[SciPy-User] Beltrami flow (Laplace-Beltrami operator)

[Colin Macdonald]

On 27/01/14 01:22, klo uo wrote:
> I'm following pattern recognition method, where Beltrami flow is
> suggested as a step in image preprocessing. I read a bit about it, but
> it seemed too advanced for me to make that concept in Python code
> right now, so I searched around for implementation expecting a
> straightforward function in a manner of Gaussian filter or similar.
> It looks like your project works on mesh surface object, and the
> interface plays nice with PLY 3D format. So I'll need to somehow
> translate my image into mesh surface? Or maybe your project is meant
> for different type of problem?

It works on a "closest point representation" where each grid point in 
R^n (say R^3) stores its closest point on the surface.  We then use 
this representation to solve PDEs on the surface by discretizing in 
the R^3 space.

Not sure if that is appropriate for your problem or not.  Can you send 
a reference?  (For example, if the surface deforms, then this software 
isn't ready yet---and the maths is not much ahead of it!)

The ply and mesh stuff is there just because we have some routines 
that convert such meshes into closest point representation.  In an 
ideal world, these should probably be their own packages.
(this is probably more clear in the Octave/Matlab version.)

Colin