Identifying salient points

Abstract

The definition of "important" or salient points on a shape is an old and fundamental problem in computer graphics. Important points, which we will term key points, can be used for representing a shape (e.g. as vertices of a polyline or as knots of a spline). Key points that correspond to perceptually salient points are useful as handles for editing. Key points are also good points to retain in simplifying a shape.