Adaptive-threshold region merging via path scanning

Region merging algorithms commonly produce results that are seen to be far below the current commonly accepted state-of-the-art image segmentation techniques. The main challenging problem is the selection of an appropriate and computationally efficient method to control resolution and region homogeneity. In this paper we present a region merging algorithm that includes a semi-greedy criterion and an adaptive threshold to control segmentation resolution. In addition we present a new relative performance indicator that compares algorithm performance across many metrics against the results from human segmentation. Qualitative (visual) comparison demonstrates that our method produces results that outperform existing leading techniques.

Does Daily Sunshine make you Happy? Subjective Measures of Well-being and the Weather

This paper examines to what extent individual measures of well-being are correlated with daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom. Merging daily weather data with data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) allows us to test whether measures of well-being are correlated with temperature, sunshine, rainfall and wind speed. We are able to make a strong case for causality due to ‘randomness’ of weather in addition to using regression methods that eliminate time-invariant individual level heterogeneity. Results suggest that some weather parameters (such as sunshine) are correlated with some measures of well-being (job satisfaction); however, in general the effect of weather on subjective measures of well-being is very small.