A new bead chain algorithm for refining initial plans of boundaries

The authors examine a member of a class of algorithms which generates successively refined estimates of object boundaries from initial plans. The class of interest is called bead chain algorithms: the novel member is referred to as the ramp bead chain algorithm. It is less complex than either the original bead chain algorithm, which requires vector calculations, or the modified bead chain algorithm, which involves exponential calculations. Only the four elemental operators are used by the ramp bead chain algorithm. The results of tests on artificial and real data demonstrate performance better than or equal to that of the more complex algorithms