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Computer Vision pp 136–145Cite as

Computational Symmetry

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Synonyms

Symmetry-based X; Symmetry detection

Definition

Computational symmetry is a branch of research using computers to model, analyze, synthesize, and manipulate symmetries in digital forms, imagery, or otherwise [1].

Background

Symmetry is a pervasive phenomenon presenting itself in all forms and scales, from galaxies to microscopic biological structures, in nature and man-made environments. Much of one’s understanding of the world is based on the perception and recognition of recurring patterns that are generalized by the mathematical concept of symmetries [2–4]. Humans and animals have an innate ability to perceive and take advantage of symmetry in everyday life [5–8], while harnessing this powerful insight for machine intelligence remains a challenging task for computer scientists.

Interested readers can find several influential symmetry-related papers below to gain a historic perspective: the wonderful exposition on the role of symmetry in “Biological Shape and Visual Science”...

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    1. Yanxi Liu
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    1. Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

      Katsushi Ikeuchi

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    Liu, Y. (2014). Computational Symmetry. In: Ikeuchi, K. (eds) Computer Vision. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-31439-6_640

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