Automatic fuzzy object-based analysis of VHSR images for urban objects extraction

We present an automatic approach for object extraction from very high spatial resolution (VHSR) satellite images based on Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA). The proposed solution requires no input data other than the studied image. Not input parameters are required. First, an automatic non-parametric cooperative segmentation technique is applied to create object primitives. A fuzzy rule base is developed based on the human knowledge used for image interpretation. The rules integrate spectral, textural, geometric and contextual object proprieties. The classes of interest are: tree, lawn, bare soil and water for natural classes; building, road, parking lot for man made classes. The fuzzy logic is integrated in our approach in order to manage the complexity of the studied subject, to reason with imprecise knowledge and to give information on the precision and certainty of the extracted objects. The proposed approach was applied to extracts of Ikonos images of Sherbrooke city (Canada). An overall total extraction accuracy of 80% was observed. The correctness rates obtained for building, road and parking lot classes are of 81%, 75% and 60%, respectively. (C) 2013 International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Inc. (ISPRS) Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.