A colour contrast model for edge and contour detection

A colour contrast-based model has been proposed for the detection of edges and contours. Edges are determined by the local interaction between two antagonistic forces, attractive force and repulsive force. Contour detection is performed by “balancing” the two forces at edges. The distinct feature of the model is its robustness to the complex effects of illumination and blurring. These effects are viewed as deviations from a reference colour and the contour of regions with similar colour properties becomes unambiguous. The use of colour spaces and its limitations have also been avoided. Experiments on real images produce reliable edges and contours even under severe blurring and large illumination fluctuations