Classical Fourier Analysis Applied to a Simple Outline: The Bovine Obturator Foramen

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Dept. of Animal Production, University of Lleida. Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191. E-25198 Lleida (Catalunya) SPAIN

Abstract

The purpose of this article it to pre- sent a procedure of shape characterisation using the classical Fourier analysis combined with image techniques. It was applied to the outline of the obturator foramen of the bovine pelvis. This outline was extracted and characterised by an ordered series of harmonics, each harmonic being described by four coefficients. Step by step reconstructions of outlines using an increasing number of harmonics were then performed. Although the first seven harmonics reached 93.4 % of the cumulative power, the shape of the obturator foramen was already well described by the first harmonic. It seems that the classical Fourier analysis opens interesting perspec- tives for the study of simple osseous outlines.

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