Large scale semi-supervised image segmentation with active queries

A semiautomatic procedure to generate classification maps of remote sensing images is proposed. Starting from a hierarchical unsupervised classification, the algorithm exploits the few available labeled pixels to assign each cluster to the most probable class. For a given amount of labeled pixels, the algorithm returns a classified segmentation map, along with confidence levels of class membership for each pixel. Active learning methods are used to select the most informative samples to increase confidence in the class membership. Experiments on a AVIRIS hyperspectral image confirm the effectiveness of the method, especially when used with active learning query functions and spatial regularization.