Abstract

A scalar figure of merit is presented that characterizes how well two or more object classes are separated for classification purposes. This scalar, the Hotelling trace criterion (HTC), can also be used as a measure of the performance of an imaging system in maintaining object-class separability. As an example, the HTC is applied to finding the optimum placement of pinholes in a simple coded-aperture system. Such a system could be used for tomographic imaging in nuclear medicine.

© 1986 Optical Society of America

Hotelling trace criterion and its correlation with human-observer performance

R. D. Fiete, H. H. Barrett, W. E. Smith, and K. J. Myers
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 4(5) 945-953 (1987)

Linear estimation theory applied to the evaluation of a priori information and system optimization in coded-aperture imaging

Warren E. Smith and Harrison H. Barrett
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 5(3) 315-330 (1988)

Using the Hotelling trace criterion for feature enhancement in image processing

R. D. Fiete and H. H. Barrett
Opt. Lett. 12(9) 643-645 (1987)

Objective assessment of image quality. II. Fisher information, Fourier crosstalk, and figures of merit for task performance

Harrison H. Barrett, J. L. Denny, Robert F. Wagner, and Kyle J. Myers
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 12(5) 834-852 (1995)

Aperture optimization for emission imaging:effect of a spatially varying background

K. J. Myers, J. P. Rolland, H. H. Barrett, and R. F. Wagner
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 7(7) 1279-1293 (1990)