragement. Professors Donald McClure and Richard Vitale of the Division of Applied Mathematics at Brown University contributed greatly to the project and taught courses in its spirit. We are indebted to them and to Dr. Tore Dalenius of the University of Stockholm for helpful criticisms of the manuscript. The final stimulus to the book's completion came from an invLtation to teach a course at the IBM European Systems Research Institute at Geneva. We are grateful to Dr. J.F. Blackburn, Director of the Institute, for his invitation, and to him and his wife Beverley for their hospitality. We are greatly indebted to Mrs. Katrina Avery for her splendid secretarial and editorial work on the manuscript."

The aim of pattern theory is to create mathematical knowledge representations of complex systems, analyze the mathematical properties of the resulting regular structures, and to apply them to practically occurring patterns in nature and the man-made world. Starting from an algebraic formulation of such representations they are studied in terms of their topological, dynamical and probabilistic aspects. Patterns are expressed through their typical behavior as well as through their variability around their typical form. Employing the representations (regular structures) algorithms are derived for the understanding, recognition, and restoration of observed patterns. The algorithms are investigated through computer experiments. The book is intended for statisticians and mathematicians with an interest in image analysis and pattern theory.

Pattern Theory provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the modern challenges in signal, data, and pattern analysis in speech recognition, computational linguistics, image analysis and computer vision. Aimed at graduate students in biomedical engineering, mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering with a good background in mathematics and probability, the text includes numerous exercises and an extensive bibliography. Additional resources including extended proofs, selected solutions and examples are available on a companion website.
The book commences with a short overview of pattern theory and the basics of statistics and estimation theory. Chapters 3-6 discuss the role of representation of patterns via condition structure. Chapters 7 and 8 examine the second central component of pattern theory: groups of geometric transformation applied to the representation of geometric objects. Chapter 9 moves into probabilistic structures in the continuum, studying random processes and random fields indexed over subsets of Rn. Chapters 10 and 11 continue with transformations and patterns indexed over the continuum. Chapters 12-14 extend from the pure representations of shapes to the Bayes estimation of shapes and their parametric representation. Chapters 15 and 16 study the estimation of infinite dimensional shape in the newly emergent field of Computational Anatomy. Finally, Chapters 17 and 18 look at inference, exploring random sampling approaches for estimation of model order and parametric representing of shapes.

Pattern Theory: From Representation to Inference provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the modern challenges in signal, data and pattern analysis in speech recognition, computational linguistics, image analysis and computer vision. Aimed at graduate students in biomedical engineering, mathematics, computer science and electrical engineering with a good background in mathematics and probability, the text includes numerous exercises and an extensive bibliography. Additional resources including extended proofs, selected solutions and examples are available on a companion website. The book commences with a short overview of pattern theory and the basics of statistics and estimation theory. Chapters 3-6 discuss the role of representation of patterns via conditioning structure and Chapters 7 and 8 examine the second central component of pattern theory: groups of geometric transformation applied to the representation of geometric objects. Chapter 9 moves into probabilistic structures in the continuum, studying random processes and random fields indexed over subsets of Rn, and Chapters 10, 11 continue with transformations and patterns indexed over the continuum. Chapters 12-14 extend from the pure representations of shapes to the Bayes estimation of shapes and their parametric representation. Chapters 15 and 16 study the estimation of infinite dimensional shape in the newly emergent field of Computational Anatomy, and finally Chapters 17 and 18 look at inference, exploring random sampling approaches for estimation of model order and parametric representing of shapes.

Additional Editors Are Jerzy Neyman And Michel Loeve.

Additional Editors Are Jerzy Neyman And Michel Loeve.