Efficient optimization of a deformable template using dynamic programming

A novel deformable template is presented which detects the boundary of an open hand in a grayscale image. A dynamic programming algorithm enhanced by pruning techniques finds the hand contour in the image in as little as 19 seconds without initialization by the user. The template is translation- and rotation-invariant and accommodates shape deformation, significant occlusion and background clutter, and the presence of multiple hands.