[Insight-users] ITK ROAD MAP 2005-2006 : Call for feedback

[Lino Ramirez]

Hi Luis and ITK Users/Developers,

I had a brief look at the ITK roadmap 2005-2006. It looks quite
impressive. I cannot wait until having available all these tools in one
single package ;-)

I have some small comments/questions about functionalities I would like to
see in the toolkit.

I noticed that Neural Networks will be added to the toolkit. Are there any
plans for adding a Support Vector Machines (SVM) [1] implementation? SVM
have been used successfully in a variety of applications that could be of
interest to the ITK community (see [2] for some sample applications).
Moreover, it is always good to have a machine learning approach that is
similar to the neural networks in architecture but that uses a different
learning strategy. In this way, one could try the two of them and
determine which one is more appropriate for a particular dataset.
Sometimes, in datasets in which the neural networks fail the SVM succeed
and vice versa.

Are there any plans (even in the very long term) to add support for Fuzzy
Sets [3], Fuzzy Geometry [4], and Fuzzy Spatial Relations [5] between
objects in an image. I think these concepts would be invaluable in the
future of medical image analysis. For example, when we want to measure
geometric properties in objects in an image, we find that generally the
objects are not crisply defined (due to errors during the segmentation,
errors in the acquisition of the image, or errors in the definition of the
object –where do the ribs start and the vertebrae end in a spine X-ray).
In this case, fuzzy geometry could be used to compute the object
properties. Another example would be in the identification of objects in
the images. For instance, in the internal brain structures, the right
caudate nucleus should be closer to the right lateral ventricle than to
the left lateral ventricle. Fuzzy spatial relations with the help of fuzzy
logic [6] could be used to develop a system that makes use of that piece
of information to identify right lateral ventricle.

Well, those are my two picks ;-)

I am looking forward to any comment

Take care

Lino

[1] C. Cortes and V. Vapnik, "Support-Vector Networks," Machine Learning,
vol. 20, pp. 273-297, 1995
[2] http://www.clopinet.com/isabelle/Projects/SVM/applist.html
[3] L.A. Zadeh, "Fuzzy sets," Information and Control, vol. 8, pp. 38-352,
1965
[4] A. Rosenfeld, "Fuzzy geometry: An updated overview," Information
Sciences, vol. 110, pp. 127-133, 1998
[5] I. Bloch, "Fuzzy spatial relationships for image processing and
interpretation: a review," Image and Vision Computing, vol. 23, pp.
89-110, 2005
[6] L.A. Zadeh, "Outline of a new approach to the analysis of complex
systems and decision processes," IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and
Cybernetics, vol. SMC-3, no. 1, pp. 28-44, 1973

> A first draft of the road map for ITK development/maintenance has
> been crafted for the period of September 2005 - September 2006.
>
>
> You will find this draft as a link to the Oversight Committee page
>
> http://www.itk.org/Wiki/ITK_Oversight_Committee
>
>
> More specifically at
>
>
> http://www.itk.org/Wiki/ITK_Roadmap_2005_2006
>
>
> The purpose of this road map is to plan for features and functionalities
> to be included in ITK in the near/medium term (1 to 2 years).
>
> The addition of these features should make of ITK a better tool for
> supporting your efforts in medical research, and development of medical
> applications.
>
> The road map also includes the maintenance tasks to be undertaken in
> ITK. This may involve refactoring of classes, deprecation of classes,
> additional testing, additional coverage, improvements on tutorials and
> so on.
>
>
> Please let us know of the features that you would like to see in ITK
> in the upcoming future, and what points of the toolkit you consider
> that can be improved in order to better server the community.
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
> Luis
>