Self-organization for object extraction using a multilayer neural network and fuzziness measures

Abstract-The feedforward multilayer perceptron (MLP) with back-propagation of error is described. Since use of this network requires a set of labeled input-output, as such it cannot be used for segmentation of images when only one image is available. (However, if images to be processed are of similar nature, one can use a set of known images for learning and then use the network for processing of other images.) A self-organizing multilayer neural network architecture suitable for image processing is proposed. The proposed architecture is also a feedforward one with back-propagation of errors; but like MLP it does not require any supervised learning. Each neuron is connected to the corresponding neuron in the previous layer and the set of neighbors of that neuron. The output status of neurons in the output layer is described as a fuzzy set. A fuzziness measure of this fuzzy set is used as a measure of error in the system (instability of the network). Learning rates for various measures of fuzziness have been theoretically and experimentally studied. An application of the proposed network in object extraction from noisy scenes is also demonstrated. Index Terms- Image processing, object extraction, fuzzy sets, neural networks, multilayer perceptron. I.