Off-Line Arabic handwritten word segmentation using rotational invariant segments features

Abstract EN

This paper describes a new segmentation algorithm for handwritten Arabic characters using Rotational Invariant Segments Features (RISF).

The algorithm evaluates a large set of curved segments or strokes through the image of the input Arabic word or sub word using a dynamic feature extraction technique then nominates a small “optimal” subset of cuts for segmentation.

All the directions of stroke are converted to two main segments : '+' and w '-' RISF.

A list of nominated segmentation points are prepared from the '+' segments and evaluated according to special conditions to locate the final segmentation points.

The RISF algorithm was tested by using our new designed database AHD / AUST and the IFN / ENIT database.

It has achieved a high segmentation rate of 95.66% on AHD / AUST and 90.58% on IFN / ENIT handwritten Arabic databases.