color image segmentation using neuro-fuzzy system in a novel optimized color space

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE Color image segmentation using neuro-fuzzy system in a novel optimized color space B. Somayeh Mousavi Fazlollah Soleymani Navid Razmjooy Received: 12 April 2012 / Accepted: 19 July 2012 Ó Springer-Verlag London Limited 2012 Abstract Segmentation is one of the most important pre- processing steps toward pattern recognition and image understanding. It is often used to partition an image into separate regions, which ideally correspond to different real- world objects. In this paper, novel color image segmenta- tion is proposed and implemented using fuzzy inference system in optimized color space. This system, which is designed by neuro-adaptive learning technique, applies a sample image as an input and can reveal the likelihood of being a special color for each pixel through the image. The intensity of each pixel shows this likelihood in the gray- level output image. After choosing threshold value, a bin- ary image is obtained, which can be applied as a mask to segment desired color in input image. Besides using fuzzy systems, optimizing color space for segmentation is another feature of proposed method. This optimizing is implemented by genetic algorithms and influence on sys- tem accuracy. Two applications of developed method are discussed, and still it could be applicable in wide range of color image segmentation or object detection purposes. Keywords Image segmentation Color space Fuzzy inference system Genetic algorithm 1 Introduction Segmentation is a process that partitions an image into regions [1]. Image segmentation is an essential but critical component in low-level vision, image analysis, pattern recognition and now robotic system. One of the most useful applications of the color image segmentation is object detection. Simple segmentation by color thresholding may be insufficient in this case. Not until recently, color image segmentation has attracted more and more attention mainly due to reasons such as the ones below: Color image provides far more information than gray- scale images, and segmentations are more reliable. Computational power of available computers has rapidly increased in recent years, being able even for PCs to process color images. Handling of huge image databases, which are mainly formed by color images, as the Internet. Outbreak of digital cameras, 3G mobile phones and video sets in everyday life. Improvement in sensing capabilities of intelligent systems and machines. Common approaches for color image segmentation are clustering algorithms such as K-means [2] or mixture of principal components [3]. However, these algorithms do not take spatial information into account. Some progress has been made on this issue; still, much experimentation needs to be done [4]. In general, color segmentation methods could be classified as [5, 6]: B. Somayeh Mousavi Department of Electrical Engineering, Hatef Higher Education Institute, Zahedan, Iran e-mail: [email protected] F. Soleymani (&) Department of Mathematics, Zahedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan, Iran e-mail: [email protected] N. Razmjooy Young Researchers Club, Majlesi Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran e-mail: [email protected] 123 Neural Comput & Applic DOI 10.1007/s00521-012-1102-3

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Page 1: Color image segmentation using neuro-fuzzy system in a novel optimized color space

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Color image segmentation using neuro-fuzzy system in a noveloptimized color space

B. Somayeh Mousavi • Fazlollah Soleymani •

Navid Razmjooy

Received: 12 April 2012 / Accepted: 19 July 2012

� Springer-Verlag London Limited 2012

Abstract Segmentation is one of the most important pre-

processing steps toward pattern recognition and image

understanding. It is often used to partition an image into

separate regions, which ideally correspond to different real-

world objects. In this paper, novel color image segmenta-

tion is proposed and implemented using fuzzy inference

system in optimized color space. This system, which is

designed by neuro-adaptive learning technique, applies a

sample image as an input and can reveal the likelihood of

being a special color for each pixel through the image. The

intensity of each pixel shows this likelihood in the gray-

level output image. After choosing threshold value, a bin-

ary image is obtained, which can be applied as a mask to

segment desired color in input image. Besides using fuzzy

systems, optimizing color space for segmentation is

another feature of proposed method. This optimizing is

implemented by genetic algorithms and influence on sys-

tem accuracy. Two applications of developed method are

discussed, and still it could be applicable in wide range of

color image segmentation or object detection purposes.

Keywords Image segmentation � Color space � Fuzzy

inference system � Genetic algorithm

1 Introduction

Segmentation is a process that partitions an image into

regions [1]. Image segmentation is an essential but critical

component in low-level vision, image analysis, pattern

recognition and now robotic system. One of the most useful

applications of the color image segmentation is object

detection. Simple segmentation by color thresholding may

be insufficient in this case.

Not until recently, color image segmentation has

attracted more and more attention mainly due to reasons

such as the ones below:

• Color image provides far more information than gray-

scale images, and segmentations are more reliable.

• Computational power of available computers has

rapidly increased in recent years, being able even for

PCs to process color images.

• Handling of huge image databases, which are mainly

formed by color images, as the Internet.

• Outbreak of digital cameras, 3G mobile phones and

video sets in everyday life.

• Improvement in sensing capabilities of intelligent

systems and machines.

Common approaches for color image segmentation are

clustering algorithms such as K-means [2] or mixture of

principal components [3]. However, these algorithms do

not take spatial information into account. Some progress

has been made on this issue; still, much experimentation

needs to be done [4]. In general, color segmentation

methods could be classified as [5, 6]:

B. Somayeh Mousavi

Department of Electrical Engineering,

Hatef Higher Education Institute, Zahedan, Iran

e-mail: [email protected]

F. Soleymani (&)

Department of Mathematics, Zahedan Branch,

Islamic Azad University, Zahedan, Iran

e-mail: [email protected]

N. Razmjooy

Young Researchers Club, Majlesi Branch,

Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

e-mail: [email protected]

123

Neural Comput & Applic

DOI 10.1007/s00521-012-1102-3

Page 2: Color image segmentation using neuro-fuzzy system in a novel optimized color space

1. Histogram thresholding (mode method) and color

space clustering: Histogram thresholding is one of

the widely used techniques for monochrome image

segmentation [7]. It assumes that images are composed

of regions with different gray-level ranges; the histo-

gram of an image can be separated into a number of

peaks (modes), each corresponding to one region, and

there exists a threshold value corresponding to valley

between the two adjacent peaks. As for color images,

the situation is different from monochrome image

because of multi-features. Multiple histogram-based

thresholding divided the color space by thresholding

each component histogram. There is some limitation

when dividing multiple dimensions because threshold-

ing is a technique for gray scale images. For example,

the shape of the cluster is rectangle [8].

2. Region-based approaches: Region-based approaches,

including region growing, region splitting, region

merging and their combinations, attempt to group

pixels into homogeneous regions. The region-based

approach is widely used in color image segmentation

because it considers the color information and spatial

details at the same time [9].

3. Edge detection: In a monochrome image, edge is

defined as a discontinuity in the gray level and can be

detected only when there is a difference of the

brightness between two regions. However, in color

images, the information about edge is much richer than

that in monochrome case. For example, edges between

two objects with the same brightness but different hue

can be detected in color images [10]. Accordingly, in a

color image, an edge should be defined by a discon-

tinuity in a three-dimensional color space. It should be

emphasized here that edge detection cannot segment

an image by itself. It can only provide useful

information about the region boundaries for the higher

level systems, or it can be combined with other

approaches, for example, region based approaches

[11], to complete the segmentation tasks.

4. Fuzzy techniques: The segmentation approaches men-

tioned above take crisp decisions about regions.

Nevertheless, the regions in an image are not always

crisply defined, and uncertainty can arise within each

level of image analysis and pattern recognition. Fuzzy

set theory provides a mechanism to represent and

manipulate uncertainty and ambiguity. Fuzzy opera-

tors, properties, mathematics and inference rules (IF–

THEN rules) have found considerable applications in

image segmentation [12].

5. Neural networks approaches: Artificial neural networks

(ANN) are widely applied for pattern recognition. Their

extended parallel processing capability and nonlinear

characteristics are used for classification and clustering.

ANN explore many competing hypotheses simulta-

neously through parallel nets instead of performing a

program of instructions sequentially; hence, ANN can

be feasible for parallel processing. Neural networks are

composed of many computational elements connected

by links with variable weights. The complete network,

therefore, represents a very complex set of interdepen-

dencies which may incorporate any degree of nonlin-

earity, allowing very general function to be modelled.

Training times are usually very long, but after training,

the classification using ANN is rapid [13].

In this paper, a novel method is described that can

segment special color or object with special color in an

input color image. Using accurately designed fuzzy infer-

ence system (FIS), acceptable results are obtained. FIS is

supposed to successfully overcome the complexity and

uncertainty problems. Fuzzy set theory provides a mecha-

nism to represent and manipulate uncertainty and ambi-

guity. In fact, fuzzy operators, properties, mathematics and

inference rules (IF–THEN rules) have found considerable

applications in image segmentation [14]. Moreover,

another unique feature of proposed system is introducing a

color space as the optimum color space in segmentation

purpose. This novel optimizing color space method is

developed based on genetic algorithms (GAs). GAs are

robust to computation, readily implemented with parallel

processing and powerful for global optimization. To show

efficiency of designed algorithm, it is applied to skin and

potato color segmentation. Results improve the robustness

of algorithm, especially in optimum color space.

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows:

After a brief description of FIS and GAs concepts in this

section, in Sect. 2, steps of algorithm designing are dis-

cussed. Section 3 develops two applications of proposed

systems including skin color segmentation and also potato

color segmentation. Some experimental results are shown

in Sect. 4, and the paper is concluded in Sect. 5.

1.1 Fuzzy inference system

Fuzzy sets theory provides a framework to materialize the

fuzzy rule-based (or inference) systems that have been

applied to many disciplines such as control systems,

decision-making and pattern recognition [15]. The fuzzy

rule-based system consists of a fuzzification interface, a

rule base, a database, a decision-making unit and finally a

defuzzification interface [16]. These five functional blocks

are described as follows:

• A rule base containing a number of fuzzy IF–THEN

rules.

• A database that defines the membership functions (MF)

of the fuzzy sets.

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• A fuzzification interface that transforms the input crisp

values to input fuzzy values.

• A decision-making unit that performs the inference

operation on the rules and producing the fuzzy results.

• A defuzzification interface that transforms the fuzzy

results of the decision-making unit to the crisp output

value.

In order to perform the inference operation in the fuzzy

rule-based system, the crisp inputs are firstly converted to

the fuzzy values by comparing the input crisp values with

the database membership functions. Then, IF–THEN fuzzy

rules are applied on the input fuzzy values to make con-

sequence of each rule, as the output fuzzy values. The

outputs obtained for each rule are aggregated into a single

output fuzzy value, using a fuzzy aggregation operator.

Finally, defuzzification is utilized to convert the output

fuzzy value to the real-world value as the output.

Sugeno type is one the commonly used fuzzy inference

method that is employed in this study as well. The Sugeno

fuzzy model was proposed by Takagi, Sugeno and Kang in

an effort to formalize a system approach to generating fuzzy

rules from an input–output data set. Sugeno fuzzy model is

also known as Sugeno–Takagi model. A typical fuzzy rule

in a Sugeno fuzzy model has the following format:

IF x is A and y is B THEN z ¼ f ðx; yÞ;

where A, B are fuzzy sets in the antecedent; Z = f(x, y) is a

crisp function in the consequent. Usually, f(x, y) is a poly-

nomial in the input variables x and y, but it can be any other

functions that can appropriately describe the output of the

system within the fuzzy region specified by the antecedent of

the rule. When f(x, y) is a first-order polynomial, we have the

first-order Sugeno fuzzy model. When f is a constant, we

then have the zero-order Sugeno fuzzy model, which can be

viewed either as a special case of the Mamdani FIS where

each rule’s consequent is specified by a fuzzy singleton or a

special case of Tsukamoto’s fuzzy model where each rule’s

consequent is specified by a membership function of a step

function centred at the constant. Moreover, a zero-order

Sugeno fuzzy model is functionally equivalent to a radial

basis function network under certain minor constraints.

Figure 1 depicts an example of Sugeno fuzzy model.

1.2 Canonical genetic algorithm

Genetic algorithms are adaptive algorithms for finding the

global optimum solution for an optimization problem. The

canonical genetic algorithm is developed by binary represen-

tation of individual solutions, simple problem-independent

crossover and mutation operators, and a proportional selection

rule [17]. The population members are strings or chromosomes,

which as originally conceived are binary representations of

solution vectors. CGA undertakes to select subsets of solutions

from a population, called parents, to combine them to produce

new solutions called children (or offspring). Rules of combi-

nation to yield children are based on the genetic notion of

crossover, which consists of interchanging solution values of

particular variables, together with occasional operations such

as random value changes, called mutations. Children produced

by the mating of parents and that pass a survivability test are

then available to be chosen as parents of the next generation.

The choice of parents to be matched in each generation is based

on a biased random sampling scheme, which in some cases is

implemented in parallel over separate subpopulations whose

best members are periodically exchanged or shared. The main

concepts of GA are as follows:

• Initialization: In the initialization, the first thing to do is

to decide the coding structure. Coding for a solution,

termed a chromosome in GA literature, is usually

described as a string of symbols from {0, 1}. These

components of the chromosome are then labelled as

genes. The number of bits that must be used to describe

the parameters is problem dependent.

• Selection: CGA uses proportional selection; the popu-

lation of the next generation is determined by n

independent random experiments; the probability that

individual xi is selected from the tuple (x1, x2, …, xm)

to be a member of the next generation at each

experiment is given by:

Pfxi is selectedg ¼ f ðxiÞPmj¼1 f ðxiÞ

[ 0: ð1Þ

This process is also called roulette wheel parent selection

and may be viewed as a roulette wheel where each member

Fig. 1 An example of Sugeno fuzzy system

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of the population is represented by a slice that is directly

proportional to the member’s fitness. A selection step is

then a spin of the wheel, which in the long run tends to

eliminate the least fit population members.

• Crossover: Crossover is an important random operator

in CGA, and the function of the crossover operator is to

generate new or ‘child’ chromosomes from two ‘par-

ent’ chromosomes by combining the information

extracted from the parents. The method of crossover

used in CGA is the one-point crossover. By this

method, for a chromosome of a length l, a random

number c between 1 and l is first generated. The first

child chromosome is formed by appending the last l-c

elements of the first parent chromosome to the first c

elements of the second parent chromosome. The second

child chromosome is formed by appending the last l-c

elements of the second parent chromosome to the first c

elements of the first parent chromosome. Typically, the

probability for crossover ranges from 0.6 to 0.95.

• Mutation: Mutation is another important component in

CGA, though it is usually conceived as a background

operator. It operates independently on each individual

by probabilistically perturbing each bit string. A usual

way to mutate used in CGA is to generate a random

number t between 1 and l and then make a random

change in the tth element of the string with probability

Pm [ (0, 1). Typically, the probability for bit mutation

ranges from 0.001 to 0.01.

2 Proposed method

There are two critical issues for color image segmentation:

1. What color space should be adopted?

2. What segmentation method should be utilized?

Here, optimized HIS color space and Fuzzy technique

for segmentation are applied. The proposed system is a

Sugeno-type fuzzy inference system. This system is used as

a classifier to segment special color in an input image. A

training set of desired color is needed to design and after

that, the system could be applied in any arbitrary image to

segment the special color. More details are in following

sub-sections.

2.1 Color space selection

What we commonly call color is actually our perception of

light waves from a thin band of frequencies within the

electromagnetic spectrum. This region of visible light

ranges from about 4.3 9 1014 Hertz to about 7 9 1014

Hertz. Individual colors are identified by their dominant

wavelength k (which represent hue), excitation purity

(which represent saturation) and luminance (which repre-

sents intensity). We often refer to color by their dominant

wave length. Using this notation, colors range from about

400 nm for violet to about 700 nm for red. Computer sci-

entists use color models to describe different colors.

Many different color models exist in computer graphics.

Each model uses its own 3D coordinate system to identify

uniquely individual colors. Some models (e.g., CIE XYZ,

CIE LUV) are capable of representing all colors from the

visible color domain. Other models (e.g., RGB, HSV) are

restricted to a subset of this domain. Certain models (e.g.,

CIE LUV, CIE Lab, Munsell) have been designed to try to

provide other useful properties like isoluminance and

control over perceived color difference.

RGB color space is one of the most widely used color

spaces for processing and storing of digital image data,

where it is a color space originated from CRT (or similar)

display applications, and it is convenient to describe color

as a combination of three colored rays (red, green and

blue). Still, because of its high correlation between chan-

nels, significant perceptual non-uniformity and mixing of

chrominance and luminance data, this color space is not

favorable choice for color analysis and segmentation

applications.

When there was a need for the user to specify color

properties numerically, hue-saturation-based color spaces

were appeared. Hue defines the dominant color (such as

red, green, purple and yellow) of an area; saturation

measures the colorfulness of an area in proportion to its

brightness [18]. The ‘‘intensity’’, ‘‘lightness’’ or ‘‘value’’ is

related to the color luminance.

The transformation of RGB to HSI color space is

invariant to high intensity at white light, ambient light and

surface orientations relative to the light source; conse-

quently, they can be a suitable choice for color segmen-

tation methods.

By following non-linear equations, RGB color space is

transformed to HIS color space, which has the advantage

that intensity component is separated from chrominance

components:

H ¼ arccos12ððR� GÞ þ ðR� BÞÞ

ffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiððR� GÞ2 þ ðR� BÞðG� BÞÞ

q

S ¼ 1� 3MinðR;G;BÞRþ Gþ B

I ¼ 1

3ðRþ Gþ BÞ: ð2Þ

The intensity varies according to environment conditions,

but simply discarding luminance information affects the

model’s accuracy. Moallem et al. [19] proposed an opti-

mum color space by combining color components with

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different weights. In this research, ((1/2) H, S, (2/3) I) is

chosen by trial and error. Here, we introduce a novel

method to achieve the most affective color space. A (aH,

bS, cI) color space is considered, where a, b and c are the

key parameters they should be selected to make an opti-

mum color space. To materialize a precise system, genetic

algorithm (GA) is applied to set the a, b and c values. GA

is the most extended group of evolutionary technique

known, which rely on the use of a selection, crossover and

mutation operators [17]. Here, GA characteristics are as

follows:

Initial population = 150

Crossover coefficients = 0.67

Mutation coefficient = 0.005

Migration coefficient = 0.35.

The a, b and c are chromosomes of the GA, whose

fitness function compares the whole detected target pixels

in the sample images with the actual number of these pixels

and attempts to minimize the difference. In this way,

optimum values are obtained to accurate segmentation.

2.2 Decision-making system

To segment an arbitrary image, pixels with special color

through the image should be searched. This color can be any

color like red, green, blue, yellow, etc., or the color of particular

object such as vegetables, fruits or even human body skin.

Sugeno fuzzy system used is a 1-input, 1-output system

applying the Euclidean distance between the color of each

pixel to the average target color sub-space as an input, and

the likelihood of being target pixel as an output. A total of

150,000 color vectors, which contain the pixel of target

color and also any other color, should be provided as a

training data set. Our FIS is designed by neuro-adaptive

learning techniques. These techniques provide a method for

the fuzzy modeling produce to learn information about a

data set, in order to compute the membership function

parameters that best allow the associated fuzzy inference

system to track the given input/output data. This learning

method works similarly to that of neural networks.

Here, first subtractive clustering [20] is implemented on

data. After deciding about number of MFs with this

method, a hybrid learning algorithm to identify parameters

of Sugeno-type fuzzy inference system is used. It applies a

combination of the least-square method and the back

propagation gradient descent method for training FIS

membership function parameters to emulate a given

training data set. The outputs are linear, and weighted

average method is used for defuzzification [16].

When the sample image is used as an input for designed

FIS, an output image is a gray-level image. The intensity of

each pixel shows the probability of being a target color vector.

We need a binary image to make mask and segment region of

interest. So, the value as the threshold should be selected.

After investigating various results and with error and trial,

87 % is chosen as the best threshold value. It means that the

pixels with 87 % likelihood or more are regarded as target

pixels. The binary image is formed by setting target pixels to 1

and all other pixels to 0. After this, morphological processing,

which consists of opening followed by closing [21], is

accomplished to acquire separated and connected regions.

3 Examples of proposed system applications

To show the efficiency of this method, we design two

systems for skin color and special object like potato

detection, respectively. Moreover, proposed algorithms are

applicable in wide range of applications to segment any

region of interest (ROI) with special color.

3.1 Skin color segmentation

Human skin color detector can be so useful for the

understanding the image where human are subject of

observation. Skin color has proved to be robust cue for face

detection, localization and tracking and can help detect a

human limb or torso, within a picture. Image content fil-

tering, content-aware video compression and image color

balancing applications can also benefit from automatic

detection of skin in images [22].

To have a skin color detector in first step, we make a

training set that contains 1,500 skin and non-skin color

vectors. A fuzzy inference system is designed, for pictures in

(H, S, I) color space, using the described process in Sect. 2.2.

The input MF is shown in Fig. 2, and outputs are linear

functions. To better understanding the semantic meanings,

which are Not Skin, Low probability Skin, Rather Skin and

Skin, is assigned to four obtained clusters.

This system contains 20 nodes and 4 fuzzy rules. If we

define Z = {Not Skin, Low probability Skin, Rather Skin,

Skin}, then the rules are:

IF input is Z THEN output is Z:

After system designing, it is applied to form optimum color

space; 0.81, 0.97 and 0.24 are obtained, respectively, for a,

b and c coefficients. So, (0.81H, 0.97S, 0.24I) is introduced

as the best color space to skin color detection. As the

intensity is the main difference of various skin colors, the

intensity coefficient (c) is much less than a and b.

3.2 Potato color segmentation

Recognizing different kinds of vegetables and fruits is a

recurrent task in supermarkets, where the cashier must be

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able to point out not only the species of a particular fruit

(i.e., banana, apple, pear) but also its variety (i.e., Golden

Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji), which will determine its price.

The use of barcodes has mostly ended this problem for

packaged products [23]. Beside this, vegetable recognizer

system is applicable in industry to recognize defected

products and quality control. Generally, a computer vision

algorithm for a defect detection system includes two main

stages. In the first stage, a proper segmentation algorithm

should be applied on the input image to separate purpose

objects from background and the second stage consists of a

proper defect detection algorithm that is used on the pur-

pose objects. The quality of the segmentation algorithm

plays an important role in improving the output of defect

detection stage.

Utilizing proposed method, a system for segmentation of

potato color is proposed. Designing steps are similar to

what detailed in previous section. The differences just lie in

the number of obtained clusters, which are three and called:

{Potato, Rather-Potato, and Not-potato}, and obviously

optimum color space. Here, (0.91H, 0.68S, 0.5I) is obtained

as the optimum color space. Input membership function is

shown in Fig. 3.

4 Experimental results

To evaluate the performance of the proposed color image

segmentation, some experiments are carried out to detect

human body skin and potato color detection, in two

databases.

For skin detection, we use Bao image database [24].

This database includes 370 face images from various races,

mostly from Asia, with wide range of size, lighting and

background.

To segment potato color, the proposed algorithm is tried

on over more than totally 250 images. These images are

from different databases with different backgrounds,

including USDA, CFIA and an obtained potatoes image

database from Ardabil (Iran’s northern west area).

To better understanding of color space effect, each

algorithm is applied in three different color spaces includ-

ing: (H, S, I), ((1/2) H, S, (2/3) I) and obtained optimum

color space. As described in Sect. 3, (0.81H, 0.97S, 0.24I)

and (0.91H, 0.68S, 0.5I) are optimized color spaces for skin

and potato color segmentation, respectively. The designed

FIS is applied over all images in databases to segment ROI.

In the case of any image as system input, designed FIS

presents a gray-level image, as output which, intensity of

each pixel, shows the probability of being a target color

vector. As 87 % is chosen as the best threshold value, pixels

with 87 % likelihood or more are regarded as target pixels.

After morphological processing in obtained binary images,

separated and connected regions are acquired.

Results are summarized in Table 1. As it is observable,

our optimized color space improves the output perfor-

mance compare to other spaces. So, it can be concluded

that designed system, especially in optimized color space,

is applicable as a reliable technique to segment any color

through the input color image.

Some examples of segmented skin and potato regions

are depicted in Fig. 4. For more details refer to [25–27].

5 Conclusion and future works

In this paper, a fuzzy method was suggested to color image

segmentation in a novel optimized color model. Designed

system was an optimized neuro-fuzzy one, which applies

an image as input and could reveal the likelihood of

belonging to special color group, for each pixel, in a gray-

Fig. 2 Input membership function for skin segmentation system Fig. 3 Input membership function for potato segmentation system

Table 1 Obtained detection rates (%)

Color space (H, S, I) ((1/2) H, S, (2/3) I) Optimized

color space

Skin segmentation 90.54 94.05 97.29

Potato segmentation 91.6 95.2 98

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level image as an output. To improve system accuracy, a

new method was suggested to obtain optimum color space,

which applied GA to achieve the best values of a, b and cfor (aH, bS, cI) color space. Proposed system was designed

for two special applications, which contains skin and potato

color segmentation. Experimental results showed accept-

able detection rates, especially in optimum color space.

Described method in this paper is capable to be tuned

for any color segmentation or object detection applications.

Moreover, color space optimization method is a robust

algorithm that could be utilized in image processing pur-

poses, generally.

Designing a full automatic system to segment all the

different colors in an image and utilizing such a system to

object detection are possible ways to try.

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