Improved face×non-face discrimination using Fourier descriptors through feature selection

This work presents a new method to discriminate face from non-face images using Fourier descriptors. The first step of our approach consists in applying a horizontal edge detection filter in the input image, followed by the extraction of a 1D signal from the computed edge map. Then we calculate the Fourier descriptors from this signal and classify the image using statistical classifiers. In order to improve our results, we applied a feature selection algorithm. Preliminary performance assessment results have shown that this approach is superior than traditional transform based methods. Besides, these results showed that our method might be used to develop a fast face detection system