Edge detection and processing using shearlets

Mathematically wavelets are not very effective in representing images containing distributed discontinuities such as edges. This paper deals with a new multiscale directional representation called the shearlet transform that has been shown to represent specific classes of images with edges optimally. Techniques based on this transform for edge detection and analysis are presented. Unlike previously developed directional filter based techniques for edge detection, shearlets provide a theoretical basis for characterizing how edges will behave in such representations. Experiments demonstrate that this novel approach is very competitive for the purpose of edge detection and analysis.